What will be faid, what mockery will it be?
To want the bride-groome when the priest attends
To fpeake the ceremoniall rites of marriage?

What faies Lucentio to this fhame of ours?

Kate. No fhame but mine: I must forfooth be forst

To giue my hand oppos'd against my heart
Vnto a mad-braine rudesby full of spleene,

Who woo'd in hafte, and meanes to wed at leifure
I told you I, he was a franticke foole,

Hiding his bitter iests in blunt behauiour,
And to be noted for a merry man;

Hee'll wooe a thoufand, point the day of marriage,
Make friends, innite, and proclaime the banes,
Yet neuer meanes to wed where he hath woo'd:
Now must the world point at poore Katherine,
And fay, loe, there is mad Petruchio's wife
If it would please him come and marrie her.
Tra. Patience good Katherine and Baptifta too,
Vpon my life Petruchio meanes but well,
What euer fortune ftayes him from his word,
Though he be blunt, I knew him paffing wife,
Though he be merry, yet withall he's honeft..
Kate. Would Katherine had neuer feen though.

Exit weeping.

Bap. Go girle, I cannot blame thee now to weepe, For fuch an iniurie would vexe a verie faint,

Much more a shrew of impatient humour.

Enter Biondello.

Bion. Mafter, mafter, newes, and fuch newes as you neuer heard of.

Bap. Is it new and old too? how may that be?

Bion. Why, is it not newes to heare of Petruchio's com

ming?

Bap.

Bap. Is he come?

Bion. Why no fir?

Bap. What then?

Bion. He is comming.

Bap. When will he be heere?

Bion. When he stands where I am, and fees you there.
Tra. But fay, what to thine olde newes?

:

Bion. Why Petruchio is comming, in a new hat and an olde ierkin, a paire of old breeches thrice turn'd; a paire of bootes that haue been candle-cafes, one buckled, another lac'd an old rufty sword tane out of the towne armory, with a broken hilt, and chapeleffe: with two broken points: his horse hip'd with an olde mothy faddle, and stirrops of no kindred: befides poffeft with the glanders, and like to mofe in the chine, troubled with the lampaffe, infected with the fashions, full of windegalls, fped with fpauins, raied with the yellowes, past cure of the fiues, starke spoyl'd with the staggers, begnawne with the bots, waid in the backe, and fhoulder-shotten, neere leg'd before, and with a halfe-checkt bitte, and a headstall of sheepes leather, which being restrained to keepe him from stumbling, hath been often burst, and now repaired with knots: one girth fixe times peec'd, and a womans crupper of velure which hath two letters for her name, fairely fet down in studs, and heere and there peec'd with packthreed.

Bap. Who comes with him?

Bion. Oh fir, his lackey, for all the world caparifon'd like the horse with a linnen ftock on one leg, and a kerfey boot hofe on the other, gartred with a red and blew lift; an old hat, and the humor of fourty fancies prickt in't for a feather: a monster, a very monster in apparell, and not like a christian foot-boy, or a gentlemans lacky.

Tra. 'Tis fome old humor pricks him to this fashion, yet oftentimes he goes but meane apparel'd.

Bap.

Bap. I am glad he's come, howfoere he comes.

Bion. Why fir, he comes not.

Bap. Didft thou not fay he comes?

Bion. Who, that Petruchio came?

Bap. I, that Petruchio came.

Bion. No fir, I fay his horfe comes with him on his backe. Bap. Why that's all one.

Bion. Nay by S. lamy, I hold you a penny, a horse and a man is more then one, and yet not many.

Enter Petruchio and Grumio.

Pet. Come where be these gallants? who's at home?

Bap. You are welcome fir.

Pet. And yet I come not well.

Bap. And yet you halt not.

Tra. Not fo well apparel'd as I wish you were.
Pet. Were it better I fhould rush in thus:

But where is Kate? where is my louely bride?
How does my father? gentles me thinkes you frowne,
And wherefore gaze this goodly company,

As if they saw some wondrous monument,

Some commet, or vausuall prodigie:

Bap. Why fir, you know this is your wedding day:
First were we fad, fearing you would not come,

Now fadder that you come fo vnprouided :
Fie, doff this habit, shame to your estate,
An eye-fore to our folemne feftiuall.

Tra. And tell vs what occafion of import
Hath all fo long detain'd you from your wife,
And fent you hither fo valike yourselfe?

Pet. Tedious it were to tell, and harsh to heare,
Sufficeth I am come to keepe my word,
Though in fome part inforced to digresse,
Which at more leifure I will fo excufe,

As

As you shall well be fatisfied withall.

But where is Kate? I ftay too long from her,
The morning weares, 'tis time we were at church.
Tra. See not your bride in these vnreuerent robes,
Goe to my chamber, put on clothes of mine.
Pet. Not I, beliene me, thus Ile vifit her.

Bap. But thus I trust you will not marrie her.

Petr. Good footh euen thus: therefore ha done with words, To me fhe's married not vnto my clothes : Could I repaire what she will weare in me, As I can change thefe poor accoutrements, 'Twere well for Kate, and better for myselfe. But what a foole am I to chat with you,' When I should bid good morrow to my bride? And feale the title with a louely kiffe.

Exit.

Tra. He hath fome meaning in his mad attire We will perfwade him be it poffible,

To put on better ere he go to church.

Bap. Ile after him, and fee the euent of this.
Tra. But fir, loue concerneth vs to adde
Her fathers liking, which to bring to passe
As before imparted to your worship,

I am to get a man what ere he be,

It skills not much, weele fit him to our turne,
And he shall be Vincentio of Pifa,

And make affurance heere in Padua

Of greater fummes then I haue promised,

So fhall you quietly enjoy your hope,

And marrie fweete Bianca with confent.

Luc. Were it not that my fellow schoolmaster

Doth watch Bianca's steps fo narrowly :
'Twere good methinkes to steale our marriage,

Exit.

Which once perform'd, let all the world fay no,
Ile keepe mine owne defpite of all the world.

Tra. That by degrees wee meane to looke into,
And watch our vantage in this bufineffe,
Wee'l ouer-reach the graybeard Gremio,
The narrow prying father Minola,
The quaint mufitian, amorous Litio,
All for my mafters fake Lucentio.

Enter Gremio.

Signior Gremio, came you from the church?
Gre. As willingly as ere I came from schoole.
Tra. And is the bride and bridegroom comming home?
Gre. A bridegroome fay you? 'tis a groome indeed,
A grumling groome, and that the girle shall finde.
Tra. Curfter then fhe, why 'tis impoffible.
Gre. Why he's a deuill, a deuill, a very fiend.
Tra. Why fhe's a deuil, a deuill, the deuills damme.
Gre. Tut, fhe's a lambe, a doue, a foole to him:
Ile tell you fir Lucentio; when the priest

Should afke if Katherine fhould be his wife,
I, by goggs woones quoth he, and fwore fo loud,
That all amaz'd, the priest let fall the booke.
And as he stoop'd againe to take it vp,

This mad-brain'd bridegroome tooke him fuch a cuffe,
That down fell priest and booke, and booke and priest,
Now take them vp quoth he if any lift.

Tra. What faid the wench when he rofe againe?

Gre. Trembled and shooke for why he stamp'd and swore, as if the vicar ment to cozen him: but after many ceremonies done, he calls for wine, a health quoth he, as if he had been aboord carowling to his mates after a ftorme, quaft off the muscadell, and threw the fops all in the fextons face: hauing VOL. II.

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