A Lord, before whom the Play is suppos’d to be play'd.
CHRISTOPHER Siy, a drunken Tinker.
Hostess.
Page, Players, Huntsmen, and other Servants attending on the Lord.

The Persons of the Play itself are,
BAPTISTA, Father to CATHARINA and BIANCA, very rich.
Vincentio, an old Gentleman of Pisa.
LUCENTIO, Son to Vincentio, in love with Bianca.
PETRUCHIO, a Gentleman of Verona, a suitor to CATHARINA.
GREMIO,
HORTENSIO,

} Pretenders to Bianca. TRANIO,

} Servants to Lucentio.
BIONDELLO,
GRUMIO, Servant to. PETRUCHIO.
Pedant, an old fellow set up to personate VINCENTIO.

CATHARINA, the Shrew.
BIANCA, her Sister.
Widow.

Tailor, Haberdashers, with Servants attending on BAPTISTA

and PETRUCHIO.

SCENE, Sometimes in Padua, and sometimes in Petruchio's

House in the Country.

THE

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW.

I N D U C T I O N.

SCENE I.

I

Enter Hostess, and Sly.

SLY. 'LL pheeze you, in faith.

Hoft. A pair of stocks, you rogue !

Sly. Y’are a baggage; the Slies are no rogues: look in the chronicles; we came in with Richard Conqueror :

therefore, ‘paucus palabris, let the world Nlide : Seja. Hof. You will not pay for the glasses you have burst?

Sly. No, not a denier : go by, Jeronymo, — go to thy cold bed, and warm thee. Hoft. I know my remedy; I must go fetch the thirdborough.

[Exit. Sly. Third, or fourth, or fifth borough, I'll answer him by law: I'll not budge an inch, boy ; let him come, and kindly.

[falls asleep. SCENE II. Wind horns. Enter a Lord from hunting, with a train. Lord. Huntsman, I charge thee, tender well my hounds; Leech Merriman, the poor cur is emboss’d; And couple Clowder with the deepmouth'd brach. Saw'st thou not, boy, how Silver made it good · He means to say, pocas palabras.

Go by, Jeronymo, was a kind of by-word in the author's days, as appears by it's being used in the fame manner by Ben. Jonson, Beaumont and Fletcher, and other writers near that time. It arose first from a passage in an old play call’d Hieronymo or The Spanish Tragedy.

At

I i 2

At the hedge-corner in the coldest fault?
I would not lose the dog for twenty pound.

Hun. Why, Belman is as good as he, my lord;
He cried upon it at the merest loss,
And twice to-day pick'd out the dullest scent:
Trust me, I take him for the better dog.

Lord. Thou art a fool; if Eccho were as feet,
I would esteem him worth a dozen such.
But sup them well, and look unto them all ;
To-morrow I intend to hunt again.

Hun. I will, my lord.
Lord. What's here? one dead, or drunk? see, doth he breathe?

2 Hun. He breathes, my lord. Were he not warm’d with ale, This were a bed but cold, to sleep so soundly.

Lord. O monstrous beast! how like a swine he lies !
Grim death, how foul and loathsome is thine image!
Sirs, I will practise on this drunken man.
What think you, if he were convey'd to bed,
Wrap'd in sweet cloths; rings put upon his fingers ;
A most delicious banquet by his bed,
And brave attendants near him when he wakes;
Would not the beggar then forget himself?

i Hun. Believe me, lord, I think, he cannot choose.
2 Hun. It would seem strange unto him when he wak’d.

Lord. Even as a flatt'ring dream, or worthless fancy.
Then take him up, and manage well the jest:
Carry him gently to my fairest chamber,
And hang it round with all my wanton pictures ;
Balm his foul head with warm distilled waters,
And burn sweet wood to make the lodging sweet ;
Procure me musick ready when he wakes,
To make a dulcet and a heav'nly sound;
And if he chance to speak, be ready straight,
And with a low submissive reverence,
Say, what is it your honour will command ?
Let one attend him with a silver bason

Full

Full of rosewater, and bestrew'd with flowers;
Another bear the ewer; a third a diaper;
And say, will’t please your lordship cool your

hands?
Some one be ready with a costly suit,
And ask him what apparel he will wear;
Another tell him of his hounds and horses,
And that his lady mourns at his disease ;
Persuade him that he hath been lunatick:
And when he says he's poor, say that he dreams,
For he is nothing but a mighty lord :
This do, and do it kindly, gentle firs :
It will be pastime passing excellent,
If it be husbanded with modesty.

i Hun. My lord, I warrant you we'll play our part,
As he shall think, by our true diligence,
He is no less than what we say he is

. Lord. Take him up gently, and to bed with him ; And each one to his office when he wakes. (found Trumpets. Sirrah, go, see what trumpet 'tis that sounds. [Sly is carried of. Belike, fome noble gentleman that means, Travelling some journey, to repose him here.

Enter Servant. How now? who is it?

Serv. Please your honour, players
That offer service to your lordship.

Lord. Well.
Bid them come near :

Enter Players.
Now, fellows, you are welcome.

Play. We thank your honour.
Lord. Do you intend to stay with me to-night?
2 Play. So please your lordship to accept our duty.
Lord. With all my heart. This fellow I remember,

Since