lafts. O' my word, an fhe knew him as well as I do, fhe would think fcolding would do little good upon him. She may, perhaps, call him half a score knaves, or fo: why, that's nothing; an' he begin once, he'll rail in his rope-tricks. I'll tell you what, Sir, an' fhe ftand him but a little, he will throw a figure in her face, and fo disfigure her with it, that she shall have no more eyes to fee withal than a cat: you know him not, Sir.

Hor. Tarry, Petruchio, I muft go with thee,
For in Baptifta's houfe my Treafure is:
He hath the jewel of my life in hold,
His youngest Daughter, beautiful Bianca;

And her with-holds he from me, and others more
Suitors to her, and Rivals in my love:
Suppofing it a thing impoffible,

(For those defects I have before rehears'd,)
That ever Catharina will be woo'd;

Therefore this order hath Baptifta ta'en,
That none fhall have access unto Bianca,
'Till Catharine the curft have got a husband.
Gru. Catharine the curft?

A title for a maid of all titles the worst!

my

Hor. Now fhall Friend Petruchio do me grace, And offer me difguis'd in fober robes

To old Baptifta as a school-master,
Well feen in mufic, to inftru&t Bianca ;
That fo I may by this device, at least,

Have leave and leisure to make love to her;
And, unfufpected, court her by herself.

Enter Gremio, and Lucentio difguis'd.

Gru. H TERE's no knavery! fee, to beguile the old H folks, how the young folks lay their heads together. Mafter, look about you: who goes there? ha.

Hor.

Hor. Peace. Grumio, 'tis the Rival of my love.
Petruchio, ftand by a while.

Gru. A proper Stripling, and an amorous.-
Gre. O, very well; I have perus'd the note.
Hark you, Sir, I'll have them very fairly bound,
All books of love; fee That, at any hand;
And see you read no other lectures to her:
You understand me-Over and beside
Signior Baptifta's liberality,

I'll mend it with a largefs. Take your papers too,
And let me have them very well perfum'd;
For fhe is fweeter than perfume itself,

To whom they go: what will you read to her?
Luc. Whate'er I read to her, I'll plead for you,
As for my Patron, stand you so affured;
As firmly, as yourself were still in place;
Yea, and, perhaps, with more fuccessful words
Than you, unless you were a scholar, Sir.
Gre. Oh this learning, what a thing it is!
Gru. Oh this woodcock, what an afs it is!-
Pet. Peace, Sirrah.

Hor. Grumio, mum! God fave you, Signior Gremio. Gre. And you are well met, Signior Hortenfio. Trow you, whither I am going? to Baptifta Minola; I promis'd to enquire carefully about a school-master for the 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 ye.

Hor. 'Tis well; and I have met a gentleman,
Hath promis'd me to help me to another,
A fine musician to inftruct our mistress;

So fhall I no whit be behind in duty

To fair Bianca, so belov'd of me.

Gre. Belov'd of me,

prove.

-and that my deed fhall

Gru. And that his bags fhall prove.

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

F 6

Liften

Liften 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 curft Catharine;
Yea, and to marry her, if her dowry please.
Gre. So faid, fo done, is well;

Hortenfio, have you told him all her faults?
Pet. I know, fhe is an irksome brawling Scold;
If that be all, mafters, I hear no harm.

Gre. No, fayeft me fo, friend? what Countryman?
Pet. Born in Verona, old Antonio's Son;

My Father's dead, my fortune lives for me,
And I do hope good days and long to fee.

Gre. Oh, Sir, fuch a life with fuch a wife were ftrange;

But if you have a ftomach, to't, o' God's name: .
You shall have me affisting 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.
Pet. Why came I hither, but to that intent?
Think you, a little din can daunt my ears?
Have I not in my time heard lions roar?
Have I not heard the fea, puff'd up with winds,
Rage like an angry boar, chafed with sweat?
Have I not heard great Ordnance in the field?
And heav'n's artillery thunder in the skies?
Have I not in a pitched battle heard

And do

Loud larums, neighing fieeds, and trumpets clangue? tell me of a woman's tongue, you * That gives not half fo great a blow to th' ear, As will a chefnut in a farmer's fire?

Tush, tufh, fear boys with bugs.

That gives not half fo great a blow to hear,] This aukward Phrafe could never come from Shakespear. He wrote, without Question,

-- ---so great a blow to th' car.

Gru.

Gru. For he fears none.

Gre. Hortenfio, hark:

This Gentleman is happily arriv'd,

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

Gre. And fo we will, provided that he win her.
Gru. I would, I were as fure of a good dinner.

SCENE

VII.

To them Tranio bravely apparell'd and Biondello.

ENTLEMEN, God fave you. If I

If I may be

Tra. Gbold, tell me, I befeech you, which is the

readieft way to the house of Signior Baptifta Minola? Bion. He, that has the two fair Daughters? is't he you mean?

Tra. Even he, Biondello.

Gre. Hark you, Sir, you mean not her, to

Tra. Perhaps, him and her; 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:

Are you a fuitor 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 fo is not she.

Tra. For what reason, I beseech you?

Gre. For this reafon, if you'll know :

That she's the choice love of Signior Gremio.
Hor. That fhe's the chofen of Signior Hortenfio.
Tra. Softly, my mafters; if you be gentlemen,
Do me this Right; hear me with patience.
Baptifla is a noble Gentleman,

Το

To whom my Father is not all unknown;
And, were his Daughter fairer then she is,
She may more fuitors have, and me for one.
Fair Leda's Daughter had a thousand wooers;
Then well One more may fair Bianca have,
And fo fhe fhall. Lucentio fhall make one,
Tho' Paris came, in hope to fpeed alone.

Gre. What, this Gentleman will out-talk us all! Luc. Sir, give him head; I know, he'll prove a jade.

Pet. Hortenfio, to what end are all these words?
Hor. Sir, let me be fo bold as to ask you,'
Did you yet ever fee Baptifta's Daughter?

Tra. No, Sir; but hear I do that he hath two:
The one as famous for a scolding tongue,
As the other is for beauteous modefty.

Pet. Sir, Sir, the firft'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, infooth: The youngest Daughter, whom you hearken for, Her father keeps from all accefs of fuitors, And will not promise her to any man, Until the eldeft Sifter firft be wed: The younger then is free, and not before. Tra. If it be fo, Sir, that you are the man Muft fteed us all, and me among the reft; And if you break the ice, and do this feat, Atchieve the elder, fet the younger free For our accefs; whose hap shall be to have her, Will not fo graceless be, to be ingrate. Hor. Sir, you fay well, and well you do conceive: And fince you do profefs to be a fuitor, You muft, as we do, gratify this Gentleman, To whom we all reft generally beholden. Tra. Sir, I fhall not be flack; in fign whereof, Please ye, we may contrive this afternoon, And quaff caroufes to our Mistress' health;

And