The narrow-prying father, Minola; All for Re-enter GREMIO. Signior Gremio! came you from the church? The mad-brain'd bridegroom took him such a cuff, Tra. What said the wench, when he arose again? Gre. Trembled and shook; for why, he stamp'd and swore, As if the vicar meant to cozen him. But after many ceremonies done, He calls for wine-A health, quoth he; as if 13 Quaint had formerly a more favourable meaning than strange, awkward, fantastical, and was used in commendation, as neat, elegant, dainty, dexterous. Thus in the third scene of the fourth act of this play: 'I never saw a better fashioned gown More quaint, more pleasing, nor more commendable.' We have quaint spirits' in The Midsummer Night's Dream. And Prospero calls Ariel, my quaint Ariel.' After a storm:-Quaff'd off the muscadel 14, But that his beard grew thin and hungerly, [Musick. Enter PETRUCHIO, KATHARINA, BIANCA, BAPTISTA, HORTENSIO, GRUMIO, and Train. Pet. Gentlemen and friends, I thank you for your pains: I know you think to dine with me to-day, 14 The custom of having wine and sops distributed immediately after the marriage ceremony in the church is very ancient. It existed even among our Gothic ancestors, and is mentioned in the ordinances of the household of Henry VII. For the Marriage of a Princess:'-' Then pottes of Ipocrice to be ready, and to bee put into cupps with soppe, and to be borne to the estates, and to take a soppe and drinke.' It was also practised at the marriage of Philip and Mary, in Winchester Cathedral; and at the marriage of the Elector Palatine to the daughter of James I. in 1612-13. It appears to have been the custom at all marriages. In Jonson's Magnetic Lady it is called a knitting cup : In Middleton's No Wit like a Woman's, the contracting cup. The kiss was also part of the ancient marriage ceremony, as appears from a rubric in one of the Salisbury Missals. VOL. III. NN And, honest company, I thank you all, Pet. I am content you shall entreat me stay, But yet not stay, entreat me how you can. Kath. Now, if you love me, stay. Pet. Grumio, my horses. Gru. Ay, sir, they be ready; the oats have eaten the horses. Kath. Nay, then, Do what thou canst, I will not go to-day; Pet. O, Kate, content thee; pr'ythee, be not angry, I see a woman may be made a fool, If she had not a spirit to resist. Pet. They shall go forward, Kate, at thy command: Obey the bride, you that attend on her: Go to the feast, revel and domineer 15, Be mad and merry, or go hang yourselves; She is my goods, my chattels; she is my house, Fear not, sweet wench, they shall not touch thee, I'll buckler thee against a million. [Exeunt PET. KATH. and GRu. Bap. Nay, let them go, a couple of quiet ones! Gre. Went they not quickly, I should die with laughing. Tra. Of all mad matches, never was the like! For to supply the places at the table, You know there wants no junkets 16 at the feast.— Lucentio, you shall supply the bridegroom's place, And let Bianca take her sister's room. Tra. Shall sweet Bianca practise how to bride it? Bap. She shall, Lucentio.-Come, Gentlemen, [Exeunt. let's go. 15 That is, bluster or swagger. So in Tarleton's Jests: T. having been domineering very late at night with two of his friends' 16 Delicacies. ACT IV. SCENE I. A Hall in Petruchio's Country House. Enter GRUMIO. Gru. Fye, fye on all tired jades! on all mad masters! and all foul ways! Was ever man so beaten ; was ever man so rayed 1? was ever man so weary? I am sent before to make a fire, and they are coming after to warm them. Now, were not I a little pot, and soon hot, my very lips might freeze to my teeth, my tongue to the roof of my mouth, 1, my heart in my belly, ere I should come by a fire to thaw me:-But I, with blowing the fire, shall warm myself; for, considering the weather, a taller man than I will take cold. Holla! hoa! Curtis ! Enter CURTIS. Curt. Who is that, calls so coldly? Gru. A piece of ice: If thou doubt it, thou may'st slide from my shoulder to my heel, with no greater run but my head and my neck. A fire, good Curtis. Curt. Is my master and his wife coming, Grumio? Gru. O, ay, Curtis, ay: and therefore fire, fire; cast on no water 3. Curt. Is she so hot a shrew as she's reported? Gru. She was, good Curtis, before this frost: but, thou know'st, winter tames man, woman, and beast; 1 Bewrayed, dirty. 2 A little pot soon hot is a common proverb. 3 There is an old popular catch of three parts in these words: 'Scotland burneth, Scotland burneth, Fire, fire;-Fire, fire, Cast on some more water.' |