to keep him from ftumbling, hath been often burft, and now repair'd with knots; one girt fix times piec'd, and a woman's crupper of velure, which hath two letters for her name, fairly fet down in ftuds, and here and there piec'd with packthread.

Bap. Who comes with him?

Bion. Oh, Sir, 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, garter'd with a red and blue lit, an old hat, and the humour of forty fancies prickt up in't for a feather: a monfter, a very monster in apparel, and not like a christian footboy, or a gentleman's lackey.

Tra. 'Tis fome odd humour pricks him to this fashion; Yet oftentimes he goes but mean apparell'd.

Lap. I am glad he is come, howfoever he comes.
Bion. Why, Sir, he comes not.

Bap. Didft thou not fay, he comes ?

Bion. Who? that Petrcubio came not?

Bap. Ay, that Petrcubio came.

Bion. No, Sir; 1 fay, his horfe comes with him on his back.

Bap. Why, that's all one.

Bion. Nay, by St. Jamy, I hold you a penny,

A horfe and a man is more than one, and yet not many

Enter Petruchio and Grumio fantastically habited.

Pet Come, where be thefe gallants? who is at home? Bap. You're welcome, Sir.

Pet. And yet I come not well.

Bep. And yet you halt not.

frown:

Tra. Not fo well 'parell'd, as I wish you were.
Pet. Were it ftill better, I fhould ruff in thus,
But where is Kate? where is my lovely bride?
How does my Father? Gentles, methinks, you
And wherefore gaze this goodly company,
As if they faw fome wondrous monument,
Some comet, or unufual prodigy?

Bap

Bap. Why, Sir, you know, this is your wedding-day :

First, were we fad, fearing you would not come ;

Now, fadder, that you come fo unprovided.

Fy, doff this habit, fhame to your estate,
An eye-fore to our folemn festival.

Tra. And tell us what occafion of import
Hath all fo long detain'd you from your wife,
And fent you hither fo unlike yourself}

Pet. Tedious it were to tell, and harsh to hear:
Sufficeth, I am come to keep my word,
Tho' in fome part enforced to digrefs,
Which at more leifure I will fo excuse,
As you fhall well be fatisfied withal.

But, where is Kate? I ftay too long from her;
The morning wears; 'tis time, we were at church.
Tra. See not your Bride in these unreverent robes;
Go to my chamber, put on cloaths of mine.

Pet. Not I; believe me, thus I'll vifit her.
Bap. But thus, I truft, you will not marry her.
Pet. Good footh, even thus; therefore ha'done with
words;

To me fhe's married, not unto my cloaths:
Could I repair what she will wear in me,
As I could change thefe poor accoutrements,
"Twere well for Kate, and better for myself.
But what a fool am I to chat with you,
When I fhould bid good-morrow to my Bride,
And feal the title with a lovely kifs?

Tra. He hath fome meaning in his mad attire:

We will perfuade him, be it poffible,

To put on better ere he go to church.

[Exit.

Bap. I'll after him, and fee the event of this. [Exit. Tra. But, Sir, our love concerneth us to add

Her Father's liking; which to bring to país,

As I before imparted to your Worship,

I am to get a man, (whate'er he be,
It skills not much; we'll fit him to our turn ;)
And he fhall be Vincentio of Pisa,
And make affurance here in Padua
Of greater fums than I have promised.

So fhall you quietly enjoy your hope,
And marry fweet Bianca with confent.

Luc. Were it not, that my fellow school-mafter
Doth watch Bianca's steps fo narrowly,

Iwere good, methinks, to fteal our marriage;
Which once perform'd, let all the world fay, no,
I'll keep my own, defpight of all the world.
Tra. That by degrees we mean to look into,
And watch our vantage in this bufinefs;
We'll over-reach the grey-beard Gremio,
The narrow-prying Father Minola,
The quaint mufician amorous Licio;
All for my master's fake, Lucentio.

Enter Gremio.

Now, Signior Gremio, came you from the church?
Gre. As willingly as e'er I came from school.

Tra. And is the Bride and Bridegroom coming home?
Gre. A Bridegroom, fay you? 'tis a groom, indeed,
A grumbling groom, and that the girl fhall find.
Tra Curfer than fhe ? why, 'tis impoffible.
Gre. Why, he's a devil, a devil, a very fiend.
Tra. Why, fhe's a devil, a devil, the devil's dam.
Gre. Tut, he's a lamb, a dove, a fool to him:
I'll tell you, Sir Lucentio; when the Priest
Should afk, if Catharine fhould be his wife?
Ay, by gogs-woons, quoth he; and fwore fo loud,
That, all-amaz'd, the Prieft let fall the book;
And as he stoop'd again to take it up,

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

Tra. What faid the wench, when he rofe up again? Gre. Trembled and fhook; for why, he stamp'd and fwore, As if the Vicar meant to cozen him.

But after many ceremonies done,

He calls for wine: a health, quoth he; as if
H'ad been aboard carowfing to his Mates

After a form; quafft off the muscadel,

And

And threw the fops all in the fexton's face;
Having no other caufe, but that his beard
Grew thin and hungerly, and feem'd to ask
His fops as he was drinking. This done, he took
The Bride about the neck, and kist her lips
With fuch a clamorous fmack, that at the parting
All the church echo'd; and I feeing this,
Came thence for very fhame; and after me,
I know, the rout is coming: Such a mad marriage
Ne'er was before.-Hark, hark, I hear the minstrels.

[Mufick plays

Enter Petruchio, Catharina, Bianca, Hortenfio,
and Baptifta.

your pains ;

Pet. Gentlemen and friends, I thank you for
I know, you think to dine with me to-day,
And have prepar'd great ftore of wedding cheer;
But fo it is, my hafte doth call me hence;
And therefore here I mean to take my

leave.
Bap: Is't poffible, you will away to-night?
Pet. I muft away to-day, before night come.
Make it no wonder; if you knew my bufinefs,..
You would entreat me rather go than ftay.
And, honeft Company, I thank you all,
That have beheld me give away myself
To this moft patient, fweet and virtuous wife.
Dine with my father, drink a health to me,
For I muft hence, and farewel to you all.
Tra. Let us intreat you stay 'till after dinner.
Pet. It may not be.

Gre. Let me intreat you.

Pet. It cannot be.

Cath. Let me intreat you.

Pet. I am content

But

Cath. Are you content to stay ?

Pet. I am content you fhall intreat me, flay;
yet not tay, intreat me how you can.
Cath. Now, if you love me, ftay.

A

*

Pet

Pet. Grumio, my horses.

Gru. Ay, Sir, they be ready: the oats have eaten the horses.

Cath. Nay, then,

Do what thou canft, I will not go to-day;

No, nor to-morrow, nor 'till I please myself :
The door is open, Sir, there lies your way,
You may be jogging, while your boots are green
For me, I'll not go, 'till I pleafe myself:
'Tis like, you'll prove a jolly furly groom,
That take it on you at the first fo roundly.

Pet. O, Kate, content thee, pr'ythee, be not angry.
Cath. I will be angry; what haft thou to do?
Father, be quiet; he fhall ftay my leifure.

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

I fee, a woman may be made a fool,

If fhe had not a fpirit to refift.

Pet. They fhall go forward, Kate, at thy command. Obey the bride, you that attend on her: Go to the feaft, revel and domineer; Carowfe full measure to her maiden-head; Be mad and merry, or go hang yourselves; But for my bonny Kate, fhe muft with me. Nay, look not big, nor ftamp, nor ftare, nor fret, I will be matter of what is mine own;

She is my goods, my chattels, fhe is my house,
My houfhold stuff, my field, my barn,eofqes n
My horfe, my ox, my afs, my any things o
And here the flands, touch her who ever dare.
I'll bring my action on the proudeft he,
That flops my way in Padua; Grumio,

Draw forth thy weapon; we're befet with thieves
Refcue thy miftrefs, if thou be a man:

Fear not, fweet wench, they shall not touch thee, Katez
I'll buckler thee against a million.

[Exeunt Pet. and Cath. Bap. Nay, let them go, a couple of quiet ones. Gre. Went they not quickly, I fhould die with laughing.

Tra