Sly. Madam wife, they say that I have dream'd,

and slept

Above some fifteen year and more.

Page. Ay, and the time seems thirty unto me.

Enter a Servant.

Serv. Your honour's players, hearing your amend

ment,

Are come to play a pleasant comedy,
For so your doctors hold it very meet;
Seeing too much sadness hath congeal'd your blood,
And melancholy is the nurse of frenzy,
Therefore, they thought it good you hear a play,
And frame your mind to mirth and merriment,
Which bars a thousand harms, and lengthens life.

Sly. Marry, I will; let them play it: Is not a commonty a Christmas gambol, or a tumblingtrick?

Page. No, my good lord; it is more pleasing stuff.

Sly. What, houshold stuff?
Page. It is a kind of history.

Sty. Well, we'll see't: Come, madam wife, sit by my side, and let the world slip; we shall ne'er be younger.

[They sit down.

1

* For comedy.

ACT THE FIRST.

SCENE I.

Padua. A public Place.

Enter LUCENTIO and TRANIO.

Luc. Tranio, since - for the great desire I had To see fair Padua, nursery of arts, I am arriv'd for fruitful Lombardy, The pleasant garden of great Italy; And, by my father's love and leave, am arm'd With his good will, and thy good company, Most trusty servant, well approv'd in all; Here let us breathe, and happily institute A course of learning, and ingenious studies. Pisa, renowned for grave citizens, Gave me my being, and my father first, A merchant of great traffick through the world, Vincentio, come of the Bentivolii. Vincentio his son, brought up in Florence, It shall become, to serve all hopes conceiv'd, To deck his fortune with his virtuous deeds: And therefore, Tranio, for the time I study, Virtue, and that part of philosophy Will I apply, that treats of happiness By virtue 'specially to be achiev'd. Tell me thy mind: for I have Pisa left, And am to Padua come; as he that leaves A shallow plash 4, to plunge him in the deep, And with satiety seeks to quench his thirst. Tra. Mi perdonate, gentle master mine, I am in all affected as yourself;

Glad that you thus continue your resolve,
To suck the sweets of sweet philosophy.
Only, good master, while we do admire
This virtue, and this moral discipline,
Let's be no stoicks, nor no stocks, I pray;
Or so devote to Aristotle's checks,
As Ovid be an outcast quite abjur'd:
Talk logick with acquaintance that you have,
And practice rhetorick in' your common talk :
Musick and poesy use to quicken you;
The mathematicks, and the metaphysicks,
Fall to them, as you find your stomach serves you:
No profit grows, where is no pleasure ta'en; -
In brief, sir, study what you most affect.

Luc. Gramercies, Tranio, well dost thou advise.
If, Biondello, thou wert 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 a while: What company is this?

Tra. Master, some show, to welcome us to town.

Enter BAPTISTA, KATHARINA, BIANCA, GREMIO, and HORTENSIO. LUCENTIO and TRANIO stand aside.

Bap. Gentlemen, importune me no further, For how I firmly am resolv'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 Katharina, Because I know you well, and love you well, Leave shall you have to court her at your pleasure. Gre. To cart her rather: She's too rough for

There, there Hortensio, will you any wife?

Kath. I pray you, sir, [To BAP.] is it your will To make a stale of me amongst these mates?

Harsh rules.

Hor. Mátes, maid! how mean you that? no mates

for you,

Unless you were of gentler, milder mould.

Kath. I'faith, sir, you shall never need to fear; I wis3, it is not half way way to her heart: But, if it were, doubt not her care should be To comb your noddle with a three-legg'd stool, And paint your face, and use you like a fool. Hor. From all such devils, heaven deliver us! Gre. And me too.

Tra. Hush, master! here is some good pastime
toward;

That wench is stark mad, or wonderful froward.
Luc. But in the other's silence I do see

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?! 'tis 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
[Aside.

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,

Signior Baptista, for this fiend of hell,
And make her bear the penance of her tongue?

Bap. Gentlemen, content ye; I am resolv'd:

Go in, Bianca.

[Exit BIANCA.

And for I know, she taketh most delight
In musick, instruments, and poetry,
Schoolmasters will I keep within my house,
Fit to instruct her youth. - If you, Hortensio,
Or signior Gremio, you, - know any such,
Prefer them hither; for to cunning men
I will be very kind, and liberal
To mine own children in good bringing up;
And so farewell. Katharina you may stay;
For I have more to commune with Bianca.
Kath. Why, and I trust, I may go too; May I

not?

[Exit.

What, shall I be appointed hours; as though, be

like,

I knew not what to take, and what to leave? [Exit. Gre. You may go to the devil; your gifts are so good, here is none will hold you. Our 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 wish 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 3, it toucheth us both, - that we may yet again have access to our fair mistress, and be happy rivals in Bianca's love, to labour and effect one thing 'specially.

Gre. What's that, I pray?

Hor. Marry, sir, to get a husband for her sister.. Gre. A husband! a devil.

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 her.

Hor. Tush, Gremio, though it pass your pa2 Endowments.

3 Consideration.

1