That ever Katharina will be woo'd;
Therefore this order hath Baptifta ta'en,
That none shall have access unto Bianca,
'Till Katharine the curs'd have got a husband.
Gru. Katharine the curs'd,

A title for a maid, of all titles the worst.

Hor. Now fhall my friend Petruchio do me grace, And offer me disguis'd in fober robes

To old Baptifta as a school-mafter

Well feen in mufick, to inftruct Bianca,
That fo I may by this device, at least,

Have leave and leifure to make love to her;
And unfufpected court her by her felf.

SCENE VI.

Enter Gremio, and Lucentio difguis'd.

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

Hor. Peace, Grumio, 'tis the rival of my love.
Petruchio, ftand by a while.

Gru. A proper ftripling, 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, fee that, at any hand;
And fee you read no other lectures to her:
You understand me. Over and befide
Signior Baptifta'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 it self

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 fo affured;
As firmly as your felf were still in place,
Yea, and perhaps with more fuccefsful words
Than you, unless you were a fcholar, Sir.
Gre. Oh this learning, what a thing it is!
Gru, Oh this woodcock, what an afs it is!

Pet.

Pet. Peace, Sirrah.

Hor. Grumio, mum! God fave you, Signior Gremio. Gre. And you are well met, Signior Hortenfio. Trow you whither I am going? to Baptifta Minola; I promis'd to enquire carefully about a school-mafter 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 ye.

Hor. "Tis well; and I have met a gentleman
Hath promis'd me to help me to another,
A fine musician to inftruct our mistress,
So fhall I no whit be behind in duty
To fair Bianca, so belov'd of me.

Gre. Belov'd of me, and that my deeds fhall prove.
Gru. And that his bags fhall prove.

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 curs'd Katherine,
Yea and to marry her, if her dowry please.
Gre. So faid, fo done, is well;

Hortenfio, have you told him all her faults?

Pet, I know the is an irkfome brawling fcold; If that be all, masters, I hear no harm.

Gre. No, fayeft me fo, friend? what countryman?
Pet. Born in Verona, old Antonio's fon;

My father's dead, my fortune lives for me,
And I do hope, good days and long, to fee.

Gre. Oh Sir, fuch a life with fuch a wife were ftrange;

But if you have a ftomach, to't a God's name,
You fhall have me affifting 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.
Pet. Why came I hither, but to that intent?
Think you a little din can daunt my ears?

B 2

• Have

"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 fweat?
Have I not heard great ordnance in the field?
And heav'ns artillery thunder in the skies?
Have I not in a pitched battel heard

Loud larums, neighing fteeds, and trumpets clangue ?
And do you tell me of a woman's tongue,
That gives not half fo great a blow to hear,
As will a chefnut in farmer's fire?

Tufh, tufh, 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 yours.
Hor. I promis'd we would be contributors,
And bear his charge of wooing whatfoe'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 apparell'd, and Biondello.

Tra. Gentlemen, God fave you. If I may be bold, tell me, I beseech thee, which is the readieft way to the houfe of Signior Baptifta 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. Nor 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. And 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

Gre. But fo is not she.

Tra. For what reafon I befeech you?

Gre. For this reafon, if you'll know.

That she's the choice love of Signior Gremio.
Hor. That fhe's the chofen of Signior Hortenfio...
Tra. Softly, my mafters if you be gentlemen,,
Do me this right; hear me with patience.
Baptifta is a noble gentleman,

To whom my father is not all unknown,
And were his daughter fairer than fhe 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 fo fhe fhall. Lucentio fhall make one,
Tho' Paris came, in hope to fpeed 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 thefe words?
Hor. Sir, let me be fo bold as to ask you,
Did you yet ever fee Baptifta'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 firft'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, infooth :
The youngest daughter, whom you hearken for,
Her father keeps from all accefs of fuitors,
And will not promife her to any man,
Until the eldest fister first be wed:
The younger then is free, and not before.

Tra. If it be fo, Sir, that you are the man
Muft fteed us all, and me amongst the reft::
And if you break the ice, and do this feat,
Atchieve the elder, fet the younger free
For our accefs, whofe hap fhall be to have her,
Will not fo graceless be, to be ingrate.

Hor. Sir, you fay well, and well you do conceive :And fince you do profefs-to-be a fuitor;

You must, as we do, gratifie this gentleman,
To whom we all reft generally beholden.

Tra. Sir, I fhall not be flack; in fign whereof,
Please ye, we may contrive this afternoon,
And quaff caroufes to our mistress' health,
And do as adverfaries 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 fhall be your ben venuto.

[Exeunt. 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!

ACT II.

G

SCENE I.

Baptifta's House in Padua.

Enter Katherina and Bianca.

BIANCA.

Ood fifter, wrong me not, nor wrong your felf,

To make a bond-maid and a slave of me; That I difdain: but for thefe other goods,

Unbind my hands, I'll pull them off
my felf,

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.

Kath. Of all thy fuitors here 1 charge thee tell

Whom