Pet.
Verona, for a while I take my leave,
To see my friends in Padua; but, of all,
My best beloved and approved friend,
Hortensio; and, I trow, this is his house:—
Here, sirrah Grumio; knock, I say.

Gru.

Knock, sir! whom should I knock? is there any man has rebus'd your worship^{1 note}?

Pet.
Villain, I say, knock me here soundly.

Gru.
Knock you here, sir? why, sir, what am I, sir,
That I should knock you here, sir?

Pet.
Villain, I say, knock me at this gate,
And rap me well, or I'll knock your knave's pate.

Gru.

My master is grown quarrelsome: I should knock you first,

Pet.
Will it not be?
Faith, sirrah, an you'll not knock, I'll ring it;
I'll try how you can sol, fa, and sing it. [He wrings him by the ears.

Gru.
Help, masters, help! my master is mad.

Pet.
Now knock when I bid you: sirrah! villain! Enter Hortensio.

Hor.

How now? what's the matter?—My old friend Grumio! and my good friend Petruchio!— How do you all at Verona?

Pet.
Signior Hortensio, come you to part the fray?
Con tutto il core ben trovato, may I say.

Hor.
Alla nostra casa ben venuto,
Molto honorato signor mio Petruchio.
Rise, Grumio, rise; we will compound this quarrel.

Gru.

Nay, 'tis no matter, what he 'leges^{2 note}

Whom, would to God, I had well knock'd at first,
Then had not Grumio come by the worst.

Pet.
A senseless villain!—Good Hortensio,
I bid the rascal knock upon your gate,
And could not get him for my heart to do it.

Gru.
Knock at the gate?—O heavens!—
Spake you not these words plain,—Sirrah, knock me here,
Rap me here, knock me well, and knock me soundly^{3 note}
?
And come you now with—knocking at the gate?

Pet.
Sirrah, be gone, or talk not, I advise you.

Hor.
Petruchio, patience; I am Grumio's pledge:
Why, this is a heavy chance 'twixt him and you;
Your ancient, trusty, pleasant servant Grumio.
And tell me now, sweet friend,—what happy gale
Blows you to Padua here, from old Verona?

Pet.
Such wind as scatters young men through the world,
To seek their fortunes farther than at home,
^{4 note}

Hor.
Petruchio, shall I then come roundly to thee,
And wish thee to a shrewd ill-favour'd wife?
Thou'dst thank me but a little for my counsel:
And yet I'll promise thee she shall be rich,
And very rich:—but thou'rt too much my friend,
And I'll not wish thee to her.

Pet.
Signior Hortensio, 'twixt such friends as we,
Few words suffice: and, therefore, if thou know
One rich enough to be Petruchio's wife,
(As wealth is burden of my wooing dance^{5 note})
Be she as foul as was Florentius' love^{6 note}

As old as Sibyl, and as curst and shrewd
As Socrates' Xantippe, or a worse,
She moves me not, or not removes, at least,
^{7 note}

Gru.

Nay, look you, sir, he tells you flatly what his mind is: Why, give him gold enough, and marry him to a puppet, or an aglet-baby^{8 note}

Hor.
Tarry, Petruchio, I must go with thee;
For in Baptista's keep^{2 note} my treasure is:
He hath the jewel of my life in hold,
His youngest daughter, beautiful Bianca;

^{3 note}

Gru.
Katharine the curst!
A title for a maid, of all titles the worst.

Hor.
Now shall my friend Petruchio do me grace;
And offer me, disguis'd in sober robes,
To old Baptista as a school-master
Well seen in musick^{4 note}

Gru.

Here's no knavery! See; to beguile the old folks, how the young folks lay their heads together! Master, master, look about you: Who goes there? ha.

Hor.
Peace, Grumio; 'tis the rival of my love:—
Petruchio, stand 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, see that at any hand^{5 note};
And see you read no other lectures to her:
You understand me:—Over and beside
Signior Baptista's liberality,
I'll mend it with a largess:—Take your papers too,
And let me have them very well perfum'd;
For she is sweeter 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 assur'd)
As firmly as yourself were still in place:
Yea, and (perhaps,) with more successful words
Than you, unless you were a scholar, sir.

Gre.
O this learning! what a thing it is!

Gru.
O this woodcock! what an ass it is!

Pet.
Peace, sirrah.

Hor.
Grumio, mum!—God save you, signior Gremio!

Gre.
And you are well met, signior Hortensio. Trow you
Whither I am going?—To Baptista Minola.
I promis'd to enquire carefully
About a schoolmaster 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 you.

Hor.
'Tis well: and I have met a gentleman,
Hath promis'd me to help me^{6 note} to another,
A fine musician to instruct our mistress;
So shall I no whit be behind in duty
To fair Bianca, so belov'd of me.

Gre.
Belov'd of me,—and that my deeds shall prove.

Gru.
And that his bags shall prove. [Aside.

Hor.
Gremio, 'tis now no time to vent our love:
Listen 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 curst Katharine;
Yea, and to marry her, if her dowry please.

Gre.
So said, so done, is well:—
Hortensio, have you told him all her faults?

Pet.
I know, she is an irksome brawling scold;
If that be all, masters, I hear no harm.

Gre.
No, say'st me so, friend? What countryman?

Pet.
Born in Verona, old Antonio's son^{7 note}:
My father dead, my fortune lives for me;
And I do hope good days, and long, to see.

Gre.
Oh, sir, such a life, with such a wife, were strange:
But, if you have a stomach, to't o'God's name;
You shall have me assisting 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. [Aside.

Pet.
Why came I hither, but to that intent?
Think, you a little din can daunt mine ears?
Have I not in my time heard lions roar?
Have I not heard the sea, puff'd up with winds,
Rage like an angry boar, chafed with sweat?
Have I not heard great ordinance in the field,
And heaven's artillery thunder in the skies?
Have I not in a pitched battle heard
Loud 'larums, neighing steeds, and^{8 note}

And do you tell me of a woman's tongue;
That gives not half so great a blow to the ear^{9 note}

Gru.
For he fears none. [Aside.

Gre.
Hortensio, hark!
This gentleman is happily arriv'd,
My mind presumes, for his own good, and ours.

Hor.
I promis'd, we would be contributors,
And bear his charge of wooing, whatsoe'er.

Gre.
And so we will; provided, that he win her.

Gru.
I would, I were as sure of a good dinner. [Aside.

To them Tranio bravely apparell'd, and Biondello.

Tra.
Gentlemen, God save you! If I may be bold,
Tell me, I beseech you, which is the readiest way
To the house of signior Baptista Minola?

Gre.

He that has the two fair daughters^{2 note}

Tra.
Even he. Biondello!

Gre.
Hark you, sir; You mean not her to—

Tra.
Perhaps, him and her, sir; 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. [Aside.

Hor.
Sir, a word ere you go;—
Are you a suitor 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 so is not she.

Tra.
For what reason, I beseech you?

Gre.
For this reason, if you'll know,—
That she's the choice love of signior Gremio.

Hor.
That she's the chosen of signior Hortensio.

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 she is,

She may more suitors 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,
Though 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.
Hortensio, to what end are all these words?

Hor.
Sir, let me be so bold as to ask you,
Did you yet ever see Baptista'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 modesty.

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 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 stead us all, and me amongst the rest;
An if you break the ice, and do this feat^{3 note},—
Atchieve the elder, set the younger free
For our access,—whose hap shall be to have her,
Will not so graceless be, to be ingrate.

Hor.
Sir, you say well, and well you do conceive:
And since 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 slack: in sign whereof,
Please ye we may contrive this afternoon^{4 note}

And quaff carouses to our mistress' health;
And do as adversaries do in law,—
Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.

Gru.
O excellent motion! Fellows, let's begone.

Hor.
The motion's good indeed, and be it so;—
Petruchio, I shall be your ben venuto. [Exeunt.

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