like to mose in the chine; troubled with the lampasse, infected with the farcy, full of windgalls, sped with spavins, raied with the yallows, past cure of the fives, stark spoiled with the staggers, be-gnawn with the bots, waid in the back, and shoulder-shotten, near legg'd before, and with a halfchec'd hit; and a head-stall of sheep-leather, which being restrained, to keep him from stumbling, hath been often burst, and now repaired with knots, one girt six times piec'd, and a woman's cruppure of velure, which hath two letters for her name, fairly set down in studs, and here and there piec'd with pack-thread.

Bapt. Who comes with him?

Bion. O Sir, his laquey, for all the world comparison'd like the horse with a linen stock on one leg, and a kersey boot hose on the other, gartered with a red and blue list, an old hat, and the humour of forty fancies prick'd upon it for a feather; a monster! a very monster in apparel, and not like a christian foot-boy, or a gentleman's lacquey.

Bapt. I am glad he's come, howsoever he comes.
Enter PETRUCHIO and GRUMIO, fantastically babited.
Pet. Come, where be these gailants? who is at home?
Bapt. You're welcome, Sir.

Pet. Well am I come then, Sir.

Bapt. Not so well 'parell'd as I wish you were.
Pet. Why were it better, I should rush in thus:
But where is Kate? where is my lovely bride?
How does my father? Gentles, methinks you frown ;
And wherefore gaze this goodly company?

As if they saw some wond'rous monument,
Some comet, or unusual prodigy?

Bapt. Why, Sir, you know this is your wedding-day.
First we were sad, fearing you would not come;

Now sadder, that you come so unprovided, fy! doff this habit, shame to your estate; And eye-sore to our solemn festival.

Hort. And tell us what occasion of import Hath all so long detained you from your wife, And sent you hither so unlike yourself?

Pet. Tedious it were to tell, and harsh to hear,

Let it suffice, I'm come to keep my word;
But where is Kate? I stay too long from her
The morning wears; 'tis time we were at church.
Hort. See not the bride in these unrev'rent robes;

G.

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Go to my bed-chamber, put on cloaths of mine.

Pet. Not I, believe me, thus I'll visit her.

Bapt. But thus I trust you and will not marry her.

Pet. Good sooth, even thus; therefore ha' done with words;

To me she's married, not unto my cloaths:
Could I repair what she could wear in me,
As I could change these poor accoutrements,
'Twere well for Kate, and better for myself.
But what a fool am I to chat with you,
When I should bid good-morrow to my bride,
And seal the title with a lovely kiss?
What ho! my Kate! my Kate!

[Exit Petruchio.

Hort. He hath some meaning in this mad attire:
We will persuade him be it possible;

To put on better e'er he go to church.
Bapt. I'll after him, and see the event of this.

[Exeunt all but Grumio, Grum. He's gone to church with her. I wou'd sooner have led her to the gallows. If he can but hold it, 'tis well-and if I know any thing of myself and master, no two men were ever born with such qualities to tame women. When madam goes home, we must look for another-guise master then we have had. We shall see old coil between 'em.- -If I can spy into futurity a little, there will be much clatter among the moveables, and some practice for the surgeons. By this the parson has given 'em his licence to fall together by the ears,

Enter PEDRO..

Ped. Grumio, your master kid me find you out, and speed you to his country-house, to prepare for his reception, and if he finds not things as he expects 'em, according to his directions that he gave you, you know, he says, what follows: this message he delivered before his bride, ev'n in her way to church, and shook his whip in token of his love. Grum. I understand it, Sir, and will convey the same token to my horse immediately, that he may take to his heels in order to save my bones, and his own ribs.

Ped. So odd a master, and so fit a man, Were never seen in Padua before..

Enter BIONDELLO.

Now, Biondello, came you from the church?

[Exit Grumio.

Bion. As willingly as e'er I came from school,
Ped. And is the bride or bridegroom coming home?
Bion. A bridegroom say you? 'tis a groom indeed;
A grumbling groom, and that the girl shall find.
Ped. Curster than she; why 'tis impossible.
Bion. Why, he's a devil; a devil! a very fiend!
Ped. Why, she's a devil; a devil! the devils dam.
Bion. Tut! she's a lamb, a dove, a fool to him:
I'll tell you, brother Pedro, when the priest
Should ask if Catharine should be his wife?-
Ay, by gogs-wounds, quoth he, and swore so loud,
That all amaz'd the priest let fall his book:
And as he stoop'd again to take it up,

This mad-brain'd bridegroom took him such a cuff,
That down fell priest and book, and book on priest,
Now take them up, quoth he, if any list.

Ped. What said the wench, when he rose up again?
Bion. Trembled and shook; for why, he stamp'd and

swore,

As if the Vicar went to cozen him.

But after many ceremonies done,

He calls for wine; a health, quoth he, as if
Ha'd been abroad carousing to his mates
After a storm; quafft of the muscadel
And threw the sops all in the sexton's face;
Having no other cause, but that his beard
Grew thin and hungerly, and seem'd to ask
His sops, as he was drinking. This done, he took
The bride about the neck, and kiss'd her lips
With such a clamarous smack, that at the parting
All the church echo'd; and I seeing this,
Came thence for very shame; and after me
I know the rout is coming:

Such a mad marriage never was before

Hark, hark, I bear the minstrels play.

Music.

Enter PETRUCHIO (singing) CATHAR NE, BIANCA,

HORTENSIO and BAPTISTA.

Pet. Gentlemen and friends, I thank you for your pains; I know you think to dine with me to-day,

And have prepar'd good store of wedding cheer;
But so it is, my haste doth call me hence;
And therefore, here I mean to take my leave.
Bapt. Is't possible you will away to-night?

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I et

Pet. I must away to-day, before night come.
Make it no wonder; if you knew my business,
You would intreat me rather go than stay;
And honest company, I thank you all,
That have beheld me give away myself
To this most patient, sweet, and virtuous wife :
Dine with my father, drink a health to me,
For I must hence, and farewel you all.

Hort. Let me intreat you, stay till after dinner.
Pet. It may not be.

Bion. Let me intreat you, that my sister stay;
I come on purpose to attend the wedding;
And pass this day in mirth and festival.

Pet. It cannot be.

Cath. Let me intreat you.

Pet. I am content.

Cath. Are you content to stay?

Pet, I am content, you shall intreat my stay; But yet not stay, intreat me how you can.

Catb. Now, if ou love me stay.

Pet. My horses, there; what ho, my horses thereCatb. Nay then,

Do what thou can'st, I will not go to-day;

No, nor to-morrow, nor till I please myself;
The door is open, Sir, their lies your way;

You may be jogging, while your boots are green.
For me, I'll not go, 'till I please myself;
'Tis like you'll prove a jolly surly groom,
To take it on vou at the first so roundly.

Bapt. O Kate content thee; pr'ythee be not angry.
Cath. I will be angry; what hast thou to do;

Father be quiet, he shall stay my leisure.

Hort. Ay marry, Sir; now it begins to work.
Cath. Gentlemen, forward to the bridal dinner.

I see a woman may be made a fool,

If she had not a spirit to resist.

Pet. They shall go forward, Kate, at thy command. Obey the bride, you that attend on her: Go to the feast, revel and domineer; Carouse full measure to her maidenhead; Be mad and merry, or go hang yourselves, But for my bonny Kate, she must with me. Nay, look not big, nor stamp, nor stare, nor fret

I will be master of what is mine own;
She is my goods, my chattles; she is my house,
My houshold-stuff, my field, my barn,

My horse, my ox, my ass, my any-thing;
And here she stands, touch her whoever dare
I'll bring my action on the proudest he,
That stops my way in Padua: Petruchio,

Draw forth thy weapon, thou'rt beset with thieves;
Rescue thy wife then, if thou be a man ;

Fear not sweet wench, they shall not touch thee, Kate;
I'll buckler thee against a million, Kate.

[Exeunt Pet. and Cath. Bapt. Nay, let them go, a couple of quiet ones. Hort. Of all måd matches never was the like What's your opinion of your gentle sister?

Bion. That being mad herself, she's madly matched. Bapt. Neighbours and friends, tho' bride and bridegroom

want

For to supply the places at the table;

You know there wants no junkets at the feast:
Hortensio, you'll supply the bridegroom's place,

And let Bianca take her sister's room.

Bian. My sister's room! were I in her's indeed, This swaggerer shou'd repent his insolence. [Exeunt omnes. Enter GRUMIO.

Grum. Fie, fie on all jades, and all mad master's, and alt foul ways! Was ever man so beaten? was ever man so raide! was ever man so weary? I am sent before to make a fire, and they are coming after to warn them; now, were I not a little pot, and soon hot, my very lips might freeze to my teeth, my tongue to the roof of my mouth, my heart in my belly, ere I should come by a fire, to thaw me, but 1 with blowing the fire shall warm myself, for considering the weather, a taller man than I will take cold; holloa, hoa, Curtis!

Enter CURTIS.

Curt. Who is it that calls so coldly?

Grum. A piece of ice If thou doubt it, thou may'st slide from my shoulder to my heel with no greater a run but my head and my neck. A fire, good Curtis,

Curt. Is my master and his wife coming, Grumio!

Grum.