Tra. But, fay, what to thine old news? Bion. Why, Petruchio is coming, in a new hat, and 20 an old jerkin; a pair of old breeches, thrice turn'd; a pair of boots that have been candle-cafes, one buckled, another lac'd; an old rusty sword ta'en out of the town armory, with a broken hilt, and chapeless, with two broken points: His horfe hip'd 25 with an old mothy faddle, the stirrups of no kindred: befides, poffeffed with the glanders, and like to mofe in the chine; troubled with the lampafs, infected with the fashions, full of windgalls, fped with spavins, raied with the yellows, paft cure of 30 the fives 2, ftark spoiled with the staggers, begnawn| with the bots; fway'd in the back, and shoulderfhotten; near legg'd 3 before, and with a halfcheck'd bit, and a headstall of theep's leather which being restrain'd to keep him from ftumb-35 ling, hath been often burst, and now repair'd with knots: one girt fix times piec'd, and a woman's crupper of velure 4, which hath two letters for her name, fairly fet down in ftuds, and here and there pieced with packthread. Bap. Who comes with him? 40 Bion. Oh, fir, his lacquey, for all the world caparifon'd like the horse; with a linen stock 5 on one leg, and a kerfey boot hofe on the other, garter'd with a red and blue list; an old hat, and 45 The bumour of forty fancies 6 prick'd in't for a feather: a monster, a very monster in apparel;| and not like a chriftian foot-boy, or a gentleman's lacquey. Bion, Who? that Petruchio came ? Bion. No, fir; I say, his horse comes with him on his back. Bap. Why, that's all one. Bion. 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 Grumio. Pet. Come, where be these gallants? who is at home? Bap. You are welcome, fir. Pet. And yet I come not well. Bap. And yet you halt not. As I wish you were. Pet. Were it better, I fhould rush in thus. [day: Bap. Why, fir, you know, this is your wedding- Tra. And tell us, what occafion of import Pet. Tedious it were to tell, and harsh to hear; robes; Go to my chamber, put on cloaths of mine. To me she's marry'd, not unto my cloaths: Tra. 'Tis fome odd humour pricks him to this 50 When I should bid good-morrow to my bride, fashion; Yet oftentimes he goes but mean apparell'd. Bap. I am glad he is come, howfoever he comes. Bap. Didit thou not fay, he comes? And feal the title with a lovely kifs? [Exe. Pet. Gru. and Bion Tra. He hath fome meaning in his mad attire: We will perfuade him, be it poffible, 155 To put on better ere he go to church. That is, the farcy. A diftemper in horfes, little differing from the ftrangles. 3 Meaning, that he cuts, or interferes. 4 i. e. velvet. 5 i. e. ftocking. This was fome ballad or drollery of that time, which the poet here ridicules, by making Petruchio prick it up in his foot-boy's old hat for a feather. In Shakspeare's time, the kingdom was over-run with these doggrel compofitions; and he feems to have bore them a very particular grudge. He frequently ridicules both them and their makers with excellent humour. In Much ado about Nothing, he makes Benedick fay, Prove that ever I lofe more blood with love than I get again with drinking, prick out my eyes with a ballad maker's penz as the bluntnefs of it would make the execution extremely painful. 7 i. e. to deviate from my promife. Бар. Bap. I'll after him, and fee the event of this.] [Exit. Tra. But, fir, our love concerneth us to add I am to get a man,-whate'er he be, It skills not much; we'll fit him to our turn,- Luc. Were it not that my fellow fchool-mafter Tra. That by degrees we mean to look into, Signior Gremio! came you from the church? 5 10 Such a mad marriage never was before: Pet. Gentlemen and friends, I thank you for your Bap. Is't poffible, you will away to-night? Pet. I must 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, 15 That have beheld me give away myself Gre. A bridegroom, fay you? 'tis a groom, indeed, Pet. I am content you shall intreat me stay; [the horses *. Gru. Ay, fir, they be ready; the oats have eaten Kath. 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, 35 You may be jogging, while your boots are green; For me, I'll not be gone, 'till I please myself :Tis like, you'll prove a jolly furly groom, That take it on you at the firft fo roundly. This mad-brain'd bridegroom took him such a cuff, 40 Tra. What faid the wench, when he rose up again? Gre. Trembled and shook; for why, he stamp'd, 45 As if the vicar meant to cozen him. [and fwore,] But after many ceremonies done, He calls for wine : A bealib, quoth he; as if he had been aboard, Quaff'd off the mufcadel', and threw the fops Pet. O,Kate, content thee; pr'ythee, be not angry. Kath. I will be angry; What haft thou to do?— Father, be quiet; he shall stay my leifure. Gre. Ay, marry, fir: now it begins to work. I fee, a woman may be made a fool, [mand: Pet. They fhall go forward, Kate, at thy com Obey the bride, you that attend on her : Go to the feaft, revel and domineer, Caroufe full measure to her maidenhead, 50 Be mad and merry,—or go hang yourselves ; My horfe, my ox, my ass, my any thing; The fashion of introducing a bowl of wine into the church at a wedding to be drank by the bride and bridegroom and perfons prefent, was very anciently a conftant ceremony; and, as appears from this paffage, not abolished in our author's age. 2 Meaning, that they had eaten more oats than they were worth. Draw Draw forth thy weapon; we're beset with thieves ; [Exe. Petruchio and Katherine. 5 Bap. Nay, let them go, a couple of quiet ones. Gre. Went they not quickly, I fhould die with laughing. Tra. Of all mad matches, never was the like! Bian. That, being mad herself, fhe's madly mated. 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? Curt. There's fire ready: And therefore, good Grumio, the news? Gru. Why, Jack boy! bo boy! and as much news as thou wilt. Curt. Come, you are fo full of conycatching :--- very lips might freeze to my teeth, my tongue to 30 extreme cold. Where's the cook? is supper ready, 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. Holla, hoa! Curtis ! Enter Curtis. Curt. Who is that, calls fo coldly? Gru. A piece of ice: if thou doubt it, thou may'ft flide from my shoulder to my heel, with no greater the house trimm'd, rushes ftrew'd, cobwebs fwept; the ferving-men in their new fuftian, their white ftockings, and every officer his wedding garment on? be the jacks fair within, the jills fair 35 without, the carpets laid, and every thing in Jorder? Curt. All ready; And therefore, I pray thee, news? Gru. First know, my horfe is tired; my master a run but my head and my neck. A fire, good 40 and mistress fallen out. Curtis. Cart. Is my master and his wife coming, Grumio ? Gru. Oh, ay, Curtis, ay: and therefore fire, fire; caft on no water. Curt. Is the fo hot a fhrew as she's reported? Gru. She was, good Curtis, before this froft; but, thou know'ft, winter tames man, woman, and beaft; for it hath tam'd my old mafter, and my new mistress, and myself, fellow Curtis. Cart. Away, you three-inch 3 fool! I am no beast. 145) Curt. How? Gru. Out of their faddles into the dirt; And thereby hangs a tale. Curt. Let's ha't, good Grumio. Gru. Lend thine ear. Curt. Here. Gru. There. [Strikes bim. Curt. This is to feel a tale, not to hear a tale. Gru. And therefore 'tis call'd, a sensible tale : 50 and this cuff was but to knock at your ear, and befeech liftning. Now I begin: Imprimis, we came down a foul hill, my master riding behind my mistress: Gru. Am I but three inches? Why, thy horn is a foot; and fo long am I, at the leaft 4. But wilt thou make a fire, or fhall I complain on thee 55 to our mistress, whofe hand (the being now at hand) thou fhalt foon feel, to thy cold comfort, for being flow in thy hot office? Curt. I pr'ythee, good Grumio, tell me, How goes the world? Curt. Both on one horse? Gru. Tell thou the tale;-But hadft thou not crofs'd me, thou should't have heard how the horfe fell, and she under her horse; thou should'st 60 have heard, in how miry a place: how he was That is, made dirty. 2 A proverbial expreffion. 3 i. c. with a skull three inches thick; a phrafe taken from the thicker fort of planks. 4 The meaning is, that he had made Curtis a cuckold. 5 This is a fragment of fome old ballad. i. e. are the drinking-veffels clean, and the maid-fervants dreffed? bemoil'd; Gru. Nathaniel's coat, fir, was not fully made, The reft were ragged, old, and beggarly; Where is the life that late I led- Re-enter Servants with Supper. merry. 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, Sugarfop, and the reft:15 Why, when, I say ?--Nay, good sweet Kate, be let their heads be fleekly comb'd, their blue coats brush'd, and their garters of an indifferent knit 2 :| let them curtfy with their left legs; and not prefume to touch a hair of my master's horfe-tail, 'till they kifs their hands. Are they all ready? Curt. They are. Gru. Call them forth. Curt. Do you hear, ho? you must meet my mafter, to countenance my mistress. Gru. Why, the hath a face of her own. Cart. Who knows not that? Gru. Thou, it seems; that call'ft for company to countenance her. Curt. I call them forth to credit her, Enter four or five Serving-men. Gru. Why, the comes to borrow nothing of them. Nath. Welcome home, Grumio. Phil. How now, Grumio? Jof. What, Grumio! Nich. Fellow Grumio! Nath. How now, old lad! [Sings. Off with my boots, you rogues, you villains; When? 20Out, you rogue! you pluck my foot awry: Be merry, Kate :-Some water, here; what ho!- 25 Where's my fpaniel Troilus?--Sirrah,get you hence, Where are my flippers ?-Shall I have fome water? 30 Come, Kate, and wash, and welcome heartily :You whorefon villain! will you let it fall? Kath. Patience, I pray you; 'twas a fault unwilling. Pet. A whorefon, beetle-headed, flap-ear'd knave! |35|Come, Kate, fit down; I know you have a sto Gru. Welcome, you ;-how now, you ;-what, you;-fellow, you;—and thus much for greeting. Now, my spruce companions, is all ready, and all 4c things neat? Nath. All things are ready: How near is our master ? Gru. E'en at hand, alighted by this; and therefore be not,Cock's paffion, filence !- I hear 45 my master. Enter Petruchio and Katharine. Pet. Where be thefe knaves? What, no man at the door, To hold my ftirrup, nor to take my horse ! Gru. Here, fir; as foolish as I was before, Did not I bid thee meet me in the park, 50 mach. Will you give thanks, fweet Kate: or elfe fhall I ? 1 Ser. Ay. Pet. Who brought it? Ser. I. Pet. 'Tis burnt; and fo is all the meat: For it engenders choler, planteth anger; [Exeunt. I i. e. be-draggled, be-mired. 2 Meaning, that their garters fhould be fellows; indifferent, or nat different, one from the other. 3 A link is a torch of pitch. 4 That is, fweet, fweet. 5 This is a fragment of fome ancient ballad. Enter Enter Servants feverally. Nath. Peter, did'ft ever fee the like? Gru. Where is he? Curt. In her chamber, Making a fermon of continency to her: And rails, and fwears, and rates; that she, poor foul, [Exeunt. Pet. Thus have I politicly begun my reign, My faulcon now is sharp, and paffing empty; And here I'll fling the pillow, there the bolster, That all is done in reverend care of her; And, in conclufion, she shall watch all night: He that knows better how to tame a shrew, II. I tell you, fir, the bears me fair in hand. I tell thee, Licio, this is wonderful. Hor. Mistake no more; I am not Licio, But one that fcorn to live in this disguise, Tra. Signior Hortenfio, I have often heard 10 And fince mine eyes are witness of her lightness, Hor. See, how they kifs and court!-Signior 15 Never to woo her more; but do forfwear her, Tra. And here I take the like unfeigned oath,- For me, that I may surely keep mine oath, I will be marry'd to a wealthy widow, 25 Ere three days pafs; which hath as long lov'd me, As I have lov'd this proud difdainful haggard; And fo farewel, fignior Lucentio. Kindnefs in women, not their beauteous looks, Shall win my love :-and fo I take my leave, 30 In refolution as I fwore before. [Exit Hortenfio. Tra. Mistress Bianca, bless you with fuch grace As 'longeth to a lover's bleffed cafe! Nay, I have ta'en you napping, gentle love; And have forfworn you, with Hortenfio. [Lucentio and Bianca come forward. Bian. Tranio, you jeft; but have you both forTra. Mistress, we have. [fworn me? 35 Luc. Then we are rid of Licio. Tra. I'faith, he'll have a lufty widow now, 40 That fhall be woo'd and wedded in a day. 45 Enter Bianca and Lucentio. Luc. I read that I profefs, the art to love. I pray, Tra. Ay, and he'll tame her. Bian. He fays fo, Tranio. Tra. 'Faith, he is gone unto the taming school. Tra. Ay, miftrefs, and Petruchio is the mafter; Bion. Oh mafter, master, I have watch'd fo long Tra. What is he, Biondello ? Bion. Mafter, a mercatantè 3, or a pedant, 1 A baggard is a wild bawk; to man a hawk is to tame her. 2 Meaning, perhaps, an ancient messenger, which is the primitive fignification of angel. 3 i. e. a merchant. And |