face, and so disfigure her with it, that she shall have no more eyes to see withal than a cat. You know him not, sir.

Hor. Tarry, Petruchio, I must go with thee,
For in Baptista's keep my treasure is:
He hath the jewel of my life in hold,
His youngest daughter, beautiful Bianca,
And her withholds from me, and other more
Suitors to her, and rivals in my love;
Supposing it a thing impossible,

For those defects I have before rehears'd,
That ever Katharina will be woo'd:
Therefore this order hath Baptista ta'en,
That none shall have access unto Bianca,
Till Katharine the curst have got a husband.
Gru. Katharine the curst!

A title for a maid of all titles the worst.

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

To old Baptista, as a schoolmaster
Well seen in music, to instruct Bianca;
That so I may by this device, at least

Have leave and leisure to make love to her,

And unsuspected court her by herself.

Enter GREMIO, and LUCENTIO disguised, with books under his arm.

Gru. Here's no knavery? See, to beguile the old folks, how the young folks lay their heads together! Master, master, look about you: who goes there? ha! Hor. Peace, Grumio; 't is the rival of my love. Petruchio, stand by a while.

Gru. A proper stripling, and an amorous!

[They retire. Gre. O! very well; I have perus'd the note.

Hark you, sir; I'll have them very fairly bound:
All books of love, see that at any hand,

And see you read no other lectures to her.
You understand me.-Over and beside

Signior Baptista'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 itself,

To whom they go.

What will you read to her?

1 go to: in folio.

Luc. Whate'er I read to her, I'll plead for you,
As for my patron; stand you so assur'd,
As firmly as yourself were still in place:
Yea, and perhaps with more successful words
Than you, unless you were a scholar, sir.
Gre. O, this learning, what a thing it is!
Gru. O, this woodcock, what an ass it is!
Pet.. Peace, sirrah!

Hor. Grumio, mum!-[Coming forward.]-God save you, signior Gremio!

Gre. And you are well met, signior Hortensio. Trow you, whither I am going?—To Baptista Minola. I promis'd to inquire carefully

About a master 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. 'T is well and I have met a gentleman Hath promis'd me to help me to another,

A fine musician to instruct our mistress:

So shall I no whit be behind in duty
To fair Bianca, so belov'd of me.

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

Hor. Gremio, 't is 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 curst Katharine;
Yea, and to marry her, if her dowry please.
Gre. So said, so done, is well.-

Hortensio, have you told him all her faults?

Pet. I know, she is an irksome, brawling scold:

If that be all, masters, I hear no harm.

Gre. No, say'st me so, friend? What countryman? Pet. Born in Verona, old Antonio's son:

My father dead, my fortune lives for me;

And I do hope good days, and long, to see.

Gre. O! sir, such a life with such a wife were strange;

But if you have a stomach, to 't o' God's name:
You shall have me assisting you in all.

But will you woo this wild cat?

Will I live?

Pet.
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 mine ears?
Have I not in my time heard lions roar?
Have I not heard the sea, puff'd up with winds,
Rage like an angry boar, chafed with sweat?
Have I not heard great ordnance in the field,
And heaven's artillery thunder in the skies?
Have I not in a pitched battle heard

Loud 'larums, neighing steeds, and trumpets' clang?
And do you tell me of a woman's tongue,

That gives not half so great a blow to hear,

As will a chestnut in a farmer's fire?

Tush! tush! fear boys with bugs1.

Gru.

Gre. Hortensio, hark.

This gentleman is happily arriv'd,

For he fears none.

My mind presumes, for his own good, and ours2.
Hor. I promis'd we would be contributors,
And bear his charge of wooing, whatsoe❜er.

Gre. And so we will, provided that he win her.
Gru. I would, I were as sure of a good dinner.
Enter TRANIO, bravely apparelled; and BIONDELLO.
Tra. Gentlemen, God save you! If I may be bold,
Tell me, I beseech you, which is the readiest way
To the house of signior Baptista 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, sir: what have you to do?

Pet. Not 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.

[Aside.

Are you a suitor to the maid you talk of, yea, or no? Tra. An 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

1 This word was formerly synonymous with terrors, like our bugbears. 2 yours in f. e.

For me, as for you?
Gre.

But so is not she.

Tra. For what reason, I beseech you?

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

That she's the choice love of signior Gremio.
Hor. That she 's the chosen of signior Hortensio.
Tra. Softly, my masters! if you be gentlemen,
Do me this right; hear me with patience.
Baptista is a noble gentleman,

To whom my father is not all unknown;
And were his daughter fairer than she is,
She may more suitors have, and me for one.
Fair Leda's daughter had a thousand wooers;
Then, well one more may fair Bianca have,
And so she shall. Lucentio shall make one,
Though Paris came in hope to speed alone.

Gre. What! this gentleman will out-talk us all. Luc. Sir, give him head: I know, he'll prove a jade.

Pet. Hortensio, to what end are all these words?
Hor. Sir, let me be so bold as ask you,

Did you yet ever see Baptista's daughter?
Tra. No, sir; but hear I do, that he hath two,
The one as famous for a scolding tongue,
As is the other for beauteous modesty.

Pet. Sir, sir, the first '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: insooth,
The youngest daughter, whom you hearken for,
Her father keeps from all access of suitors,
And will not promise her to any man,
Until the elder sister first be wed;
The younger then is free, and not before.

Tra. If it be so, sir, that you are the man
-Must stead us all, and me among the rest;
And if you break the ice, and do this feat1,
Achieve the elder, set the younger free
For our access, whose hap shall be to have her
Will not so graceless be to be ingrate.

Hor. Sir, you say well, and well you do conceive;

And since you do profess to be a suitor,

You must, as we do, gratify this gentleman,

1 seek in f. e.

To whom we all rest generally beholding.

Tra. Sir, I shall not be slack: in sign whereof,
Please ye we may contrive' this afternoon,
And quaff carouses to our mistress' health;
And do as adversaries do in law,

Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.
Gru. Bion. O, excellent motion !

begone.

Fellows, let's

[Exeunt.

Hor. The motion 's good indeed, and be it so.Petruchio, I shall be your ben venuto.

ACT II.

SCENE I.-The Same. A Room in BAPTISTA'S House. Enter KATHARINA and BIANCA.

Bian. Good sister, wrong me not, nor wrong yourself
To make a bondmaid, and a slave of me:
That I disdain; but for these other gards2,
Unbind my hands, I'll put them off myself,
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 suitors, here I charge thee, tell
Whom thou lov'st best: see thou dissemble not.
Bian. Believe me, sister, of all the men alive,
I never yet beheld that special face
Which I could fancy more than any other.

Kath. Minion, thou liest. Is 't not Hortensio ?
Bian. If you affect him, sister, here I swear,
I'll plead for you myself, but you shall have him.
Kath. O! then, belike, you fancy riches more:
You will have Gremio to keep you fair.

Bian. Is it for him you do envy me so? Nay then, you jest; and now I well perceive, You have but jested with me all this while.

I pr'ythee, sister Kate, untie my hands.

[her.

Kath. If that be jest, then all the rest was so. [Strikes

Enter BAPTISTA.

Bap. Why, how now, dame! whence grows this insolence?

1 The Latin contero, pass or spend. 2 goods: in f. e.