THE

TAMING of the SHREW.

ACTI.

TR

SCENE I.

A Street in PADUA.

Flourish. Enter Lucentio and Tranio.

LUCENΤΙΟ.

RANIO, fince for the great defire I had
To fee fair Padua, nursery of arts,
I am arriv'd from fruitful Lombardy',
The pleasant garden of great Italy ;
And, by my father's love and leave, am arm'd
With his good-will, and thy good company :
Most trusty servant, well approv'd in all,
Here let us breathe, and haply institute
A course of learning, and * ingenious studies.

Pisa, renowned for grave citizens,
Gave me my Being: and my father first,
A merchant of great traffick through the world:
Vincentio's come of the Bentivoli,

-from fruitful Lombardy.] So Mr. Theobald. The former editions, instead of from, had for. -ingenious.) I rather

think it was written ingenuous studies, but of this and a thousand fuch observations there is little certainty.

Lucentio

Lucentio his fon, brought up in Florence,
It shall become, to serve all hopes conceiv'd,
To deck his fortune with his virtuous deeds:
*And therefore, Tranio, for the time I study,
Virtue and that part of philofophy 2
Will I apply, that treats of happiness
By virtue specially to be atchiev'd.
Tell me thy mind, for I have Pisa left,
And am to Padua come, as he that leaves
A shallow plash to plunge him in the deep,
And with fatiety seeks to quench his thirst.

Tra. Me pardonato, gentle master mine,
I am in all affected as yourself:
Glad, that you thus continue your refolve,
To fuck the sweets of sweet philosophy:
Only, good master, while we do admire
This virtue, and this moral difcipline,
Let's be no Stoicks, nor no stocks, I pray;
Or, fo devote to Aristotle's checks,
As Ovid be an outcaft quite abjur'd.
Talk Logick with acquaintance that you have,
And practice Rhetorick in your common talk;
Musick and Poesy use to quicken you;
The Mathematicks, and the Metaphyficks,
Fall to them, as you find your stomach serves you :
No profit grows, where is no pleasure ta'en:
In brief, Sir, study what you most affect.

Luc. Gramercies, Tranio, well dost thou advise; If, Biondello, thou wert come ashore, We could at once put us in readiness; And take a lodging fit to entertain Such friends, as time in Padua shall beget. But stay a while, what company is this?

Tra. Master, some shew to welcome us to town.

2 Sir Thomas Hanmer, and after him Dr. Warburton, read to virtue; but formerly ply and ap

1

ply were indifferently used, as to ply or apply his studies.

SCENE

SCENE II.

Enter Baptifta with Catharina and Bianca, Gremio and Hortenfio. Lucentio and Tranio stand by.

1

Bap. Gentlemen both, importune me no farther,
For how I firmly am resolv'd, you know;
That is, not to bestow my youngest daughter,
Before I have a husband for the elder;
If either of you both love Catharina,
Because I know you well, and love you well,
Leave shall you have to court her at your pleasure.
Gre. To cart her rather. - She's too rough for me.
There, there, Hortenfio, will you any wife ?
Cath. I pray you, Sir, is it your will
To make a Stale of me amongst these mates ?

Hor. Mates, maid, how mean you that? no mates

for you;

Unless you were of gentler, milder, mould.

Cath. I'faith, Sir, you shall never need to fear,
I wis, it is not half way to her heart :
But if it were, doubt not, her care shall be
To comb your noddle with a three-legg'd stool,
And paint your face, and use you like a fool.

Hor. From all such devils, good Lord, deliver us.
Gre. And me too, good Lord.

Tra. Hush, master, here's some good pastime

toward;

That wench is stark mad, or wonderful fro

ward.

Luc. But in the other's filence I do fee

Maid's mild behaviour and fobriety.
Peace, Tranio.

Tra. Well said, master; mum! and gaze

Bap. Gentlemen, that I may soon make good

afside.

your fill.

J

2

What I have faid, Bianca, get you in;

1

VOL. III.

C

And

1

And let it not displease thee, good Bianca ;
For I will love thee ne'er the less, my girl.

Cath. A pretty Peat 3! it is best put finger in the eye, and she knew why.

Bian. Sifter, content you in my discontent.
-Sir, to your pleasure humbly I subscribe:
My books and instruments shall be my company,
On them to look, and practise by myself.

Luc. Hark, Tranio, thou may'st hear Minerva

fpeak.

[afide.

Hor. Signior Baptista, will you be so * strange?

Sorry am I, that our good will effects

Bianca's grief.

Gre. Why will you mew her up,
Signior Baptista, for this fiend of hell,
And make her bear the penance of her tongue ?
Bap. Gentlemen, content ye; I am refolv'd.

Go in, Bianca

[Exit Bianca.

And for I know, she taketh most delight.
In musick, instruments, and poetry;
School-masters will I keep within my house,
Fit to inftruct her youth. If you, Hortenfio,
Or Signior Gremio, you know any fuch,
Prefer them hither: for to cunning men t
I will be very kind; and liberal

To mine own children, in good bringing up;
And fo farewel: Catharina, you may stay,
For I have more to commune with Bianca.

[Exit.

Cath. Why, and, I trust, I may go too, may I not? what, shall I be appointed hours, as tho', belike, I knew not what to take, and what to leave ? ha!

:

[Exit.

+ Cunning men.] Cunning had not yet loft its original fignification of knowing, learned, as may be observed in the translation of the Bible.

SCENE

SCENE III.

Gre. You may go to the devil's dam. Your gifts are so good, here is none will hold you. Our love is not fo great, Hortenfio, but we may blow our nails together, and fast it fairly out. Our cake's dough on both fides. Farewel; yet for the love I bear my sweet Bianca, if I can by any means light on a fit man to teach her That wherein she delights, I will wish him to her Father

Hor. So will I, Signior Gremio; but a word, I pray; tho' the nature of our quarrel never yet brook'd. Parle, know now, upon advice, it toucheth us both, that we may yet again have accefs to our fair Mistress, and be happy rivals in Bianca's love, to labour and effect ont thing 'Ipecially!

Gre. What's that, I pray ?

Hor. Marry, Sir, to get a husband for her fifter.
Gre. A husband! a devil.

Hor. I say a husband.

Gre. I say, a devil. Think'st thou, Hortenfio, thơ her father be very rich, any man is so very a fool to be married to hell?

Hor. Tush, Gremio; tho' it pass your patience and mine to endure her loud alarms, why, man, there be good fellows in the world, an' a man could light on them, would take her with all her faults, and mony enough.

:

Gre. I cannot tell; but I had as lief take her dowry with this condition, to be whip'd at the high cross every morning.

Hor. 'Faith, as you say, there's a small choice in rotten apples. But, come, fince this bar in law makes us friends, it shall be fo far forth friendly maintain'd, 'till by helping Baptista's eldest daughter to a husband, we fet his youngest free for a husband, and then have τους

C2