Pet. You wrong me, fignior Gremio; give me leaveI am a gentleman of Verona, fir,

That, hearing of her beauty, and her wit,
Her affability, and bafhful modefty,

Her wondrous qualities, and mild behaviour,
Am bold to fhew myfelf a forward guest
Within your house, to make mine eye the witnefs
Of that report which I so oft have heard.
And, for an entrance to my entertainment,
I do prefent you with a man of mine,

[prefenting Hortenfio,

Cunning in mufic, and the mathematics,
To inftruct her fully in those sciences,
Whereof, I know, he is not ignorant:
Accept of him, or elfe you do me wrong;
His name is Lieio, born in Mantua.

Bap. You're welcome, fir; and he, for your good

fake:

But for my daughter, Catherine,this I know,
She is not for your turn; the more my grief.
Pet. I fee, you do not mean to part with her;
Or elle you like not of my company.

Bap. Miftake me not, I fpeak but as I find.
Whence are you, fir? what may I call your name ?
Pet. Petruchio is my name; Antonio's fon,

A man well known throughout all Italy.

Bap. I know him well: you are welcome for his fake. Gre. Saving your tale,. Petruchio, I pray, let

Us, that are poor petitioners, speak too :

Baccare! you are marvellous forward, fir.

Pet. O, pardon me, fignior Gremio; I would fain be

doing.

Gre. I doubt it not, fir; but you will curfe

ing.

Neighbour,

your woo

[to Baptifta.

This is a gift very grateful, I am fure of it:
And, to exprefs the like kindness myself,
That have been more beholding to you than any,-
I freely give unto you this young fcholar,

[prefenting Lucentio. That hath been long studying at Rheims; as cunning

In Latin, Greek, and other languages,

[to Tra.

As the other in mufic, and the mathematics:
His name is Cambio; pray, accept his fervice.
Bap. A thoufand thanks, good fignior Gremio:-
Welcome, good Cambio.-But, gentle fir,.
Methinks, you walk here like a stranger; may I
Be bold to know the cause too of your coming?
Tra. Pardon me, fir, the boldness is mine own;
That, being a stranger in this city here,
Do make myself a fuitor to your daughter,
Unto Bianca, fair, and virtuous.

Nor is your firm refolve unknown to me,
In the preferment of the eldeft fifter:
This liberty is all that I requeft,—
That, upon knowledge of my parentage,
I may have welcome 'mongst the reft that woo,
And free accefs and favour as the rest.

And, toward the education of your daughters,
I here bestow a fimple inftrument,

And this fmall packet of Greek and Latin books:

[giving the Lute, and Books.. If you accept them, then their worth is great. Bap. Lucentio is your name? of whence, I pray? Tra. Of Pifa, fir; fon to Vincentio.

Bap. A mighty man of Pifa, by report;

I know him well: you're very welcome, fir.-
Take you the lute, and you the fet of books,-
You fhall go fee your pupils presently.

Hola, within there!

Enter a Servant.

-Sirrah, fhew these gentlemen

To my two daughters; and then tell them both,
These are their tutors; bid them ufe them well.

[Exit Servant, with Luc. and Hor. Bio. follows.

We will go walk a little in the orchard,

And then to dinner: You are paffing welcome,
And fo I pray you all to think yourselves.

Pet. Signior Baptifta, my business asketh hafte, And every day I cannot come to woo.

You knew my father well; and, in him, me,

Left

Left folely heir to all his lands and goods,
Which I have better'd, rather than decreas'd:
Then, tell me,-if I get your daughter's love,
What dowry shall I have with her to wife?

Bap. After my death, the one half of my lands
And, in poffeffion, twenty thousand crowns.

Pet. And, for that dowry, I'll affure her for
Her widowhood,-be it that she furvive me,-
In all my lands and leafes whatsoever:
Let fpecialties be therefore drawn between us,
That covenants may be kept on either hand.

Bap. Ay, when the fpecial thing is well obtain'd,
That is, her love; for that is all in all.

Pet. Why, that is nothing; for I tell you, father,
I am as peremptory as the proud minded;
And where two raging fires meet together,
They do confume the thing that feeds their fury:
Though little fire grows great with little wind,
Yet extream gufts will blow out fire and all:
So I to her, and fo fhe yields to me ;.

For I am rough, and woo not like a babe.

Bap. Well may'ft thou woo, and happy be thy speed! But be thou arm'd for fome unhappy words.

Pet. Ay, to the proof; as mountains are for winds, That shake not, though they blow perpetually.

Re-enter Hortenfio, with his Head broke

Bap. How now, my friend? why doft thou look fo pale?

Hor. For fear, I promise you, if I look pale.

Bap. What, will my daughter prove a good mufician ?? Hor. I think he'll fooner prove a foldier;

Iron may hold with her, but never lutes.

Bap. Why, then thou canst not break her to the lute..
Hor. Why, no; for the hath broke the lute to me..
I did but tell her, fhe miftook her frets,

And bow'd her hand to teach her fingering;
When, with a most impatient devilish spirit,
Frets call you these? quoth fhe; I'll fume with them:
And, with that word, the ftrook me on the head,
And through the inftrument my pate made way;

F 3

And

And there I ftood amazed for a while,

As on a pillory, looking through the lute:
While fhe did call me,-rascal fidler,

And, twangling Jack; with twenty fuch vile terms,
As the had ftudy'd to mifufe me fo*.

Pet. Now, by the world, it is a lufty wench; I love her ten times more than e'er I did :

O, how I long to have some chat with her!

Bap. Well, go with me, [to Hor.] and be not fo difcomfited:

Proceed in practice with my younger daughter;
She's apt to learn, and thankful for good turns.
Signior Petruchio, will you go with us;
Or thall I fend my daughter Kate to you?
Pet. I pray you, do; I will attend her here,-

[Exeunt Bap. Gre. Tra. and Hor
And woo her with fome spirit when she comes.
Say, that the rail; why, then I'll tell her plain,
She fings as fweetly as a nightingale:

Say, that the frown; I'll fay, fhe looks as clear
As morning rofes newly wash'd with dew:
Say, the be mute, and will not speak a word;
Then I'll commend her volubility,

And fay-she uttereth piercing eloquence:
If he do bid me pack, I'll give her thanks,
As though the bid me stay by her a week;
If the deny to wed, I'll crave the day

When I fhall ask the banns, and when be marry'd † :
But here she comes; and now, Petruchio, speak.

Enter Catherine.

Good morrow, Kate; for that's your name, I hear. Cat. Well have you heard, but fomething hard of hearing;

They call me-Catherine, that do talk of me.

This defcription of the treatment he has met, is moft humoroufly picturefque, and affords food for laughter in every line.

+ Petruchio's idea of dealing with Catherine by contradiction, is a very politic propofition for one of her turbulent character; as undoubtedly nothing sooner, or more effectually subdues a violent temper, than a real or affected one of the fame kind in opposition.

Pet. You lie, in faith; for you are call'd plain Kate, And bonny Kate, and fometimes Kate the curft; But Kate, the prettiest Kate in Christendom, Kate of Kate-hall, my fuper-dainty Kate, For dainties are all cates: And therefore, Kate, Take this of me, Kate of my confolation Hearing thy mildness prais'd.in every town, Thy virtues spoke of, and thy beauty founded,, (Yet not fo deeply as to thee belongs)

Myfelf am mov'd to woo thee for my wife.

Cat. Mov'd! in good time: Let him that mov'd you. hither,

Remove you hence: I knew you at the first,

You were a moveable.

Pet. Why, what's a moveable

Cat. A-joint-ftook.

Pet. Thou haft hit it: come, fit on me.

Cat. Affes are made to bear, and so are you. Pet. Women are made to bear, and so are you. "Cat. No fuch jade, fir, as you, if me you mean. "Pet. Alas, good Kate! I will not burthen thee: "For, knowing thee to be but young and light,

་

"Cat. Too light for fuch a swain as you to catch ;"And yet as heavy as my weight should be.

"Pet. Should be? should buz.

"Cat. Well ta'en, and like a buzzard.

"Pet. O flow-wing'd turtle! fhall a buzzard take "thee?

"Cat. Ay, for a turtle; as he takes a buzzard. "Pet. Come, come, you wafp; i' faith, you are too

❝angry.

འ

"Cat. If I be wafpifh, beft beware my fting.

Pet. My remedy is then to pluck it out.

"Cat. Ay, if the fool could find it where it lies. "Pet. Who knows not where a wasp does wear his "fting?

In his tail.

"Cat. In his tail! in his tongue.

"Pet. In his tongue? whofe tongue ?

"Cat. Yours, if you talk of tails; and so farewel