As I before imparted to your Worship,
I am to get a man, (whate'er he be,
It skills not much; we'll fit him to our turn;)
And he shall be Vincentio of Pisa,
And make assurance here in Padua
Of greater sums than I have promised:
So shall you quietly enjoy your hope,
And marry sweet Bianca with consent.

Luc. Were it not, that my fellow school-master
Doth watch Bianca's steps so narrowly,
'Twere good, methinks, to steal our marriage;
Which once perform’d, let all the world say, no,
I'll keep my own, despight of all the world.

Tra. That by degrees we mean to look into,
And watch our vantage in this business :
We'll over-reach the grey-beard Gremio,
The narrow-prying Father Minola,
The quaint musician amorous Licio;
All for my master's fake, Lucentio.

SCENE VI.

Enter Gremio.
Now, Signior Gremio, came you from the church ?

Gre. As willingly as e'er I came from school.
Tra. And is the Bride and Bridegroom coming

home? Gre. A Bridegroom, say you? 'tis a groom, indeed, A grumbling groom, and that the girl shall find.

Tra. Curster than she? why, 'tis impossible.
Gre. Why, he's a devil, a devil, a very fiend.
Tra. Why, she's a devil, a devil, the devil's dam,

Gre. Tut, she's a lamb, a dove, a fool to him.
I'll tell you, Sir Lucentio; when the Priest
Should ask, if Catharine should be his wife?
Ay, by gogs-woons, quoth he; and swore so loud,
That, all-amaz'd, the Priest let fall the book ;
And as he stoop'd again to take it up,
G6

This

This mad-brain'd Bridegroom took him such a cuff, That down fell priest and book, and book and priest. Now take them up, quoth he, if any lift.

Tra. What said the wench, when he rose up 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 H'ad been aboard carousing to his Mates After a storm; quafft off the muscadel, And threw the sops all in the sexton's face ; Having no other cause, but that his beard Grew thin and hungerly, and seem'd to ask His sops as he was drinking. This done, he took The Bride about the neck, and kist her lips With such a clamorous smack, that at the parting All the church echo'd ; and I seeing this, Came thence for very shame; and after me, I know, the rout is coming : Such a mad marriage Ne er was before.-Hark, hark, I hear the minstrels.

[Music plays.

S C E N E VII.

Enter Petruchio, Catharina, Bianca, Hortenfio,

and Baptifta. Pet. ENTLEMEN and friends, I thank

you

for

your pains :

leave.

I know, you think to dine with me to day,
And have prepar'd great store of wedding cheer;
But so it is, my hafte doth call me bence;
And therefore here I inean to take my

Bap. Is’t pollible, you will away to night?

Pet. I must away to day, before night come. Make it no wonder ; if you knew my business, You would entreat me rather go ihan stay.

And,

may not be.

you can.

And, honest Company, I thank you all,
That have beheld me give away myself
To this most patient, sweet and virtuous wife.
Dine with my father, drink a health to me,
For I must hence, and farewel to you all.

Tra. Let us intreat you stay 'till after dinner.
Pet. It
Gre. Let me intreat you.
Pet. It cannot be.
Cath. Let me intreat you.
Pet. I am content-
Cath. Are you content to stay?

Pet. I am content, you shall intreat me, stay ;
But yet not stay, intreat me how

Cath. Now, if you love me, stay.
Pet. Grumio, my horses.

Gru. Ay, Sir, they be ready : * the oats have eaten the horses.

Cath. Nay, then, Do what thou canst, I will not go to day; No, nor to-morrow, nor 'till I please myself : The door is open, Sir, there lies your way, You may be jogging, while your boots are green; For me, I'll not go, 'till I please myself: 'Tis like, you'll prove a jolly surly groom, That take it on you at the first fo roundly.

Pet. O, Kate, content thee, pr’ythee, be not angry.

Cath. I will be angry; what haft thou to do ? Father, be quiet; he shall stay my leisure.

Gre. Ay, marry, Sir; now it begins to work.

Cath. Gentlemen, forward to the bridal dinner. I fee, a woman may be made a fool, If she had not a fpirit to refift.

Pet. They shall go forward, Kate, at thy command. Obey the Bride, you that attend on her: Go to the feast, revel and domineer; Carouse full measure to her maiden-head; * The oats have eaten the horses.] That is, the Distemper is so call’d.

Be

Bę mad and merry, or go hang yourselves ;
But for my bonny Kate, the muft with me.
Nay, look not big, nor stamp, nor ftare, nor fret,
I will be master of what is mine own;
She is my goods, my chattels, she is my house, ,
My houshold-stuff, my field, my barn,
My horse, my ox, my ass, my any thing;
And here she stands, touch her who ever dare.
I'll bring my action on the proudeft he,
That stops my way in Padua : Grumio,
Draw forth thy weapon; we're beset with thieves;
Rescue thy mistress, if thou be a man:
Fear not, sweet wench, they shall not touch thee,

Kate;
I'll buckler thee against a million.

[Exeunt Pet. and Cath. 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.
Luc. Mistress, what's your opinion of your sister?
Bian. That, being mad herself, she's madly mated.
Gre. I warrant him, Petruchio is Kated.
Bap. Neighbours and Friends, tho' Bride and Bride-

groom want
For to supply the places at the table ;
You know, there wants no junkets at the feast:
Lucentio, you 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 : Gentlemen, let's go.

[Exeunt.

ACT

A CT IV.

S CE N E I.

Petruchio's Country House.

FIE

Enter Grumio.

GRUM IO. PIE, fie on all tired jades, and all mad masters, and all foul

ways ! was ever man so beaten ? was ever man fo raide ? was ever man so weary? I am sent before, to make a fire; and they are coming after, to warm them: now were I not a little pot, and soon hot, my very lips might freeze to my teeth, my tongue to the roof of my mouth, 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, confidering the weather, a taller man than I will take cold: holla, hoa, Curtis !

Enter Curtis.
Curt. Who is it that calls so coldly?

Gru. A piece of ice. If thou doubt it, thou may'ft slide from my shoulder to my heel, with no greater a run but my head and my neck. A fire, good Curtis.

Curt. Is my master and his wife coming, Grumio ?

Gru. Oh, ay, Curtis, ay; and therefore fire, fire ; cast on no water.

Curt. Is the 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 ; for ithath tam'd my old master, and my new mistress, and myself, fellow Curtis.

Curt. Away, you three-inch'd fool; I am no beast.

Gru. Am I but three inches? why, thy horn is a foot, and so long am I at the least. But wilt thou make a fire, or shall I complain on thee to our miltress, whose hand, the being now at hand, thou shalt