Par. I am a poor man, and at your majesty's command.
Laf. He's a good drum, my lord, but a naughty orator.
Dia. Do you know, he promised me marriage?
Par. 'Faith, I know more than I'll speak.
King. But wilt thou not speak all thou know'st?

Par. Yes, so please your majesty; I did go between them, as I said; but more than that, he loved her, for, indeed, he was mad for her, and talked of Satan, and of limbo, and of furies, and I know not what: yet I was in that credit with them at that time, that I knew of their going to bed; and of other motions, as promising her marriage, and things that would derive me ill will to speak of, therefore I will not speak what I know.

King. Thou hast spoken all already, unless thou canst say they are married: But thou art too fine* in thy evidence: therefore stand aside.

This ring, you say, was yours?

Dia. Ay, my good lord.

King. Where did you buy it? or who gave it you?

Dia. It was not given me, nor I did not buy it.
King. Who lent it you?

Dia. It was not lent me neither.

King. Where did you find it then?

Dia. I found it not.

King. If it were yours by none of all these ways, How could you give it him?

Dia. I never gave it him.

Laf. This woman 's an easy glove, my lord; she goes off and on at pleasure.

King. This ring was mine, I gave it his first wife.
Dia. It might be yours, or hers, for aught I know.
King. Take her away, I do not like her now;
To prison with her: and away with him.-
Unless thou tell'st me where thou hadst this ring,
Thou diest within this hour.

Dia. I'll never tell you.

King. Take her away.

Dia. I'll put in bail, my liege.

King. I think thee now some common customer.t
Dia. By Jove, if ever I knew man, 'twas you.
King. Wherefore hast thou accused him all this while?

Dia. Because he's guilty, and he is not guilty:
He knows, I am no maid, and he'll swear to't:
I'll swear, I am a maid, and he knows not.
Great king, I am no strumpet, by my life;

I am either maid, or else this old man's wife. [Pointing to LAFEU.
King. She does abuse our ears; to prison with her.
Dia. Good mother, fetch my bail.-Stay, royal Sir;

[Exit WIDOW.

The jeweller, that owest the ring, is sent for,
And he shall surety me. But for this lord,
Who hath abused me, as he knows himself,

* Artful.

Common woman.

* Owns.

Though yet he never harm'd me, here I quit him:
He knows himself, my bed he hath defiled;
And at that time he got his wife with child:
Dead though she be, she feels her young one kick;
So there's my riddle, One, that's dead, is quick:
And now behold the meaning.

Re-enter WIDOW, with HELENA.

King. Is there no exorcist

Beguiles the truer office of mine eyes?
Is't real, that I see?

Hel. No, my good lord;

"Tis but the shadow of a wife you see, The name, and not the thing.

Ber. Both, both, O pardon!

Hel. O, my good lord, when I was like this maid,
I found you wondrous kind. There is your ring,
And, look you, here's your letter; This it says,
When from my finger you can get this ring,
And are by me with child, &c.-This is done:
Will you be mine, now you are doubly won?

Ber. If she, my liege, can make me know this clearly,
I'll love her dearly, ever, ever dearly.

Hel. If it appear not plain, and prove untrue,

Deadly divorce step between me and you!-
O, my dear mother, do I see you living?

Laf. Mine eyes smell onions, I shall weep anon:-Good Tom Drum [To PAROLLES], lend me a handkerchief: So, I thank thee; wait on me home, I'll make sport with thee: Let thy courtesies alone, they are scurvy ones.

King. Let us from point to point this story know,
To make the even truth in pleasure flow:-
If thou be'st yet a fresh uncropped flower,
Choose thou thy husband, and I'll pay thy dower;
For I can guess, that, by thy honest aid,
Thou kept'st a wife herself, thyself a maid.-
Of that, and all the progress, more and less,
Resolvedly more leisure shall express:
All yet seems well; and, if it end so meet,
The bitter past, more welcome is the sweet.
Advancing.

[TO DIANA.

[Flourish.

The king's a beggar, now the play is done :
All is well ended, if this suit be won,
That you express content; which we will pay,
With strife to please you, day exceeding day:
Ours be your patience, then, and yours our parts;
Your gentle hands lend us, and take our hearts.

[Exeunt.

TAMING OF THE SHREW.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

}

Servants to Lucen-
tio.

TRANIO,
BIONDELLO,
GRUMIO,
CURTIS,

}

Servants to Petruchio.

PEDANT, an old Fellow set up to personate Vincentio.

A LORD.

CHRISTOPHER SLY,

Persons in

a drunken Tinker, HOSTESS, PAGE, PLAY- the InducERS, HUNTSMEN, and ( tion. other SERVANTS attending on the LORD,BAPTISTA, a rich Gentleman of

Padua.

VINCENTIO, an old Gentleman of
Pisa.

LUCENTIO, Son to Vincentio, in love
with Bianca.

PETRUCHIO, a Gentleman of Verona, a Suitor to Katharina.

GREMIO, } Suitors to Bianca.

HORTENSIO,

KATHARINA, the Shrew, Daugh
BIANCA, her Sister, Sters to

Baptista.

WIDOW.

TAILOR, HABERDASHER, and SERVANTS attending on BAPTISTA and PETRUCHIO.

SCENE.-Sometimes in PADUA; and sometimes in Petruchio's House in the Country.

CHARACTERS IN THE INDUCTION

To the original Play of The Taming of a Shrew, entered on the Stationers' books in 1594, and printed in quarto, in 1607.

A LORD, &c.
SLY.

A TAPSTER.

PAGE, PLAYERS, HUNTSMEN, &c.

VALERIA, Servant to Aurelius.
SANDER, Servant to Ferando.
PHYLOTUS, a Merchant who per-
sonates the Duke.

KATE,
EMELIA,
PHYLEMA,,

Daughters to Alphon

sus.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

ALPHONSUS, a Merchant of Athens.
JEROBEL, Duke of Cestus.
AURELIUS, his Son, Suitors to the
FERANDO,
Daughters of
Alphonsus.

POLIDOR,

SCENE.-Athens; and sometimes Ferando's Country House.

TAILOR, HABERDASHER, and SER-
VANTS to FERANDO and ALPHON-

SUS.

INDUCTION.

SCENE I.-Before an Alehouse on a Heath.

Enter HOSTESS and SLY.

Sly. I'll pheese* you, in faith.
Host. A pair of stocks, you rogue!

Sly. Y'are a baggage; the Slies are no rogues: Look in the chronicles, we came in with Richard Conqueror. paucas pallabris;† let the world slide: Sessa !+

Therefore,

Host. You will not pay for the glasses you have burst? Sly. No, not a denier: Go by, Jeronimy;-Go to thy cold bed, and warm thee.§

Host. I know my remedy, I must go fetch the thirdborough.|| [Exit. Sly. Third, or fourth, or fifth borough, I'll answer him by law: I'll not budge an inch, boy; let him come, and kindly. [Lies down on the ground, and falls asleep.

Wind horns. Enter a LORD from hunting, with Huntsmen and Servants.

Lord. Huntsman, I charge thee tender well my hounds:
Brace Merriman, the poor cur is emboss'd; T
And couple Clowder with the deep-mouth'd brach.**
Saw'st thou not, boy, how Silver made it good
At the hedge corner, in the coldest fault?
I would not lose the dog for twenty pound.

1 Hun. Why, Belman is as good as he, my lord;
He cried upon it at the merest loss,
And twice to-day pick'd out the dullest scent:
Trust me, I take him for the better dog.

Lord. Thou art a fool; if Echo were as fleet,
I would esteem him worth a dozen such.
But sup them well, and look unto them all;
To-morrow I intend to hunt again.

1 Hun. I will, my lord.

Lord. What's here? one dead or drunk? See, doth he breathe? 2 Hun. He breathes, my lord: Were he not warm'd with ale, This were a bed but cold to sleep so soundly.

Lord. O monstrous beast! how like a swine he lies!
Grim death, how foul and loathsome is thine image!
Sirs, I will practise on this drunken man.
What think you, if he were convey'd to bed,
Wrapp'd in sweet clothes, rings put upon his fingers,

* Beat; pay you off.

+ A word to the wise.

Be quiet.

A line introduced, in ridicule, from Kyd's play of the Spanish Tragedy, the hero of which, Jeronimo, Sly confounds with Saint Jerome (Dyce).

An officer whose authority equals a constable. ¶Strained. ** A small scenting-hound.

A most delicious banquet by his bed,

And brave attendants near him when he wakes,
Would not the beggar then forget himself?

1 Hun. Believe me, lord, I think he cannot choose.
2 Hun. It would seem strange unto him when he waked.
Lord. Even as a flattering dream, or worthless fancy.
Then take him up, and manage well the jest:-
Carry him gently to my fairest chamber,
And hang it round with all my wanton pictures:
Balm his foul head with warm distilled waters,
And burn sw wood to make the lodging sweet:
Procure me music ready when he wakes,
To make a dulcet and a heavenly sound;
And if he chance to speak, be ready straight,
And, with a low submissive reverence,
Say,-What is it your honour will command?
Let one attend him with a silver basin,
Full of rose-water, and bestrew'd with flowers;
Another bear the ewer, the third a diaper,
And say,-Will't please your lordship cool
Some one be ready with a costly suit,
And ask him what apparel he will wear;
Another tell him of his hounds and horse,
And that his lady mourns at his disease:
Persuade him, that he hath been lunatic;
And, when he says he is-, say, that he dreams,
For he is nothing but a mighty lord.
This do, and do it kindly,* gentle Sirs;
It will be pastime passing excellent,
If it be husbanded with modesty.t

How now? who is it?

Serv. An it please your honour,
Players that offer service to your lordship.
Lord. Bid them come near:-

1 Hun. My lord, I warrant you we'll play our part, As he shall think, by our true diligence, He is no less than what we say he is.

Lord. Take him up gently, and to bed with him; And each one to his office, when he wakes.[Some bear out SLY. 4 trumpet sounds Sirrah, go see what trumpet 'tis that sounds:- [Exit SERVANT. Belike, some noble gentleman, that means, Travelling some journey, to repose him here.

Re-enter a SERVANT.

your

Enter PLAYERS.

* Naturally.

hands?

Now, fellows, you are welcome.
Play. We thank your honour.

Lord. Do you intend to stay with me to-night?

+ Moderation.