Or if not so, until the sun be set, For your physicians have expressly charg'd, Sly. Ay, it stands so, that I may hardly tarry so long; but I would be loath to fall into my dreams again: I will therefore tarry, in despite of the flesh and the blood. Enter a Servant. Serv. Your honour's players, hearing your amendment, Are come to play a pleasant comedy; For so your doctors hold it very meet, Seeing too much sadness hath congeal'd your blood, Therefore, they thought it good you hear a play, Sly. Marry, I will; let them play it. Is not a com- Page. It is a kind of history. Sly. Well, we'll see 't. Come, madam wife, sit by my side, We shall ne'er be younger, and let the world slide.' ACT I. SCENE I.-Padua. A Public Place. Luc. Tranio, since, for the great desire I had I am arriv'd for fruitful Lombardy, The pleasant garden of great Italy; And, by my father's love and leave, am arm'd 1 And let the world slip: we shall ne'er be younger : in f. e. Pisa, renowned for grave citizens, Gave me my being; and my father, first A merchant of great traffic through the world, Vincentio's son, brought up in Florence, It shall become, to serve all hopes conceiv'd, Fall to them as you find your stomach serves you. In brief, sir, study what you most affect. Luc. Gramercies, Tranio, well dost thou advise. If, Biondello now were come ashore, We could at once put us in readiness, And take a lodging fit to entertain Such friends as time in Padua shall beget. But stay awhile; what company is this? Tra. Master, some show to welcome us to town. [They stand back." Enter BAPTISTA, KATHARINA, BIANCA, GREMIO, and HORTENSIO. Bap. Gentlemen, importune me no farther, 1 checks in f. e. Blackstone also suggested the change. 2 thou wert in f. e. 3 aside: in f. e. For how I firmly am resolv'd you know; If either of you both love Katharina, Because I know you well, and love you well, Kath. [To BAP.] I pray you, sir, is it your graciouswill 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 mood.2 Kath. I' faith, sir, you shall never need to fear: I wis, it is not half way to her heart; But, if it were, doubt not her care should be Hor. From all such devils, good Lord, deliver us! Tra. Hush, master! here is some good pastime toward : That wench is stark mad, or wonderful froward. Maids' mild behaviour, and sobriety. Peace, Tranio. Tra. Well said, master: mum! and gaze your fill. Bap. Gentlemen, that I may soon make good What I have said,-Bianca, get you in: And let it not displease thee, good Bianca, For I will love thee ne'er the less, my girl. Kath. A pretty peat! it is best Put finger in the eye,-an she knew why. Bian. Sister, content you in my discontent. Sir, to your pleasure humbly I subscribe: My books, and instruments, shall be my company, On them to look, and practise by myself. Luc. Hark, Tranio! thou may'st hear Minerva speak. Hor. Signior Baptista, will you be so strange? Sorry am I, that our good will effects Bianca's grief. Gre. Why, will you mew her up, 1 This word is not in f. e. 2 mould: in f. e. 3 Pet. Signior Baptista, for this fiend of hell, [Exit BIANCA. And for I know, she taketh most delight To mine own children in good bringing-up; [Exit. Gre. You may go to the devil's dam: your gifts are so good, here 's none will hold you. This love is not so great, Hortensio, but we may blow our nails together, and fast it fairly out: our cake's dough on both sides. Farewell:-yet, for the love I bear my sweet Bianca, if I can by any means light on a fit man to teach her that wherein she delights, I will wish2 him to her father. Hor. So will I, signior Gremio: but a word, I pray. Though the nature of our quarrel yet never brook'd parle, know now upon advice, it toucheth us both, that we may yet again have access to our fair mistress, and be happy rivals in Bianca's love, to labor and effect one thing 'specially. Gre. What 's that, I pray? Hor. Marry, sir, to get a husband for her sister. Hor. I say, a husband. Gre. I say, a devil. Think'st thou, Hortensio, though her father be very rich, any man is so very a fool to be married to hell? Hor. Tush, Gremio! though it pass your patience, and mine, to endure her loud alarums, why, man, there be good fellows in the world, an a man could light on them, would take her with all faults, and money enough. Gre. I cannot tell, but I had as lief take her dowry 1 Their in f. e. 2 Commend. VOL. III.-9 with this condition,-to be whipped at the high-cross every morning. Hor. 'Faith, as you say, there's small choice in rotten apples. But, come; since this bar in law makes us friends, it shall be so far forth friendly maintained, till by helping Baptista's eldest daughter to a husband, we set his youngest free for a husband, and then have to 't afresh. Sweet Bianca !—Happy man be his dole !1 He that runs fastest gets the ring. How say you, signior Gremio? Gre. I am agreed: and 'would I had given him the best horse in Padua to begin his wooing, that would thoroughly woo her, wed her, and bed her, and rid the house of her. Come on. Exeunt GREMIO and HORTENSIO. I never thought it possible, or likely. Tra. Master, it is no time to chide you now; If love have touch'd you, nought remains but so,- Luc. Gramercies, lad; go forward: this contents; The rest will comfort, for thy counsel's sound. Tra. Master, you look'd so longly on the maid, Perhaps you mark'd not what's the pith of all. 3 Luc. O! yes, I saw sweet beauty in her face, Such as the daughter of Agenor's race, That made great Jove to humble him to her hand, When with his knees he kiss'd the Cretan strand. Tra. Saw you no more? mark'd you not, how her sister 1 Lot. Terence. Quoted as it stands in Lily's Grammar, and not as in |