The quaint musician, amorous Licio;

All for my master's sake, Lucentio.

Re-enter GREMIO.

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 Katharine should be his wife,
Ay, by gogs-wouns, 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,

The 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 list.

.Tra. What said the wench, when he arose 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
He had been abroad, carousing to his mates
After a storm:- Quaff'd off the muscadel,'
And threw the sops all in the sexton's face;
Having no other reason,

But that his beard grew thin and hungerly,

1

Quaff'd off the muscadel,] The fashion of introducing a bowl of wine into the church at a wedding, to be drank by the bride and bridegroom, and persons present, was very anciently a constant ceremony; and, as appears from this passage, not abolished in our author's age.

And seem'd to ask him sops as he was drinking.
This done, he took the bride about the neck;
And kiss'd her lips2 with such a clamorous smack,
That, at the parting, all the church did echo.
+ I, seeing this, came thence for very shame;
And after me, I know, the rout is coming:
Such a mad marriage never was before;
Hark, hark! I hear the minstrels play.

[Musick.

Enter PETRUCHIO, KATHARINA, BIANCA, BAPTISTA, HORTENSIO, GRUMIO, and train.

Pet. Gentlemen and friends, I thank you for your pains:
I know, you think to dine with me to-day,
And have prepar'd great store of wedding cheer;
But so it is, my haste doth call me hence,
And therefore here I mean to take my leave.
Bap. Is't possible, 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 than stay.
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 farewell to you all.

Tra. Let us entreat you stay till after dinner.
Pet. It may not be.

Gre.

Pet. It cannot be.
Kath.

Pet. I am content.
Kath.

Let me entreat you.

Let me entreat you.

Are you content to stay?

2 And kiss'd her lips-] This also is a very ancient custom, as appears from the following rubrick: "Surgant ambo, sponsus et sponsa, et accipiat sponsus pacem à sacerdote, et ferat sponsæ, osculans eam, et nimenem alium, nec ipse, nec ipsa.” Manuale Sarum. Paris, 1533, 4to. fol. 69.

"And I, seeing this," &c.-MALONE.

Pet. I am content you shall entreat me stay; But yet not stay, entreat me how you can. Kath. Now, if you love me, stay.

Pet.

Grumio, my horses. † Gru. Ay, sir, they be ready; the oats have eaten the horses.

Kath. 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 be gone, till I please myself:
'Tis like, you'll prove a jolly surly groom,
That take it on you at the first so roundly.

Pet. O, Kate, content thee; pr'ythee be not angry. Kath. I will be angry; What hast thou to do? Father, be quiet: he shall stay my leisure.

Gre. Ay, marry, sir: now it begins to work.

Kath. Gentlemen, forward to the bridal dinner:

I see, a woman may be made a fool,

If she had not a spirit to resist.

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 maidenhead,

Be mad and merry, — or go hang yourselves;
But for my bonny Kate, she must with me.
Nay, look not big, nor stamp, nor stare, nor fret;
I will be master of what is mine own:

She is my goods, my chattels; she is my house,
My household-stuff, my field, my barn,

My horse, my ox, my ass, my any thing;
And here she stands, touch her whoever dare;
I'll bring my action on the proudest he
That stops my way in Padua.

+"my horse."-MALONE.

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 PETRUCHIO, KATHARINE, and GRUMIO.

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, though bride and bridegrooom wants

For to supply the places at the table,

You know, there wants no junkets at the feast; —
Lucentio, you shall 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. Come, gentlemen, let's [Exeunt.

go.

ACT IV.

SCENE I.-A Hall in Petruchio's Country House.

Enter GRUMIO.

Gru. Fye, fye, on all tired jades! on all mad masters! and all foul ways! Was ever man so beaten? was ever man so rayed3? was ever man so weary? I am sent before to make a fire, and they are coming after to warm them. Now, were not I 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

3

· man so rayed?] i. e. bewrayed, made dirty.

THEE KATE,

I'LL BUCKLER THEE AGAINST A MILLION.

Act 3 Sc. 2.

London. Published by F. C&J. Rivington, and Partners. Feb 182.3.