Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

Bap. You're welcome, Sir, and he for your good fake.

But for my daughter Catharina, this I know,
She is not for your turn; the more's my grief.
Pat. iee you do not mean to part with her;
Or elfe you like not of my company.

Bap. Miflake me not, I fpeak but what I find.
Whence are you, Sir? what may I call your name?
Pet. Petruchio is my name, Antonio's fon,
A man well known throughout all Italy.

Bap. I know him well: you are welcome for his fake.

Gre. Saving your tale. Petruchio, I pray, let us, that are poor petitioners, speak too. Baccalare +!

-you are marvellous forward.

Pet. Oh, pardon me, Signior Gremio, I would fain be doing.

Gre. I doubt it not, Sir; but you will curfe your

wooing.

Neighbour, this is a gift very grateful, I am-fure of it. To exprefs the like kindness myself, that have been more kindly beholden to you than any, free leave give to this young fcholar, that hath been long ftudying at Rheims, [Presenting Lucentio.] as cunning in Greek, Latin, and other languages, as the other in mufic and mathematics; his name is Cambio; pray, accept his service.

Bap. A thoufand thanks, Signior Gremio: wel come, good Cambio. But, gentle Sir, methinks you walk like a stranger; [To Tranio.] may I he fo bold to know the caufe of your coming?

Tra. Pardon me, Sir, the boldness is mine own
That, being a ftranger in this city here,
Do make myfelf a fuitor to your daughter,
Unto Bianca, fair and virtuous.

Nor is your firm refolve unknown to me,
In the preferment of the eldest fifter.
This liberty is all that I requeft;

That, upon knowledge of my parentage,

I

may have welcome 'mongst the rest that woo,

ti. c. Thou arrogant, presumptuous man, Italian

And free accefs and favour as the rest.

And, toward the education of your daughters,
I here beftow a fimple inftrument,

And this small packet of Greek and Latin books:
If you accept them, then their worth is great.

[They greet privately. Bap. Lucentio is your name? of whence I pray? Tra. Of Pifa, Sir, fon to Vincentio.

Bap. A mighty man of Pisa; by report I know him well; you are very welcome, Sir. Take you the lute, and you the fet of books, [To Hortenfio and Lucentio. You fhall go fee your pupils presently. Holla, within!

[ocr errors]

Enter a Servant.

Sirrah, lead these gentlemen

To my two daughters; and then tell them both,
These are their tutors, bid them ufe them well.
[Exit Servant with Hortenfio and Lucentio.
We will go walk a little in the orchard,
And then to dinner. You are patling welcome,
And fo pray you all to think yourselves.

Pet. Signior Baptifta, my bufinefs aketh hafte,
And every day I cannot come to wooe.
You knew my father well, and in him me,
Left folely heir to all his lands and goods,
Which I have better'd, rather than decreas'd;
Then tell me, if I get your daughter's love,
What dowry fhall I have with her to wife?
Bap. After my death the one half of my lands;
And in poffeflion twenty thousand crowns.
Pet. And for that dowry I'll affure her of
Her widowhood, be it that fhe furvive me,
In all my lands and leafes whatsoever :
Let fpecialties be therefore drawn between us,
That covenants may be kept on either hand.

Bap. Ay, when the fpecial thing is well obtain'd, That is, her love; for that is all in all.

Pet. Why, that is nothing; for I tell you, father, I am as peremptory as the proud-minded. And where two raging fires meet together,

VOL. III.

R

They do confume the thing that feeds their fury :
Tho' little fire grows great with little wind,
Yet extreme gufts will blow out fire and all:
So I to her, and fo fhe yields to me,

For I am rough, and wooe not like a babe.

Bap. Well may'st thou wooe, and happy be thy speed!

But be thou arm'd for fome unhappy words.
Pet. Ay, to the proof, as mountains are for winds,
That shake not, tho' they blow perpetually.

[blocks in formation]

Enter Hortenfio with his head broke.

Bap. How now, my friend, why doft thou look fo pale?

Hor. For fear, I promise you, if I look pale. Bap. What, will my daughter prove a good

musician?

Hor. I think he'll fooner prove a foldier; Iron may hold with her, but never lutes.

Bap. Why, then thou canst not break her to the lute?

[me.

Hor. Why, no; for fhe hath broke the lute to I did but tell her the mistook her frets, And bow'd her hand to teach her fingering, When with a most impatient devilifh fpirit, Frets call you them? quoth fhe: I'll fume with them. And with that word fhe ftruck me on the head, And through the inftrument my pate made way, And there I ftood amazed for a while, As on a pillory, looking through the lute : While fhe did call me rafcal, fidler,

And twangling Jack, with twenty fuch vile terms,
As fhe had ftudied to mifufe me fo.

Pet. Now, by the world, it is a lufty wench;
I love her ten times more than e'er I did;
Oh, how I long to have fome chat with her!

Bap. Well, go with me, and be not fo difcomfited. Proceed in practice with my younger daughter, She's apt to learn, and thankful for good turns. Signior Petruchio, will you go with us,

Or fhall I send my daughter Kate to you?
Pet. I pray you do. I will attend her here,

[Exit Bap. with Grem. Horten. and Tra. And wooe her with fome fpirit when the comes. Say that she rail; why, then I'll tell her plain, She fings as fweetly as a nightingale :

Say that the frowns; I'll fay the looks as clear
As morning rofes newly walh'd with dew:
Say fhe be mute, and will not speak a word;
Then I'll commend her volubility,

And fay fhe uttereth piercing eloquence.
If the do bid me pack, I'll give her thanks,
As tho' fhe bid me ftay by her a week:
If the deny to wed, I'll crave the day

When I fhall ask the banns, and when be married.
But here she comes; and now, Petruchio, speak.

[blocks in formation]

Good morrow, Kate; for that's your name, I hear. Cath. Well have you heard, but something hard of hearing.

They call me Catharine, that do talk of me.

Pet. You lie, in faith, for you are call'd plain
Kate.

And bonny Kate, and fometimes Kate the curft:
But Kate, the prettieft Kate in Christendom,
Kate of Kate-hall, my fuper-dainty Kate,
(For dainties are all Cates) and therefore Kate,
Take this of me, Kate of my confolation !
Hearing thy mildnefs prais'd in every town,
Thy virtues spoke of, and thy beauty founded,
Yet not fo deeply as to thee belongs,
Myself am mov'd to wooe thee for my wife.
Cath. Mov'd?--in good time- -let him that
mov'd you hither

Remove you hence; I knew you at the first

You were a moveable.

Pet. Why, what's a moveable?

Cath. A join'd ftool.

Pet. Thou haft hit it; come, fit on me.

Cath. Affes are made to bear, and fo are you. Pet. Women are made to bear, and fo are you. Cath. No fuch jade, Sir, as you; if me you mean. Pet. Alas, good Kate, I will not burden thee; For knowing thee to be but young and lightCath. Too light for fuch a fwain as you to catch; And yet as heavy as my weight fhould be. fhould buz..

Pet. Should bee;·

Cath. Well ta'en, and like a buzzard.

Pet. Oh, flow-wing'd turtle, fhall a buzzard take thee?

Cath. Ay, for a turtle, as he takes a buzzard. Pet. Come, come, you wafp, i' faith you are too

angry.

Cath. If I be wafpifh, beft beware my sting. Pet. My remedy is then to pluck it out. Cath. Ah, if the fool could find it where it lyes. Pet. Who knows not where a wafp doth wear In his tail.· [his fting?

Cath. In his tongue.

Pet. Whole tongue?

Cath. Yours, if you talk of tails; and fo fare

well.

Pet. What with my tongue in your tail? nay, come again,

Good Kate, I am a gentleman.

Cath. That I'll try.

[She ftrikes him.

Pet. I fwear I'll cuff you, if you strike again.
Cath. So may you lofe your arms.

If you ftrike me, you are no gentleman;
And if no gentleman, why then, no arms.

Pet. A herald, Kate? oh, put me in thy books.
Cath. What is your creft, a coxcomb?

Pet. A comblefs cock, fo Kate will be my hen. Cath. No cock of mine, you crow too like a craven. Pet. Nay, come, Kate; come, you must not look fo four.

Cath. It is my fafhion when I fee a crab.

Pet. Why here's no crab, and therefore look not fo four.

-Cath. There is, there is.

Pet. Then fhew it me.

« AnteriorContinuar »