And here she stands, touch her whoever dare; Draw forth thy weapon, we're beset with thieves; Fear not, fweet wench; they fhall not touch thee, Kate; I'll buckler thee against a million *. [Exit, hurrying Catherine out; Grumio, with bis fword drawn, bringing up the rear. Pap. Nay, let them go, a couple of quiet ones. Gas Went they not quickly, I fhould die with laughing. "Tra. Of all mad matches, never was the like! "Mittrefs, what's your opinion of your fifter? "Bia. That, being mad herself, fhe's madly mated. "Gre. I'll warrant him, Petruchio is Kated. "Bap. Neighbours and friends, though bride and 86 bridegroom wants "For to fupply the places at the table, "You know, there wants no junkets at the feast:- "Tra. Shall fweet Bianca practife how to bride it? Bap. She fhall, Lucentio. Come, gentlemen let's go. Sly. Sim, When will the fool come again? 1. S. Anon, my lord. [Exeunt Sly. Give's fome more drink here !—where's the tapfter? -Here, Sim, Eat fome of thefe things. 1. S. So I do, my lord. [Giving him fome conferves. Sly. Here, Sim, I drink to thee. [Drinks. The overbearing, and feemingly frantic fpirit of authority, Petruchio fuggefts and affumes, muft keep an audience in high fpirits, and cannot fail to delight an intelligent reader; fo poignant are his expreffions, and fo well contrafted to Catherine's, SCENE II. A Hall in Petruchio's Country-Houfe. Enter Grumio, balting. Gru. Fie, fie, on all tir'd jades! on all mad masters ! and all foul ways! Was ever man so beaten? was ever man fo 'wray'd? was ever man fo weary? 1 am fent before to make a fire, and they are coming after to warm them. Now, were not I a little pot, and foon hot, my very lips might freeze to my teeth, my tongue to the roof of my mouth, my heart in my belly, ere I fhould come by a fire to thaw me :-But I, with blowing the fire, fhall warm myfelf; for, confidering the weather, a taller man than I will take cold. Hola, ho! Curtis ! Enter Curtis. Cur. Who is that, calls fo coldly? Gru. A piece of ice: If thou doubt it, thou may'st flide from my fhoulder to my heel, with no greater a run but my head and my neck. A fire, good Curtis. Cur. Is my mafter and his wife coming, Grumio? Gru. O, ay, Curtis, ay: and therefore fire, fire; caft on no water. Cur. Is the fo hot a fhrew as fhe's reported? Gru. She was, good Curtis, before his frost: but, thou know'ft, winter tames man, woman, and beast; for it hath tam'd my old master and my new mistress,and thyfelf, fellow Curtis. "Cur. Away, you three-inch fool! I am no beast. "Gru. Am I but three inches? why, thy horn is a "foot; and fo long am I, at the leaft. But wilt thou "make a fire, or fhall I complain on thee to our mistress? "whofe hand (the being now at hand) thou fhaft foon "feel, to thy cold comfort, for being flow in thy hot "office... "Cur. I pr'ythee, good Grumio, tell me, how goes "the world i "Gru. A cold world, Curtis, in every office but "thine; and therefore, fire: Do thy duty, and have "thy duty; for my mafter and miftrefs are almost fro"zen to death. 31 "Cur. There's fire ready; and therefore, good Grumio, the news? "Gru. Why, Jack, boy! ho, boy! and as much "news as thou wilt. "Cur. Come, you are fo full of còney-catching."Gru. Why, therefore, fire; for I have caught ex*treme cold." Where's the cook? is fupper ready, the house trimm'd, rufhes ftrew'd, cobwebs fwept; the fervingmen in their new fuftian, their white ftockings, and every officer his wedding-garment on? be the jacks fair within, the jills fair without, the carpets laid, and every thing in order? Cur. All ready: And therefore, I pray thee, news? Gru. First, know, my horfe is tired; my mafter and miftrefs fall'n out. Cur. How? Gru. Out of their faddles into the dirt; and thereby hangs a tale. Cur. Let's ha't, good Grumio. "Gru. Lend thine ear. "Cur. Here. * Gru. There. [Cuffing him. Cur. This is to feel a tale, not to hear a tale. Gru. "And therefore 'tis call'd-a fenfible tale.: and "this cuff was but to knock at your ear, and befeech "lift'ning. Now I begin."-Imprimis, we came down a foul hill, my mafter riding behind my miftrefs:Cur. Both on one horse? Gru. What's that to thee? Cur. Why, a horse. Gru. Tell thou the tale: But, hadft thou not cross'd me, thou shouldft have heard, how her horfe fell, and The under her horse; thou shouldft have heard, in how miry a place: how fhe was bemoiled; how he left her with the horfe upon her; how he beat me because her horfe ftumbl'd; how fhe waded through the dirt to pluck him off me; how, he fwore; how the pray'd,—that never pray'd before: how I cry'd; how the horses ran away; how her bridle was burft; how I loft my crupper-with many things of worthy memory; which now VOL. VI. G fhall fhall die in oblivion, and thou return unexperienc'd to thy grave. Cur. By this reck'ning, he is more shrew than fhe. Gru. Ay; and that thou and the proudest of you all fhall find, when he comes home. But what talk I of this?-call forth Nathaniel, Jofeph, Nicholas, Philip, Walter, Sugar-fop, and the reft: let their heads be fleekly comb'd, their blue coats brush'd, and their garters of an indifferent knot: let them curt'fy with their left legs; and not prefume to touch a hair of my mafter's horfe tail, till they kifs their hands. Are they all ready? * Cur. They are. Gru. Call them forth. Cur. Do you hear, ho! [calling.] you must meet my mafter," to countenance my miftrefs. "Gru. Why, fhe hath a face of her own. "Cur. Who knows not that? "Gru. Thou, it feems; that call'ft for company to 4 countenance her. "Cur. I call them forth to credit her. "Gru. Why, fhe comes to borrow nothing of them. Enter feveral Servants. 1. S. Welcome home, Grumio. 2. S. How now, Grumio? 3. S. What, Grumio! 4. S. Fellow Grumio! 1. S. How now, old lad: Gru. Welcome, you;-how now, yor;-what you; -fellow, you;-and thus much for greeting. Now, my fpruce companions, is all ready, and all things neat? 1. S. All things are ready. Hov near is our mafter? Gru. E'en at hand, alighted by this; and therefore be not,-Cock's paffion, filence; I hear my mafter. * Grumio is extremely laughable through this fcene; but very difficult for ftage execution, there is such a degree of rhapfodical crampmefs in his ludicrous defcriptions. Enter Petruchio and Catherine. Pet. Where be these knaves? What, no man at the Pet. Here, fir! here, fir here, fir! here, fir!- What, no attendance? no regard ? no duty?- Gru. Here, fir; as foolish as I was before. Pet. You peafant fwain! you whorfon malt-horfe drudge! Did I not bid thee meet me in the park, And bring along these rascal knaves with thee? 1 Gru. Nathaniel's coat, fir, was not fully made, And Gabriel's pumps were all-unpink'd i'th' heel; And Walter's dagger was not come from sheathing: [Exeunt fome of the Servants. Cloth laid. Where is the life that late I led, fay they.Where are thofe villains -Sit down, Kate, and wel come. Soud, foud, foud, foud! [Sings. [Sits to table. [Wiping himself. Re-enter Servants with fupper. Why when, I fay ?-Nay, good fweet Kate, be merry- [Sings. Out, out, you rogue! [to the Servant.] you pluck my foot awry: Take that, [ftriking him.] and mend the plucking of Be the other. merry, Kate:- -Some water here; what ho !— G 2 Where's |