Be merry, Kate :-Some water, here ;-what ho!Where's my spaniel Troilus?-Sirrah, get you hence, And bid my cousin Ferdinand come hither :--[Ex. Serv. One, Kate, that you must kiss, and be acquainted with. -Where are my slippers?-shall I have some water? [A bason is presented to him.

Come, Kate, and wash, 4 and welcome heartily:

[Servant lets the ewer fall. You whoreson villain! will you let it fall? [Strikes him. Kath. Patience, I pray you; 'twas a fault un unwilling. Pet. A whoreson, beetle-headed, flap-ear'd knave !Come, Kate, sit down; I know you have a stomach. Will you give thanks, sweet Kate; or else shall I?What is this? mutton?

Pet. 'Tis burnt; and so is all the meat:

What dogs are these?-Where is the rascal cook?
How durst you, villains, bring it from the dresser,
And serve it thus to me that love it not?
There, take it to you, trenchers, cups, and all :

[Throws the meat, &c. about the stage.
You heedless joltheads, and unmanner'd slaves!
What, do you grumble? I'll be with you straight.
Kath. I pray you, husband, be not so disquiet;
The meat was well, if you were so contented.
Pet. I tell thee, Kate, 'twas burnt and dried away;
And I expressly am forbid to touch it,

For it engenders choler, planteth anger;
And better 'twere, that both of us did fast,-
Since, of ourselves, ourselves are choleric,-
Than feed it with such over-roasted flesh.
Be patient; to-morrow it shall be mended,
And, for this night, we'll fast for company :--
Come, I will bring thee to thy bridal chamber.

[Exe. PET. KATH. and CURTIS. Nath. [Advancing.] Peter, didst ever see the like? Peter. He kills her in her own humour.

Re-enter CURTIS.

Gru. Where is he?

[4] It was the custom in our author's time, (and long before,) to wash the hands immediately before dinner and supper,as well as afterwards. MAL. As our ancestors eat with their fingers, which might not be over-clean before meals, and after them must be greasy, we cannot wonder at such repeated ablutions. STEEV.

Curt. In her chamber,

Making a sermon of continency to her:

And rails, and swears, and rates; that she, poor soul, Knows not which way to stand, to look, to speak; And sits as one new-risen from a dream.

Away, away! for he is coming hither.

Re-enter PETRUCHIO.

[Exeunt.

Pet. Thus have I politicly begun my reign,
And 'tis my hope to end successfully :
My falcon now is sharp, and passing empty;
And, till she stoop, she must not be full-gorg❜d,
For then she never looks upon her lure.
Another way I have to man my haggard,

To make her come, and know her keeper's call,
That is, to watch her, as we watch these kites,
That bate, and beat, and will not be obedient.
She eat no meat to-day, nor none shall eat;

6

Last night she slept not, nor to-night she shall not ;
As with the meat, some undeserved fault

I'll find about the making of the bed;

And here I'll fling the pillow, there the bolster,
This way the coverlet, another way the sheets:-
Ay, and amid this hurly, I intend,7

That all is done in reverend care of her;
And, in conclusion, she shall watch all night:
And, if she chance to nod, I'll rail, and brawl,
And with the clamour keep her still awake.
This is a way to kill a wife with kindness;

And thus I'll curb her mad and head-strong humour:-
He that knows better how to tame a shrew,
Now let him speak; 'tis charity to show.

SCENE II.

[Exit.

Padua. Before BAPTISTA's House. Enter TRANIO and HOR

TENSIO.

Tra. Is't possible, friend Licio, that Bianca Doth fancy any other but Lucentio ?

I tell you, sir, she bears me fair in hand.

Hor. Sir, to satisfy you in what I have said,

[5] A haggard is a wild hawk; to man a hawk is to tame her. JOHNS, [6] To bate is to flutter as a hawk does when it swoops upon its prey. Minsheu supposes it to be derived either from batre, Fr. to beat, or from s'abatre, to descend. MALONE.

[7] Intend is sometimes used by our author for pretend, and is, I believe, so used here. MALONE.

Stand by, and mark the manner of his teaching.

[They stand aside.

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 to love.

heart.

Bian. And may you prove, sir, master of your art! Luc. While you, sweet dear, prove mistress of my [They retire. 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 despiteful 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,Ne'er to marry with her, though she would entreat : Fie on her! see, how beastly she doth court him.

Hor. 'Would, all the world, but he, had quite forsworn! For me, that I may surely keep mine oath,

I will be married to a wealthy widow,

Ere three days pass; which hath as long lov'd me,
As I have lov'd this proud disdainful haggard:
And so, farewell, 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.

LUCENTIO and BIANCA advance.
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. Enter BIONDELLO, running.

Bion. O, master, master, I have watch'd so long, That I'm dog-weary; but at last I spied

An ancient angel going down the hill, 8

Will serve the turn.

Tra. What is he, Biondello?

Bion. Master, a mercatantè, or a pedant, 9
I know not what; but formal in apparel,
In gait 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 in your love, and then let me alone.

[Exe. Luc. and 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 furthest?
Ped. Sir, at the furthest for a week or two:
But then up further; and as far as Rome;
And so to Tripoly, if God lend me life.
Tra. What countryman, I pray?

Ped. Of Mantua.

[8] Angel primitively signifies a messenger, but perhaps this sense is inapplicable to the passage before us. always calls a messenger an angel,

Chapman, in his translation of Homer,

STEEV.

[9] The Italian word mercatante, is frequently used in the old plays for a merchant. A pedant was the the common name for a teacher of languages.

Tra. Of Mantua, sir?-marry, 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 money by exchange
From Florence, and must here deliver them.
Tra. Well sir, to do you courtesy,

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 countenance somewhat doth resemble you.

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

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 courtesy, sir, accept of it.

Ped. O, 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 dower in marriage
'Twixt me and one Baptista's daughter here:
In all these circumstances I'll instruct you:

Go with me, sir, to clothe you as becomes you. [Exe.