Her affability, and bashful modesty,
Her wondrous qualities, and mild behaviour, -
Am bold to show myself a forward guest

Within your house, to make mine eye the witness
Of that report which I so oft have heard.

And, for an entrance to my entertainment,

I do present you with a man of mine,

[Presenting HORTENSIO.

Cunning in musick, and the mathematicks,
To instruct her fully in those sciences,
Whereof, I know, she is not ignorant :
Accept of him, or else you do me wrong;
His name is Licio, born in Mantua.

Bap. You're welcome, sir; and he, for your good

sake:

But for my daughter Katharine, - this I know,
She is not for your turn, the more my grief.
Pet. I see, you do not mean to part with her;
Or else you like not of my company.

Bap. Mistake me not, I speak but as I find.
Whence are you, sir? what may I call your name?
Pet. Petruchio is my name; Antonio's son,
A man well known throughout all Italy.

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

sake.

Gre. Saving your tale, Petruchio, I pray, Let us, that are poor petitioners, speak too: Baccare! you are marvellous forward.

Pet. O, pardon me, signior Gremio; I would fain

be doing.

Gre. I doubt it not, sir; but you will curse your

wooing.

Neighbour, this is a gift very grateful, I am sure of it. To express the like kindness myself, that have been more kindly beholden to you than any, I freely give unto you this young scholar [Presenting LuCENTIO.] that hath been long studying at Rheims;

+ A proverbial exclamation then in use.

as cunning in Greek, Latin, and other languages, as the other in musick and mathematicks: his name is Cambio; pray, accept his service.

Bap. A thousand thanks, signior Gremio : welcome, good Cambio. - But, gentle sir, [To TRANIO.] methinks, you walk like a stranger; May I be so bold to know the cause of your coming?

Tra. Pardon me, sir, the boldness is mine own; That, being a stranger in this city here, Do make myself a suitor to your daughter, Unto Bianca, fair, and virtuous. Nor is your firm resolve unknown to me, In the preferment of the eldest sister : This liberty is all that I request, That, upon knowledge of my parentage, I may have welcome 'mongst the rest that woo, And free access and favour as the rest. And, toward the education of your daughters, I here bestow a simple instrument, And this small packet of Greek and Latin books: If you accept them, then their worth is great. Bap. Lucentio is your name? of whence, I pray? Tra. Of Pisa, sir; son to Vincentio. Bap. A mighty man of Pisa; by report I know him well: you are very welcome, sir. Take you [To Hor.] the lute, and you [To Luc.]

the set of books,

You shall go see your pupils presently.
Holla, within!

Sirrah, lead

Enter a Servant.

These gentlemen to my daughters; and tell them

both,

These are their tutors; bid them use them well.

[Exit Servant, with HORTENSIO, LUCENTIO,

and BIONDELLO.

We will go walk a little in the orchard,

And then to dinner: You are passing welcome,
And so I pray you all to think yourselves.

Pet. Signior Baptista, my business asketh haste,

And every day I cannot come to woo.
You knew my father well; and in him, me,
Left solely 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 shall I have with her to wife?

Bap. After my death, the one half of my lands:
And, in possession, twenty thousand crowns.
Pet. And, for that dowry, I'll assure her of
Her widowhood, - be it that she survive me,
In all my lands and leases whatsoever:
Let specialties be therefore drawn between us,
That covenants may be kept on either hand.
Bap. Ay, when the special thing is well obtain'd,
This is, her love; for that is all in all.

Pet. Why, that is nothing; for I tell you, father, I am as peremptory as she proud minded; And where two raging fires meet together, They do consume the thing that feeds their fury: Though little fire grows great with little wind, Yet extreme gusts will blow out fire and all: So I to her, and so she yields to me; For I am rough, and woo not like a babe.

Bap. Well may'st thou woo, and happy be thy

speed!

But be thou arm'd for some unhappy words.

Pet. Ay, to the proof; as mountains are for

winds,

That shake not, though they blow perpetually.

Re-enter HORTENSIO, with his head broken.

Bap. How now, my friend? why dost thou look

so pale?

Hor. For fear, I promise you, if I look pale.

1

Bap. What, will my daughter prove a good mu

sician?

Hor. I think, she'll sooner prove a soldier;

Iron may hold with her, but never lutes.

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

lute?

Hor. Why, no; for she hath broke the lute to me.
I did but tell her, she mistook her frets 5,
And bow'd her hand to teach her fingering;
When, with a most impatient devilish spirit,
Frets, call you these? quoth she: I'll fume with them :
And, with that word, she struck me on the head,
And through the instrument my pate made way;
And there I stood amazed for a while,
As on a pillory, looking through the lute :
While she did call me, rascal fiddler,
And-twangling Jack; with twenty such vile terms,
As she had studied to misuse me so.

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

Bap. Well, go with me, and be not so discom-
fited:
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 shall I send my daughter Kate to you?

Pet. I pray you do; I will attend her here, — [Exeunt BAPTISTA, GREMIO, TRANIO,

and HORTENSIO.

And woo her with some spirit when she comes.
Say, that she rail: Why, then I'll tell her plain,
She sings as sweetly as a nightingale :
Say, that she frown; I'll say, she looks as clear
As morning roses newly wash'd with dew:
Say, she be mute, and will not speak a word;

5 A fret in music is the stop which causes or regulates the vibration of the string.

Then I'll commend her volubility,
And say - she uttereth piercing eloquence :
If she do bid me pack, I'll give her thanks,
As though she bid me stay by her a week;
If she deny to wed, I'll crave the day
When I shall ask the banns, and when be mar-

ried:

But here she comes; and now, Petruchio, speak.

Enter KATHARINA.

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

of hearing;

They call me - Katharine, that do talk of me.
Pet. You lie, in faith; for you are call'd plain

Kate,

And bonny Kate, and sometimes Kate the curst;
But Kate, the prettiest Kate in Christendom,
Kate of Kate-Hall, my super-dainty Kate,
For dainties are all cates: and therefore, Kate,
Take this of me, Kate of my consolation; -
Hearing thy mildness prais'd in every town,
Thy virtues spoke of, and thy beauty sounded,
(Yet not so deeply as to thee belongs,)
Myself am mov'd to woo thee for my wife.

Kath. 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.

Kath. A joint-stool.
Pet.

Why, what's a moveable ?

Thou hast hit it: come, sit on me. Kath. Asses are made to bear, and so are you. Pet. Alas, good Kate! I will not burden thee : For, knowing thee to be but young and light, Kath. Too light for such a swain as you to catch; And yet as heavy as my weight should be. Pet. Should be? should buz.