HORTENSIO, suitors to Bianca. SCENE, CURTIS, Pedant, an old fellow set up to personate Vincentio. KATHARINA, the shrew; BIANCA, her sister, Widow. daughters to Baptista. Tailor, Haberdasher, and Servants attending on Baptista and Petruchio. · sometimes in PADU▲; and sometimes in PETRUCHIO's House in the Country. Hest. You will not pay for the glasses you have burst! Sy. No, not a denier: Go by, says Jeronimy ;Go to thy cold bed, and warm thee, Hest. I know my remedy, I must go fetch the thirdborough. [Exit. Sly. Third, or fourth, or fifth borough, I'll anwer him by law: I'll not budge an inch, boy; let hing come, and kindly. [Lies down on the ground, and falls asleep. Find horns. Enter a LORD from hunting, with Huntsmen and Servants. Lord. Huntsman, I charge thee, tender well my bounds: Brach Merriman, -the poor cur is emboss'd, 1 Hun. Why, Belman is as good as he, my lord; Lord. Thou art a fool; if Echo were as fleet, 1 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 Carry him gently to my fairest chamber, Say, What is it your honour will command? Let one attend him with a silver bason, Full of rose-water, and bestrew'd with flowers; Another bear the ewer, the 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; 1 Hun. My lord, I warrant you, we'll play our part, As he shall think, by our true diligence, [Some bear out SLY. A trumpet sounds. Sirrah, go see what trumpet 'tis that sounds: [Exit Servant. Belike, some noble gentleman: that means, Travelling some journey, to repose him here. Re-enter a Servant. How now? who is it? Serv. An it please your honour, Players that offer service to your lordship. Lord. Bid them come near : thou didst it excellent. Lord. 'Tis very true ; Well, you are come to me in happy time; The rather for I have some sport in hand, Wherein your cunning can assist me much. There is a lord will hear you play to-night: But I am doubtful of your modesties; Lest, over-eying of his odd behaviour, (For yet his honour never heard a play, You break into some merry passion, And so offend him; for I tell you, sirs, If you should smile, he grows impatient. 1 Play. Fear not, my lord; we can contain ourselves, Were he the veriest antick in the world. Lord. Go, sirrah, take them to the buttery. And give them friendly welcome every one : Let them want nothing that my house affords. [Exeunt Servant and Players. Sirrah, go you to Bartholomew my page, [To a Servant. And see him dress'd in all suits like a lady: That done, conduct him to the drunkard's chamber, And call him- madam, do him obeisance. Tell him from me, (as he will win my love,) He bear himself with honourable action, Such as he hath observ'd in noble ladies Unto their lords, by them accomplished: Such duty to the drunkard let him do, With soft low tongue, and lowly courtesy; And say, - What is't your honour will command, Wherein your lady, and your humble wife, May show her duty, and make known her love? And then-with kind embracements, tempting kisses, And with declining head into his bosom, When they do homage to this simpic peasant. I'll in to counsel them: haply, my presence May well abate their over-merry spleen, Which otherwise would grow into extremes. [Exeun SCENE II.. -A Bedchamber in the Lord's Hous SLY is discovered in a rich night-gown, with Attend ants; some with apparel, others with bason, ewe and other appurtenances. Enter LORD, dresse like a servant. Sly. For God's sake, a pot of small ale. 1 Serv. Will't please your lordship drink a cup sack? 2 Serv. Will't please your honour taste of the conserves? 3 Serv. What raiment will your honour wear t day? Sly. I am Christophero Sly; call not me-honou nor lordship: I never drank sack in my life; and you give me any conserves, give me conserves beef: Ne'er ask me what raiment I'll wear: for have no more doublets than backs, no more stoc ings than legs, nor no more shoes than feet; na sometimes, more feet than shoes, or such shoes my toes look through the overleather. Lord. Heaven cease this idle humour in yo honour! O, that a mighty man of such descent, S. What, would you make me mad? Am not I Christopher Sly, old Sly's son of Burton-heath; by birth a pedlar, by education a card-maker, by transmutation a bear-herd, and now by present profession a tinker? Ask Marian Hacket, the fat alewife of Wincot, if she know me not if she say I un not fourteen pence on the score for sheer ale, score me up for the lyingest knave in Christendom. What, I am not bestraught: Here's 1&r. O, this it is that makes your lady mourn. 2 Sere. O, this it is that makes your servants droop. Lord. Hence comes it that your kindred shun your house, As beaten hence by your strange lunacy. Call horne thy ancient thoughts from banishment, Wilt thou have musick? hark! Apollo plays, Above the morning lark: Or wilt thou hunt? Thy hounds shall make the welkin answer them,' And fetch shrill echoes from the hollow earth. 1 Sere. Say, thou wilt course; thy greyhounds are as swift As breathed stags, ay, fleeter than the roe. 2 Sere. Dost thou love pictures? we will fetch Adonis, painted by a running brook : Which seem to move and wanton with her breath, Lord. We'll show thee Io, as she was a maid; And how she was beguiled and surpriz'd, As lively painted as the deed was done. 3 Bere. Or Daphne, roaming through a thorny wood; Scratching her legs that one shall swear she bleeds: Than any woman in this waning age. O, how we joy to see your wit restor❜d! 1 Serv. O, yes, my lord; but very idle words: 3 Serv. Why, sir, you know no house, nor no such maid; My men should call me-lord; I am your goodman. Page. My husband and my lord, my lord and husband; I am your wife in all obedience. Sly. I know it well:- What must I call her? Lord. Madam. Sly. Al'ce madam, or Joan madam? Lord. Madam, and nothing else; so lords call ladies. Sly. Madam wife, they say that I have dream'd and slept Above some fifteen year and more. Page. Ay, and the time seems thirty unto me; Being all this time abandon'd from your bed. Sly. 'Tis much; Servants, leave me and her alone. Madam, undress you, and come now to bed. Or, if not so, until the sun be set : 1 Serv. And, till the tears that she hath shed for In peril to incur your former malady, ACT I. Luc. Tranio, since for the great desire I had And, by my father's love and leave, am arm'd A merchant of great traffick through the world, Vincentio his son, brought up in Florence, Luc. Gramercies, Tranio, well dost thou advise. If, Biondello, thou wert come ashore, Such friends, as time in Padua shall beget. Tra. Master, some show, to welcome us to town. If either of you both love Katharina, me: There, there Hortensio, will you any wife? Unless you were of gentler, milder mould. Kath. I'faith, sir, you shall never need to fear; I wis, it is not half way to her heart: But, if it were, doubt not her care should be To comb your noddle with a three-legg'd stool, And paint your face, and use you like a fool. Hor. From all such devils, good Lord, deliver us Gre. And me too, good Lord! Tra. Hush, master! here is some good pastim toward; That wench is stark mad, or wonderful froward. Tra. Well said, master ; mum! and gaze your fill Kath. A pretty peat! 'tis best Put finger in the eye-an she knew why. Bian. Sister, content you in my discontent. Sir, to your pleasure humbly I subscribe : My books, and instruments, shall be my company On them to look, and practise by myself. Luc. Hark, Tranio! thou may'st hear Miner speak. [Asid Hor. Signior Baptista, will you be so strangel Sorry am I, that our good will effects Bianca's grief. Gre. Why, will you mew her up, Signior Baptista, for this fiend of hell, And make her bear the penance of her tongue : Bap. Gentlemen, content ye; I am resolv'd: Go in, Bianca. [Exit BLANC And for I know, she taketh most delight In musick, instruments, and poetry, Schoolmasters will I keep within my house, Fit to instruct her youth. If you, Hortensio, Or signior Gremio, you, - know any such, Prefer them hither; for to cunning men I will be very kind, and liberal To mine own children in good bringing-up; And so farewell. Katharina you may stay; For I have more to commune with Bianca. (E Kath. Why, and I trust, I may go too; May not? I knew not what to take, and what to leave! Ha! What, shall I be appointed hours; as though, belike, | That made great Jove to humble him to her hand, When with his knees he kiss'd the Cretan strand. Tra. Saw you no more? mark'd you not, how her sister [Exit. Gre. You may go to the devil's dam; your gifts tre so good, here is none will hold you. Their love is not so great, Hortensio, but we may blow our mis together, and fast it fairly out; our cake's dough on both sides. Farewell:-Yet, for the love I bear my sweet Bianca, if I can by any means light on a fit man, to teach her that wherein she delights, I will wish him to her father? Began to scold; and raise up such a storm, Tra. Nay, then, 'tis time to stir him from his trance. Her. So will I, signior Gremio: But a word, II pray, awake, sir; If you love the maid, pray. Though the nature of our quarrel yet never brook'd parle, know now, upon advice, it toucheth us both,—that we may yet again have access to our fair mistress, and be happy rivals in Bianca's love,to labour and effect one thing 'specially. Bend thoughts and wits to achieve her. Thus it stands: Gre. What's that, I pray? Hor. Marry, sir, to get a husband for her sister. Gre. I say, a devil: Think'st thou, Hortensio, though her father be very rich, any man is so very a fool to be married to hell? Her. Tush, Gremio, though it pass your patience and mine, to endure her loud alarums, why, man, there be good fellows in the world, an a man could light on them, would take her with all faults, and money enough. Gre. I cannot tell; but I had as lief take her dowry with this condition, to be whipped at the high-cross every morning. Hor. 'Faith, as you say, there's small choice in retten apples. But, come; since this bar in law makes us friends, it shall be so far forth friendly maintained,- till by helping Baptista's eldest daughter to a husband, we set his youngest free for a husband, and then have to't afresh. - Sweet Bianca! Happy man be his dole! He that runs fastest, gets the ring. How say you, signior Gremio? Gre. I am agreed: and 'would I had given him the best horse in Padua to begin his wooing, that would thoroughly woo her, wed her, and bed her, and rid the house of her. Come on. [Exeunt GREMIO and HORTENSIO. Tra. [Advancing.] I pray, sir, tell me, — Is it possible That love should of a sudden take such hold? I never thought it possible, or likely; But see! while idly I stood looking on, Tra. Master, it is no time to chide you now ; Luc. Gramercies, lad; go forward: this con tents; The rest will comfort, for thy counsel's sound. Her eldest sister is so curst and shrewd, Luc. Ah, Tranio, what a cruel father's he! Tra. Master, for my hand, Both our inventions meet and jump in one. You will be schoolmaster, Luc. It is May it be done? Tra. Not possible; For who shall bear your part, And be in Padua here Vincentio's son ? Keep house, and ply his book; welcome his friends; Visit his countrymen, and banquet them? Luc. Basta; content thee; for I have it full. We have not yet been seen in any house; Nor can we be distinguished by our faces, For man, or master: then it follows thus ;Thou shalt be master, Tranio, in my stead, Keep house, and port, and servants, as I should: I will some other be; some Florentine, Some Neapolitan, or mean man of Pisa. 'Tis hatch'd, and shall be so: - Tranio, at once Uncase thee; take my colour'd hat and cloak: When Biondello comes, he waits on thee; But I will charm him first to keep his tongue. Tra. So had you need. [They exchange habits. In brief then, sir, sith it your pleasure is, And I am tied to be obedient; (For so your father charg'd me at our parting; Although, I think, 'twas in another sense,) Because so well I love Lucentio. Luc. Tranio, be so, because Lucentio loves : And let me be a slave, to achieve that maid Whose sudden sight hath thrall'd my wounded eye. Enter BIONDello. |