galls, fped with fpavins, ray'd with the yellows, paft cure of the vives, ftark fpoil'd with the ftaggers, begnawn with the bots; fway'd in the back, and fhoulder-fhotten; near-leg'd before, and with a half-check'd bit, and a head-ftall of sheep's-leather; which, being reftrain'd to keep him from ftumbling, hath been often burst, and now.repaired with knots; one girth 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 pack-thread.

Bap. Who comes with him?

Bio. O, fir, his lacquey, for all the world caparifon'd like the horse; with a linen stock on one leg, and a kerfey boot-hofe on the other, garter'd with a red and blue lift; an old hat, and the humour of forty fancies prick'd in't for a feather: a monfter, a very monfter in apparel; and not like a christian foot-boy, or a gentleman's lacquey.

Tra. 'Tis fome odd humour pricks him to this fashion;

Yet oftentimes he goes but mean apparel'd.

Bap. I am glad, he's come though, how foe'er he comes. Bia. Why, fir, he comes not.

Bap. Didft thou not fay, he comes ?

Bio. Who? that Petruchio came ?

Bap. Ay, that Petruchio came.

Bio. No, fir; I say, that his horfe comes, with him On his back.

Bap. Why, that's all one.

Bio. Nay, by faint Jamy; I hold you a penny,

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

Enter Petruchio, and his man Grumio, oddly habited both•

Pet. Come, where be thefe gallants here? who's at home?

• This fpeech contains a whimsical luxuriance of rifible defcription; there is abundant peculiarity of grotesque idea; Biondello requires great and uncommon distinctness and volubility, which are rarely found together.

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 could with you were.

Pet. Tut! were it better, I fhould 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 faw fome wond'rous monument,

Some comet, or unufual prodigy?

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

Firft were we fad, fearing you would not come ;
Now fadder, that you come fo unprovided.

Fie! doff this habit, shame 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 yourfelf?

Pet. Tedious it were to tell, and harsh to hear;
Sufficeth, I am come to keep my word:

"Though, in fome part, enforced to digrefs;
"Which, at more leifure, I will fo excufe
"As you shall well be fatisfy'd 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 trust, you will not marry her.
Pet. Good footh, even thus; therefore, have don
with words;

To me fhe's marry'd, not unto my cloaths:
Could I repair what she will wear in me,
As I can change these 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 kiss?

[Exeunt Pet. Gru, and Bio.

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.

Bap. I'll after him, and fee the event of this,
[Exeunt Bap. and Attendants. Tranio follows;
but is beckoned back by Lucentio, who con-
verfes awhile apart.

Tra. But to her love, fir, concerneth us to add
Her father's liking: Which, to bring to pass,
As I before imparted to your worthip,

I am to get a man,-whate'er he be,

It fkills not much; we'll fit him to our turn,-
And he shall be Vincentio of Pifa;
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 schoolmaster
Doth watch Bianca's steps fo narrowly,
"Twere good, methinks, to fteal our marriage;
Which once perform'd, let all the world fay-no,
I'll keep mine own, defpight of all the world.
Tra. That, by degrees, we mean to look into,
And watch our vantage in this business:
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.-

Re-enter Gremio, laughing.

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. Curfter 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! fhe's a lamb, a dove, a fool to him.
I'll tell you, Sir Lucentio; when the priest
Should afk-if Catherine fhould be his wife,

Ay,

dy, by gogs-wouns, quoth he; and fwore fo loud, That, all-amaz'd, the priest let fall the book: And, as he ftoop'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 lift.

Tra. What faid the wench, when he rofe up again? Gre. Trembl'd, and fhook; for why, 'he ftamp'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 he had been aboard, Caroufing to his mates after a storm:

"Quafft off the mufcadel, and threw the fops "All in the fexton's face; having no other reason,"But that his beard grew thin and hungerly, "And feem'd to ask him sops as he was drinking. This done, he took the bride about the neck; And kifs'd her lips with fuch a clamorous smack, That, at the parting, all the church did eccho, I, feeing this, came thence for very fhame; And after me, I know, the rout is coming: Such a mad marriage never was before! Hark, hark! I hear the minstrels play.

[Mufic.

Enter Petruchio and Catherine, as married; Baptifta, Gramio, Hortenfio, Bianca, and Train.

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 mult away to-day, before night come :-
Make it no wonder; if you knew my business,
You would entreat me rather go than stay.
And, honeft company, I thank you all,
That have beheld me give away myself
To this most patient, fweet, and virtuous wife :

Dine with my father, drink a health to me;
For I must hence, and farewel to you all.

Tra. Let us entreat you ftay 'till after dinner.
Pet. It may not be.

Gre. Let me entreat you, fir.

Pet. It cannot be.

Cat. Let me entreat you then.

Pet. I am content.

Cat. Are you content to stay?

Pet. I am content, you shall entreat my stay;
But yet not ftay, entreat me how you can.
Cat. Now, if you love me, ftay.

Pet. Grumio, my horses.

"Gru. Ay, fir, they be ready;

"The oats have eaten up the horses.
Cat. 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, fir, there lies your way,
You may be jogging while your boots are green;
For me, I'll not be gone 'till please myself:
'Tis like, you'll prove a jolly furly groom,
That take it on you at the firft fo roundly.

Pet. O, Kate, content thee; pr'ythee be not angry. Cat. I will be angry: What haft thou to do?Father, be quiet; he fhall ftay my leisure.

Gre. Ay, marry, fir, now it begins to work.
Cat. Gentlemen, forward to the bridal dinner :-

I see a woman may be made a fool,

If fhe had not a spirit 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,
Caroufe full measure to her maidenhead,
Be mad and merry, -or go hang yourselves;
But for my bonny Kate, the muft with me.
Nay, look not big, nor ftamp, nor ftare, nor fret;
I will be mafter of what is mine own:

She is my goods, my chattels; fhe is my houfe,
My houfhold-ftuff, my field, my barn, my ftable,
My horfe, my ox, my afs, my any thing;

And