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 swear?
Have I not heard great Ordnance in the field?
And heav'n's artillery thunder in the skies?

Have I not in a pitched battel heard

Loud larums, neighing steeds, and trumpets clangue?

And do you tell me of a woman's tongue,
That gives not half so great a blow to th' ear

As will a chesnut in a farmer's fire ?

Tush, tush, fear boys with bugs.

Gru. For he fears none.

Gre. Hortenfio, hark:

This Gentleman is happily arriv'd,

:

My mind.prefumes, for his own good, and ours.

1

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 apparelli'd, and Biondello.

Tra. Gentlemen, God fave you. If I may be bold, tell me, I beseech you, which is the readiest way to the house of Signior Baptista 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 reason, if you'll know :
That's she's the choice love of Signior Gremio.
Hor. That she's the chofen of Signior Hortenfio.
Tra. Softly, my masters; if you be gentlemen
Do me this right; hear me with patience.
Baptista is a noble Gentleman,

To whom my Father is not all unknown;
And, were his Daughter fairer than the 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 so she shall. Lucentio shall make one,
Tho' Paris came, in hope to speed 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 afk you,

Did you yet ever fee Baptista's daughter?

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

Pet. Sir, Sir, the first'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, insooth:
The youngest Daughter, whom you hearken for,
Her father keeps from all access of suitors,

And

1

And will not promise her to any man,
Until the eldest Sister first be wed;
The younger then is free, and not before.

Tra. If it be so, Sir, that you are the man
Must steed us all, and me amongst the rest;
And if you break the ice, and do this feat,
Atchieve the elder, set the younger free
For our access; whose hap shall be to have her,
Will not fo graceless be, to be ingrate.

Hor. Sir, you say well, and well you do conceive;
And fince you do profess to be a suitor,
You must, as we do, gratify this Gentleman,
To whom we all rest generally beholden.

Tra. Sir, I shall not be flack; in sign whereof,
Please ye, we may conitrve this afternoon 4,
And quaff carouses to our Mistress' health,
And do as adversaries do in law,

Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.

Gru. Bion. O excellent motion! fellows, let's be

gone. Hor. The motion's good indeed, and be it so, Petruchio, I shall be your ben venuto... [Exeunt. [The Presenters, above, speak here.

1 Man. My Lord, you nod; you do not mind the Play. Sly. Yea, by St. Ann, do I. A good matter, furely! comes there any more of it?

Lady. My Lord, 'tis but begun.

Sly. 'Tis a very excellent piece of work, Madam Lady. 'Would, 'twere done!

1

ACT II.

SCENE Ι.

Baptista's House in Padua.

Enter Catharina and Bianca.

BIANCA.

OOD Sifter, wrong me not, nor wrong your

G

felf,

To make a bond maid and a slave of me;
That I disdain; 5 but for these other Gawds,

Unbind my hands, I'll pull them off myself;
Yea, all my raiment, to my petticoat,
Or, what you will command me, will I do;

So well I know my duty to my elders.

Cath. Of all thy Suitors here, I charge thee, tell Whom thou lov'st best: fee, thou dissemble not. Bian. Believe me, Sifter, of all men alive I never yet beheld that special face, Which I could fancy more than any other. Cath. Minion, thou lieft; is't not Hortenfio? Bian. If you affect him, sister, here I swear, I'll plead for you myself, but you shall have him. Cath. Oh, then, belike, you fancy riches more; You will have Gremio, to keep you fair.

Bian. Is it for him you do so envy me? Nay, then you jest; and now, I well perceive, You have but jested with me all this while;

sbut for these other Goods.) This is so triffing and unexpressive a Word, that, I am satisfied our Author wrote, Gawds (i. e. Toys, trifling Or*naments); a Term that he freVOL. III.

6

quently uses and seems fond of. THEOBALD. - to keep you fair.] I should wish to read, To keep you fine. But either word may ferve.

D

1

I pr'ythee, sister Kate, untie my hands,
Cath. If that be jest, then all the rest was so.

Bap. Why, how now, dame, whence grows this

infolence?

Bianca, stand aside; poor girl, she weeps;
Go ply thy needle, meddle not with her.
For shame, thou hilding of a devilish spirit,
Why dost thou wrong her, that did ne'er wrong thee?
When did she cross thee with a bitter word?

Cath. Her filence flouts me; and I'll be reveng'd.
[Flies after Bianca.
Bap. What, in my fight?-Bianca, get thee in.
[Exit Bianca.

Cath. Will you not suffer me? nay, now I fee,
She is your treasure, she must have a husband;
I must dance bare-foot on her wedding-day,
And, for your love to her, lead apes in hell:
Talk not to me, I will go fit and weep,
'Till I can find occasion of revenge.

(Exit Cath.

Bap. Was ever gentleman thus griev'd, as I? But who comes here?.

Enter Gremio, Lucentio in the habit of a mean man; Petruchio with Hortenfio, like a musician, Tranio and Biondello bearing a lute and books.

Gre. Good morrow, neighbour Baptista.
Bap. Good morrow, neighbour Gremio: God fave

you, Gentlemen.

7

3

bilding] The tharine for the coarseness of her

word bilding, or hinderling, is a behaviour.

low wretch; it is applied

to Ca

I

Pet.