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Luc. Whate'er I read to her, I'll plead for you, As for my patron, (stand you so assur'd), As firmly as yourself were still in place: Yea, and (perhaps) with more successful words Than you, unless you were a scholar, sir. Gre. O this learning; what a thing it is! Gru. O this woodcock! what an ass it is! Pet. Peace, sirrah.

Hor. Grumio, mum!-God save you, signior
Gremio!

Gre. And you're well met, signior Hortensio.
Trow you,

Whither I am going?—To Baptista Minola.
I promis❜d to enquire carefully

About a schoolmaster for fair Bianca:

And, by good fortune, I have lighted well
On this young man; for learning and behaviour,
Fit for her turn; well read in poetry

And other books,-good ones, I warrant you.
Hor. "Tis well: and I have met a gentleman,
Hath promis'd me to help me to another,
A fine musician to instruct our mistress;
So shall I no whit be behind in duty
To fair Bianca, so belov'd of me.

Gre. Belov'd of me, and that my deeds shall

prove.

Gru. And that his bags shall prove.

[Aside.

Hor. Gremio, 'tis now no time to vent our love :

Listen to me, and if you speak me fair,

I'll tell you news indifferent good for either.
Here is a gentleman, whom by chance I met,
Upon agreement from us to his liking,
Will undertake to woo curst Katharine;
Yea, and to marry her, if her dowry please.
Gre. So said, so done, is well:

Hortensio, have you told him all her faults?

Pet. I know, she is an irksome brawling scold; If that be all, masters, I hear no harm.

Gre. No! say'st me so, friend? What countryman? Pet. Born in Verona, old Antonio's son: My father dead, my fortune lives for me; And I do hope good days, and long, to see.

Gre. O, sir, such a life, with such a wife, were

strange:

But, if you have a stomach, to't o' God's name,
You shall have me assisting you in all.

But will you woo this wild cat?

Pet.

Will I live?

Gru. Will he woo her? ay, or I'll hang her. [Aside. Pet. Why came I hither, but to that intent? Think you, a little din can daunt mine ears? Have I not in my time heard lions roar? Have I not heard the sea, puff'd up with winds, Rage like an angry boar, chafed with sweat? Have I not heard great ordnance in the field, And heaven's artillery thunder in the skies? Have I not in a pitched battle heard

Loud 'larums, neighing steeds, and trumpets' clang?
And do you tell me of a woman's tongue,

That gives not half so great a blow to the ear
As will a chestnut in a farmer's fire?

Tush! tush! fear boys with bugs

Gru.

Gre. Hortensio, hark!

18.

For he fears none. [Aside.

This gentleman is happily arriv'd,

My mind presumes, for his own good, and ours.
Hor. I promis'd, we would be contributors,
And bear his charge of wooing, whatsoe❜er.

Gre. And so we will; provided that he win her.
Gru. I would, I were as sure of a good dinner.
[Aside.

18 Fright boys with bug-bears. So in Cymbeline:-
The mortal bugs o' the field.'

Enter TRANIO, bravely apparell'd; and BION

DELLO.

Tra. Gentlemen, God save you! If I may be bold, Tell me, I beseech you, which is the readiest way To the house of signior Baptista Minola?

Bion. He that has the two fair daughters:-is't [Aside to TRANIO] he you mean?

Tra. Even he, Biondello.

19

Gre. Hark you, sir; You mean not her toTra. Perhaps him and her, sir; What have you to do?

Pet. Not her that chides, sir; at any hand, I pray. Tra. I love no chiders, sir:-Biondello, let's away. Luc. Well begun, Tranio.

Hor. Sir, a word ere you go;—

[Aside.

Are you a suitor to the maid you talk of, yea or no? Tra. An if I be, sir, is it any offence?

Gre. No; if without more words, you will get you hence.

Tra. Why, sir, I pray, are not the streets as free For me as for you?

Gre.

But so is not she.

Tra. For what reason, I beseech you?
Gre. For this reason, if you'll know,-
That she's the choice love of Signior Gremio.

Hor. That she's the chosen of Signior Hortensio.
Tra. Softly, my masters! if you be gentlemen,
Do me this right,-hear me with patience.
Baptista is a noble gentleman,

To whom my father is not all unknown;
And, were his daughter fairer than she is,
She may more suitors have, and me for one.
Fair Leda's daughter had a thousand wooers;

19 This biatus is in the old copy, it is most probable that an abrupt sentence was intended.

Then well one more may fair Bianca have:
And so she shall; Lucentio shall make one,
Though Paris came in hope to speed alone.

Gre. What! this gentleman will out-talk us all. Luc. Sir, give him head; I know he'll prove a jade. Pet. Hortensio, to what end are all these words? Hor. Sir, let me be so bold as ask you, Did you yet ever see Baptista's daughter? Tra. No, sir; but hear I do that he hath two; The one as famous for a scolding tongue, As is the other for beauteous modesty.

Pet. Sir, sir, the first's for me; let her go by. Gre. Yea, leave that labour to great Hercules; And let it be more than Alcides' twelve.

Pet. Sir, understand you this of me, insooth;The youngest daughter, whom you hearken for, Her father keeps from all access of suitors: And will not promise her to any man, Until the elder sister first be wed: The younger then is free, and not before.

Tra. If it be so, sir, that you are the man Must stead us all, and me among the rest; An if you break the ice, and do this feat,Achieve the elder, set the younger free

For our access,- -whose hap shall be to have her, Will not so graceless be, to be ingrate 2o.

Hor. Sir, you say well, and well you do conceive; And since you do profess to be a suitor, You must, as we do, gratify this gentleman, To whom we all rest generally beholden.

Tra. Sir, I shall not be slack: in sign whereof, Please ye we may contrive 21 this afternoon,

20 Ungrateful.

21 To contrive is to wear out, to pass away, from contrivi, the preterite of contero, one of the disused Latinisms. So in Damon and Pithias, 1571:

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In travelling countries, we three have contrived
Full many a year.',

And quaff carouses to our mistress' health;
And do as adversaries 22 do in law,-

Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.

Gre. Bion. O excellent motion! Fellows 23, let's begone.

Hor. The motion's good indeed, and be it so ;Petruchio, I shall be your ben venuto.

[Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE I. The same.

A Room in Baptista's House.

Enter KATHARINA and BIANCA.

Bian. Good sister, wrong me not, nor wrong yourself,

To make a bondmaid and a slave of me;
That I disdain: but for these other gawds1,
Unbind my hands, I'll put them off myself,
Yea, all my raiment, to my petticoat;
Or, what you will command me, will I do,
So well I know my duty to my elders.

Kath. Of all thy suitors, here I charge thee, tell
Whom thou lov'st best: see thou dissemble not.
Bian. Believe me, sister, of all the men alive,
I never yet beheld that special face

Which I could fancy more than any

other.

22 Adversaries most probably here signifies contending barristers, or counsellors; surely not their clients?

23 Fellows means companions, and not fellow-servants, as Malone supposed. 'One that helpeth, aideth, or taketh part, that is companion or fellow. Socius, compaignon, complice, allie.'-Baret.

1

Toys, trifling ornaments.

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