Her name is Catharina Minola,

Renown'd in Pedua for her fcolding tongue.

Pet. I know her Father, tho' I know not her,
And he knew my deceased Father well. "

I will not fleep, Hortenfio, 'till I fee her,
And therefore let me be thus bold with you,
To give you over at this first encounter,
Unless you will accompany me thither.

Gru. I pray you, Sir, let him go while the humour lafts. O'my word, an' fhe knew him as well as I do, The would think scolding would do little good upon him. She may, perhaps, call him half a score knaves, or fo: why, that's nothing; 'an' he begin once, he'll rail-In his rope-tricks (I'll tell you what, Sir) an' the ftand him but a little, he will throw a figure in her face, and fo disfigure her with it, that she shall have no more eyes to fee withal than a cat. You know him not, Sir.

Hor. Tarry, Petruchio, I must go with thee, For in Baptifta's house my Treasure is:

He hath the jewel of my life in hold,

His youngest daughter, beautiful Bianca ;

And her with-holds he from me, and others more
Suitors to her, and Rivals in my love:
Suppofing it a thing impoffible,

For thofe defects I have before rehears'd,
That ever Catharina will be woo'd;
Therefore this order hath Baptifta ta'en,
That none fhall have accefs unto Bianca,
'Till Catharine the curft have got a husband.

An' he begin once. he'll rail in his rope-tricks.] This is obfcure. Sir Thomas Hanmer reads, te'll rail in bis rhetorick; I'll tell you, &c. Rhetorick agrees

very

well with figure in the fucceeding part of the fpeech, yet I am inclined to believe that R-pe-tricks is the true word.

It flood thus:.

And her withholds he from me. Other more Suitors to her, and Rivals in my Love: &c.] The Regulation, which I have given to the Text, was dictated to me by the ingenious Dr. Thirlby.

4

THEOBALD

Gru.

Gru. Catharine the curft?

A title for a maid of all titles the worft!

Hor. Now fhall my Friend Petruchio do me grace, And offer me difguis'd in fober robes

To old Baptifta as a school-master,
Well feen in mufick, to inftru&t Bianca;
That fo I may by this device, at least,
Have leave and leisure to make love to her;
And, unfufpected, court her by herself.

Enter Gremio, and Lucentio difguis'd.

Gru. Here's no knavery! fee, to beguile the old folks, how the young folks lay their heads together. Master, look about you: who goes there? ha!

Hor. Peace, Grumio, 'tis the Rival of my love.
Petruchio, ftand by a while.

Gru. A proper Stripling, and an amorous ——
Gre. O very well; I have perus'd the note.
Hark you, Sir, I'll have them very fairly bound,
All books of love; fee That, at any hand;
And fee, you read no other lectures to her:
You understand me - Over and befide
Signior Baptista's liberality,

I'll mend it with a largefs. Take your papers too,
And let me have them very well perfum'd;
For fhe is sweeter than perfume itself,

To whom they go; what will you read to her?
Luc. Whate'er I read to her, I'll plead for you,
As for my Patron, ftand you fo affured;
As firmly as yourself were still in place;
Yea, and, perhaps, with more fuccessful words
Than you, unless you were a fcholar, Sir.
Gre. Oh this learning, what a thing it is!
Gru. O this woodcock, what an afs it is! -
Pet. Peace, Sirrah.

Нок.

Hor. Grumio, mum! God fave you. Signior Gremio. Gre. And you are well met, Signior Hortenfio. Trow you, whither I am going? to Baptifta Minola; I promis'd to enquire carefully about a fchool-mafter for the fair Bianca; and by good fortune I have lighted well on this young man, for Learning and Behaviour fit for her turn, well read in Poetry, and other books; good ones, I warrant ye.

Hor. 'Tis well; and I have met a gentleman, Hath promis'd me to help me to another,

A fine musician to inftruct our mistress;

So fhall I no whit be behind in duty

To fair Bianca, fo belov'd of me.

Gre. Belov'd of me,-and that my deeds fhall prove. Gru. And that his bags fhall prove.

Hor. Gremio, 'tis now no time to vent our love. Listen to me; and, if you fpeak me fair, I'll tell you news indifferent good for either. Here is a Gentleman whom by chance I met, Upon agreement from us to his liking, Will undertake to woo curft Catharine; Yea, and to marry her, if her dowry please. Gre. So faid, fo done, is well;

Hortenfio, have you told him all her faults?

Pet. I know, fhe is an irksome brawling fcold; If that be all, mafters, I hear no harm.

A

Gre. No, fayest me fo, friend? what Countryman?
Pet. Born in Verona, old Antonio's Son;

My father's dead, my fortune lives for me,
And I do hope good days and long to fee.

Gre. Oh, Sir, fuch a life with fuch a wife were strange;
But if you have a ftomach, to't, o' God's name;
You must have me affifting you in all.

But will you wooe this wild cat?

Pet: Will I live?

Gru. Will he wooe her? ay, or I'll hang her. Pet. Why came I hither, but to that intent? Think you, a little din can daunt my ears?

Have I not in my time heard lions roar?
Have I not heard the fea, puff'd up with winds,'
Rage like an angry boar, chafed with fweat?
Have I not heard great Ordnance in the field?
And heav'n's artillery thunder in the fkies?
Have I not in a pitched battel heard

Loud larums, neighing steeds, and trumpets clangue?
And do you tell me of a woman's tongue,
That gives not half fo great a blow to th' ear
As will a chefnut in a farmer's fire?

Tush, tush, fear boys with bugs.

Gru. For he fears none.

Gre. Hortenfio, hark:

This Gentleman is happily arriv'd,

My mind prefumes, for his own good, and ours.
Hor. I promis'd, we would be contributors
And bear his charge of wooing whatsoe'er.

Gre. And fo we will, provided that he win her.
Gru. I would, I were as fure of a good dinner.

SCENE

VII.

To them Tranio bravely apparell'd, and Biondello.

Tra. Gentlemen, God fave you. If I may be bold, tell me, I beseech you, which is the readiest way to the house of Signior Baptifta Minola?

Bion. He, that has the two fair daughters? is't he you mean?

Tra. Even he, Biondello.

Gre. Hark you, Sir, you mean not her, to

Tra. Perhaps, him and her; what have you to do? Pet. Not her that chides, Sir, at any hand, I pray.

3 That gives not half fo great

a blow to HEAR,] This aukward phrafe could never

come from Shakespeare. He wrote, without question,

-fo great a blow to TH’EAR.

WARBURTON.
Tra.

Tra. I love no chiders, Sir: Biondello, let's away. Luc. Well begun, Tranio.

Hor. Sir, a word, ere you go:

Are you a fuitor to the maid you talk of, yea or no? Tra. An if I be, Sir, is it any offence?

Gre. No; if without more words you will get you

hence.

Tra. Why, Sir, I pray, are not the streets as free For me, as for you?

Gre. But fo is not she.

Tra. For what reafon, I befeech you?
Gre. For this reafon, if you'll know:
That's fhe's the choice love of Signior Gremio.
Hor. That fhe's the chofen of Signior Hortenfio.
Tra. Softly, my mafters; if you be gentlemen
Do me this right; hear me with patience.
Baptifta is a noble Gentleman,

To whom my Father is not all unknown;
And, were his Daughter fairer than fhe is,
She may more fuitors have, and me for one.
Fair Leda's daughter had a thousand wooers;
Then well One more may fair Bianca have,
And fo the fhall. Lucentio fhall make one,
Tho' Paris came, in hope to fpeed alone.

Gre. What, this Gentleman will out-talk us all!
Luc. Sir, give him head; I know, he'll prove a jade.
Pet. Hortenfio, to what end are all thefe words?
Hor. Sir, let me be fo bold as to ask you,
Did you yet ever fee Baptifta's daughter?

Tra. No, Sir; but hear I do, that he hath two:
The one as famous for a fcolding tongue,
As the other is for beauteous modefty.

Pet. Sir, Sir, the firft's for me; let her go by.
Gre. Yea, leave that labour to great Hercules;
And let it be more than Alcids' twelve.

Pet. Sir, understand you this of me, infooth: The youngest Daughter, whom you hearken for, Her father keeps from all accefs of fuitors,

And