Imagens da página
PDF
ePub
[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

Bap. What then?
Bion. He is coming.

Bap. When will he be here?

Bion. When he stands where I am, and sees you there.

15

Bion. Who, that Petruchio came?
Bap. Ay, that Petruchio came.

Bion. No, sir; I say, his horse comes with
him on his back.

Tra. But, say, what to thine old news? Bion. Why, Petruchio is coming, inanew hat, and 20 an old jerkin; a pair of old breeches, thrice turn'd;| a pair of boots that had been candle-cases, one buckled, another lac'd; an old rusty sword ta'en out of the town armory, with a broken hilt, and chapeless, with two broken points: His horse hip'd 25 with an old mothy saddle, the stirrups of no kindred: besides, possessed with the glanders, and like to mose in the chine; troubled with the lampass, infected with the fashions', full of windgalls, sped with spavins, raied with the yellows, past cure of 30 the fives', stark spoiled with the staggers, begnawn with the bots; sway'd in the back, and shouldershotten; near legg'd' before, and with a halfcheck'd bit, and a headstall of sheep's leather; which bring restrain'd to keep him from stumb-35 ling, hath been often burst, and now repair'd with knots: one girt six times pierc'd, and a woman's crupper of velure, which hath two letters for her name, fairly set down in studs, and here and there pieced with packthread,

Bap. Who comes with him?

Bap. Why, that's all one.

Bion. Nay, by saint Jamy, I hold you a penny.
A horse and a man is more than one, and yet not

many.

Enter Petruchio and Grumio.

Pet. Come, where be these gallants? who is at
home?

Bap. You are welcome, sir.
Pet. And yet I come not well.
Bap. And yet you halt not.
Tra. Not so well apparell'd
As I wish you were.

Pet. Were it better, I should rush in thus,
But where is Kate? where is my lovely bride?
How does my father?-Gentles, methinks you
And wherefore gaze this goodly company, [frown:
As if they saw some wondrous monument,
Some comet, or unusual prodigy?

[day:

Bap. Why, sir, you know, this is your wedding-
First were we sad, fearing you would not come;
Now sadder, that you come so unprovided.
Fye! doff this habit, shame to your estate,
An eye-sore to our solemn festival.

Tra. And tell us, what occasion of import
wife,
Hath all so long detain'd you from your
And sent you hither so unlike yourself?

Pet. Tedious it were to tell, and harsh to hear;
Sufficeth, I am come to keep my word,
Though in some part enforced to digress';
Which, at more leisure, I will so excuse
As you shall well be satisfied withal.
But, where is Kate? I stay too long from her;
The morning wears, 'tis time we were at church
Tra. See not your bride in these unreverent

robes;

40 Go to my chamber, put on cloaths of mine.
Pet. Not I, believe me; thus I'll visit her.
Bap. But thus, I trust, you will not marry her.
Pet. Good sooth, even thus; therefore have
done with words;

Bion. Oh, sir, his lacquey, for all the world caparison'd like the horse; with a linen stock' on one leg, and a kersey boot hose on the other, garter'd with a red and blue list; an old hat, and 45 The humour of forty fancies' prick'd in't for a feather: a monster, a very monster in apparel; and not like a christian foot-boy, or a gentleman's lacquey.

To me she's marry'd, not unto my cloaths:
Could I repair what she will wear in me,
As I can change these poor accoutrements,
Twere well for Kate, and better for myself.
But what a fool am I, to chat with you,

Tra. 'Tis some odd humour pricks him to this 50 When I should bid good-morrow to my bride,

fashion;

Yet oftentimes he goes but mean apparell❜d.

Bap. I am glad he is come, howsoever he comes.
Bion. Why, sir, he comes not.

Bap. Didst thou not say, he comes?

And seal the title with a lovely kiss?

[Exe. Pet. Gru. and Bion. Tra. He hath some meaning in his mad attire: We will persuade him, be it possible,

[55]To put on better ere he go to church.

4 i. e. velvet. i. e. stocking,

3 Meaning,

1 That is, the farcy. 2 A distemper in horses, little differing from the strangles. This was some ballad or drollery of that he cuts, or interferes. that time, which the poet here ridicules, by making Petruchio prick it up in his foot-boy's old hat for a feather. In Shakspeare's time, the kingdom was over-run with these doggrel compositions; and he seems to have bore them a very particular grudge. He frequently ridicules both them and their makers with excellent humour. In Aiuch ado about Nothing, he makes Benedick say, Prove that ? i, e. to deviate ever I lose more blood with love than I get again with drinking, prick out my eyes with a balladmaker's pen; as the bluntness of it would make the execution extremely painful. Вар.

from my promise.

Bap. I'll after him, and see the event of this.
[Exit.

Tra. But, sir, our love concerneth us to add
Her father's liking: which to bring to pass,
As I before imparted to your worship,
I am to get a man,-whate'er he be,

It skills not much; we'll fit him to our turn,-
And he shall be Vincentio of Pisa;
And make assurance, here in Padua,
Of greater sums than I have promised.
So shall you quietly enjoy your hope,
And marry sweet Bianca with consent.

Luc. Were it not that my fellow school-master
Doth watch Bianca's steps so narrowly,
"Twere good, methinks, to steal our marriage;
Which once perform'd, let all the world say—no,
I'll keep mine own, despight of all the world.

Tra. That by degrees we mean to look into,
And watch our vantage in this business :-
We'll over-reach the grey-beard, Gremio,
The narrow-prying father, Minola;
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?

5

[10]

Such a mad marriage never was before: [plays.
Hark, hark! I hear the minstrels play. [Musick
Enter Petruchio, Katharine, Bianca, Hortensio,
and Baptista.

Pet. Gentlemen and friends, I thank you for your
I know, you think to dine with me to-day, [pains:
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 po sible, 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,
15 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 farewel to you all.
Tra. Let us intreat you stay 'till after dinner.
Pet. It may not be.

20

25

30

35

Gre.A bridegroom,say yon? '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 gog's-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, [cuff,
This mad-brain'd bridegroom took him such a 40
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 rose up
again?

Gre. Trembled and shook; for why, he stamp'd, 45
As if the vicar meant to cozen him. [and swore,
But after many ceremonies done,
He calls for wine:

A health, quoth he; as if he had been aboard,
Carousing to his mates after a storı:
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,
And seem'd to ask him sops as he was drinking.
This done, he took the bride about the neck;
And kiss'd her lips 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:

Gre. Let me intreat you.

Pet. It cannot be.

Kath. Let me intreat you.

Pet. I am content.

Kath. Are you content to stay?

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

Pet. Grumio, my horses.

[the horses". Gru. Ay, sir, they be ready; the oats have eaten 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. [gry.
Pet. O, Kate, content thee; pr'ythee, be not an-
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.

[mand:-
Pet. They shall go forward, Kate, at thy com-
Obey the bride, you that attend on her:
Go to the feast, revel and domineer,
Carouse full measure to her maidenhead,
50 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,
55 My houshold-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.-Grumio,

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. Meaning, that they had eaten more oats than they

were worth.

Draw

[blocks in formation]

Bian. That, being mad herself, she's madly mated.
Gre. I warrant him, Petruchio is Kated.
Bap. Neighbours and friends, though bride and
bridegroom 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,
[Exeunt.
let's go.

SCENE I.

Petruchio's Country-house.
Enter Grumio.

ACTIV.

Gru. FYE, fye, on all tired jades! on all mad

1201

masters! and all foul ways! Was 25 ever man so beaten? was ever man so ray'd'? 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 hot2, my very lips might freeze to my teeth, my tongue to 30 the roof of my mouth, my heart in my belly, ere I should come by a fire to thaw me:-But, I, with blowing the fire, shall warm myself; for, consi-| dering the weather, a taller man than I will take cold. Holla, hoa! Curtis !

Enter Curtis.

Curt. Who is that, calls so coldly?

Gru. A cold world, Curtis, in every office but thine; and, therefore, fire: Do thy duty, and have thy duty; for my master and mistress are almost frozen to death.

Curt. There's fire ready: And therefore, good Grumio, the news?

Gru. Why, Jack boy! ho boy! and as much news as thou wilt.

Curt. Come, you are so full of conycatching:Gru. Why therefore, fire; for I have caught extremecold. Where's the cook? is supper ready, the house trimm'd, rushes strew'd, cobwebs swept; the serving-men in their new fustian, their white stockings, and every officer his wedding garment on? be the jacks fair within, the Jills fair 35 without, the carpets laid, and every thing in order?

Gru. A piece of ice: if thou doubt it, thou may'st slide from my shoulder to my heel, with no greater a run but my head and my neck. A fire, 40 good Curtis.

Curt. Is my master and his wife coming, Grumio?

Gru. Oh, ay, Curtis, ay: and therefore fire, fire; cast on no water.

Curt. Is she so hot a shrew as she's reported? Gru. She was, good Curtis, before this frost ;| but, thou know'st, winter tames man, woman, and beast; for it hath tam'd my old master, and my new mistress, and myself, fellow Curtis.

Curt. Away, you three-inch' fool! I am no beast.

45

Curt. All ready; And therefore, I pray thee,

news?

Gru. First know, my horse is tired; my master and mistress fallen out.

Curt. How?

Gru. Out of their saddles into the dirt; And thereby hangs a tale.

Curt. Let's ha't, good Grumio.

Gru. Lend thine ear.

Curt. Here.

Gru. There.

[Strikes him.

Curt. This is to feel a tale, not to hear a tale. Gru. And therefore 'tis call'd, a sensible tale: 50 and this cuff was but to knock at your ear, and beseech listning, Now I begin: Imprimis, we came down a foul hill, my master riding behind ny mistress :

Gru. Am I but three inches? Why, thy horn is a foot; and so long am I, at the least. But wilt thou make a fire, or shall I complain on thee 55 to our mistress, whose hand (she being now at hand) thou shalt soon feel, to thy cold comfort, for being slow in thy hot office?

Curt. I pr'ythee, good Grumio, tell me, How goes the world?

Curt. Both on one horse?
Gru. What's that to thee?
Curt. Why, a horse.

Gru. Tell thou the tale;-But hadst thou not cross'd me, thou should'st have heard how the horse fell, and she under her horse; thou should'st |60|have heard, in how miry a place: how she was 3 i. e. with a skull three inches thick; a The meaning is, that he had made Curtis a cuckold. i. e. are the drinking-vessels clean, and the maid-servants bemoil'd;

'That is, made dirty. A proverbial expression. phrase taken from the thicker sort of planks. This is a fragment of some old ballad. dressed?

bemoil'd'; how he left her with the horse upon her; how he beat me because her horse stumbled;} how she waded through the dirt to pluck him off me; how he swore; how she pray'd-that never pray'd before; how I cry'd; how the horses ran 5 away; how her bridle was burst; how I lost my crupper;-with many things of worthy memory; which now shall die in oblivion, and thou return unexperienc'd to thy grave.

Curt. By this reckoning, he is more shrew than 10 she.

Gru. Ay; and that thou and the proudest of you all shall find, when he comes home. But what talk I of this?-call forth Nathaniel, Joseph, Nicholas, Philip, Walter, Sugarsop, and the rest: 15 let their heads be sleekly comb'd, their blue coats brush'd, and their garters of an indifferent knit': let them curtsy with their left legs; and not presume to touch a hair of my master's horse-tail, 'till they kiss their hands. Are they all ready? Curt. They are.

Gru. Call them forth.

[blocks in formation]

Gru. Nathaniel's coat, sir, was not fully made,
And Gabriel's pumps were all unpink'd i' the heel:
There was no link to colour Peter's hat,
And Walter'sdagger was not come from sheathing:
There were none fine, but Adam, Ralph, and
Gregory;

The rest were ragged, old, and beggarly;
Yet, as they are, here are they come to meet you.
Pet. Go, rascals, go, and fetch my supper in.
[Exeunt Servants.
Where is the life that late I led- [Singing.
Where are those,--Sit down, Kate, and welcome.
Soud, soud, soud, soud';

Re-enter Servants with Supper.
Why, when, I say?-Nay, good sweet Kate, be

merry.

Off with my boots, you rogues, you villains; When?
It was the friar of orders grey', [Sings.
As he forth walked on his way :-

20 Out, you rogue! you pluck my foot awry:
Take that, and mend the plucking off the other.-
[Strikes him.
Be merry, Kate.-Some water, here; what ho!—
Enter one with water.

25 Where's my spanielTroilus-Sirrah,get you hence,
Aud bid my cousin Ferdinand come hither :-
One, Kate, that you must kiss and be acquainted
with.

Where are my slippers? Shall I have some water? 30 Come, Kate, and wash, and welcome heartily:You whoreson villain! will you let it fall?

Kath. Patience, I pray you; 'twas a fault unwilling.

Pet. A whoreson, beetleheaded, flap-ear'd knave! 35 Come, Kate, sit down; I know you have a stomach.

Gru. Welcome, you ;-how now, you ;-what, you;-fellow, you;-and thus much for greeting. Now, my spruce companions, is all ready, and all 40 things neat?

Nath. All things are ready: How near is our

master?

Gru. E'en at hand, alighted by this; and therefore be not,Cock's passion, silence!I hear 45 my master.

Enter Petruchio and Katharine.

Pet. Where be these knaves? What, no man
at the door,

To hold my stirrup, nor to take my horse!
Where is Nathaniel, Gregory, Philip ?—

All Serv. Here, here, sir; here, sir,

Pet. Here, sir! here, sir! here sir here sir!
You logger-headed and unpolish'd grooms!
What, no attendance? no regard? no duty?-
Where is the foolish knave I sent before?

Gru. Here, sir; as foolish as I was before.
Pet. You peasant swain! you whoreson malt-
horse drudge!

Did not I bid thee meet me in the park,
And bring along these rascal knaves with thee?

50

[blocks in formation]

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 jolt-heads, 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 dry'daway;
And I expressly am forbid to touch it.
For it engenders choler, planteth anger;

55 And better t'were that both of us did fast,-
Since, of ourselves, ourselves are cholerick,—
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 :—
60 Come, I will bring thee to thy bridal chamber.

[Exeunt.

1i. e. be-draggled, be-mired. Meaning, that their garters should be fellows; indifferent, or not different, one from the other. A link, is a torch of pitch. That is, sweet, sweet.

This is a frag

ment of some ancient ballad.

Enter

Act 4. Scene 2.]

[blocks in formation]

And rails, and swears, and rates; that she, poor
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 faulcon 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 those kites,
That bate, and beat, and will not be obedient.
She eat no meat to-day, nor none shall eat;
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,

That all is done in reverent 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 headstrong
humour.-

He that knows better how to tame a shrew,
Now let him speak; 'tis charity, to shew. [Exit.

SCENE II.

Before Baptista's House.

Enter Tranio and Hortensio.

[Bianca

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,
5 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:

10 And since mine eyes are witness to her lightness,
I will with you,-if you be so contented,
Forswear Bianca and her love forever. [Lucentio,
Hor. See, how they kiss and court-Signior
Here is my hand, and here I firmly vow-
15 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, though she would intreat : 20 Fye 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 marry'd to a wealthy widow,

25 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,
30 In resolution as I swore before. [Exit Hortensio.
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.

35

[Lucentio and Bianca come forward. Bian. Tranio, you jest; but have you both for[sworn me? Tra. Mistress, we have.

Luc. Then we are rid of Licio.

Tra. I'faith, he'll have a lusty widow now,

40 That shall be woo'd and wedded in a day.
Bian. God give him joy!

45

Tra. Is't possible, friend Licio, that mistress
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,
Stand by, and mark the manner of his teaching.
[They stand by.
Enter Bianca and Lucentio.
Luc. Now, mistress, profit you in what you read?
Bian. What, master, read you? first, resolve|50|

me that.

Luc. I read that I profess, the art to love.
Bian. And may you prove, sir, master of your art!
Luc. While you, sweet dear, prove mistress of
heart. [They retire backward. 55
my
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 woman-60
kind!-

ger,

A haggard is a wild hawk; to man a hawk is to
which is the primitive signification of angel.

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 teaches tricks eleven and twenty long,-
To tame a shrew, and charm her chattering tongue.
Enter Biondello, running.

Bion. Oh master, master, I have watch'd so long
That I am 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 mercatantè3, or a pedant,
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;
tame her.

Meaning, perhaps, an ancient messen

i, e. a merchant.

And

« AnteriorContinuar »