SCENE NE II. Enter Baptifta with Catharina and Bianca, Gremio and Hortenfio. Lucentio and Tranio ftand by. Bap. Gentlemen both, importune me no farther, For how I firmly am refolv'd, you know; That is, not to bestow my youngest daughter, Before I have a husband for the elder; If either of you both love Catharina, Because I know you well, and love you well, To make a Stale of me amongst these mates? Hor. Mates, maid, how mean you that? no mates for you; Unless you were of gentler, milder, mould. Cath. I'faith, Sir, you fhall never need to fear, I wis, it is not half way to her heart : But if it were, doubt not, her care shall be To comb your noddle with a three-legg'd ftool, Hor. From all fuch devils, good Lord, deliver us. Tra. Hush, mafter, here's fome good paftime toward; That wench is ftark mad, or wonderful fro ward. Luc. But in the other's filence I do fee Maid's mild behaviour and fobriety. Peace, Tranio Tra. Well faid, mafter; mum! and gaze your fill. Jafide. Bap. Gentlemen, that I may foon make good What I have faid, Bianca, get you in; VOL. III. C And And let it not displease thee, good Bianca; Cath. A pretty Peat! it is beft put finger in the eye, and she knew why. Bian. Sifter, content you in my discontent. Sir, to your pleasure humbly I fubscribe: Luc. Hark, Tranio, thou may't hear Minerva fpeak. [afide. Hor. Signior Baptifta, will you be fo* ftrange? Sorry am I, that our good will effects Bianca's grief. Gre. Why will you mew her up, Signior Baptifta, for this fiend of hell, And make her bear the penance of her tongue ? [Exit Bianca. To mine own children, in good bringing up; [Exit. Cath. Why, and, I trust, I may go too, may I not? what, fhall I be appointed hours, as tho', belike, I knew not what to take, and what to leave? ha! [Exit. 3 A pretty Peat.] Peat or Pet is a word of endearment from petit, little, as if it meant pretty little thing. * So ftrange.] That is, fo odd, fo different from others in your conduct. + Cunning men.] Cunning had not yet loft its original fignification of knowing, learned, as may be observed in the translation of the Bible. SCENE Your gifts Our love is our nails toOur cake's dough on Gre. You may go to the devil's dam. are fo good, here is none will hold you. not fo great, Hortenfio, but we may blow gether, and fast it fairly out. both fides. Farewel; yet for the love I bear my fweer Bianca, if I can by any means light on a fit man to teach her That wherein the delights, I will with him to her Father Hor So will I, Signior Gremio; but a word, I pray; tho' the nature of our quarrel never yet brook'd Parle, know now, upon advice, it toucheth us both, that wè may yet again have access to our fair Mistress, and be happy rivals in Bianca's love, to labour and effect one thing 'fpecially. Gre. What's that, I pray? Hor. Marry, Sir, to get a husband for her fifter. Hor. I fay a husband. Gre. I lay, a devil Think'ft thou, Hortenfio, tho' her father be very rich, any man is fo very a fool to be married to hell? Hor. Tufh, Gremio; tho' it pafs your patience and mine to endure her loud alarms, why, man, there be good fellows in the world, an' a man could light on them, would take her with all her faults, and mony enough. Gre. I cannot tell; but I had as lief take her dowry with this condition, to be whip'd at the high crofs every morning. Hor. 'Faith, as you fay, there's a small choice in rotten apples. But, come, fince this bar in law makes us friends, it shall be so far forth friendly maintain'd, 'till by helping Baptifta's eldeft daughter to a husband, we fet his youngest free for a husband, and then have C 2 to't to't afresh. Sweet Bianca! happy man be his dole! he that runs fastest gets the ring; how fay you, Signior Gremio ? Gre. I am agreed; and would I had given him the best horfe in Padua to begin his wooing, that would throughly woo her, wed her, and bed her, and rid the houfe of her. Come on. [Exeunt Gremio and Hortenfio, SCENE IV. Manent Tranio and Lucentio. Tra. I pray, Sir, tell, me, is it poffible Tra. Mafter, it is no time to chide you now; If love hath touch'd you, nought remains but fo, 4. *Redime te captum quàm queas minimo. Luc. Gramercy, lad; go forward, this contents; The reft will comfort, for thy counfel's found. Tra. Mafter, you look'd fo longly on the maid, 4lf Love hath TOUCH'D you, nought remains but fo.] The next line from Terence, fhews that we should read, If Love bath TOYL'D you, i. e. taken you in his toils, his nets. Alluding to the captus eft, habet, of the fame Author. WARBURTON. * Our author had this line from Lilly, which I mention, that it may not be brought as an argument of his learning. Per Perhaps, you mark'd not what's the pith of all. That made great Jove to humble him to her hand, Began to fcold, and raise up fuch a storm, Tra. Nay, then it is time to ftir him from his trance. Bend thoughts and wit t'atchieve her. Thus it ftands; That till the Father rids his hands of her, Tra. Mafter, for my hand, Both our inventions meet and jump in one. Tra. You will be school-master, And undertake the teaching of the maid: That's your device. Luc. It is may it be done? Tra. Not poffible: for who fhall bear your part, Keep houfe, and ply his book, welcome his friends, Luc. Bafta ;-content thee; for I have it full. C 3 Nor " |