"Tra. Among them, know you one Vincentio! "Ped. I know him not, but I have heard of him; "A merchant of incomparable wealth. "Tra. He is my father, fir; and, footh to say, "In count'nance fomewhat doth resemble you. "Bio. As much as an apple doth an oyster, and all one. "Tra. To fave your life in this extremity, "His name and credit fhall you undertake, "Ped. O, fir, I do; and will repute you ever "The patron of my life and liberty. [Afide. "Tra. Then go with me, to make the matter good. "This, by the way, I let you understand ; 66 My father is here look'd for every day, "To pafsaffurance of a dower in marriage "Go with me, fir, to cloath you as becomes you*. [Exeunt. SCENE II. A Room in Petruchio's House. Enter Grumio, Catherine following. Gru. No, no, forfooth; I dare not for my life. Cat. The more my wrong, the more his fpite appears: What, did he marry me to famish me? Beggars, that come unto my father's door, Upon entreaty, have a prefent alms; If not, elsewhere they meet with charity : *Though what we have marked for omiffion feems to contain fomething effential to the plot, yet it is in our view rather flat and fuperfluous; and why the character introduced as a pedant should be fo ftiled, we know not. G 5 But But I,-who never knew how to entreat, Am ftarv'd for meat, giddy for lack of fleep; As who should say,—if I should sleep, or eat, Cat. Tis paffing good; I pr'ythee, let me have it.. Cat. I like it well; good Grumio, fetch it me. Cat. Then both, or one, or any thing thou wilt. [beating him. That feed'ft me with the very name of meat: Sorrow on thee, and all the pack of you, That triumph thus upon my mifery! Go, get thee gone, I fay. Enter Petruchio with a Dish of Meat ;, Hortenfio · with him. Pet. How fares my Kate? What, fweeting, all amort à Hor. Miftrefs, what cheer? Cat. I'faith, as cold as can be. Pet. Pluck up thy fpirits, look cheerfully upon me. Here, love; thou fee'st how diligent I am, [Setting his Dish upon a Table. * Grumio's treatment of his miftrefs in this fcene is exceedingly comic; and the humiliated termagant Catherine, is very well drawn. Το To drefs thy meat myself, and bring it thee: Cat. I pray you, let it ftand. Pet. The pooreft service is repay'd with thanks ;: Hor. Signior Petruchio, fie! you are to blame :- [Sits to Table along with her. Pet. Eat it up all, Hortenfio, if thou lov'ft me. [Afide. Now much good do't unto thy gentle heart! Kate, eat apace: And now, my honey love, With filken coats, and caps, and golden rings, [Cat. and Hor. rife.. What, haft thou din'd? The taylor ftays thy leisure, To deck thy body with his ruftling treasure. Enter Taylor with a Gown. Come, taylor, let us see these ornaments; Enter Haberdasher. Lay forth the gown.-What news with you, fir? ha? A knack, a toy, a trick, a baby's cap; Cat. I'll have no bigger; this doth fit the time, And gentlewomen wear fuch caps as these. Pet. When you are gentle, you shall have one too, And not 'till then. Hor. That will not be in haste. Cat. Why, fir, I truft, I may have leave to speak; And fpeak I will; I am no child, no babe: I love thee well, in that thou lik'ft it not Cat. Love me, or love me not, I like the cap; And it I will have, or I will have none. Pet. Thy gown? why, ay:-come, taylor, let us see't. [Taylor lays forth the Gown. O, mercy, heav'n! what masking ftuff is here! What's this? a fleeve? 'tis like a demi-cannon: What! up and down, carv'd like an apple-tart? Here's fnip, and nip, and cut, and flish, and flash, Like to a cenfer in a barber's shop: Why, what, o'devil's name, tailor, call'ft thou this ? Hor. I fee, fhe's like to have neither cap nor gown. [Afide. Tai. You bid me make it orderly and well, According to the fashion, and the time. Pet. Marry, and did; but, if you be remember'd, I did not bid you mar it to the time. Go, hop me over every kennel home, More quaint, more pleafing, nor more commendable: Pet. Why, true; he means to make a puppet of thee. Tai. She fays, your worship means to make a puppet of her. Pet. O monftrous arrogance! -Thou ly'ft, thou thread, thou thimble, Thou yard, three quarters, half yard, quarter, nail, * The oblique manner in which Petruchio works upon the refractory difpofition of his crooked rib, is very ludicrous and well conceived. Thou flea, thou nit, thou winter-cricket thou:-- As thou shalt think on prating whilst thou liv'ft! Tai. Your worship is deceiv'd; the gown is made Grumio gave order how it fhould be done. Gru. T gave him no order, I gave him the ftuff. Tai. I have. Gru. Face not me: thou haft brav'd many men; brave not me, I will neither be fac'd nor brav'd. I fay unto thee, I bid thy master cut out the gown; but I did not bid him cut it to pieces: ergo, thou ly'ft. Tai. Why, here is the note of the fashion to testify. Pet. Read it. Gru. The note lies in's throat, if he say—I said so. Tai. Imprimis, a loofe-body'd gown: [Reading. Gru. Master, if ever I faid-loofe-body'd gown, fow me in the skirts of it, and beat me to death with a bottom of brown thread: I said, a gown. Pet. Proceed. Tai. With a small compast cape ; Gru. I confefs the cape. Tai, With a trunk fleeve; Gru. I confefs two fleeves. Pet. Ay, there's the villainy. Gru. Error i' th' bill, fir; error i' th' bill:-I commanded the fleeves fhould be cut out, and fow'd up again; and that I'll prove upon thee, though thy little finger be armed in a thimble. Tai. This is true, that I fay; an i had thee in place where, thou should'st know it. Gru. I am for thee ftraight: take thou the bill, give me thy mete-yard, and fpare not me. |