Tranio.
Is't possible, friend Licio, that Bianca
Doth fancy any other but Lucentio?
I tell you, Sir, she bears me fair in hand.

Hor.
To satisfie you, Sir, in what I said,
Stand by, and mark the manner of his teaching. Enter Bianca and Lucentio.

Luc.
Now, mistress, profit you in what you read?

Bian.
What master read you first, resolve me that?

Luc.
I read that I profess, the art of love.

Bian.
And may you prove, Sir, master of your art.

Luc.
While you, sweet dear, prove mistress of my heart.

Hor.

Quick proceeders! marry! now tell me I pray, you that durst swear that your mistress Bianca lov'd none in the world so well as Lucentio.

Tra.
O despightful love, unconstant womankind!
I tell thee, Licio, this is wonderful.

Hor.
Mistake no more, I am not Licio,
Nor a musician, as I seem to be,
But one that scorn to live in this disguise,
For such a one as leaves a gentleman,
And makes a God of such a cullion;
Know, Sir, that I am call'd Hortensio.

Tra.
Signior Hortensio, I have often heard
Of your entire affection to Bianca,

And since mine eyes are witness of her lightness,
I will with you, if you be so contented,
Forswear Bianca and her love for ever.

Hor.
See how they kiss and court. Signior Lucentio,
Here is my hand, and here I firmly vow
Never to woo her more, but do forswear her
As one unworthy all the former favours
That I have fondly flatter'd her withal.

Tra.
And here I take the like unfeigned oath,
Never to marry her, tho' she intreat.
Fie on her, see how beastly she doth court him.

Hor.
Would all the world but he had quite forsworn her.
For me, that I may surely keep mine oath,
I will be married to a wealthy widow,
Ere three days pass, which has as long lov'd me,
As I have lov'd this proud disdainful haggard.
And so farewel, Signior Lucentio.
Kindness in women, not their beauteous looks,
Shall win my love: and so I take my leave,
In resolution as I swore before. [Exit Hor.

Tra.
Mistress Bianca, bless you with such grace,
As longeth to a lover's blessed case:
Nay, I have ta'en you napping, gentle love,
And have forsworn you with Hortensio.

Bian.
Tranio, you jest: but have you both forsworn me?

Tra.
Mistress, we have.

Luc.
Then we are rid of Licio.

Tra.
I'faith he'll have a lusty widow now,
That shall be woo'd and wedded in a day.

Bian.
God give him joy.

Tra.
Ay, and he'll tame her,

Bian.
He says so, Tranio.

Tra.
'Faith he is gone unto the taming school.

Bian.
The taming school? what, is there such a place?

Tra.
Ay, mistress, and Petruchio is the master,
That teacheth tricks eleven and twenty long,
To tame a shrew, and charm her chattering tongue. SCENE II. Enter Biondello.

Bion.
Oh master, master, I have watch'd so long,
That I'm dog weary; but at last I spied
An ancient angel coming down the hill
Will serve the turn.

Tra.
What is he, Biondello?

Bion.
Master, a mercantant, or else a pedant;
I know not what; but formal in apparel;
In gate and countenance, surely like a father.

Luc.
And what of him, Tranio?

Tra.
If he be credulous, and trust my tale,
I'll make him glad to seem Vincentio,
And give assurance to Baptista Minola,
As if he were the right Vincentio:
Take me your love, and then let me alone. [Ex. Luc. & Bian. Enter a Pedant.

Ped.
God save you, Sir.

Tra.
And you, Sir; you are welcome:
Travel you far on, or are you at the farthest?

Ped.
Sir, at the farthest for a week or two;
But then up farther, and as far as Rome;
And so to Tripoly, if God lend me life.

Tra.
What countryman, I pray?

Ped.
Of Mantua.

Tra.
Of Mantua, Sir? God forbid;

And come to Padua, careless of your life?

Ped.
My life, Sir! how, I pray? for that goes hard.

Tra.
'Tis death for any one in Mantua
To come to Padua; know you not the cause?
Your ships are staid at Venice, and the Duke
(For private quarrel 'twixt your Duke and him,)
Hath publish'd and proclaim'd it openly:
'Tis marvel, but that you're but newly come,
You might have heard it else proclaim'd about.

Ped.
Alas, Sir, it is worse for me than so;
For I have bills for mony by exchange
From Florence, and must here deliver them.

Tra.
Well, Sir, to do you courtesie,
This will I do, and this will I advise you;
First tell me, have you ever been at Pisa?

Ped.
Ay, Sir, in Pisa have I often been;
Pisa renowned for grave citizens.

Tra.
Among them know you one Vincentio?

Ped.
I know him not, but I have heard of him;
A merchant of incomparable wealth.

Tra.
He is my father, Sir; and sooth to say,
In count'nance somewhat doth resemble you.

Bion.
As much as an apple doth an oyster, and all one. [Aside.

Tra.
To save your life in this extremity,
This favour will I do you for his sake;
And think it not the worst of all your fortunes
That you are like to Sir Vincentio:
His name and credit shall you undertake,
And in my house you shall be friendly lodg'd:
Look that you take upon you as you should.
You understand me, Sir: so shall you stay
'Till you have done your business in the city.
If this be court'sie, Sir, accept of it.

Ped.
Oh, Sir, I do, and will repute you ever
The patron of my life and liberty.

Tra.
Then go with me to make the matter good:
This by the way I let you understand,
My father is here look'd for every day,
To pass assurance of a dowre in marriage
'Twixt me and one Baptista's daughter here:
In all these circumstances I'll instruct you:
Go with me, Sir, to cloath you as becomes you. [Exeunt. SCENE II. Enter Tranio, and the Pedant drest like Vincentio.

Tra.
Sirs, this is the house, please it you that I call.

Ped.
Ay what else, and (but I be deceived,)
Signior Baptista may remember me
Near twenty years ago in Genoa.

Tra.
Where we were lodgers, at the Pegasus:
'Tis well, and hold your own in any case
With such austerity as longeth to a father. Enter Biondello.

Ped.
I warrant you: but Sir, here comes your boy;
'Twere good he were school'd.

Tra.
Fear you not him; sirrah Biondello,
Now do your duty throughly, I advise you:
Imagine 'twere the right Vincentio.

Bion.
Tut, fear not me.

Tra.
But hast thou done thy errand to Baptista?

Bion.
I told him that your father was in Venice,
And that you look'd for him in Padua.

Tra.
Th'art a tall fellow, hold thee that to drink,
Here comes Baptista; set your countenance, Sir. SCENE III. Enter Baptista and Lucentio.

Tra.
Signior Baptista, you are happily met:
Sir, this is the gentleman I told you of;
I pray you stand, good father, to me now,
Give me Bianca for my patrimony.

Ped.
Soft, son. Sir, by your leave, having come to Padua
To gather in some debts, my son Lucentio
Made me acquainted with a weighty cause
Of love between your daughter and himself:
And for the good report I hear of you,
And for the love he beareth to your daughter,
And she to him; to stay him not too long,
I am content in a good father's care
To have him match'd, and if you please to like
No worse than I, Sir, upon some agreement,
Me shall you find most ready and most willing
With one consent to have her so bestowed:
For curious I cannot be with you,
Signior Baptista, of whom I hear so well.

Bap.
Sir, pardon me in what I have to say.
Your plainness and your shortness please me well:
Right true it is, your son Lucentio here
Doth love my daughter, and she loveth him,
Or both dissemble deeply their affections;
And therefore if you say no more than this,
That like a father you will deal with him,
And pass my daughter a sufficient dowry,
The match is made, and all is done,

Your son shall have my daughter with consent.

Tra.
I thank you, Sir. Where then do you know best
Be we affied, and such assurance ta'en,
As shall with either part's agreement stand?

Bap.
Not in my house, Lucentio, for you know
Pitchers have ears, and I have many servants;
Besides old Gremio is hearkning still,
And haply then we might be interrupted.

Tra.
Then at my lodging, an it like you, Sir;
There doth my father lye; and there this night
We'll pass the business privately and well:
Send for your daughter by your servant here,
My boy shall fetch the scrivener presently.
The worst is this, that at so slender warning
You're like to have a thin and slender pittance.

Bap.
It likes me well. Go, Cambio, hie you home,
And bid Bianca make her ready straight:
And if you will, tell what hath happen'd here;
Lucentio's father is arriv'd in Padua,
And how she's like to be Lucentio's wife.

Luc.
I pray the gods she may with all my heart. [Exit.

Tra.
Dally not with the gods, but get thee gone. Enter Peter.
Signior Baptista, shall I lead the way?
Welcome! one mess is like to be your cheer.
Come, Sir, we will better it in Pisa.

Bap.
I follow you. [Exeunt.

SCENE IV. Enter Lucentio and Biondello.

Bion.

Cambio.

Luc.

What say'st thou, Biondello?

Bion.

You saw my master wink and laugh upon you.

Luc.

Biondello, what of that?

Bion.

'Faith nothing; but has left me here behind to expound the meaning or moral of his signs and tokens.

Luc.

I pray thee moralize them.

Bion.

Then thus. Baptista is safe, talking with the deceiving father of a deceitful son.

Luc.

And what of him?

Bion.

His daughter is to be brought by you to the supper.

Luc.

And then?

Bion.

The old priest at St. Luke's church is at your command at all hours.

Luc.

And what of all this?

Bion.

I cannot tell, except they are busied about a counterfeit assurance; take you assurance of her, Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solùm; to th' church take the priest, clark, and some sufficient honest witnesses:

Luc.
Hear'st thou, Biondello?

Bion.

I cannot tarry; I knew a wench married in an afternoon as she went to the garden for parsly to stuff a rabbet, and so may you, Sir, and so adieu, Sir; my master hath appointed me to go to St. Luke's, to bid the priest be ready to come against you come with your appendix.

Luc.
I may, and will, if she be so contented:
She will be pleas'd, then wherefore should I doubt her?

Hap what hap may, I'll roundly go about her:
It shall go hard if Cambio go without her. [Exit. SCENE V. The Street before Lucentio's House. Enter Petruchio, Katharina, and Hortensio.

Pet.
Come on a god's name, once more tow'rds our father's.
Good Lord, how bright and goodly shines the moon.

Kath.
The moon! the sun; it is not moon-light now.

Pet.
I say it is the moon that shines so bright.

Kath.
I know it is the sun that shines so bright.

Pet.
Now by my mother's son, and that's my self,
It shall be moon, or star, or what I list,
Or ere I journey to your father's house:
Go on, and fetch our horses back again.
Evermore crost and crost, nothing but crost!

Hor.
Say as he says, or we shall never go.

Kath.
Forward I pray, since we have come so far,
And be it moon, or sun, or what you please:
And if you please to call it a rush candle,
Henceforth I vow it shall be so for me.

Pet.
I say it is the moon.

Kath.
I know it is the moon.

Pet.
Nay then you lye; it is the blessed sun.

Kath.
Then God be blest, it is the blessed sun.
But sun it is not, when you say it is not,
And the moon changes even as your mind.
What you will have it nam'd, even that it is,
And so it shall be so for Katherine.

Hor.
Petruchio, go thy way, the field is won.

Pet.
Well, forward, forward, thus the bowl should run;

And not unluckily against the bias:
But soft, some company is coming here. SCENE VI. Enter Vincentio.

Good morrow, gentle mistress, where away? [To Vin.
Tell me sweet Kate, and tell me truly too,
Hast thou beheld a fresher gentlewoman:
Such war of white and red within her cheeks:
What stars do spangle heaven with such beauty,
As those two eyes become that heav'nly face?
Fair lovely maid, once more good day to thee:
Sweet Kate, embrace her for her beauty's sake.

Hor.
He will make the man mad, to make a woman of him.

† ^note













Kath.
Young budding virgin, fair, and fresh, and sweet
Whither away, or where is thy aboad?
Happy the parents of so fair a child;
Happier the man whom favourable stars
Allot thee for his lovely bedfellow.

Pet.
Why, how now, Kate, I hope thou art not mad!

This is a man, old, wrinkled, faded, withered,
And not a maiden, as thou say'st he is.

Kath.
Pardon, old father, my mistaken eyes,
That have been so bedazled with the sun,
That every thing I look on seemeth green.
Now I perceive thou art a reverend father:
Pardon, I pray thee, for my mad mistaking.

Pet.
Do, good old grandsir, and withal make known
Which way thou travellest; if along with us,
We shall be joyful of thy company.

Vin.
Fair Sir, and you my merry mistress,
That with your strange encounter much amaz'd me:
My name is call'd Vincentio, my dwelling Pisa,
And bound I am to Padua, there to visit
A son of mine, which long I have not seen.

Pet.
What is his name?

Vin.
Lucentio, gentle Sir.

Pet.
Happily met, the happier for thy son;
And now by law as well as reverend age,
I may entitle thee my loving father:
The sister of my wife, this gentlewoman,
Thy son by this hath married. Wonder not,
Nor be not griev'd, she is of good esteem,
Her dowry wealthy, and of worthy birth;
Beside, so qualified, as may beseem
The spouse of any noble gentleman.
Let me embrace with old Vincentio,
And wander we to see thy honest son,
Who will of thy arrival be full joyous.

Vin.
But is this true, or is it else your pleasure,
Like pleasant travellers, to break a jest
Upon the company you overtake?

Hor.
I do assure thee, father, so it is.

Pet.
Come, go along, and see the truth hereof.
For our first merriment hath made thee jealous. [Exeunt.

Hor.
Well Petruchio, this hath put me in heart.
Have to my widow, and if she be froward,
Then hast thou taught Hortensio to be untoward. [Exit. SCENE VII. Before Lucentio's House. Enter Biondello, Lucentio and Bianca; Gremio walking on one side.

Bion.

Softly and swiftly, Sir, for the priest is ready.

Luc.

I fly, Biondello; but they may chance to need thee at home, therefore leave us.

Bion.

Nay, faith, I'll see the church o' your back, and then come back to my mistress as soon as I can.

Gre.

I marvel Cambio comes not all this while.