Page images
PDF
EPUB

Bion. I cannot tell; expect they are busied Tell me, sweet Kate, and tell me truly too, about a counterfeit assurance: take you as-Hast thou beheld a fresher gentlewoman? surance of her, cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum to the church;-take the priest, clerk, and some sufficient honest witnesses. If this be not that you look for, I have no more to say,

But bid Bianca farewell for ever and a day.

[Going.

Luc. Hearest. thou, Biondello? Bion. I cannot tarry: I knew a wench married in an afternoon as she went to the garden for parsley to stuff a rabbit; and so may you, sir: and so, adieu, sir. My master hath appointed me to go to St. Luke's, to bid the priest be ready to come against you come with your appendix. [Exit. Luc. I may, and will, if she be so contented : [doubt? She will be pleas'd; then wherefore should I Hap what hap may, I'll roundly go about her: It shall go hard, if Cambio go without her. [Exit.

SCENE V.-A public Road. Enter Petruchio, Katharina, and Hortensio. Pet. Come on, o' God's name; once more toward our father's.

moon !

Good lord, how bright and goodly shines the
[light now.
Kath. The moon! the sun; it is not moon-
Pet. I say it is the moon that shines so
bright.
[bright.
Kath. I know it is the sun that shines so
Pet Now, by my mother's son, and that's
myself,

It shall be moon, or star, or what I list,
Or ere I journey to your father's house.--
Go on, and fetch our horses back again.-
Evermore cross'd, and cross'd; nothing but
cross'd!

Hor. Say as he says, or we shall never go. Kath. Forward, I pray, since we have come so far,

And be it moon, or sun, or what you please:
An if you please to call it a rush candle,
Henceforth, I vow, it shall be so for me.
Pet. I say it is the moon.
Kath.
I know it is the moon.
Pet. Nay, then you lie : it is the blessed sun.
Kath. Then God be bless'd, it is the blessed

[blocks in formation]

Such war of white and red within her cheeks! What stars do spangle heaven with such beauty, As those two eyes become that heavenly face?Fair lovely maid, once more good day to thee.Sweet Kate, embrace her for her beauty's sake. Hor. 'A will make the man mad, to make a woman of him.

Kath. Young budding virgin, fair and fresh and sweet,

Whither away; or where is thy abode?
Happy the parents of so fair a child;
Happier the man, whom favourable stars
Allot thee for his lovely bedfellow!

Pet. Why, how now, Kate! I hope thou art not mad :

This is a man, old, wrinkled, faded, wither'd; And not a maiden, as thou say'st he is.

Kath. Pardon, old father, my mistaking eyes, That have been so bedazzled with the sun, That everything I look on seemeth green : Now I perceive thou art a reverend father; Pardon, I pray thee, for my mad mistaking.

Pet. Do, good old grandsire; and withal

make known

Which way thou travell'st: if along with us, We shall be joyful of thy company.

Vin. Fair sir, and you my merry mistress,
That with your strange encounter much
amaz'd me,
[Pisa;
My name is called Vincentio; my dwelling,
And bound I am to Padua; there to visit
A son of mine, which long I have not seen.
Pet. What is his name?
Vin.
Lucentio, gentle sir.
Pet. Happily met; the happier for thy son.
And now by law, as well as reverend age,
I may entitle thee my loving father:
The sister to my wife, this gentlewoman,
Thy son by this hath married. Wonder not,
Nor be not griev'd: she is of good esteem,
Her dowry wealthy, and of worthy birth;
Besides, so qualified as may beseem
The spouse of any noble gentleman.
Let me embrace with old Vincentio :
And wander we to see thy honest son,
Who will of thy arrival be full joyous. [sure,
Vin. But is this true? or is it else your plea-
Like pleasant travellers, to break a jest
Upon the company you overtake?

Hor. I do assure thee, father, so it is.
Pet. Come, go along, and see the truth

hereof;

For our first merriment hath made thee jealous. [Exeunt Petruchio, Katharina, and Vincentio. Hor. Well, Petruchio, this has put me in

heart.

Have to my widow! and if she be froward, Then hast thou taught Hortensio to be untoward. [Exit.

[ocr errors]

ACT V.

SCENE I.-Padua. Before Lucentio's House.
Enter on one side Biondello, Lucentio, and
Bianca; Gremio walking on the other side.
Bion. Softly and swiftly, sir; for the priest
is ready.

Luc. I fly, Biondello; but they may chance to need thee at home; therefore leave us.

Bin. Nay, faith, I'll see the church o' your back; and then come back to my master as soon as I can.

[Exeunt Lucentio, Bianca, and Biondello.
Gre. I marvel Cambio comes not all this
while.

Vin. Come hither, you rogue. What, have you forgot me?

Bion. Forgot you! no, sir: I could not forget you, for I never saw you before in all my life.

Vin. What, you notorious villain, didst thou never see thy master's father, Vincentio ?

Bion. What, my old, worshipful old master? yes, marry, sir: see where he looks out of the window.

Vin. Is't so, indeed? [Beats Biondello. Bion. Help, help, help! here's a madman will murder me.

Exit.

Ped. Help, son! help, signior Baptista! [Exit from the window. Pet. Pr'ythee, Kate, let's stand aside, and see the end of this controversy. [They retire. Enter Petruchio, Katharina, Vincentio, and Re-enter Pedant below; Baptista, Tranio, and

Attendants.

Pet. Sir, here's the door, this Lucentio's
house :

[place;

My father's bears more toward the market-
Thither must I, and here I leave you, sir.
Vin. You shall not choose but drink before
you go:

I think I shall command your welcome here,
And, by all likelihood, some cheer is toward.
[Knocks.
Gre. They're busy within; you were best
knock louder.

Enter Pedant above, at a window. Ped. What's he, that knocks as he would bear down the gate?

Vin. Is signior Lucentio within, sir? Ped. He's within, sir; but not to be spoken withal.

Vin. What if a man bring him a hundred pound or two, to make merry withal?

Ped. Keep your hundred pounds to yourself: he shall need none, so long as I live.

Pet. Nay, I told you your son was well beloved in Padua.-Do you hear, sir?-to leave frivolous circumstances,-I pray you, tell sig. nior Lucentio, that his father is come from Fisa, and is here at the door to speak with

him.

Ped. Thou liest: his father is come from
Pisa, and here looking out at the window.
Vin. Art thou his father?

Ped. Ay, sir; so his mother says, if I may believe her.

Pet. To Vincen.] Why, how now, gentleman! why, this is flat knavery, to take upon you another man's name.

Ped. Lay hands on the villain. I believe, 'a means to cozen somebody in this city under my countenance.

Re-enter Biondello.

Servants.

Tra. Sir, what are you, that offer to beat my servant?

Vin. What am I, sir! nay, what are you, sir?-O immortal gods! O fine villain! A siiken doublet! a velvet hose! a scarlet cloak ! and a copatain hat !-O, I am undone! I am undone while I play the good husband at home, my son and my servant spend all at the university.

Tra. How now! what's the matter?
Bap. What, is the man lunatic?

Tra. Sir, you seem a sober ancient gentleman by your habit, but your words show you a madman. Why, sir, what 'cerns it you if I wear pearl and gold? I thank my good father, I am able to maintain it.

Vin. Thy father! O villain! he is a sailmaker in Bergamo.

Bap. You mistake, sir, you mistake, sir. Pray, what do you think is his name?

Vin. His name! as if I knew not his name: I have brought him up ever since he was three years old, and his name is Tranio.

Ped. Away, away, mad ass! his name is Lucentio; and he is mine only son, and heir to the lands of me, signior Vincentio.

Vin. Lucentio! O, he hath murdered his master! Lay hold on him, I charge you in the duke's name.-O my son, my son !-tell me, thou villain, where is my son Lucentio? Tra. Call forth an officer.

Enter one with an Officer.

Carry this mad knave to the jail.-Father Baptista, I charge you see that he be forthcoming. Vin. Carry me to the jail!

Gre. Stay, officer: he shall not go to prison. Bap. Talk not, signior Gremio: I say he shall go to prison.

Gre. Take heed, signior Baptista, lest you Bion. I have seen them in the church to-be cony-catched in this business: I dare swear gether: God send 'em good shipping !-But this is the right Vincentio.

who is here? mine old master, Vincentio ! now we are undone, and brought to nothing. Vin. [Seeing Bion.] Come hither, crackBion. I hope may choose, sir.

Ped. Swear, if thou darest.
Gre. Nay, I dare not swear it.

Tra. Then thou wert best say, that I am

[hemp.not Lucentio.

Gre. Yes, I know thee to be signior Lucentio. Bap. Away with the dotard! to the jail with him!

Vin. Thus strangers may be haled and O monstrous villain ! [abused:Re-enter Biondello, with Lucentio and Bianca. Bion. O, we are spoiled and-yonder he is : deny him, forswear him, or else we are all undone.

Luc. [Kneeling.] Pardon, sweet father.
Vin.
Lives my sweetest son?
[Biondello, Tranio, and Pedant run out.
Bian. [Kneeling.] Pardon, dear father.
Bap.
How hast thou offended ?--

Where is Lucentio?

Luc. Here's Lucentio, Right son to the right Vincentio ; That have by marriage made thy daughter mine, While counterfeit supposes blear'd thine eyne. Gre. Here's packing, with a witness, to deceive us all!

Vin. Where is that damned villain Tranio, That fac'd and brav'd me in this matter so? Bap. Why, tell me, is not this my Cambio? Bian. Cambio is chang'd into Lucentio. Luc. Love wrought these miracles. Bianca's love

Made me exchange my state with Tranio,
While he did bear my countenance in the town;
And happily I have arriv'd at last
Unto the wished haven of my bliss.
What Tranio did, myself enforc'd him to;
Then pardon him, sweet father, for my sake.
Vin. I'll slit the villain's nose, that would
have sent me to the jail.

Bap. [To Lucentio.] But do you hear, sir? Have you married my daughter without asking my good-will?

[Exit.

SCENE II-A Room in Lucentio's House. A Banquet set out. Enter Baptista, Vincentio, Gremio, the Pedant, Lucentio, Bianca, Petruchio, Katharina, Hortensio, and Widow. Tranio, Biondello, Grumio, and others, attending.

Luc. At last, though long, our jarring notes agree:

And time it is, when raging war is done,
To smile at 'scapes and perils overblown.—
My fair Bianca, bid my father welcome,
While I with self-same kindness welcome
thine.-

Brother Petruchio,-sister Katharina,-
And thou, Hortensio, with thy loving widow,-
Feast with the best, and welcome to my house :
My banquet is to close our stomachs up.
After our great good cheer. Pray you, sit down;
For now we sit to chat, as well as eat.

[They sit at table.

Pet. Nothing but sit and sit, and eat and eat! [truchio. Bap. Padua affords this kindness, son PePet. Padua affords nothing but what is kind. Hor. For both our sakes, I would that word [widow.

were true.

Pet. Now, for my life, Hortensio fears his
Wid. Then never trust me, if I be afeared.
Pet. You are very sensible, and yet you
miss my sense:

I mean, Hortensio is afeared of you.
Wid. He that is giddy thinks the world
Pet. Roundly replied.
[turns round.
Kath.
Mistress, how mean you that?
Wid. Thus I conceive by him.

Vin. Fear not, Baptista; we will content you, go to; but I will in, to be revenged for this villainy. Bap. And I, to sound the depth of this knavery. [Exit. I Luc. Look not pale, Bianca; thy father will not frown. [Exeunt Luc. and Bian. Gre. My cake is dough; but I'll in among the rest;

Out of hope of all, but my share of the feast.

[Exit.

Petruchio and Katharina advance. Kath. Husband, let's follow, to see the end of this ado.

Pet. First kiss me, Kate, and we will.
Kath. What, in the midst of the street?
Pet. What, art thou ashamed of me?
Kath. No, sir, God forbid; but ashamed
to kiss.

Pet. Why then, let's home again.-Come,

sirrah, let's away.

Kath. Nay, I will give thee a kiss now pray thee, love, stay.

Pet. Is not this well?-Come, my sweet Kate; Better once than never, for never too late. [Exeunt.

tensio that?

Pet. Conceives by me!-How likes Hor-
[her tale.
Hor. My widow says, thus she conceives
Pet. Very well mended.-Kiss him for that.
good widow.
[turns round:
Kath. He that is giddy thinks the world
pray you, tell me what you meant by that.
Wid. Your husband, being troubled with a
shrew,

Measures my husband's sorrow by his woe :
And now you know my meaning.
Kath. A very mean meaning.
Wid.

Right, I mean you, Kath. And I am mean, indeed, respecting

[blocks in formation]

Bian. Ay, but not frighted me; therefore
I'll sleep again.
[begun,
Pet. Nay, that you shall not: since you have
Have at you for a bitter jest or two. [bush,
Bian. Am I your bird? I mean to shift my
And then pursue me as you draw your bow.
You are welcome all.

[Exeunt Bianca, Katharina, and Widow Pet. She hath prevented me.-Here, signior Tranio ;

This bird you aim'd at, though you hit her not,
Therefore a health to all that shot and miss'd.
Tra. O sir, Lucentio slipp'd me like his

greyhound,

Which runs himself, and catches for his master. Pet. A good swift simile, but something currish.

[yourself:

Tra. 'Tis well, sir, that you hunted for
Tis thought your deer does hold you at a bay.
Bap. Oho, Petruchio! Tranio hits you now.
Luc. I thank thee for that gird, good Tranio.
Hor. Confess, confess, hath he not hit you
here?

Pet. 'A has a little gall'd me, I confess;
And, as the jest did glance away from me,
"Tis ten to one it maim'd you two outright.
Bap. Now, in good sadness, son Petruchio,
I think thou hast the veriest shrew of all.

Pet. Well, I say no: and therefore, for as

surance,

Let's each one send unto his wife;
And he whose wife is most obedient
To come at first when he doth send for her,
Shall win the wager which we will propose.
Hor. Content. What is the wager?
Luc.

Pet. Twenty crowns!

Twenty crowns.

I'll venture so much on my hawk or hound,
But twenty times so much upon my wife.
Luc. A hundred then.

Hor.

Pet.

Hor. Who shall begin?
Luc.

Content.

[in hand:

Re-enter Biondello.
Now, where's my wife?
Bion. She says you have some goodly jest
She will not come; she bids you come to her.
Pet. Worse and worse; she will not come!
Intolerable, not to be endur'd !— [O vile,
Sirrah Grumio, go to your mistress; say,
I command her to come to me. [Exit Grumio.
Hor. I know her answer. Pet. What?
Hor. She will not.
[end.
Pet. The fouler fortune mine, and there an
Bap. Now, by my holidame, here comes
Katharina!

[blocks in formation]

quiet life,

An awful rule, and right supremacy;

And, to be short, what not, that's sweet and
happy.

Bap. Now, fair befall thee, good Petruchio!
The wager thou hast won; and I will add
Unto their losses twenty thousand crowns;
Another dowry to another daughter,
For she is chang'd, as she had never been.
Pet. Nay, I will win my wager
better yet,
And show more sign of her obedience,
Her new-built virtue and obedience.
Re-enter Katharina, with Bianca and Widow.

A match! 'tis done. See, where she comes, and brings your fro

That will I.Go. Biondello, bid your mistress come to me. Bion. I go. [Exit. Bap. Son, I will be your half, Bianca comes. Luc. I'll have no halves; I'll bear it all myself.

Re-enter Biondello.

How now! what news?

Bion.
Sir, my mistress sends you word
That she is busy, and she cannot come.
Pet. How! she is busy, and she cannot
Is that an answer?
[come!
Gre.
Ay, and a kind one too :
Pray God, sir, your wife send you not a worse.
Pet. I hope, better.
[wife
Her. Sirrah Biondello, go and entreat my
To come to me forthwith. [Exit Biondello.

Pet.
O ho entreat her !
Nay, then she must needs come.
I am afraid, sir,
Do what you can, yours will not be entreated.

Hor.

ward wives

[blocks in formation]

smooth,

Unapt to toil and trouble in the world,
But that our soft conditions, and our hearts,
Should well agree with our external parts?
Come, come, you froward and unable worms!
My mind hath been as big as one of yours,
My heart as great, my reason, haply, more,
To bandy word for word, and frown for frown:
But now I see our lances are but straws;
Our strength as weak, our weakness past com-

Pet. I say she shall-and first begin with Why are our bodies soft, and weak, and her. [kind brow; Kath. Fie, fie! unknit that threat'ning unAnd dart not scornful glances from those eyes, To wound thy lord, thy king, thy governor : It blots thy beauty, as frosts bite the meads; Confounds thy fame, as whirlwinds shake fair And in no sense is meet or amiable. [buds; A woman mov'd is like a fountain troubled, Muddy, ill-seeming, thick, bereft of beauty; And while it is so, none so dry or thirsty Will deign to sip, or touch one drop of it. Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper, Thy head, thy sovereign; one that cares for thee,

And for thy maintenance; commits his body
To painful labour both by sea and land,

To watch the night in storms, the day in cold,
Whilst thou liest warm at home, secure and
safe;

And craves no other tribute at thy hands,
But love, fair looks, and true obedience, -
Too little payment for so great a debt.
Such duty as the subject owes the prince,
Even such a woman oweth to her husband;
And, when she's froward, peevish, sullen, sour,
And not obedient to his honest will,
What is she but a foul contending rebel,
And graceless traitor to her loving lord?—
I am asham'd that women are so simple
To offer war, where they should kneel for
peace;

Or seek for rule, supremacy, and sway,
When they are bound to serve, love, and obey.

pare,-

That seeming to be most, which we least are.
Then vail your stomachs, for it is no boot;
And place your hands below your husband's
In token of which duty, if he please, [foot:
My hand is ready, may it do him ease.
Pet. Why, there's a wench!

and kiss me, Kate.

Come on, [shalt hat.

Luc. Well, go thy ways, old lad; for thou Vin. 'Tis a good hearing, when children are toward.

Luc. But a harsh hearing, when women are froward.

Pet. Come, Kate, we'll to bed.— We three are married, but you two are sped. 'Twas I won the wager, [To Lucentio.] though you hit the white;

And, being a winner, God give you good night! [Exeunt Petruchio and Kata.

Hor. Now, go thy ways; thou hast tam'd a
curst shrew.

Luc. 'Tis a wonder, by your leave, she will
be tam'd so.
[Exeunt.

[blocks in formation]

Steward, Clown, and Page to the Countess of Lords, Officers, Soldiers, &c., French and Rousillon.

Countess of Rousillon, Mother to Bertram.

Florentine.

SCENE, Partly in France and partly in Tuscany.

ACT I.

SCENE I.-Rousillon. A Room in the
Countess's Palace.

Enter Bertram, the Countess of Rousillon,

Helena, and Lafeu.

Ber. And I, in going, madam, weep o'er my father's death anew: but I must attend his majesty's command, to whom I am now in ward, evermore in subjection.

Laf. You shall find of the king a husband, madam ;-you, sir, a father: he that so gener

Count. In delivering my son from me, I ally is at all times good, must of necessity hold bury a second husband.

This virtue to you; whose worthiness would stir

« PreviousContinue »