THE TAMING OF THE SHREW

The novelist Vladimir Nabokov once wrote that “reality” is a word that only has meaning when it is placed in quotation marks. The physicist’s “reality” is not the same as the biochemist’s, the secular humanist’s as the religious fundamentalist’s. Dare one say the woman’s is not the same as the man’s? In a culture where the conception of inherent sexual difference is regarded as a mere prejudice, as a forbidden thought (regardless of the “reality” revealed by molecular biology and neuroanatomy), The Taming of the Shrew is not likely to be one of Shakespeare’s most admired plays. Its presentation of female subordination presents the same kind of awkwardness for liberal sensibilities that the representation of Shylock does in the post-Holocaust world. At face value, the play proposes that desirable women are quiet and submissive, whereas women with spirit must be “tamed” through a combination of physical and mental abuse. Necessary tools may include starvation, sense deprivation, and the kind of distortion of “reality” that is practiced in totalitarian regimes.

Thus O’Brien to Winston Smith in George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four: “How many fingers am I holding up?” In this “reality” the correct answer is not the actual number but the number that the torturer says he is holding up. There is a precise analogy on the road back to Padua, after Kate has undergone her taming in the secluded country house where no neighbor will hear her cries:

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     I say it is the moon.

       

KATE

KATE     I know it is the moon.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Nay, then you lie. It is the blessèd sun.

       

KATE

KATE     Then, God be blessed, it is the blessèd sun.

               But sun it is not, when you say it is not,

               And the moon changes even as your mind.

               What you will have it named, even that it is,

               And so it shall be so for Katherine.

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Petruchio, go thy ways, the field is won.

She has been bent to her husband’s will. She is now ready to demonstrate that she is prepared to love, serve, and obey him. She knows her place: “Such duty as the subject owes the prince / Even such a woman oweth to her husband.” She offers to place her hand beneath her husband’s foot. The shrew is tamed.

The younger dramatist John Fletcher, who was Shakespeare’s collaborator in his final years, clearly thought that this harsh ending needed a riposte. He wrote a sequel, The Woman’s Prize; or, The Tamer Tamed, in which Kate has died and Petruchio remarried, only to find his new wife giving him a taste of his own medicine by means of the time-honored device of refusing to sleep with him until he submits to her will. Kate’s sister Bianca plays the role of colonel in a war between the sexes, which the women win, thus proving that it was an act of folly for Petruchio to tyrannize over his first wife in Shakespeare’s play.

In Shakespeare’s time, it was absolutely orthodox to believe that a man was head of the household, as the monarch was head of state and God was head of the cosmos. “My foot my tutor?” says Prospero in The Tempest when his daughter Miranda presumes to speak out of turn: if the man was the head, the girl-child was the foot, just as in Coriolanus a plebeian is nothing more than the “big toe” of the commonwealth. Kate’s readying of her hand to be trodden upon turns the analogy between social and bodily hierarchy into a stage image. But she is going much further than she should: the wife was not supposed to be beneath the foot, she was supposed to be the heart of the household. Instead of crowing in his triumph, Petruchio says “kiss me, Kate” for the third time, giving Cole Porter a title for his reimagining of the story in the cheerful mode of a musical.

Nabokov placed the word “reality” in quotation marks not because he was a cultural relativist, but because he was an aesthete. That is to say, he did not believe that art was merely a reflection, a mirror, of a pre-existent “reality.” Art shapes the way in which we perceive ourselves and the world. “Falling in love” is not only the work of molecular change in the brain, but also a set of behaviors learned from the romantic fictions of page, stage—now screen—and cultural memory. One of the tricks of great art is to draw attention to its own artificiality and in so doing paradoxically assert that its “reality” is as real as anything in the quotidian world of its audience. Shakespeare’s taste for plays-within-the-play and allusions to the theatricality of the world, Mozart’s witty quotations of the clichés of operatic convention, and Nabokov’s magical wordplay all fulfill this function.

Sometimes, though, the opposite device is used: an artist puts quotation marks around a work in order to say “Don’t take this too seriously, don’t mistake its feigning for ‘reality.’ ” The Taming of the Shrew is such a work: the opening scenes with Christopher Sly place the entire play within quotation marks. The “induction” presents a series of wish-fulfillment fantasies to a drunken tinker: the fantasy that he is a lord, that he has a beautiful young wife, that scenes of erotic delight can be presented for his delectation, and that a company of professional players will stage “a kind of history” for his sole benefit, in order to frame his mind to “mirth and merriment” while teaching him how to tame a shrewish wife. But Sly is not a lord and the “wife” who watches with him is not a woman but a cross-dressed boy (which reminds us that in Shakespeare’s working world the Kate who is humiliated by Petruchio was also not a woman but a cross-dressed boy-actor). The effect of the frame is to “distance” the action and so suggest that it does not present the “reality” of proper marital relations. If Sly is not a lord and the pageboy not a wife, then this is not how to tame a shrew.

In the surviving script of the play, Sly and the pageboy disappear after the first act, presumably because Shakespeare’s acting company was not large enough to waste several members of the cast sitting in the gallery as spectators all the way through. But in an anonymously published play of 1594 called The Taming of a Shrew, which seems to be some sort of adaptation, reconstruction, or variant version, the Christopher Sly “frame” is maintained throughout the action by means of a series of brief interludes and an epilogue. This version ends with the tinker going home claiming that the play has taught him how to tame a shrew and thus to handle his own wife. But the tapster knows better: “your wife will course [thrash] you for dreaming here tonight.” The hungover Sly is in no position to tame anybody; he will return home and be soundly beaten by his wife. Kate’s speech propounds the patriarchal ideal of marriage, but in A Shrew the Slys’ is a union that reveals this ideology’s distance from “reality”; its implied resolution, with the woman on top, intimates that “real” housewives are not silent and obedient, and plays cannot teach husbands to tame them into submission.

We do not need the epilogue of the anonymously published play to see that Shakespeare’s ending is more complicated and ironic than first appears. Having been outwitted in his courtship of Bianca, Hortensio marries the widow for her money. The latter shows signs of frowardness and has to be lectured by Kate. The first half of Kate’s famous submission speech is spoken in the singular, addressed specifically to the widow and not to womankind in general: “Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper, / Thy head, thy sovereign: one that cares for thee.” The contextual irony of this is not always appreciated: in contradistinction to Kate’s prescriptions, in this marriage it will be the wife, the wealthy widow, who provides the “maintenance”; Hortensio will be spared the labors of a breadwinner. According to Kate, all a husband asks from a wife is love, good looks, and obedience; these are said to be “Too little payment for so great a debt.” But the audience knows that in this case the debt is all Hortensio’s. Besides, he has said earlier that he is no longer interested in woman’s traditional attribute of “beauteous looks”—all he wants is the money. Kate’s vision of obedience is made to look oddly irrelevant to the very marriage upon which she is offering advice.

Then there is Kate’s sister. Petruchio’s “taming school” is played off against the attempts by Lucentio and Hortensio to gain access to Bianca by disguising themselves as schoolmasters. In the scene in which Lucentio courts her in the guise of a Latin tutor, the woman gives as good as she gets. She is happy to flirt with her supposed teacher over Ovid’s erotic manual The Art of Love. This relationship offers a model of courtship and marriage built on mutual desire and consent; Bianca escapes her class of sixteenth-century woman’s usual fate of being married to a partner of the father’s choice, such as rich old Gremio. If anything, Bianca is the dominant partner at the end. She is not read a lecture by Kate, as the widow is, and she gets the better of her husband in their final on-stage exchange. Like Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, she more than matches her man in the art of wordplay. One almost wonders if she would not be better matched with the pretended rather than the “real” Lucentio, that is to say the clever servant Tranio who oils the wheels of the plot and sometimes threatens to steal the show.

The double plot is a guarantee that, despite the subduing of Kate, the play is no uncomplicated apology for shrew-taming. But is Kate really subdued? Or is her submission all part of the game that she and Petruchio have been playing out? It is their marriage, not the other ones, that compels the theater audience. A woman with Kate’s energies would be bored by a conventional lover such as Lucentio. She and Petruchio are well matched because they are both of “choleric” temperament; their fierce tempers are what make them attractive to each other and charismatic to us. They seem to know they are born for each other from the moment in their first private encounter when they share a joke about oral sex (“with my tongue in your tail”). “Where two raging fires meet together” there may not be an easy marriage, but there will certainly not be a dull match and a passive wife. In the twentieth century the roles seemed ready made for Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor.

 

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KEY FACTS

PLOT: Christopher Sly, a beggarly tinker, falls asleep drunk, having been thrown out of an ale-house. A lord takes him into his house and plays a trick involving the pretence that Sly is a lord himself, for whose benefit a company of players will act The Taming of the Shrew. The main action then commences. Fortune-hunting Hortensio, rich old Gremio, and newly-arrived-in-town Lucentio all wish to court beautiful Bianca, but she cannot marry before her older sister, shrewish Kate. Petruchio vows to woo Kate both for her dowry and for the challenge of overcoming her fearsome reputation. Hortensio and Lucentio gain access to Bianca by disguising themselves as tutors, while Lucentio’s servant Tranio plays the role of his master. Petruchio marries Kate—turning up late wearing the most unsuitable clothes imaginable—and takes her off to his country house, where he “tames” her through various forms of deprivation. Tranio persuades a traveling schoolteacher to pretend to be Lucentio’s father Vincentio in order to give assurance of Lucentio’s financial means; there is confusion when the real Vincentio turns up, but the love-match between Lucentio and Bianca is happily settled. Hortensio marries a wealthy widow and Petruchio and Kate return to reveal that she is a changed woman.

MAJOR PARTS: (with percentages of lines/number of speeches/scenes on stage) Petruchio (22%/158/8), Tranio (11%/90/8), Kate (8%/82/8), Hortensio (8%/70/8), Baptista (7%/68/6), Lucentio (7%/61/8), Grumio (6%/63/4), Gremio (6%/58/6), Lord (5%/17/2), Biondello (4%/39/7), Bianca (3%/29/7), Sly (2%/24/3), Vincentio (2%/23/3), Pedant (2%/20/3).

LINGUISTIC MEDIUM: 80% verse, 20% prose.

DATE: Usually considered to be one of Shakespeare’s earliest works. Assuming that Quarto The Taming of a Shrew, registered for publication May 1594, is a version of the text rather than a source for it (see below), the play is likely to pre-date the long periods of plague closure that inhibited theatrical activity from summer 1592 onward, but there is no firm evidence for a more precise date.

SOURCES: The Induction’s scenario of a beggar transported into luxury is a traditional motif in ballads and the folk tradition; the shrewish wife is also common in fabliaux and other forms of popular tale, as well as classical comedy; Socrates, wisest of the ancients, was supposed to be married to the shrewish Xanthippe; the courtship of Bianca is developed from George Gascoigne’s Supposes (1566), itself a prose translation of Ludovico Ariosto’s I Suppositi (1509), an archetypal Italian Renaissance comedy suffused with conventions derived from the ancient Roman comedies of Plautus and Terence. Some scholars suppose that The Taming of a Shrew (1594) is a badly printed text of an older play that was Shakespeare’s primary source, but others regard it as an adaptation of Shakespeare’s work; it includes the Christopher Sly frame, the taming of Kate (with a differently named tamer), and a highly variant version of the Bianca sub-plot.

TEXT: The 1623 Folio is the only authoritative text; it seems to have been set from manuscript copy, possibly a scribal transcript that retains some of the marks of Shakespeare’s working manuscript. The 1594 Quarto Taming of a Shrew must be regarded as an autonomous work, but it provides a source for emendations on a few occasions where it corresponds closely to The Shrew.

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THE TAMING OF THE SHREW

BAPTISTA Minola, a gentleman of Padua

KATE (Katherina), his elder daughter, the “shrew”

BIANCA, his younger daughter

PETRUCHIO, a gentleman from Verona, suitor to Kate

LUCENTIO, in love with Bianca (disguises himself as “Cambio,” a Latin tutor)

VINCENTIO, Lucentio’s father, a merchant from Pisa

GREMIO, an aged suitor to Bianca

HORTENSIO, friend of Petruchio and suitor to Bianca (disguises himself as “Litio,” a music tutor)

TRANIO, Lucentio’s servant

BIONDELLO, a boy in the service of Lucentio

A PEDANT

A WIDOW

A TAILOR

A HABERDASHER

Servants and Messengers (Petruchio has servants named NATHANIEL, JOSEPH, NICHOLAS, PHILIP and PETER)

[Induction] Scene 1*

running scene 1

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       Enter Beggar and Hostess, [the beggar is called] Christopher Sly

       

SLY

SLY     I’ll pheeze¹ you, in faith.

       

HOSTESS

HOSTESS     A² pair of stocks, you rogue!

       

SLY

SLY     You’re a baggage,³ the Slys are no rogues. Look in the chronicles, we came in with Richard Conqueror:⁴ therefore paucas pallabris, let the world slide. Sessa!

       

HOSTESS

HOSTESS     You will not pay for the glasses you have burst?⁵

       

SLY

SLY     No, not a denier.⁶ Go by, Saint Jeronimy, go to thy cold bed and warm thee.

       

HOSTESS

HOSTESS     I know my remedy: I must go fetch the thirdborough.⁷

       [Exit]

       

SLY

SLY     Third, or fourth, or fifth borough, I’ll answer him by law.⁸ I’ll not budge an inch, boy. Let him come, and kindly.⁹

       [He] falls asleep

       Wind horns. Enter a Lord from hunting, with his train

10

10   

LORD

LORD           Huntsman, I charge¹⁰ thee tender well my hounds.

               Brach¹¹ Merriman, the poor cur is embossed,

               And couple¹² Clowder with the deep-mouthed brach.

               Saw’st thou not, boy, how Silver made it good¹³

               At the hedge-corner, in the coldest fault?¹⁴

15

15           I would not lose the dog for twenty pound.

       

FIRST HUNTSMAN

FIRST HUNTSMAN     Why, Belman is as good as he, my lord.

               He cried¹⁷ upon it at the merest loss,

               And twice today picked out the dullest scent.

               Trust me, I take him for the better dog.

20

20   

LORD

LORD           Thou art a fool. If Echo were as fleet,²⁰

               I would esteem him worth a dozen such.

               But sup²² them well and look unto them all:

               Tomorrow I intend to hunt again.

       

FIRST HUNTSMAN

FIRST HUNTSMAN     I will, my lord.

25

25   

LORD

LORD           What’s here? One dead, or drunk? See, doth he breathe? Sees Sly

       

SECOND HUNTSMAN

SECOND HUNTSMAN     He breathes, my lord. Were he not warmed with ale,

               This were a bed but cold²⁷ to sleep so soundly.

       

LORD

LORD     O monstrous beast, how like a swine he lies!

               Grim²⁹ death, how foul and loathsome is thine image.

30

30           Sirs, I will practise on³⁰ this drunken man.

               What think you, if he were conveyed to bed,

               Wrapped in sweet³² clothes, rings put upon his fingers,

               A most delicious banquet³³ by his bed,

               And brave³⁴ attendants near him when he wakes,

35

35           Would not the beggar then forget himself?³⁵

       

FIRST HUNTSMAN

FIRST HUNTSMAN     Believe me, lord, I think he cannot choose.³⁶

       

SECOND HUNTSMAN

SECOND HUNTSMAN     It would seem strange³⁷ unto him when he waked.

       

LORD

LORD     Even as a flatt’ring dream or worthless fancy.³⁸

               Then take him up and manage well the jest:

40

40           Carry him gently to my fairest chamber

               And hang it round⁴¹ with all my wanton pictures:

               Balm⁴² his foul head in warm distillèd waters

               And burn sweet⁴³ wood to make the lodging sweet:

               Procure me music ready when he wakes,

45

45           To make a dulcet⁴⁵ and a heavenly sound.

               And if he chance to speak, be ready straight⁴⁶

               And with a low⁴⁷ submissive reverence

               Say ‘What is it your honour will command?’

               Let one attend him with a silver basin

50

50           Full of rose-water and bestrewed with flowers,

               Another bear the ewer,⁵¹ the third a diaper,

               And say ‘Will’t please your lordship cool your hands?’

               Someone be ready with a costly suit

               And ask him what apparel he will wear.

55

55           Another tell him of his hounds and horse,

               And that his lady mourns at his disease.⁵⁶

               Persuade him that he hath been lunatic,

               And when he says he is,⁵⁸ say that he dreams,

               For he is nothing but a mighty lord.

60

60           This do, and do it kindly,⁶⁰ gentle sirs.

               It will be pastime passing⁶¹ excellent,

               If it be husbanded⁶² with modesty.

       

FIRST HUNTSMAN

FIRST HUNTSMAN     My lord, I warrant⁶³ you we will play our part,

               As⁶⁴ he shall think by our true diligence

65

65           He is no less than what we say he is.

       

LORD

LORD     Take him up gently and to bed with him, Some carry out Sly

               And each one to his office⁶⁷ when he wakes

       Sound trumpets

               Sirrah,⁶⁸ go see what trumpet ’tis that sounds.

       [Exit a Servingman]

               Belike,⁶⁹ some noble gentleman that means,

70

70           Travelling some journey, to repose him here.

       Enter Servingman

               How now? Who is it?

       

SERVINGMAN

SERVINGMAN     An’t⁷² please your honour, players

               That offer service to your lordship.

       Enter Players

       

LORD

LORD     Bid them come near.— Now, fellows, you are welcome.

75

75   

PLAYERS

PLAYERS           We thank your honour.

       

LORD

LORD     Do you intend to stay with me tonight?

       

SECOND PLAYER

SECOND PLAYER     So please⁷⁷ your lordship to accept our duty.

       

LORD

LORD     With all my heart. This fellow I remember,

               Since once he played a farmer’s eldest son.

80

80           ’Twas where you wooed the gentlewoman so well:

               I have forgot your name, but, sure, that part

               Was aptly fitted⁸² and naturally performed.

       

FIRST PLAYER

FIRST PLAYER     I think ’twas Soto that your honour means.

       

LORD

LORD     ’Tis very true, thou didst it excellent.

85

85           Well, you are come to me in happy⁸⁵ time,

               The rather for⁸⁶ I have some sport in hand

               Wherein your cunning⁸⁷ can assist me much.

               There is a lord will hear you play tonight;

               But I am doubtful⁸⁹ of your modesties,

90

90           Lest over-eyeing of⁹⁰ his odd behaviour —

               For yet his honour never heard a play —

               You break into some merry passion⁹²

               And so offend him, for I tell you, sirs,

               If you should smile he grows impatient.⁹⁴

95

95   

FIRST PLAYER

FIRST PLAYER           Fear not, my lord, we can contain ourselves

               Were he the veriest antic⁹⁶ in the world.

       

LORD

LORD     Go, sirrah, take them to the buttery,⁹⁷ To a Servingman

               And give them friendly welcome every one.

               Let them want⁹⁹ nothing that my house affords.

       Exit one with the Players

100

100         Sirrah, go you to Barthol’mew my page,

               And see him dressed in all suits¹⁰¹ like a lady.

               That done, conduct him to the drunkard’s chamber,

               And call him ‘madam’, do him obeisance.¹⁰³

               Tell him from me, as he will¹⁰⁴ win my love,

105

105         He bear¹⁰⁵ himself with honourable action,

               Such as he hath observed in noble ladies

               Unto their lords, by them accomplishèd:¹⁰⁷

               Such duty¹⁰⁸ to the drunkard let him do

               With soft low tongue¹⁰⁹ and lowly courtesy,

110

110         And say, ‘What is’t your honour will command,

               Wherein your lady and your humble wife

               May show her duty and make known her love?’

               And then with kind embracements, tempting kisses,

               And with¹¹⁴ declining head into his bosom,

115

115         Bid him shed tears, as being overjoyed

               To see her noble lord restored to health,

               Who for this seven years hath esteemèd him¹¹⁷

               No better than a poor and loathsome beggar:

               And if the boy have not a woman’s gift

120

120         To rain a shower of commanded tears,¹²⁰

               An onion will do well for such a shift,¹²¹

               Which in a napkin¹²² being close conveyed

               Shall in despite¹²³ enforce a watery eye.

               See this dispatched¹²⁴ with all the haste thou canst.

125

125         Anon¹²⁵ I’ll give thee more instructions.

       Exit a Servingman

               I know the boy will well usurp the grace,¹²⁶

               Voice, gait and action of a gentlewoman:

               I long to hear him call the drunkard husband,

               And how¹²⁹ my men will stay themselves from laughter

130

130         When they do homage to this simple peasant.

               I’ll in¹³¹ to counsel them. Haply my presence

               May well abate the over-merry spleen¹³²

               Which otherwise would grow into extremes.

       [Exeunt]

[Induction Scene 2]*

running scene 1 continues

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       Enter aloft the drunkard [Sly] with Attendants, some with apparel, basin and ewer, and other appurtenances, and Lord

       

SLY

SLY     For God’s sake, a pot of small¹ ale.

       

FIRST SERVINGMAN

FIRST SERVINGMAN     Will’t please your lordship drink a cup of sack?

       

SECOND SERVINGMAN

SECOND SERVINGMAN     Will’t please your honour taste of these conserves?³

       

THIRD SERVINGMAN

THIRD SERVINGMAN     What raiment⁴ will your honour wear today?

       

SLY

SLY     I am Christophero Sly, call not me ‘honour’ nor ‘lordship’. I ne’er drank sack in my life: and if you give me any conserves, give me conserves of beef:⁶ ne’er ask me what raiment I’ll wear, for I have no more doublets⁷ than backs, no more stockings than legs, nor no more shoes than feet — nay, sometime more feet than shoes, or such shoes as my toes look⁹ through the over-leather.

10

10   

LORD

LORD           Heaven cease this idle humour¹⁰ in your honour!

               O, that a mighty man of such descent,

               Of such possessions and so high esteem,

               Should be infusèd with so foul a spirit!¹³

       

SLY

SLY     What, would you make me mad? Am not I Christopher Sly, old Sly’s son of Burtonheath,¹⁵ by birth a pedlar, by education a cardmaker, by transmutation a bear-herd,¹⁶ and now by present profession a tinker? Ask Marian Hacket, the fat ale-wife¹⁷ of Wincot, if she know me not: if she say I am not fourteen pence on the score¹⁸ for sheer ale, score me up for the lying’st knave in Christendom. What, I am not bestraught!¹⁹ Here’s—

20

20   

THIRD SERVINGMAN

THIRD SERVINGMAN           O, this it is that makes your lady mourn!

       

SECOND SERVINGMAN

SECOND SERVINGMAN     O, this is it that makes your servants droop!²¹

       

LORD

LORD     Hence comes it that your kindred shuns your house,

               As²³ beaten hence by your strange lunacy.

               O noble lord, bethink thee of thy birth,

25

25           Call home thy ancient²⁵ thoughts from banishment

               And banish hence these abject lowly dreams.²⁶

               Look how thy servants do attend on thee,

               Each in his office ready at thy beck.

               Wilt thou have music? Hark! Apollo²⁹ plays,

       Music

30

30           And twenty cagèd nightingales do sing.

               Or wilt thou sleep? We’ll have thee to a couch

               Softer and sweeter than the lustful³² bed

               On purpose trimmed up³³ for Semiramis.

               Say thou wilt walk, we will bestrow³⁴ the ground.

35

35           Or wilt thou ride? Thy horses shall be trapped,³⁵

               Their harness studded all with gold and pearl.

               Dost thou love hawking?³⁷ Thou hast hawks will soar

               Above the morning lark. Or wilt thou hunt?

               Thy hounds shall make the welkin³⁹ answer them

40

40           And fetch shrill echoes from the hollow earth.

       

FIRST SERVINGMAN

FIRST SERVINGMAN     Say thou wilt course,⁴¹ thy greyhounds are as swift

               As breathèd⁴² stags, ay, fleeter than the roe.

       

SECOND SERVINGMAN

SECOND SERVINGMAN     Dost thou love pictures? We will fetch thee straight

               Adonis⁴⁴ painted by a running brook,

45

45           And Cytherea⁴⁵ all in sedges hid,

               Which seem to move and wanton⁴⁶ with her breath,

               Even as the waving sedges play with wind.

       

LORD

LORD     we’ll show thee Io⁴⁸ as she was a maid,

               And how she was beguilèd⁴⁹ and surprised,

50

50           As lively⁵⁰ painted as the deed was done.

       

THIRD SERVINGMAN

THIRD SERVINGMAN     Or Daphne⁵¹ roaming through a thorny wood,

               Scratching her legs that one shall swear she bleeds,

               And at that sight shall sad Apollo weep,

               So workmanly⁵⁴ the blood and tears are drawn.

55

55   

LORD

LORD           Thou art a lord, and nothing but a lord.

               Thou hast a lady far more beautiful

               Than any woman in this waning⁵⁷ age.

       

FIRST SERVINGMAN

FIRST SERVINGMAN     And till the tears that she hath shed for thee

               Like envious⁵⁹ floods o’errun her lovely face,

60

60           She was the fairest creature in the world,

               And yet⁶¹ she is inferior to none.

       

SLY

SLY     Am I a lord? And have I such a lady?

               Or do I dream? Or have I dreamed till now?

               I do not sleep: I see, I hear, I speak,

65

65           I smell sweet savours and I feel soft things.

               Upon my life, I am a lord indeed

               And not a tinker nor Christopher SIy.

               Well, bring our lady hither to our sight,

               And once again, a pot o’th’smallest ale.

70

70   

SECOND SERVINGMAN

SECOND SERVINGMAN           Will’t please your mightiness to wash your hands?

               O, how we joy to see your wit⁷¹ restored!

               O, that once more you knew but⁷² what you are!

               These fifteen years you have been in a dream,

               Or when you waked, so waked as if you slept.

75

75   

SLY

SLY           These fifteen years! By my fay,⁷⁵ a goodly nap.

               But did I never speak of⁷⁶ all that time?

       

FIRST SERVINGMAN

FIRST SERVINGMAN     O, yes, my lord, but very idle words,

               For though you lay here in this goodly chamber,

               Yet would you say ye were beaten out of door,

80

80           And rail upon⁸⁰ the hostess of the house,

               And say you would present⁸¹ her at the leet,

               Because she brought stone⁸² jugs and no sealed quarts:

               Sometimes you would call out for Cicely Hacket.

       

SLY

SLY     Ay, the woman’s⁸⁴ maid of the house.

85

85   

THIRD SERVINGMAN

THIRD SERVINGMAN           Why, sir, you know no house nor no such maid,

               Nor no such men as you have reckoned up,⁸⁶

               As Stephen Sly and old John Naps of Greece⁸⁷

               And Peter Turph and Henry Pimpernell

               And twenty more such names and men as these

90

90           Which never were nor no man ever saw.

       

SLY

SLY     Now lord be thankèd for my good amends!⁹¹

       

ALL

ALL     Amen.

       Enter [the Page dressed as a] lady, with Attendants

       

SLY

SLY     I thank thee. Thou shalt not lose by it.

       

PAGE

PAGE     How fares my noble lord?

95

95   

SLY

SLY           Marry,⁹⁵ I fare well, for here is cheer enough. Where is my wife?

       

PAGE

PAGE     Here, noble lord. What is thy will with her?

       

SLY

SLY     Are you my wife and will not call me husband?

               My men should call me ‘lord’. I am your Goodman.⁹⁸

       

PAGE

PAGE     My husband and my lord, my lord and husband,

100

100         I am your wife in all obedience.

       

SLY

SLY     I know it well.— What must I call her?

       

LORD

LORD     Madam.

       

SLY

SLY     Al’ce¹⁰³ madam, or Joan madam?

       

LORD

LORD     ‘Madam’, and nothing else. So lords call ladies.

105

105 

SLY

SLY             Madam wife, they say that I have dreamed

               And slept above some fifteen year or more.

       

PAGE

PAGE     Ay, and the time seems thirty unto me,

               Being all this time abandoned¹⁰⁸ from your bed.

       

SLY

SLY     ’Tis much. Servants, leave me and her alone.

       [Exeunt Attendants]

110

110         Madam, undress you and come now to bed.

       

PAGE

PAGE     Thrice-noble lord, let me entreat of you

               To pardon me yet for a night or two,

               Or, if not so, until the sun be set.

               For your physicians have expressly charged,

115

115         In¹¹⁵ peril to incur your former malady,

               That I should yet absent me from your bed:

               I hope this reason stands for¹¹⁷ my excuse.

       

SLY

SLY     Ay, it stands¹¹⁸ so that I may hardly tarry so long. But I would be loath to fall into my dreams again. I will therefore tarry in despite¹¹⁹ of the flesh and the blood.

       Enter a Messenger

120

120 

MESSENGER

MESSENGER             Your honour’s players, hearing your amendment,

               Are come to play a pleasant¹²¹ comedy,

               For so your doctors hold it very meet,¹²²

               Seeing too much sadness hath congealed your blood,

               And melancholy is the nurse of frenzy:

125

125         Therefore they thought it good you hear a play

               And frame¹²⁶ your mind to mirth and merriment,

               Which bars¹²⁷ a thousand harms and lengthens life.

       

SLY

SLY     Marry, I will, let them play it. Is not a comonty¹²⁸ a Christmas gambold or a tumbling trick?

       

PAGE

PAGE     No, my good lord, it is more pleasing stuff.¹³⁰

       

SLY

SLY     What, household stuff?

       

PAGE

PAGE     It is a kind of history.¹³²

       

SLY

SLY     Well, we’ll see’t. Come, madam wife, sit by my side and let the world slip,¹³³ They sit we shall ne’er be younger.

       Flourish

[Act 1 Scene 1]^1.1

running scene 2

---

       Enter Lucentio and his man Tranio

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     Tranio, since for the great desire I had

               To see fair Padua,² nursery of arts,

               I am arrived for³ fruitful Lombardy,

               The pleasant garden of great Italy,

5

5             And by my father’s love and leave⁵ am armed

               With his good will and thy good company,

               My trusty servant, well approved⁷ in all,

               Here let us breathe⁸ and haply institute

               A course of learning and ingenious⁹ studies.

10

10           Pisa, renownèd for grave¹⁰ citizens,

               Gave¹¹ me my being and my father first,

               A merchant of great traffic¹² through the world,

               Vincentio come of¹³ the Bentivolii.

               Vincentio’s¹⁴ son, brought up in Florence,

15

15           It shall become to serve all hopes conceived,

               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 of¹⁹ happiness

20

20           By virtue specially to be achieved.

               Tell me thy mind, for I have Pisa left

               And am to Padua come, as he that leaves

               A shallow plash²³ to plunge him in the deep

               And with satiety²⁴ seeks to quench his thirst.

25

25   

TRANIO

TRANIO           Mi perdonato,²⁵ gentle master mine.

               I am in all affected²⁶ as yourself,

               Glad that you thus continue your resolve

               To suck the sweets of sweet philosophy.

               Only, good master, while we do admire

30

30           This virtue and this moral discipline,

               Let’s be no stoics³¹ nor no stocks, I pray,

               Or so devote to Aristotle’s³² checks

               As³³ Ovid be an outcast quite abjured.

               Balk³⁴ logic with acquaintance that you have

35

35           And practise rhetoric in your common³⁵ talk,

               Music and poesy use to quicken³⁶ you;

               The mathematics and the metaphysics,

               Fall to³⁸ them as you find your stomach serves you.

               No³⁹ profit grows where is no pleasure ta’en:

40

40           In brief, sir, study what you most affect.⁴⁰

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     Gramercies,⁴¹ Tranio, well dost thou advise.

               If, Biondello, thou wert⁴² come ashore,

               We could at once put us in readiness,

               And take a lodging fit to entertain

45

45           Such friends as time in Padua shall beget.⁴⁵

               But stay a while, what company is this?

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Master, some show to welcome us to town.

       Enter Baptista with his two daughters, Katherina and Bianca, Gremio a pantaloon, Hortensio suitor to Bianca. Lucentio [and] Tranio stand by

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Gentlemen, importune⁴⁸ me no farther,

               For how I firmly am resolved you know:

50

50           That is, not to bestow⁵⁰ my youngest daughter

               Before I have a husband for the elder.

               If either of you both love Katherina,

               Because I know you well and love you well,

               Leave shall you have to court her at your pleasure.

55

55   

GREMIO

GREMIO           To cart her⁵⁵ rather. She’s too rough for me. Aside?

               There, there, Hortensio, will you⁵⁶ any wife?

       

KATE

KATE     I pray you, sir, is it your will To Baptista

               To make a stale⁵⁸ of me amongst these mates?

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Mates’, maid? How mean you that? No mates for you,

60

60           Unless you were of gentler, milder mould.

       

KATE

KATE     I’faith, sir, you shall never need to fear:

               Iwis⁶² it is not halfway to her heart.

               But if it were, doubt not her care⁶³ should be

               To comb your noddle⁶⁴ with a three-legged stool

65

65           And paint⁶⁵ your face and use you like a fool.

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     From all such devils, good lord deliver us!

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     And me too, good lord!

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Husht, master! Here’s some good pastime toward;⁶⁸ Aside to Lucentio

               That wench is stark mad or wonderful froward.⁶⁹

70

70   

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO           But in the other’s silence do I see Aside to Tranio

               Maid’s mild behaviour and sobriety.

               Peace, Tranio!

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Well said, master. Mum,⁷³ and gaze your fill. Aside to Lucentio

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Gentlemen, that I may soon make good

75

75           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.

       

KATE

KATE     A pretty peat!⁷⁸ It is best

               Put⁷⁹ finger in the eye, an she knew why.

80

80   

BIANCA

BIANCA           Sister, content you⁸⁰ in my discontent.

               Sir, to your pleasure⁸¹ humbly I subscribe:

               My books and instruments shall be my company,

               On them to look and practise by myself.

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     Hark, Tranio, thou may’st hear Minerva⁸⁴ speak.

85

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Signior Baptista, will you be so strange?⁸⁵

               Sorry am I that our good will effects⁸⁶

               Bianca’s grief.

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     Why will you mew her up,⁸⁸

               Signior Baptista, for⁸⁹ this fiend of hell,

90

90           And make her⁹⁰ bear the penance of her tongue?

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Gentlemen, content ye, I am resolved.—

               Go in, Bianca.—

       [Exit Bianca]

               And for⁹³ I know she taketh most delight

               In music, instruments and poetry,

95

95           Schoolmasters will I keep within my house

               Fit to instruct her youth. If you, Hortensio,

               Or Signior Gremio, you, know any such,

               Prefer⁹⁸ them hither, for to cunning men

               I will be very kind, and liberal

100

100         To mine own children in good bringing up.

               And so farewell.— Katherina, you may stay,

               For I have more to commune¹⁰² with Bianca.

       Exit

       

KATE

KATE     Why, and I trust I may go too, may I not? What, shall I be appointed hours,¹⁰³ as though, belike,¹⁰⁴ I knew not what to take and what to leave? Ha?

       Exit

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     You may go to the devil’s dam.¹⁰⁵ Your gifts are so good, here’s none will hold you.— Their love¹⁰⁶ is not so great, Hortensio, but we may blow our nails together, and fast¹⁰⁷ 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 on¹⁰⁸ a fit man to teach her that wherein she delights, I will wish¹⁰⁹ him to her father.

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     So will I, Signior Gremio. But a word, I pray. Though the nature of our quarrel yet never brooked parle,¹¹¹ 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 labour and effect¹¹³ one thing specially.

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     What’s that, I pray?

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Marry, sir, to get a husband for her sister.

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     A husband? A devil.

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     I say a husband.

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     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?

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Tush, Gremio, though it pass¹²⁰ your patience and mine to endure her loud alarums,¹²¹ 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.

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     I cannot tell, but I had as lief¹²³ take her dowry with this condition: to be whipped at the high cross¹²⁴ every morning.

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Faith, as you say, there’s small choice in rotten apples. But come, since this bar in law¹²⁶ 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 have¹²⁸ to’t afresh. Sweet Bianca! Happy man be his dole! He that runs fastest gets the ring.¹²⁹ How say you, Signior Gremio?

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     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 both [Gremio and Hortensio]. Tranio and Lucentio remain

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     I pray, sir, tell me, is it possible

               That love should of a sudden take such hold?

135

135 

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO             O Tranio, till I found it to be true,

               I never thought it possible or likely.

               But see, while idly I stood looking on,

               I found the effect of love in idleness,¹³⁸

               And now in plainness do confess to thee,

140

140         That art to me as secret¹⁴⁰ and as dear

               As Anna¹⁴¹ to the Queen of Carthage was,

               Tranio, I burn, I pine, I perish, Tranio,

               If I achieve not this young modest girl.

               Counsel me, Tranio, for I know thou canst.

145

145         Assist me, Tranio, for I know thou wilt.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Master, it is no time to chide you now.

               Affection is not rated¹⁴⁷ from the heart:

               If love have touched you, naught remains but so,

               Redime¹⁴⁹ te captum quam queas minimo.

150

150 

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO             Gramercies, lad. Go forward.¹⁵⁰ This contents:

               The rest will comfort, for thy counsel’s sound.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Master, you looked so longly¹⁵² on the maid,

               Perhaps you marked not¹⁵³ what’s the pith of all.

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     O, yes, I saw sweet beauty in her face,

155

155         Such as the daughter of Agenor¹⁵⁵ had,

               That made great Jove to humble him¹⁵⁶ to her hand.

               When with his knees he kissed¹⁵⁷ the Cretan strand.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Saw you no more? Marked you not how her sister

               Began to scold and raise up such a storm

160

160         That mortal ears might hardly endure the din?

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     Tranio, I saw her coral lips to move

               And with her breath she did perfume the air.

               Sacred and sweet was all I saw in her.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Nay, then, ’tis time to stir him from his trance.— Aside

165

165         I pray, awake, sir. If you love the maid,

               Bend¹⁶⁶ thoughts and wits to achieve her. Thus it stands:

               Her elder sister is so curst¹⁶⁷ and shrewd

               That till the father rid his hands of her,

               Master, your love must live a maid¹⁶⁹ at home,

170

170         And therefore has he closely¹⁷⁰ mewed her up,

               Because she will not be annoyed¹⁷¹ with suitors.

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     Ah, Tranio, what a cruel father’s he!

               But art thou not advised¹⁷³ he took some care

               To get her cunning schoolmasters to instruct her?

175

175 

TRANIO

TRANIO             Ay, marry, am I, sir, and now ’tis plotted.

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     I have it, Tranio.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Master, for my hand,¹⁷⁷

               Both our inventions meet¹⁷⁸ and jump in one.

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     Tell me thine first.

180

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     You will be schoolmaster

               And undertake the teaching of the maid:

               That’s your device.¹⁸²

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     It is: may it be done?

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Not possible, for who shall bear¹⁸⁴ your part,

185

185         And be in Padua here Vincentio’s son,

               Keep house¹⁸⁶ and ply his book, welcome his friends,

               Visit his countrymen and banquet them?

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     Basta,¹⁸⁸ content thee, for I have it full.

               We have not yet been seen in any house,

190

190         Nor can we be distinguished by our faces

               For man or master. Then it follows thus:

               Thou shalt be master, Tranio, in my stead,

               Keep house and port¹⁹³ and servants as I should.

               I will some other be, some Florentine,

195

195         Some Neapolitan, or meaner¹⁹⁵ man of Pisa.

               ’Tis hatched and shall be so. Tranio, at once

               Uncase¹⁹⁷ thee: take my coloured hat and cloak. They exchange clothes

               When Biondello comes, he waits on thee,

               But I will charm¹⁹⁹ him first to keep his tongue.

200

200 

TRANIO

TRANIO             So had you need.

               In brief, sir, sith²⁰¹ it your pleasure is,

               And I am tied²⁰² to be obedient —

               For so your father charged²⁰³ me at our parting,

               ‘Be serviceable to my son’, quoth he,

205

205         Although I think ’twas in another sense —

               I am content to be Lucentio,

               Because so well I love Lucentio.

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     Tranio, be so, because Lucentio loves.

               And let me be a slave, t’achieve that maid

210

210         Whose sudden sight²¹⁰ hath thralled my wounded eye.

       Enter Biondello

               Here comes the rogue. Sirrah, where have you been?

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     Where have I been? Nay, how now? Where are you? Master, has my fellow Tranio stolen your clothes? Or you stolen his? Or both? Pray, what’s the news?

215

215 

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO             Sirrah, come hither. ’Tis no time to jest,

               And therefore frame²¹⁶ your manners to the time.

               Your fellow Tranio here, to save my life,

               Puts my apparel and my count’nance²¹⁸ on,

               And I for my escape have put on his,

220

220         For in a quarrel since I came ashore

               I killed a man, and fear I was descried.²²¹

               Wait you on him, I charge you, as becomes,²²²

               While I make way from hence to save my life.

               You understand me?

225

225 

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO             I, sir? Ne’er a whit.

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     And not a jot of Tranio in your mouth.

               Tranio is changed into Lucentio.

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     The better for him. Would I were so too!

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     So could I, faith, boy, to have the next wish after,

230

230         That Lucentio indeed had Baptista’s youngest daughter.

               But, sirrah, not for my sake, but your master’s, I advise

               You use your manners discreetly²³² in all kind of companies:

               When I am alone, why, then I am Tranio,

               But in all places else your master Lucentio.

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     Tranio, let’s go. One thing more rests²³⁵ that thyself execute: to make one among these wooers. If thou ask me why, sufficeth²³⁶ my reasons are both good and weighty.

       Exeunt

       The Presenters above speaks

       

FIRST SERVINGMAN

FIRST SERVINGMAN     My lord, you nod. You do not mind²³⁸ the play.

       

SLY

SLY     Yes, by Saint Anne, do I. A good matter,²³⁹ surely.

240

240         Comes there any more of it?

       

PAGE

PAGE     My lord, ’tis but begun.

       

SLY

SLY     ’Tis a very excellent piece of work, madam lady.

               Would²⁴³ ’twere done!

       They sit and mark

[Act 1 Scene 2]^1.2

running scene 2 continues

---

       Enter Petruchio and his man Grumio

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Verona,¹ for a while I take my leave,

               To see my friends in Padua; but of all²

               My best belovèd and approvèd friend,

               Hortensio, and I trow⁴ this is his house.

5

5             Here, sirrah Grumio, knock, I say.

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Knock,⁶ sir? Whom should I knock? Is there any man has rebused your worship?

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Villain, I say, knock me here soundly.

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Knock you here, sir? Why, sir, what am I, sir, that I should knock you here, sir?

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Villain,¹¹ I say, knock me at this gate

               And rap me well, or I’ll knock your knave’s pate.¹²

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     My master is grown quarrelsome. I¹³ should knock you first,

               And then I know after who comes by the worst.

15

15   

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO           Will it not be?

               Faith, sirrah, an you’ll not knock, I’ll ring¹⁶ it.

               I’ll¹⁷ try how you can sol-fa and sing it.

       He wrings him by the ears

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Help, mistress,¹⁸ help! My master is mad.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Now, knock when I bid you, sirrah villain.

       Enter Hortensio

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     How now? What’s the matter? My old friend Grumio and my good friend Petruchio? How²¹ do you all at Verona?

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Signior Hortensio, come you to part the fray?

       Con²³ tutto il cuore, ben trovato, may I say.

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Alla²⁴ nostra casa ben venuto, molto honorata signor mio Petruchio. Rise, Grumio, rise. We will compound²⁵ this quarrel.

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Nay, ’tis no matter, sir, what he ’leges²⁶ in Latin. If this be not a lawful cause for me to leave his service, look you, sir: he bid me knock him and rap him soundly, sir. Well, was it fit for a servant to use²⁸ his master so, being perhaps, for aught²⁹ I see, two and thirty, a pip out?

30

30           Whom would to God I had well knocked at first,

               Then had not Grumio come by the worst.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     A senseless villain! Good Hortensio,

               I bade the rascal knock upon your gate

               And could not get him for my heart³⁴ to do it.

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Knock at the gate? O heavens! Spake you not these words plain, ‘Sirrah, knock me here, rap me here, knock me well, and knock me soundly’? And come you now with, ‘knocking at the gate’?

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Sirrah, be gone, or talk not, I advise you.

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Petruchio, patience. I am Grumio’s pledge.³⁹

40

40           Why, this’⁴⁰ a heavy chance ’twixt him and you,

               Your ancient,⁴¹ trusty, pleasant servant Grumio.

               And tell me now, sweet friend, what happy⁴² gale

               Blows you to Padua here from old Verona?

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Such wind as scatters young men through the world,

45

45           To seek their fortunes further than at home

               Where small experience grows. But in a few,⁴⁶

               Signior Hortensio, thus it stands with me:

               Antonio, my father, is deceased,

               And I have thrust myself into this maze,

50

50           Happily to wive⁵⁰ and thrive as best I may.

               Crowns⁵¹ in my purse I have and goods at home,

               And so am come abroad to see the world.

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Petruchio, shall I then come roundly⁵³ to thee

               And wish⁵⁴ thee to a shrewd ill-favoured wife?

55

55           Thou’ldst⁵⁵ thank me but a little for my counsel.

               And yet I’ll promise thee she shall be rich,

               And very rich. But thou’rt too much my friend,

               And I’ll not wish thee to her.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Signior Hortensio, ’twixt such friends as we

60

60           Few words suffice: and therefore, if thou know

               One rich enough to be Petruchio’s wife —

               As wealth is burden⁶² of my wooing dance —

               Be she as foul as was Florentius’ love,⁶³

               As old as Sibyl⁶⁴ and as curst and shrewd

65

65           As Socrates’ Xanthippe,⁶⁵ or a worse,

               She moves me not,⁶⁶ or not removes, at least,

               Affection’s edge in me, were she as rough

               As are the swelling Adriatic seas.

               I come to wive it wealthily in Padua,

70

70           If wealthily, then happily in Padua.

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Nay, look you, sir, he tells you flatly what his mind⁷¹ is. Why, give him gold enough and marry him to a puppet or an aglet-baby;⁷² or an old trot with ne’er a tooth in her head, though she have as many diseases as two and fifty horses. Why, nothing comes amiss, so⁷⁴ money comes withal.

75

75   

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO           Petruchio, since we are⁷⁵ stepped thus far in,

               I will continue that I broached⁷⁶ in jest.

               I can, Petruchio, help thee to a wife

               With wealth enough and young and beauteous,

               Brought up as best becomes a gentlewoman.

80

80           Her only fault, and that is faults enough,

               Is that she is intolerable⁸¹ curst

               And shrewd and froward, so beyond all measure

               That, were my state⁸³ far worser than it is,

               I would not wed her for a mine of gold.

85

85   

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO           Hortensio, peace! Thou know’st not gold’s effect.

               Tell me her father’s name and ’tis enough,

               For I will board⁸⁷ her, though she chide as loud

               As thunder when the clouds in autumn crack.⁸⁸

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Her father is Baptista Minola,

90

90           An affable and courteous gentleman.

               Her name is Katherina Minola,

               Renowned in Padua for her scolding tongue.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     I know her father, though I know not her,

               And he knew my deceasèd father well.

95

95           I will not sleep, Hortensio, till I see her,

               And therefore let me be thus bold with you

               To give you over⁹⁷ at this first encounter,

               Unless you will accompany me thither.

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     I pray you, sir, let him go while the humour⁹⁹ lasts. O’ my word, an she knew him as well as I do, she would think scolding would do little good upon him. She may perhaps call him half a score¹⁰¹ knaves or so. Why, that’s nothing; an he begin once, he’ll rail¹⁰² in his rope-tricks. I’ll tell you what, sir, an she stand him but a little, he will throw a figure¹⁰³ in her face and so disfigure her with it that she shall have no more eyes to see withal¹⁰⁴ than a cat. You know him not, sir.

105

105 

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO             Tarry, Petruchio, I must go with thee,

               For in Baptista’s keep¹⁰⁶ my treasure is:

               He hath the jewel of my life in hold,¹⁰⁷

               His youngest daughter, beautiful Bianca,

               And her withholds from me and other more,¹⁰⁹

110

110         Suitors to her and rivals in my love,

               Supposing it a thing impossible,

               For those defects¹¹² I have before rehearsed,

               That ever Katherina will be wooed:

               Therefore this order¹¹⁴ hath Baptista ta’en,

115

115         That none shall have access unto Bianca

               Till Katherine the curst have got a husband.

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Katherine the curst!

               A title for a maid of all titles the worst.

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Now shall my friend Petruchio do me grace,¹¹⁹

120

120         And offer me disguised in sober robes

               To old Baptista as a schoolmaster

               Well seen¹²² in music, to instruct Bianca,

               That so I may by this device at least

               Have leave and leisure to make love to¹²⁴ her

125

125         And unsuspected court her by herself.

       Enter Gremio and Lucentio disguised

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Here’s no knavery!¹²⁶ See, to beguile the old folks, how the young folks lay their heads together! Master, master, look about you. Who goes there, ha?

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Peace, Grumio, it is the rival of my love.

               Petruchio, stand by a while. They stand aside

130

130 

GRUMIO

GRUMIO             A proper stripling¹³⁰ and an amorous! Aside

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     O, very well, I have perused the note.¹³¹ To Lucentio

               Hark you, sir, I’ll have them very fairly¹³² bound —

               All books of love, see that at any hand¹³³ —

               And see you read¹³⁴ no other lectures to her.

135

135         You understand me. Over and beside

               Signior Baptista’s liberality,¹³⁶

               I’ll mend¹³⁷ it with a largesse. Take your paper too, Gives Lucentio the note

               And let me have them¹³⁸ very well perfumed,

               For she is sweeter than perfume itself

140

140         To whom they go to. What will you read to her?

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     Whate’er I read to her, I’ll plead for you

               As for my patron, stand you so assured,

               As firmly as yourself¹⁴³ were still in place —

               Yea, and perhaps with more successful words

145

145         Than you, unless you were a scholar, sir.

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     O, this learning, what a thing it is!

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     O, this woodcock,¹⁴⁷ what an ass it is! Aside

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Peace, sirrah!

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Grumio, mum.— God save you, Signior Gremio.

150

150 

GREMIO

GREMIO             And you¹⁵⁰ are well met, Signior Hortensio.

               Trow you¹⁵¹ whither I am going? To Baptista Minola.

               I promised to inquire carefully

               About a schoolmaster for the fair Bianca,

               And by good fortune I have lighted well

155

155         On this young man, for learning and behaviour

               Fit¹⁵⁶ for her turn, well read in poetry

               And other books, good ones, I warrant ye.

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     ’Tis well. And I have met a gentleman

               Hath promised me to help me to¹⁵⁹ another,

160

160         A fine musician to instruct our mistress.

               So shall I no whit be behind in duty

               To fair Bianca, so beloved of me.

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     Beloved of me, and that my deeds shall prove.

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     And that his bags¹⁶⁴ shall prove. Aside

165

165 

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO             Gremio, ’tis now no time to vent¹⁶⁵ our love.

               Listen to me, and if you speak me fair,¹⁶⁶

               I’ll tell you news indifferent¹⁶⁷ good for either.

               Here is a gentleman whom by chance I met,

               Upon agreement¹⁶⁹ from us to his liking,

170

170         Will undertake to woo curst Katherine,

               Yea, and to marry her, if her dowry please.

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     So¹⁷² said, so done, is well.

               Hortensio, have you told him all her faults?

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     I know she is an irksome brawling scold:

175

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

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     No, say’st me so, friend? What countryman?¹⁷⁶

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     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.

180

180 

GREMIO

GREMIO             O sir, such a life with such a wife were strange.

               But if you have a stomach,¹⁸¹ to’t a’ God’s name.

               You shall have me assisting you in all.

               But will you woo this wild-cat?

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Will I live?¹⁸⁴

185

185 

GRUMIO

GRUMIO             Will he woo her? Ay, or I’ll hang her. Aside?

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     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, puffed up with winds,

190

190         Rage like an angry boar chafèd¹⁹⁰ with sweat?

               Have I not heard great ordnance¹⁹¹ in the field,

               And heaven’s artillery thunder in the skies?

               Have I not in a pitchèd¹⁹³ battle heard

               Loud ’larums,¹⁹⁴ neighing steeds, and trumpets’ clang?

195

195         And do you tell me of a woman’s tongue,

               That gives not half so great a blow to hear

               As will a chestnut¹⁹⁷ in a farmer’s fire?

               Tush, tush! Fear¹⁹⁸ boys with bugs.

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     For he fears none.

200

200 

GREMIO

GREMIO             Hortensio, hark:

               This gentleman is happily arrived,

               My mind presumes, for his own good and yours.

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     I promised we would be contributors

               And bear his charge²⁰⁴ of wooing whatsoe’er.

205

205 

GREMIO

GREMIO             And so we will, provided that he win her.

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     I would I were as sure of a good dinner.

       Enter Tranio brave [disguised as Lucentio] and Biondello

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Gentlemen, God save you. If I may be bold,

               Tell me, I beseech you, which is the readiest²⁰⁸ way

               To the house of Signior Baptista Minola?

210

210 

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO             He that has the two fair daughters, is’t he you mean?

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Even he, Biondello.

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     Hark you, sir, you mean not her to²¹²—

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Perhaps, him and her, sir. What²¹³ have you to do?

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Not her that chides, sir, at any hand, I pray.

215

215 

TRANIO

TRANIO             I love no chiders,²¹⁵ sir. Biondello, let’s away.

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     Well begun,²¹⁶ Tranio. Aside

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Sir, a word ere²¹⁷ you go:

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

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     And if I be, sir, is it any offence?

220

220 

GREMIO

GREMIO             No, if without more words you will get you hence.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Why, sir, I pray, are not the streets as free

               For me as for you?

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     But so is not she.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     For what reason, I beseech you?

225

225 

GREMIO

GREMIO             For this reason, if you’ll know,

               That she’s the choice²²⁶ love of Signior Gremio.

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     That she’s the chosen of Signior Hortensio.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Softly, my masters. If you be gentlemen,

               Do me this right: hear me with patience.

230

230         Baptista is a noble gentleman,

               To whom my father is not all²³¹ unknown,

               And were his daughter fairer than she is,

               She may more suitors have, and me for one.

               Fair Leda’s daughter²³⁴ had a thousand wooers,

235

235         Then well one more may fair Bianca have,

               And so she shall. Lucentio shall make one,

               Though²³⁷ Paris came in hope to speed alone.

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     What, this gentleman will out-talk us all.

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     Sir, give him head.²³⁹ I know he’ll prove a jade.

240

240 

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO             Hortensio, to what end are all these words?

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Sir, let me be so bold as ask you,

               Did you yet ever see Baptista’s daughter?

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     No, sir, but hear I do that he hath two:

               The one as famous for a scolding tongue

245

245         As is the other for beauteous modesty.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Sir, sir, the first’s for me, let²⁴⁶ her go by.

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     Yea, leave that labour to great Hercules,²⁴⁷

               And let it be²⁴⁸ more than Alcides’ twelve.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Sir, understand you this of me, in sooth:²⁴⁹

250

250         The youngest daughter whom you hearken for,²⁵⁰

               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.

255

255 

TRANIO

TRANIO             If it be so, sir, that you are the man

               Must stead²⁵⁶ us all and me amongst the rest,

               And if you break the ice and do this feat,

               Achieve the elder, set the younger free

               For our access, whose hap²⁵⁹ shall be to have her

260

260         Will²⁶⁰ not so graceless be to be ingrate.

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Sir, you say well, and well you do conceive.²⁶¹

               And since you do profess to be a suitor,

               You must, as we do, gratify²⁶³ this gentleman,

               To whom we all rest²⁶⁴ generally beholding.

265

265 

TRANIO

TRANIO             Sir, I shall not be slack, in sign whereof,

               Please ye we may contrive²⁶⁶ this afternoon

               And quaff carouses²⁶⁷ to our mistress’ health,

               And do as adversaries²⁶⁸ do in law,

               Strive²⁶⁹ mightily, but eat and drink as friends.

270

270 

GRUMIO and BIONDELLO

GRUMIO and BIONDELLO     O excellent motion!²⁷⁰ Fellows, let’s be gone.

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     The motion’s good indeed and be it so,

               Petruchio, I shall be your ben venuto.²⁷²

       Exeunt

[Act 2 Scene 1]

running scene 3

---

       Enter Katherina and Bianca Bianca’s hands tied

       

BIANCA

BIANCA     Good sister, wrong me not, nor wrong yourself,

               To make a bondmaid² and a slave of me.

               That I disdain. But for these other goods,³

               Unbind⁴ my hands, I’ll pull them off myself,

5

5             Yea, all my raiment,⁵ to my petticoat,

               Or what you will command me will I do,

               So well I know my duty to my elders.

       

KATE

KATE     Of all thy suitors here I charge thee tell

               Whom thou lov’st best: see thou dissemble⁹ not.

10

10   

BIANCA

BIANCA           Believe me, sister, of all the men alive

               I never yet beheld that special¹¹ face

               Which I could fancy more than any other.

       

KATE

KATE     Minion,¹³ thou liest. Is’t not Hortensio?

       

BIANCA

BIANCA     If you affect¹⁴ him, sister, here I swear

15

15           I’ll plead for you myself, but you shall have him.

       

KATE

KATE     O, then belike you fancy riches more:

               You will have Gremio to keep you fair.¹⁷

       

BIANCA

BIANCA     Is it for him you do envy¹⁸ me so?

               Nay then you jest, and now I well perceive

20

20           You have but jested with me all this while.

               I prithee sister Kate, untie my hands.

       

KATE

KATE     If that be jest, then all the rest was so.

       Strikes her

       Enter Baptista

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Why, how now, dame?²³ Whence grows this insolence?—

               Bianca, stand aside. Poor girl, she weeps.

25

25           Go ply thy needle,²⁵ meddle not with her.—

               For shame, thou hilding²⁶ of a devilish spirit,

               Why dost thou wrong her that did ne’er wrong thee?

               When did she cross²⁸ thee with a bitter word?

       

KATE

KATE     Her silence flouts²⁹ me, and I’ll be revenged.

       Flies after Bianca

30

30   

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA           What, in my sight? Bianca, get thee in.

       Exit [Bianca]

       

KATE

KATE     What, will you not suffer³¹ me? Nay, now I see

               She is your treasure, she must have a husband,

               I must dance³³ barefoot on her wedding day,

               And for your love to her lead³⁴ apes in hell.

35

35           Talk not to me. I will go sit and weep

               Till I can find occasion of³⁶ revenge.

       [Exit]

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Was ever gentleman thus grieved as I?

               But who comes here?

       Enter Gremio, Lucentio in the habit of a mean man, Petruchio with [Hortensio as a musician, and] Tranio, with his boy [Biondello] bearing a lute and books

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     Good morrow, neighbour Baptista.

40

40   

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA           Good morrow, neighbour Gremio.

               God save you, gentlemen!

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     And you, good sir. Pray, have you not a daughter

               Called Katherina, fair and virtuous?

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     I have a daughter, sir, called Katherina.

45

45   

GREMIO

GREMIO           You are too blunt. Go⁴⁵ to it orderly.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     You wrong me, Signior Gremio, give me leave.⁴⁶—

               I am a gentleman of Verona, sir, To Baptista

               That, hearing of her beauty and her wit,⁴⁸

               Her affability and bashful modesty,

50

50           Her wondrous qualities and mild behaviour,

               Am bold to show myself a forward⁵¹ guest

               Within your house, to make mine eye the witness

               Of that report which I so oft have heard.

               And for⁵⁴ an entrance to my entertainment,

55

55           I do present you with a man of mine, Presents Hortensio

               Cunning in music and the mathematics,

               To instruct her fully in those sciences,⁵⁷

               Whereof I know she is not ignorant.

               Accept of⁵⁹ him, or else you do me wrong.

60

60           His name is Litio,⁶⁰ born in Mantua.

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     You’re welcome, sir, and he, for your good sake.

               But for my daughter Katherine, this I know,

               She is not for your turn,⁶³ the more my grief.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     I see you do not mean to part with her,

65

65           Or else you like not of my company.

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Mistake me not, I speak but as I find.

               Whence are you, sir? What may I call your name?

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Petruchio is my name, Antonio’s son,

               A man well known throughout all Italy.

70

70   

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA           I know him well. You are welcome for his sake.

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     Saving⁷¹ your tale, Petruchio, I pray,

               Let us that are poor petitioners⁷² speak too:

               Baccare!⁷³ You are marvellous forward.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     O, pardon me, Signior Gremio, I⁷⁴ would fain be doing.

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     I doubt it not, sir. But you will curse your wooing.—To Baptists Neighbour, this is a gift very grateful,⁷⁶ I am sure of it. To express the like kindness, myself, that have been more kindly⁷⁷ beholding to you than any, Presents Lucentio freely give unto you this young scholar, that hath been long studying at Rheims,⁷⁸ as cunning in Greek, Latin, and other languages, as the other in music and mathematics. His name is Cambio.⁷⁹ Pray, accept his service.

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     A thousand thanks, Signior Gremio.

               Welcome, good Cambio.—

               But, gentle sir, methinks you walk⁸³ like a stranger. To Tranio

               May I be so bold to know the cause of your coming?

85

85   

TRANIO

TRANIO           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,

90

90           In the preferment⁹⁰ of the eldest sister.

               This liberty is all that I request,

               That, upon knowledge⁹² of my parentage,

               I may have welcome ’mongst the rest that woo,

               And free access and favour as the rest.

95

95           And toward the education of your daughters

               I here bestow a simple instrument, Presents lute and books

               And this small packet of Greek and Latin books:

               If you accept them, then their worth is great.

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Lucentio⁹⁹ is your name? Of whence, I pray?

100

100 

TRANIO

TRANIO             Of Pisa, sir, son to Vincentio.

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     A mighty¹⁰¹ man of Pisa. By report

               I know him well. You are very welcome, sir.— To Hortensio and Lucentio

               Take you the lute, and you the set of books,

               You shall go see your pupils presently.¹⁰⁴—

105

105         Holla,¹⁰⁵ within!

       Enter a Servant

               Sirrah, lead these gentlemen

               To my daughters, and tell them both

               These are their tutors: bid them use them well.

       [Exit Servant, with Lucentio and Hortensio, Biondello following]

               We will go walk a little in the orchard,¹⁰⁹

110

110         And then to dinner.¹¹⁰ You are passing welcome,

               And so I pray you all to think yourselves.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Signior Baptista, my business asketh haste,¹¹²

               And every day I cannot come to woo.

               You knew my father well, and in him me,

115

115         Left solely heir to all his lands and goods,

               Which I have bettered rather than decreased.

               Then tell me, if I get your daughter’s love,

               What dowry shall I have with her to wife?

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     After my death the one half of my lands,

120

120         And in possession¹²⁰ twenty thousand crowns.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     And for that dowry I’ll assure¹²¹ her of

               Her widowhood, be it that she survive me,

               In all my lands and leases¹²³ whatsoever.

               Let specialties¹²⁴ be therefore drawn between us,

125

125         That covenants¹²⁵ may be kept on either hand.

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Ay, when the special¹²⁶ thing is well obtained,

               That is, her love, for that is all in all.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Why, that is nothing, for I tell you, father,¹²⁸

               I am as peremptory as she proud-minded.

130

130         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 I¹³⁴ to her and so she yields to me,

135

135         For I am rough and woo not like a babe.

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Well mayst thou woo, and happy¹³⁶ be thy speed!

               But be thou armed for some unhappy words.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Ay, to the proof,¹³⁸ as mountains are for winds,

               That shakes not, though they blow perpetually.

       Enter Hortensio [disguised as Litio], with his head broke

140

140 

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA             How now, my friend? Why dost thou look so pale?

       

HORTENSIO

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

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     What, will my daughter prove a good musician?

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     I think she’ll sooner prove¹⁴³ a soldier.

               Iron may hold with¹⁴⁴ her, but never lutes.

145

145 

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA             Why, then thou canst not break her to¹⁴⁵ the lute?

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Why, no, for she hath broke¹⁴⁶ the lute to me.

               I did but tell her she mistook her frets,¹⁴⁷

               And bowed her hand to teach her fingering,

               When, with a most impatient devilish spirit,

150

150         ‘Frets, call you these?’ quoth she, ‘I’ll fume¹⁵⁰ with them.’

               And with that word, she struck me on the head,

               And through the instrument my pate¹⁵² made way,

               And there I stood amazèd¹⁵³ for a while,

               As¹⁵⁴ on a pillory, looking through the lute,

155

155         While she did call me rascal fiddler¹⁵⁵

               And twangling Jack,¹⁵⁶ with twenty such vile terms,

               As had she studied¹⁵⁷ to misuse me so.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Now, by the world, it is a lusty¹⁵⁸ wench.

               I love her ten times more than e’er I did.

160

160         O, how I long to have some chat with her!

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Well, go with me and be not so discomfited.¹⁶¹ To Hortensio

               Proceed in practice¹⁶² with my younger daughter,

               She’s apt to learn and thankful for good turns.

               Signior Petruchio, will you go with us,

165

165         Or shall I send my daughter Kate to you?

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     I pray you do.

       Exeunt all but Petruchio

                          I’ll attend¹⁶⁶ her here,

               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:

170

170         Say that she frown, I’ll say she looks as clear¹⁷⁰

               As morning roses newly washed with dew:

               Say she be mute and will not speak a word,

               Then I’ll commend her volubility,

               And say she uttereth piercing¹⁷⁴ eloquence:

175

175         If she do bid me pack,¹⁷⁵ I’ll give her thanks,

               As though she bid me stay by her a week:

               If she deny to wed, I’ll crave¹⁷⁷ the day

               When I shall ask the banns¹⁷⁸ and when be married.

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

       Enter Katherina

180

180         Good morrow, Kate, for that’s your name, I hear.

       

KATE

KATE     Well have you heard, but something hard¹⁸¹ of hearing:

               They call me Katherine that do talk of me.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     You lie, in faith, for you are called plain Kate,

               And bonny Kate and sometimes Kate the curst,

185

185         But Kate, the prettiest Kate in Christendom,

               Kate of Kate Hall, my super-dainty Kate,

               For dainties¹⁸⁷ are all Kates, and therefore, Kate,

               Take this of¹⁸⁸ me, Kate of my consolation,

               Hearing thy mildness praised in every town,

190

190         Thy virtues spoke of, and thy beauty sounded,¹⁹⁰

               Yet not so deeply¹⁹¹ as to thee belongs,

               Myself am moved¹⁹² to woo thee for my wife.

       

KATE

KATE     Moved? In good time!¹⁹³ Let him that moved you hither

               Remove you¹⁹⁴ hence. I knew you at the first

195

195         You were a movable.¹⁹⁵

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Why, what’s a movable?

       

KATE

KATE     A joint stool.¹⁹⁷

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Thou hast hit it: come, sit on me.¹⁹⁸

       

KATE

KATE     Asses¹⁹⁹ are made to bear, and so are you.

200

200 

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO             Women are made to bear, and so are you.

       

KATE

KATE     No such jade as you, if me you mean.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Alas, good Kate, I will not burden²⁰² thee,

               For knowing thee to be but young and light²⁰³—

       

KATE

KATE     Too light²⁰⁴ for such a swain as you to catch,

205

205         And yet as²⁰⁵ heavy as my weight should be.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Should be?²⁰⁶ Should — buzz!

       

KATE

KATE     Well ta’en,²⁰⁷ and like a buzzard.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     O slow-winged turtle,²⁰⁸ shall a buzzard take thee?

       

KATE

KATE     Ay, for a turtle,²⁰⁹ as he takes a buzzard.

210

210 

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO             Come, come, you wasp, i’faith, you are too angry.

       

KATE

KATE     If I be waspish,²¹¹ best beware my sting.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     My remedy is then to pluck it out.

       

KATE

KATE     Ay, if the fool could find it where it lies.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Who knows not where a wasp does wear his sting?²¹⁴ In his tail.

215

215 

KATE

KATE             In his tongue.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Whose tongue?

       

KATE

KATE     Yours, if you talk of tails,²¹⁷ and so farewell.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     What, with²¹⁸ my tongue in your tail? Nay, come again.

               Good Kate, I am a gentleman.

220

220 

KATE

KATE             That I’ll try.²²⁰

       She strikes him

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     I swear I’ll cuff²²¹ you, if you strike again.

       

KATE

KATE     So may you lose your arms:²²²

               If you strike²²³ me, you are no gentleman,

               And if no gentleman, why then no arms.

225

225 

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO             A herald, Kate? O, put me in thy books!²²⁵

       

KATE

KATE     What is your crest,²²⁶ a coxcomb?

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     A combless²²⁷ cock, so Kate will be my hen.

       

KATE

KATE     No cock of mine, you crow too like a craven.²²⁸

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Nay, come, Kate, come, you must not look so sour.

230

230 

KATE

KATE             It is my fashion,²³⁰ when I see a crab.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Why, here’s no crab, and therefore look not sour.

       

KATE

KATE     There is, there is.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Then show it me.

       

KATE

KATE     Had I a glass,²³⁴ I would.

235

235 

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO             What, you mean my face?

       

KATE

KATE     Well²³⁶ aimed of such a young one.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Now, by Saint George, I am too young²³⁷ for you.

       

KATE

KATE     Yet you are withered.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     ’Tis with cares.²³⁹

240

240 

KATE

KATE             I care not.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Nay, hear you, Kate. In sooth you scape²⁴¹ not so.

       

KATE

KATE     I chafe²⁴² you, if I tarry. Let me go.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     No, not a whit. I find you passing gentle.

               ’Twas told me you were rough²⁴⁴ and coy and sullen,

245

245         And now I find report a very liar,

               For thou are pleasant,²⁴⁶ gamesome, passing courteous,

               But slow²⁴⁷ in speech, yet sweet as spring-time flowers.

               Thou canst not frown, thou canst not look askance,²⁴⁸

               Nor bite the lip, as angry wenches will,

250

250         Nor hast thou pleasure to be cross²⁵⁰ in talk.

               But thou with mildness entertain’st²⁵¹ thy wooers,

               With gentle conference,²⁵² soft and affable.

               Why does the world report that Kate doth limp? Kicks her?

               O sland’rous world! Kate like the hazel twig

255

255         Is straight and slender and as brown in hue

               As hazelnuts and sweeter than the kernels.

               O, let me see thee walk: thou dost not halt.²⁵⁷

       

KATE

KATE     Go, fool, and whom²⁵⁸ thou keep’st command.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Did ever Dian²⁵⁹ so become a grove

260

260         As Kate this chamber with her princely gait?²⁶⁰

               O, be thou Dian, and let her be Kate,

               And then let Kate be chaste and Dian sportful!²⁶²

       

KATE

KATE     Where did you study²⁶³ all this goodly speech?

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     It is extempore,²⁶⁴ from my mother-wit.

265

265 

KATE

KATE             A²⁶⁵ witty mother, witless else her son.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Am I not wise?²⁶⁶

       

KATE

KATE     Yes, keep you warm.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Marry, so I mean,²⁶⁸ sweet Katherine, in thy bed.

               And therefore, setting all this chat aside,

270

270         Thus in plain terms: your father hath consented

               That you shall be my wife; your dowry ’greed on,

               And, will²⁷² you, nill you, I will marry you.

               Now, Kate, I am a husband for your turn,²⁷³

               For by this light, whereby I see thy beauty,

275

275         Thy beauty that doth make me like thee well,

               Thou must be married to no man but me,

       Enter Baptista, Gremio, Tranio [disguised as Lucentio]

               For I am he am born to tame you, Kate,

               And bring you from a wild Kate²⁷⁸ to a Kate

               Conformable²⁷⁹ as other household Kates.

280

280         Here comes your father. Never make denial,²⁸⁰

               I must and will have Katherine to my wife.

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Now, Signior Petruchio, how speed you²⁸² with my daughter?

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     How but well, sir? How but well?

               It were impossible I should speed amiss.²⁸⁴

285

285 

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA             Why, how now, daughter Katherine? In your dumps?²⁸⁵

       

KATE

KATE     Call you me ‘daughter’? Now, I promise you

               You have showed a tender fatherly regard,

               To wish me wed to one half-lunatic,

               A mad-cap ruffian and a swearing Jack

290

290         That thinks with oaths to face²⁹⁰ the matter out.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Father, ’tis thus: yourself and all the world

               That talked of her, have talked amiss of her:

               If she be curst, it is for policy,²⁹³

               For she’s not froward, but modest as the dove,

295

295         She is not hot, but temperate²⁹⁵ as the morn,

               For patience she will prove a second Grissel,²⁹⁶

               And Roman Lucrece²⁹⁷ for her chastity.

               And to conclude, we have ’greed²⁹⁸ so well together

               That upon Sunday is the wedding day.

300

300 

KATE

KATE             I’ll see thee hanged on Sunday first.

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     Hark, Petruchio, she says she’ll see thee hanged first.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Is this your speeding?³⁰² Nay then, goodnight our part!

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Be patient, gentlemen, I choose her for myself.

               If she and I be pleased, what’s that to you?

305

305         ’Tis bargained ’twixt us twain,³⁰⁵ being alone,

               That she shall still be curst in company.

               I tell you, ’tis incredible to believe

               How much she loves me: O, the kindest Kate!

               She hung about my neck, and kiss on kiss

310

310         She vied³¹⁰ so fast, protesting oath on oath,

               That in a twink³¹¹ she won me to her love.

               O, you are novices! ’Tis a³¹² world to see

               How tame, when men and women are alone,

               A meacock³¹⁴ wretch can make the curstest shrew.

315

315         Give me thy hand, Kate. I will unto Venice

               To buy apparel ’gainst³¹⁶ the wedding day;

               Provide the feast, father, and bid³¹⁷ the guests.

               I will be sure my Katherine shall be fine.³¹⁸

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     I know not what to say, but give me your hands.³¹⁹

320

320         God send you joy, Petruchio! ’Tis a match.

              

GREMIO AND TRANIO

GREMIO and TRANIO     Amen, say we. We will be witnesses.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Father, and wife, and gentlemen, adieu.

               I will to Venice. Sunday comes apace.³²³

               We will have rings and things and fine array,

325

325         And kiss me, Kate, we will be married o’Sunday.

       Exeunt Petruchio and Katherine [separately]

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     Was ever match clapped up³²⁶ so suddenly?

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Faith, gentlemen, now I play a merchant’s part,

               And venture madly on a desperate mart.³²⁸

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     ’Twas³²⁹ a commodity lay fretting by you:

330

330         ’Twill bring you gain, or perish on the seas.

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     The gain I seek is quiet³³¹ in the match.

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     No doubt but he hath got a quiet catch.³³²

               But now, Baptista, to your younger daughter.

               Now is the day we long have looked for.

335

335         I am your neighbour, and was suitor first.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     And I am one that love Bianca more

               Than words can witness, or your thoughts can guess.

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     Youngling, thou canst not love so dear as I.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Greybeard, thy love doth freeze.³³⁹

340

340 

GREMIO

GREMIO             But thine doth fry.³⁴⁰

               Skipper,³⁴¹ stand back, ’tis age that nourisheth.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     But youth in ladies’ eyes that flourisheth.

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Content you, gentlemen, I will compound³⁴³ this strife.

               ’Tis deeds³⁴⁴ must win the prize, and he of both

345

345         That can assure my daughter greatest dower³⁴⁵

               Shall have my Bianca’s love.

               Say, Signior Gremio, what can you assure her?

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     First, as you know, my house within the city

               Is richly furnished with plate³⁴⁹ and gold,

350

350         Basins and ewers to lave³⁵⁰ her dainty hands:

               My hangings³⁵¹ all of Tyrian tapestry:

               In ivory coffers³⁵² I have stuffed my crowns:

               In cypress³⁵³ chests my arras counterpoints,

               Costly apparel, tents,³⁵⁴ and canopies,

355

355         Fine linen, Turkey³⁵⁵ cushions bossed with pearl,

               Valance³⁵⁶ of Venice gold in needlework:

               Pewter and brass and all things that belongs

               To house or housekeeping. Then, at my farm

               I have a hundred milch-kine³⁵⁹ to the pail,

360

360         Sixscore fat oxen standing in my stalls,

               And all things answerable³⁶¹ to this portion.

               Myself am struck³⁶² in years, I must confess,

               And if I die tomorrow, this is hers,

               If whilst I live she will be only mine.

365

365 

TRANIO

TRANIO             That ‘only’ came well in.³⁶⁵ Sir, list to me:

               I am my father’s heir and only son.

               If I may have your daughter to my wife,

               I’ll leave her houses three or four as good,

               Within rich Pisa walls,³⁶⁹ as any one

370

370         Old Signior Gremio has in Padua,

               Besides two³⁷¹ thousand ducats by the year

               Of fruitful land, all which shall be her jointure.³⁷²

               What, have I pinched³⁷³ you, Signior Gremio?

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     Two thousand ducats by the year of land?

375

375         My land amounts not to so much in all.— Aside

               That she shall have, besides an argosy³⁷⁶

               That now is lying in Marseillis’ road.³⁷⁷

               What, have I choked you with an argosy? To Tranio

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Gremio, ’tis known my father hath no less

380

380         Than three great argosies, besides two galliases,³⁸⁰

               And twelve tight³⁸¹ galleys. These I will assure her,

               And twice as much, whate’er thou offer’st next.

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     Nay, I have offered all, I have no more,

               And she can have no more than all I have.

385

385         If you like me, she shall have me and mine. To Baptista

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Why then the maid is mine from all the world,

               By your firm promise. Gremio is out-vied.³⁸⁷

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     I must confess your offer is the best,

               And let³⁸⁹ your father make her the assurance,

390

390         She is your own, else,³⁹⁰ you must pardon me.

               If you should die before him, where’s her dower?

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     That’s but a cavil.³⁹² He is old, I young.

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     And may not young men die, as well as old?

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Well, gentlemen,

395

395         I am thus resolved: on Sunday next, you know

               My daughter Katherine is to be married.

               Now on the Sunday following, shall Bianca

               Be bride to you, if you make this assurance.

               If not, to Signior Gremio.

400

400         And so, I take my leave, and thank you both.

       Exit

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     Adieu, good neighbour.— Now I fear thee not.

               Sirrah young gamester,⁴⁰² your father were a fool

               To give thee all, and in his waning age

               Set⁴⁰⁴ foot under thy table. Tut, a toy!

405

405         An old Italian fox is not so kind, my boy.

       Exit

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     A vengeance on your crafty withered hide!

               Yet I have faced⁴⁰⁷ it with a card of ten.

               ’Tis⁴⁰⁸ in my head to do my master good:

               I see no reason but supposed Lucentio

410

410         Must get⁴¹⁰ a father, called ‘supposed Vincentio’,

               And that’s a wonder. Fathers commonly

               Do get their children, but in this case of wooing,

               A child shall get a sire,⁴¹³ if I fail not of my cunning.

       Exit

Act 3 [Scene 1]

running scene 3 continues

---

       Enter Lucentio [disguised as Cambio], Hortensio [disguised as Litio] and Bianca

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     Fiddler,¹ forbear. You grow too forward, sir.

               Have you so soon forgot the entertainment²

               Her sister Katherine welcomed you withal?³

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     But, wrangling pedant, this is

5

5             The patroness of heavenly harmony:

               Then give me leave to have prerogative,⁶

               And when in music we have spent an hour,

               Your lecture⁸ shall have leisure for as much.

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     Preposterous⁹ ass, that never read so far

10

10           To know the cause why music was ordained!¹⁰

               Was it not to refresh the mind of man

               After his studies or his usual pain?¹²

               Then give me leave to read philosophy,

               And while I pause, serve in¹⁴ your harmony.

15

15   

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO           Sirrah, I will not bear these braves¹⁵ of thine.

       

BIANCA

BIANCA     Why, gentlemen, you do me double wrong

               To strive for that which resteth¹⁷ in my choice.

               I am no breeching¹⁸ scholar in the schools,

               I’ll not be tied to hours nor ’pointed¹⁹ times,

20

20           But learn my lessons as I please myself.

               And, to cut off all strife, here sit we down.

               Take you your instrument, play you the whiles.²² To Hortensio

               His lecture will be done ere you have tuned.

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     You’ll leave his lecture when I am in tune?

25

25   

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO           That will be never. Tune your instrument.

       

BIANCA

BIANCA     Where left we last?

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     Here, madam:

               ‘Hic²⁸ ibat Simois. Hic est Sigeia tellus. Reads

               Hic steterat Priami regia celsa senis.’

30

30   

BIANCA

BIANCA           Conster³⁰ them.

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     ‘Hic ibat’, as I told you before, ‘Simois’, I am Lucentio, ‘hic est’, son unto Vincentio of Pisa, ‘Sigeia tellus’, disguised thus to get your love, ‘Hic steterat’, and that Lucentio that comes a-wooing, ‘Priami’, is my man Tranio, ‘regia’, bearing my port,³⁴ ‘celsa senis’, that we might beguile the old pantaloon.

35

35   

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO           Madam, my instrument’s in tune.

       

BIANCA

BIANCA     Let’s hear. O fie!³⁶ The treble jars. He plays

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     Spit³⁷ in the hole, man, and tune again.

       

BIANCA

BIANCA     Now let me see if I can conster it: ‘Hic ibat Simois’, I know you not, ‘hic est Sigeia tellus’, I trust you not, ‘Hic steterat Priami’, take heed he hear us not, ‘regia’, presume not, ‘celsa senis’, despair not.

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Madam, ’tis now in tune. He plays again

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     All but the bass.

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     The bass is right: ’tis the base knave that jars.⁴³

               How fiery and forward our pedant⁴⁴ is. Aside

45

45           Now, for my life, the knave doth court my love.

               Pedascule,⁴⁶ I’ll watch you better yet.

       

BIANCA

BIANCA     In time I may believe, yet I mistrust. To Lucentio

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     Mistrust it not, for, sure, Aeacides⁴⁸

               Was Ajax, called so from his grandfather.

50

50   

BIANCA

BIANCA           I must believe my master,⁵⁰ else, I promise you,

               I should be arguing still upon that doubt.⁵¹

               But let it rest.— Now, Litio, to you:

               Good master, take it not unkindly, pray,

               That I have been thus pleasant⁵⁴ with you both.

55

55   

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO           You may go walk, and give me leave⁵⁵ a while. To Lucentio

               My lessons make no music in three parts.⁵⁶

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     Are you so formal,⁵⁷ sir? Well, I must wait —

               And watch withal,⁵⁸ for, but I be deceived, Aside

               Our fine musician groweth amorous. He stands aside

60

60   

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO           Madam, before you touch the instrument,

               To learn the order⁶¹ of my fingering,

               I must begin with rudiments of art,

               To teach you gamut⁶³ in a briefer sort,

               More pleasant, pithy and effectual,

65

65           Than hath been taught by any of my trade.

               And there it is in writing, fairly drawn.⁶⁶ Gives Bianca a paper

       

BIANCA

BIANCA     Why, I am past my gamut long ago.

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Yet read the gamut of Hortensio.

       

BIANCA

BIANCA     ‘Gamut I am, the ground⁶⁹ of all accord, Reads

70

70           A re, to plead Hortensio’s passion.

               B mi, Bianca, take him for thy lord,

               C fa ut, that loves with all affection.

               D sol re, one⁷³ clef, two notes have I,

               E la mi, show pity, or I die.’

75

75           Call you this gamut? Tut, I like it not.

               Old⁷⁶ fashions please me best. I am not so nice

               To change true⁷⁷ rules for old inventions.

       Enter a Messenger

       

MESSENGER

MESSENGER     Mistress, your father prays you leave your books

               And help to dress your sister’s chamber up.

80

80           You know tomorrow is the wedding day.

       

BIANCA

BIANCA     Farewell, sweet masters both, I must be gone. [Exeunt Bianca and Messenger]

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     Faith, mistress, then I have no cause to stay.

       [Exit]

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     But I have cause to pry into⁸³ this pedant.

               Methinks he looks as though he were in love.

85

85           Yet if thy thoughts, Bianca, be so humble

               To cast thy wand’ring eyes on every stale,⁸⁶

               Seize⁸⁷ thee that list. If once I find thee ranging,

               Hortensio will be quit with⁸⁸ thee by changing.

       Exit

[Act 3 Scene 2]

running scene 4

---

       Enter Baptista, Gremio, Tranio, Katherina, Bianca, [Lucentio] and others, Attendants

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Signior Lucentio, this is the ’pointed day. To Tranio

               That Katherine and Petruchio should be married,

               And yet we hear not of our son-in-law.

               What will be said? What mockery will it be,

5

5             To want⁵ the bridegroom when the priest attends

               To speak the ceremonial rites of marriage?

               What says Lucentio to this shame of ours?

       

KATE

KATE     No shame but mine: I must forsooth⁸ be forced

               To give my hand opposed against my heart

10

10           Unto a mad-brain rudesby¹⁰ full of spleen,

               Who wooed¹¹ in haste and means to wed at leisure.

               I told you, I, he was a frantic¹² fool,

               Hiding his bitter jests in blunt behaviour.

               And to be noted for¹⁴ a merry man,

15

15           He’ll woo a thousand, ’point the day of marriage,

               Make feasts, invite friends, and proclaim the banns,

               Yet never means to wed where he hath wooed.

               Now must the world point at poor Katherine,

               And say, ‘Lo,¹⁹ there is mad Petruchio’s wife,

20

20           If it would please him come and marry her.’

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Patience, good Katherine, and Baptista too.

               Upon my life, Petruchio means but well,

               Whatever fortune²³ stays him from his word.

               Though he be blunt, I know him passing wise,

25

25           Though he be merry, yet withal he’s honest.

       

KATE

KATE     Would Katherine had never seen him though!

       Exit weeping [followed by Bianca and others]

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Go, girl. I cannot blame thee now to weep,

               For such an injury would vex a very saint,

               Much more a shrew of thy impatient humour.²⁹

       Enter Biondello

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     Master, master, news! Old³⁰ news, and such news as you never heard of!

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Is it new and old too? How may that be?

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     Why, is it not news to hear of Petruchio’s coming?

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Is he come?

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     Why, no, sir.

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     What then?

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     He is coming.

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     When will he be here?

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     When he stands where I am and sees you there.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     But say, what to³⁹ thine old news?

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     Why, Petruchio is coming in a new hat and an old jerkin:⁴⁰ a pair of old breeches thrice turned:⁴¹ a pair of boots that have been candle-cases, one buckled, another laced, an old rusty sword ta’en out of the town armoury, with a broken hilt, and chapeless:⁴³ with two broken points: his horse hipped, with an old mothy saddle and stirrups of no kindred:⁴⁴ besides, possessed with the glanders and like to mose in the chine, troubled with the lampass,⁴⁵ infected with the fashions, full of windgalls,⁴⁶ sped with spavins, rayed with yellows, past cure of the fives, stark spoiled with the staggers,⁴⁷ begnawn with the bots, swayed in the back and shoulder-shotten,⁴⁸ near-legged before and with a half-checked bit and a head-stall of sheep’s leather⁴⁹ which, being restrained to keep him from stumbling, hath been often burst and now repaired with knots, one girth⁵⁰ six times pieced, and a woman’s crupper⁵¹ of velure, which hath two letters for her name fairly set down in studs, and here and there pieced with packthread.⁵²

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Who comes with him?

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     O, sir, his lackey,⁵⁴ for all the world caparisoned like the horse: with a linen stock⁵⁵ on one leg and a kersey boot-hose on the other, gartered with a red and blue list;⁵⁶ an old hat and the humour of forty fancies pricked in’t for a feather — a monster, a very monster in apparel, and not like a Christian footboy⁵⁷ or a gentleman’s lackey.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     ’Tis some odd humour pricks⁵⁹ him to this fashion.

60

60           Yet oftentimes he goes but mean-apparelled.⁶⁰

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     I am glad he’s come, howsoe’er he comes.

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     Why, sir, he comes not.

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Didst thou not say he comes?

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     Who? That Petruchio came?

65

65   

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA           Ay, that Petruchio came.

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     No, sir, I say his horse comes, with him on his back.

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Why, that’s all one.

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     Nay, by Saint Jamy,⁶⁸

               I hold⁶⁹ you a penny,

70

70           A horse and a man

               Is more than one,

               And yet not many.

       Enter Petruchio and Grumio

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Come, where be these gallants?⁷³ Who’s at home?

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     You are welcome, sir.

75

75   

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO           And yet I come not well.⁷⁵

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     And yet you halt⁷⁶ not.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Not so well apparelled as I wish you were.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Were it better, I should rush in thus.

               But where is Kate? Where is my lovely bride?

80

80           How does my father? Gentles,⁸⁰ methinks you frown.

               And wherefore⁸¹ gaze this goodly company,

               As if they saw some wondrous monument,⁸²

               Some comet⁸³ or unusual prodigy?

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Why, sir, you know this is your wedding day.

85

85           First were we sad, fearing you would not come,

               Now sadder that you come so unprovided.⁸⁶

               Fie, doff⁸⁷ this habit, shame to your estate,

               An eyesore to our solemn⁸⁸ festival!

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     And tell us what occasion of import⁸⁹

90

90           Hath all so long detained you from your wife,

               And sent you hither so unlike yourself?

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Tedious it were to tell, and harsh to hear:

               Sufficeth I am come to keep my word,

               Though in some part enforcèd to digress,

95

95           Which at more leisure I will so excuse

               As you shall well be satisfied withal.

               But where is Kate? I stay too long from her.

               The morning wears,⁹⁸ ’tis time we were at church.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     See not your bride in these unreverent⁹⁹ robes.

100

100         Go to my chamber, put on clothes of mine.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Not I, believe me. Thus I’ll visit her.

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     But thus, I trust, you will not marry her.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Good sooth,¹⁰³ even thus: therefore ha’ done with words.

               To me she’s married, not unto my clothes.

105

105         Could I repair what she will wear¹⁰⁵ in me,

               As I can change these poor accoutrements,¹⁰⁶

               ’Twere well for Kate and better for myself.

               But what a fool am I to chat with you,

               When I should bid good morrow to my bride,

110

110         And seal the title with a lovely¹¹⁰ kiss!

       Exeunt [Petruchio and Grumio]

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     He hath some meaning in his mad attire.

               We will persuade him, be it possible,

               To put on better ere he go to church.

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     I’ll after him, and see the event¹¹⁴ of this.

       Exeunt [Baptista, Gremio and Attendants]

115

115 

TRANIO

TRANIO             But, sir, love concerneth us to add To Lucentio

               Her father’s liking,¹¹⁶ which to bring to pass,

               As before I imparted to your worship,

               I am to get a man — whate’er he be,

               It skills¹¹⁹ not much, we’ll fit him to our turn —

120

120         And he shall be Vincentio of Pisa,

               And make assurance here in Padua

               Of greater sums than I have promised.

               So shall you quietly enjoy your hope,

               And marry sweet Bianca with consent.

125

125 

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO             Were it not that my fellow schoolmaster

               Doth watch Bianca’s steps¹²⁶ so narrowly,

               ’Twere good, methinks, to steal our marriage,¹²⁷

               Which once performed, let all the world say no,

               I’ll keep mine own, despite of all the world.

130

130 

TRANIO

TRANIO             That by degrees we mean to look into,

               And watch our vantage¹³¹ in this business.

               We’ll overreach¹³² the greybeard, Gremio,

               The narrow-prying¹³³ father, Minola,

               The quaint¹³⁴ musician, amorous Litio,

135

135         All for my master’s sake, Lucentio.

       Enter Gremio

               Signior Gremio, came you from the church?

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     As willingly as e’er I came from school.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     And is the bride and bridegroom coming home?

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     A bridegroom,¹³⁹ say you? ’Tis a groom indeed,

140

140         A grumbling groom, and that the girl shall find.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Curster¹⁴¹ than she? Why, ’tis impossible.

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     Why he’s a devil, a devil, a very fiend.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Why, she’s a devil, a devil, the devil’s dam.

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     Tut, she’s a lamb, a dove, a fool to¹⁴⁴ him.

145

145         I’ll tell you, Sir¹⁴⁵ Lucentio, when the priest

               Should ask if Katherine should be his wife,

               ‘Ay, by gogs-wouns¹⁴⁷’, quoth he, and swore so loud

               That all amazed the priest let fall the book,¹⁴⁸

               And as he stooped again to take it up,

150

150         This mad-brained bridegroom took¹⁵⁰ him such a cuff

               That down fell priest and book and book and priest.

               ‘Now take them¹⁵² up,’ quoth he, ‘if any list.’

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     What said the wench when he rose again?

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     Trembled and shook, for why,¹⁵⁴ he stamped and swore,

155

155         As if the vicar meant to cozen¹⁵⁵ him.

               But after many¹⁵⁶ ceremonies done,

               He calls for wine: ‘A health!’ quoth he, as if

               He had been aboard, carousing to his mates

               After a storm, quaffed off¹⁵⁹ the muscadel

160

160         And threw the sops¹⁶⁰ all in the sexton’s face,

               Having no other reason

               But that his beard grew thin and hungerly¹⁶²

               And seemed to ask him¹⁶³ sops as he was drinking.

               This done, he took the bride about the neck

165

165         And kissed her lips with such a clamorous smack

               That at the parting all the church did echo.

               And I seeing this came thence for very shame,

               And after me, I know, the rout¹⁶⁸ is coming.

               Such a mad marriage never was before.

170

170         Hark, hark! I hear the minstrels¹⁷⁰ play.

       Music plays

       Enter Petruchio, Kate, Bianca, Hortensio [disguised as Litio], Baptista, [Grumio and others]

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Gentlemen and friends, I thank you for your pains.

               I know you think¹⁷² to dine with me today,

               And have prepared great store of wedding cheer,¹⁷³

               But so it is, my haste doth call me hence,

175

175         And therefore here I mean to take my leave.

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Is’t possible you will away tonight?

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     I must away today, before night come.

               Make¹⁷⁸ it no wonder. If you knew my business,

               You would entreat me rather go than stay.

180

180         And honest¹⁸⁰ company, I thank you all,

               That have beheld me give away myself

               To this most patient, sweet and virtuous wife.

               Dine with my father, drink a health to me,

               For I must hence, and farewell to you all.

185

185 

TRANIO

TRANIO             Let us entreat you stay till after dinner.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     It may not be.

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     Let me entreat you.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     It cannot be.

       

KATE

KATE     Let me entreat you.

190

190 

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO             I am content.

       

KATE

KATE     Are you content to stay?

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     I am content you shall entreat me stay,

               But yet not stay,¹⁹³ entreat me how you can.

       

KATE

KATE     Now, if you love me, stay.

195

195 

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO             Grumio, my horse.

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Ay, sir, they be ready, the oats¹⁹⁶ have eaten the horses.

       

KATE

KATE     Nay, then,

               Do what thou canst, I will not go today,

               No, nor tomorrow, not till I please myself.

200

200         The door is open, sir, there lies your way,

               You may be²⁰¹ jogging whiles your boots are green.

               For me, I’ll not be gone till I please myself.

               ’Tis like you’ll prove a jolly²⁰³ surly groom,

               That take²⁰⁴ it on you at the first so roundly.

205

205 

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO             O Kate, content thee. Prithee be not angry.

       

KATE

KATE     I will be angry. What hast²⁰⁶ thou to do?—

               Father, be quiet. He shall stay my leisure.²⁰⁷

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     Ay, marry, sir, now it²⁰⁸ begins to work.

       

KATE

KATE     Gentlemen, forward to the bridal dinner.

210

210         I see a woman may be made a fool,

               If she had not a spirit to resist.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     They shall go forward, Kate, at thy command.—

               Obey the bride, you that attend on her.

               Go to the feast, revel and domineer,²¹⁴

215

215         Carouse full measure²¹⁵ to her maidenhead,

               Be mad²¹⁶ and merry, or go hang yourselves.

               But for my bonny Kate, she must with me.—

               Nay, look not big,²¹⁸ nor stamp, nor stare, nor fret.

               I will be master of what is mine own:

220

220         She is my²²⁰ goods, my chattels, she is my house,

               My household stuff,²²¹ my field, my barn,

               My horse, my ox, my ass, my anything,

               And here she stands, touch her whoever dare.

               I’ll bring mine action²²⁴ on the proudest he

225

225         That stops my way in Padua.— Grumio,

               Draw forth thy weapon, we are beset with thieves.

               Rescue thy mistress, if thou be a man.

               Fear not, sweet wench, they shall not touch thee, Kate.

               I’ll buckler²²⁹ thee against a million.

       Exeunt Petruchio, Katherina [and Grumio]

230

230 

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA             Nay, let them go, a couple of quiet ones.

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     Went they not²³¹ quickly, I should die with laughing.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Of all mad matches never was the like.

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     Mistress, what’s your opinion of your sister?

       

BIANCA

BIANCA     That, being mad herself, she’s madly mated.

235

235 

GREMIO

GREMIO             I warrant him, Petruchio is Kated.²³⁵

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Neighbours and friends, though bride and bridegroom wants²³⁶

               For to supply the places at the table,

               You know there wants no junkets²³⁸ at the feast.

               Lucentio, you shall supply the bridegroom’s place,

240

240         And let Bianca take her sister’s room.²⁴⁰

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Shall sweet Bianca practise how to bride it?²⁴¹

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     She shall, Lucentio. Come, gentlemen, let’s go.

       Exeunt

[Act 3 Scene 3]^3.3

running scene 5

---

       Enter Grumio

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Fie, fie on all tired jades, on all mad masters, and all foul ways!¹ Was ever man so beaten? Was ever man so rayed?² Was ever man so weary? I am sent before to make a fire, and they are coming after to warm them. Now, were not I a little⁴ pot and soon hot, my very lips might freeze to my teeth, my tongue to the roof of my mouth, my heart in my belly, ere I should come by a fire to thaw me. But I with blowing the fire shall warm myself, for, considering the weather, a taller⁷ man than I will take cold. Holla, ho, Curtis!

       Enter Curtis

       

CURTIS

CURTIS     Who is that calls so coldly?⁸

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     A piece of ice: if thou doubt it, thou mayst slide from my shoulder to my heel with no greater a run¹⁰ but my head and my neck. A fire good Curtis.

       

CURTIS

CURTIS     Is my master and his wife coming, Grumio?

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     O, ay, Curtis, ay, and therefore fire,¹² fire, cast on no water.

       

CURTIS

CURTIS     Is she so hot¹³ a shrew as she’s reported?

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     She was, good Curtis, before this frost. But, thou know’st, winter¹⁴ tames man, woman and beast, for it hath tamed my old master and my new mistress and myself, fellow Curtis.

       

CURTIS

CURTIS     Away, you three-inch fool! I am no beast.¹⁷

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Am I but three inches? Why, thy horn¹⁸ is a foot, and so long am I at the least. But wilt thou make a fire, or shall I complain on thee to our mistress, whose hand, she being now at hand, thou shalt soon feel, to thy cold comfort, for being slow in thy hot office?²¹

       

CURTíS

CURTíS     I prithee, good Grumio, tell me how goes the world?

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     A cold world, Curtis, in every office but thine, and therefore fire: do²³ thy duty, and have thy duty, for my master and mistress are almost frozen to death.

       

CURTIS

CURTIS     There’s fire ready, and therefore, good Grumio, the news.

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Why, ‘Jack,²⁶ boy! Ho, boy!’ and as much news as wilt thou.

       

CURTIS

CURTIS     Come, you are so full of cony-catching!²⁷

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Why, therefore fire, for I have caught extreme cold. Where’s the cook? Is supper ready, the house trimmed,²⁹ rushes strewed, cobwebs swept, the servingmen in their new fustian,³⁰ the white stockings, and every officer his wedding-garment on? Be the jacks³¹ fair within, the jills fair without, the carpets laid, and everything in order?

       

CURTIS

CURTIS     All ready, and therefore, I pray thee, news.

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     First know my horse is tired, my master and mistress fallen out.

       

CURTIS

CURTIS     How?

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Out of their saddles into the dirt, and thereby hangs a tale.

       

CURTIS

CURTIS     Let’s ha’t,³⁷ good Grumio.

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Lend thine ear.

       

CURTIS

CURTIS     Here.

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     There. Strikes him

       

CURTIS

CURTIS     This ’tis to feel a tale, not to hear a tale.

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     And therefore ’tis called a sensible⁴² tale, and this cuff was but to knock at your ear, and beseech listening. Now I begin: Imprimis,⁴³ we came down a foul hill, my master riding behind my mistress—

       

CURTIS

CURTIS     Both of⁴⁵ one horse?

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     What’s that to thee?

       

CURTIS

CURTIS     Why, a horse.

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Tell thou the tale. But hadst thou not crossed⁴⁸ me, thou shouldst have heard how her horse fell and she under her horse: thou shouldst have heard in how miry⁵⁰ a place, how she was bemoiled, how he left her with the horse upon her, how he beat me because her horse stumbled, how she waded through the dirt to pluck him off me, how he swore, how she prayed that never prayed before, how I cried, how the horses ran away, how her bridle was burst,⁵³ how I lost my crupper, with many things of worthy memory,⁵⁴ which now shall die in oblivion and thou return unexperienced⁵⁵ to thy grave.

       

CURTIS

CURTIS     By this reckoning he is more shrew than she.

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Ay, and that thou and the proudest⁵⁷ of you all shall find when he comes home. But what⁵⁸ talk I of this? Call forth Nathaniel, Joseph, Nicholas, Philip, Walter, Sugarsop and the rest. Let their heads be slickly combed, their blue⁵⁹ coats brushed and their garters of an indifferent knit.⁶⁰ Let them curtsy with their left legs and not presume to touch a hair of my master’s horsetail till they kiss their hands.⁶¹ Are they all ready?

       

CURTIS

CURTIS     They are.

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Call them forth.

       

CURTIS

CURTIS     Do you hear, ho? You must meet my master to countenance⁶⁵ my mistress.

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Why, she hath a face of her own.

       

CURTIS

CURTIS     Who knows not that?

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Thou, it seems, that calls for company to countenance her.

       

CURTIS

CURTIS     I call them forth to credit⁶⁹ her.

       Enter four or five Servingmen

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Why, she comes to borrow nothing of them.

       

NATHANIEL

NATHANIEL     Welcome home, Grumio!

       

PHILIP

PHILIP     How now, Grumio!

       

JOSEPH

JOSEPH     What, Grumio!

       

NICHOLAS

NICHOLAS     Fellow Grumio!

       

NATHANIEL

NATHANIEL     How now, old lad?

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Welcome, you.—Greets each Servingman How now, you?— What, you?— Fellow, you.— And thus much for greeting. Now, my spruce⁷⁷ companions, is all ready, and all things neat?

       

NATHANIEL

NATHANIEL     All things is ready. How near is our master?

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     E’en at hand, alighted by this,⁷⁹ and therefore be not— Cock’s passion, silence!

               I hear my master.

       Enter Petruchio and Kate

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Where be these knaves? What, no man at door

               To hold my stirrup nor to take my horse?

               Where is Nathaniel, Gregory, Philip?

       

ALL SERVINGMEN

ALL SERVINGMEN     Here, here, sir, here, sir.

85

85   

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO           Here, sir, here, sir, here, sir, here, sir!

               You logger-headed⁸⁶ and unpolished grooms!

               What, no attendance? No regard? No duty?

               Where is the foolish knave I sent before?

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Here, sir, as foolish as I was before.

90

90   

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO           You peasant swain.⁹⁰ You whoreson malt-horse drudge.

               Did I not bid thee meet me in the park,⁹¹

               And bring along these rascal knaves with thee?

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Nathaniel’s coat, sir, was not fully made,⁹³

               And Gabriel’s pumps were all unpinked⁹⁴ i’th’heel.

95

95           There was no link⁹⁵ to colour Peter’s hat,

               And Walter’s dagger was not come from sheathing.⁹⁶

               There were none fine⁹⁷ but Adam, Rafe and Gregory,

               The rest were ragged, old, and beggarly.

               Yet, as they are, here are they come to meet you.

100

100 

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO             Go, rascals, go, and fetch my supper in.

       Exeunt Servingmen

               ‘Where¹⁰¹ is the life that late I led? Sings

               Where are those—’

               Sit down, Kate, and welcome.— Soud,¹⁰³ soud, soud, soud! They sit

       Enter Servants with supper

               Why, when, I say? Nay, good sweet Kate, be merry.—

105

105         Off with my boots, you rogues! You villains, when?¹⁰⁵ A Servant takes off his boot

               ‘It¹⁰⁶ was the friar of orders grey, Sings

               As he forth walkèd on his way—’

               Out,¹⁰⁸ you rogue! You pluck my foot awry.

               Take that, and mend¹⁰⁹ the plucking of the other. Kicks him

110

110         Be merry, Kate.— Some water,¹¹⁰ here. What, ho!

       Enter one with water

               Where’s my spaniel Troilus?¹¹¹ Sirrah, get you hence,

               And bid my cousin Ferdinand¹¹² come hither.—

               One, Kate, that you must kiss, and be acquainted with.—

               Where are my slippers? Shall I have some water?

115

115         Come, Kate, and wash, and welcome heartily.— Servant spills water

               You whoreson villain, will you let it fall? Strikes the Servant

       

KATE

KATE     Patience, I pray you. ’Twas a fault unwilling.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     A whoreson beetle-headed,¹¹⁸ flap-eared knave!—

               Come, Kate, sit down, I know you have a stomach.¹¹⁹

120

120         Will you give thanks,¹²⁰ sweet Kate, or else shall I?

               What’s this? Mutton?

       

FIRST SERVANT

FIRST SERVANT     Ay.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Who brought it?

       

PETER

PETER     I.

125

125 

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO             ’Tis burnt, and so is all the meat.

               What dogs are these? Where is the rascal cook?

               How durst you, villains, bring it from the dresser¹²⁷

               And serve it thus to me that love it not?

               There, take it to you, trenchers,¹²⁹ cups, and all. Throws the meat and dishes at them

130

130         You heedless joltheads¹³⁰ and unmannered slaves!

               What, do you grumble? I’ll be¹³¹ with you straight.

       

KATE

KATE     I pray you, husband, be not so disquiet.

               The meat was well,¹³³ if you were so contented.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     I tell thee, Kate, ’twas burnt and dried away,

135

135         And I expressly am forbid to touch it,

               For it engenders choler,¹³⁶ planteth anger,

               And better ’twere that both of us did fast,

               Since, of ourselves,¹³⁸ ourselves are choleric,

               Than feed it with such over-roasted flesh.

140

140         Be patient, tomorrow’t shall be mended,

               And for this night we’ll fast for company.¹⁴¹

               Come, I will bring thee to thy bridal chamber.

       Exeunt

       Enter Servants severally

       

NATHANIEL

NATHANIEL     Peter, didst ever see the like?

       

PETER

PETER     He kills¹⁴⁴ her in her own humour.

145

145 

GRUMIO

GRUMIO             Where is he?

       Enter Curtis, a servant

       

CURTIS

CURTIS     In her chamber, making a sermon of continency¹⁴⁶ to her,

               And rails and swears and rates¹⁴⁷ that she, poor soul,

               Knows not which way to stand, to look, to speak,

               And sits as one new-risen¹⁴⁹ from a dream.

150

150         Away, away, for he is coming hither.

       [Exeunt]

       Enter Petruchio

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Thus have I politicly¹⁵¹ begun my reign,

               And ’tis my hope to end successfully.

               My falcon¹⁵³ now is sharp and passing empty,

               And till she stoop¹⁵⁴ she must not be full-gorged,

155

155         For then she never looks upon¹⁵⁵ her lure.

               Another way I have to man¹⁵⁶ my haggard,

               To make her come and know her keeper’s call,

               That is, to watch her,¹⁵⁸ as we watch these kites

               That bate and beat¹⁵⁹ and will not be obedient.

160

160         She eat¹⁶⁰ no meat today, nor none shall eat.

               Last night she slept not, nor tonight she shall not.

               As with the meat, some undeservèd fault

               I’ll find about the making of the bed,

               And here I’ll fling the pillow, there the bolster,

165

165         This way the coverlet, another way the sheets.

               Ay, and amid this hurly¹⁶⁶ I intend

               That all is done in reverend care of her.

               And in conclusion she shall watch¹⁶⁸ all night,

               And if she chance to nod I’ll rail and brawl

170

170         And with the clamour keep her still awake.

               This is a way to kill a wife with kindness,

               And thus I’ll curb her mad and headstrong humour.

               He that knows better how to tame a shrew,

               Now let him speak. ’Tis charity to show.¹⁷⁴

       Exit

[Act 3 Scene 4]^3.4

running scene 6

---

       Enter Tranio and Hortensio

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Is’t possible, friend Litio, that Mistress Bianca

               Doth fancy any other but Lucentio?

               I tell you, sir, she bears³ me fair in hand.

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Sir, to satisfy⁴ you in what I have said,

5

5             Stand by and mark the manner of his teaching.

       Enter Bianca [and Lucentio]

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     Now, mistress, profit you in what you read?

       

BIANCA

BIANCA     What, master, read you? First resolve⁷ me that.

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     I read that I profess,⁸ the Art to Love.

       

BIANCA

BIANCA     And may you prove, sir, master of your art.

10

10   

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO           While you, sweet dear, prove mistress of my heart. Lucentio and Bianca talk aside

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Quick proceeders,¹¹ marry! Now tell me, I pray,

               You that durst swear that your mistress Bianca

               Loved none in the world so well as Lucentio.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     O despiteful love, unconstant womankind!

15

15           I tell thee, Litio, this is wonderful.¹⁵

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Mistake no more, I am not Litio,

               Nor a musician, as I seem to be,

               But one that scorn to live in this disguise,

               For such a one¹⁹ as leaves a gentleman,

20

20           And makes a god of such a cullion;²⁰

               Know, sir, that I am called Hortensio.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Signior Hortensio, I have often heard

               Of your entire²³ affection to Bianca,

               And since mine eyes are witness of her lightness,²⁴

25

25           I will with you, if you be so contented,

               Forswear²⁶ Bianca and her love forever.

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     See how they kiss and court! Signior Lucentio,

               Here is my hand, and here I firmly vow

               Never to woo her more, but do forswear her,

30

30           As one unworthy all the former favours

               That I have fondly³¹ flattered her withal.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     And here I take the like unfeignèd³² oath,

               Never to marry with her though she would entreat.

               Fie on her! See how beastly³⁴ she doth court him!

35

35   

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO           Would³⁵ all the world but he had quite forsworn!

               For me, that³⁶ I may surely keep mine oath,

               I will be married to a wealthy widow,

               Ere three days pass, which hath as long loved me

               As I have loved this proud disdainful haggard.

40

40           And so farewell, Signior Lucentio.

               Kindness in women, not their beauteous looks,

               Shall win my love. And so I take my leave,

               In resolution⁴³ as I swore before.

       [Exit]

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Mistress Bianca, bless you with such grace

45

45           As ’longeth⁴⁵ to a lover’s blessèd case!

               Nay, I have ta’en you napping,⁴⁶ gentle love,

               And have forsworn you with Hortensio.

       

BIANCA

BIANCA     Tranio, you jest. But have you both forsworn me?

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Mistress, we have.

50

50   

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO           Then we are rid of Litio.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     I’faith, he’ll have a lusty⁵¹ widow now,

               That shall be wooed and wedded in a day.

       

BIANCA

BIANCA     God give him joy!

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Ay, and he’ll tame her.

55

55   

BIANCA

BIANCA           He says so, Tranio.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Faith, he is gone unto the taming school.

       

BIANCA

BIANCA     The taming school? What, is there such a place?

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Ay, mistress, and Petruchio is the master,

               That teacheth tricks eleven⁵⁹ and twenty long,

60

60           To tame a shrew and charm⁶⁰ her chatt’ring tongue.

       Enter Biondello

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     O master, master, I have watched so long

               That I am dog-weary,⁶² but at last I spied

               An ancient angel⁶³ coming down the hill

               Will serve the turn.

65

65   

TRANIO

TRANIO           What is he, Biondello?

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     Master, a mercatante,⁶⁶ or a pedant,

               I know not what, but formal in apparel,

               In gait and countenance surely like a father.

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     And what of him, Tranio?

70

70   

TRANIO

TRANIO           If he be credulous and trust my tale,

               I’ll make him glad to seem⁷¹ Vincentio,

               And give assurance to Baptista Minola

               As if he were the right Vincentio.

               Take in your love, and then let me alone.⁷⁴

       [Exeunt Lucentio and Bianca]

       Enter a Pedant

75

75   

PEDANT

PEDANT           God save you, sir!

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     And you, sir! You are welcome.

               Travel you far on, or are you at the furthest?

       

PEDANT

PEDANT     Sir, at the furthest for a week or two,

               But then up further, and as far as Rome,

80

80           And so to Tripoli, if God lend me life.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     What countryman,⁸¹ I pray?

       

PEDANT

PEDANT     Of Mantua.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Of Mantua, sir? Marry, God forbid!

               And come to Padua, careless of your life?

85

85   

PEDANT

PEDANT           My life, sir? How, I pray? For that goes hard.⁸⁵

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     ’Tis death for anyone in Mantua

               To come to Padua. Know you not the cause?

               Your ships are stayed⁸⁸ at Venice, and the duke,

               For⁸⁹ private quarrel ’twixt your duke and him,

90

90           Hath published⁹⁰ and proclaimed it openly.

               ’Tis marvel,⁹¹ but that you are but newly come,

               You might have heard it else proclaimed about.

       

PEDANT

PEDANT     Alas, sir, it is worse for me than so,⁹³

               For I have bills⁹⁴ for money by exchange

95

95           From Florence and must here deliver them.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Well, sir, to do you courtesy,

               This will I do, and this I will advise you:

               First tell me, have you ever been at Pisa?

       

PEDANT

PEDANT     Ay, sir, in Pisa have I often been,

100

100         Pisa renownèd for grave citizens.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Among them know you one Vincentio?

       

PEDANT

PEDANT     I know him not, but I have heard of him,

               A merchant of incomparable wealth.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     He is my father, sir, and sooth to say,

105

105         In count’nance somewhat doth resemble you.

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     As much as an apple doth an oyster, and all one.¹⁰⁶ Aside

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     To save your life in this extremity,

               This favour will I do you for his sake,

               And think it not the worst of all your fortunes

110

110         That you are like to Sir Vincentio.

               His name and credit¹¹¹ shall you undertake,

               And in my house you shall be friendly lodged.

               Look¹¹³ that you take upon you as you should.

               You understand me, sir. So shall you stay

115

115         Till you have done your business in the city.

               If this be court’sy, sir, accept of it.

       

PEDANT

PEDANT     O, sir, I do, and will repute¹¹⁷ you ever

               The patron of my life and liberty.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Then go with me to make¹¹⁹ the matter good.

120

120         This, by the way, I let you understand.

               My father is here looked for¹²¹ every day,

               To pass assurance of a dower in marriage

               ’Twixt me and one Baptista’s daughter here.

               In all these circumstances I’ll instruct you.

125

125         Go with me to clothe you as becomes¹²⁵ you.

       Exeunt

Act 4 Scene 1^4.1

running scene 7

---

       Enter Katherina and Grumio

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     No, no, forsooth, I dare not for my life.

       

KATE

KATE     The more my wrong,² the more his spite appears.

               What, did he marry me to famish me?

               Beggars that come unto my father’s door

5

5             Upon entreaty have a present⁵ alms,

               If not, elsewhere they meet with charity.

               But I, who never knew how to entreat,

               Nor never needed that I should entreat,

               Am starved for meat,⁹ giddy for lack of sleep,

10

10           With oaths kept waking and with brawling fed.

               And that which spites¹¹ me more than all these wants,

               He does it under name of perfect love,

               As who¹³ should say, if I should sleep or eat,

               ’Twere deadly sickness or else present death.

15

15           I prithee go and get me some repast,

               I care not what, so¹⁶ it be wholesome food.

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     What say you to a neat’s¹⁷ foot?

       

KATE

KATE     ’Tis passing good, I prithee let me have it.

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     I fear it is too choleric¹⁹ a meat.

20

20           How say you to a fat tripe finely broiled?²⁰

       

KATE

KATE     I like it well, good Grumio, fetch it me.

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     I cannot tell,²² I fear ’tis choleric.

               What say you to a piece of beef and mustard?

       

KATE

KATE     A dish that I do love to feed upon.

25

25   

GRUMIO

GRUMIO           Ay, but the mustard is too hot a little.

       

KATE

KATE     Why then, the beef, and let the mustard rest.

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Nay then, I will not. You shall have the mustard,

               Or else you get no beef of Grumio.

       

KATE

KATE     Then both, or one, or anything thou wilt.

30

30   

GRUMIO

GRUMIO           Why then, the mustard without the beef.

       

KATE

KATE     Go, get thee gone, thou false deluding slave

       Beats him

               That feed’st me with the very³² name of meat.

               Sorrow on thee and all the pack of you

               That triumph thus upon my misery.

35

35           Go, get thee gone, I say.

       Enter Petruchio and Hortensio with meat

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     How fares my Kate? What, sweeting,³⁶ all amort?

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Mistress, what cheer?³⁷

       

KATE

KATE     Faith, as cold³⁸ as can be.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Pluck up thy spirits, look cheerfully upon me.

40

40           Here love, thou see’st how diligent I am

               To dress thy meat myself and bring it thee.

               I am sure, sweet Kate, this kindness merits thanks.

               What, not a word? Nay then thou lov’st it not,

               And all my pains⁴⁴ is sorted to no proof.

45

45           Here, take away this dish.

       

KATE

KATE     I pray you let it stand.⁴⁶

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     The poorest service is repaid with thanks,

               And so shall mine, before you touch the meat.

       

KATE

KATE     I thank you, sir.

50

50   

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO           Signior Petruchio, fie, you are to blame.⁵⁰

               Come, mistress Kate, I’ll bear you company.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Eat it up all, Hortensio, if thou lovest me. Aside

               Much good do it unto thy gentle heart!— Hortensio takes plate and does not let Kate eat

               Kate, eat apace.⁵⁴ And now, my honey love,

55

55           Will we return unto thy father’s house

               And revel it as bravely⁵⁶ as the best,

               With silken coats and caps and golden rings,

               With ruffs⁵⁸ and cuffs and farthingales and things,

               With scarfs and fans and double change of bravery,

60

60           With amber bracelets, beads and all this knavery.⁶⁰

               What, hast thou dined? The tailor stays thy leisure,

               To deck thy body with his ruffling treasure.⁶²

       Enter Tailor [with a gown]

               Come, tailor, let us see these ornaments.

       Enter Haberdasher [with a hat]

               Lay forth the gown.— What news with you, sir?

65

65   

HABERDASHER

HABERDASHER      Here is the cap your worship did bespeak.⁶⁵

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Why, this was moulded on a porringer,⁶⁶

               A velvet dish. Fie, fie, ’tis lewd⁶⁷ and filthy.

               Why, ’tis a cockle⁶⁸ or a walnut-shell,

               A⁶⁹ knack, a toy, a trick, a baby’s cap.

70

70           Away with it! Come, let me have a bigger.

       

KATE

KATE     I’ll have no bigger. This doth fit the time,⁷¹

               And gentlewomen wear such caps as these.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     When you are gentle,⁷³ you shall have one too,

               And not till then.

75

75   

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO           That will not be in haste. Aside

       

KATE

KATE     Why, sir, I trust I may have leave to speak,

               And speak I will. I am no child, no babe.

               Your betters have endured me⁷⁸ say my mind,

               And if you cannot, best you stop your ears.

80

80           My tongue will tell the anger of my heart,

               Or else my heart concealing it will break,

               And rather than it shall, I will be free

               Even to the uttermost, as I please, in words.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Why, thou say’st true. It is a paltry cap,

85

85           A custard-coffin,⁸⁵ a bauble, a silken pie.

               I love thee well in that thou lik’st it not.

       

KATE

KATE     Love me or love me not, I like the cap,

               And it I will have, or I will have none.

       [Exit Haberdasher]

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Thy gown? Why, ay. Come, tailor, let us see’t.

90

90           O mercy, God! What masquing stuff⁹⁰ is here?

               What’s this? A sleeve? ’Tis like a demi-cannon.⁹¹

               What, up and down,⁹² carved like an apple tart?

               Here’s snip and nip and cut and slish and slash,

               Like to a censer⁹⁴ in a barber’s shop.

95

95           Why, what o’devil’s name, tailor, call’st thou this?

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     I see she’s like to have neither cap nor gown. Aside

       

TAILOR

TAILOR     You bid me make it orderly and well,

               According to the fashion and the time.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Marry, and did.⁹⁹ But if you be remembered,

100

100         I did not bid you mar¹⁰⁰ it to the time.

               Go, hop¹⁰¹ me over every kennel home,

               For you shall hop without my custom, sir:

               I’ll none of it. Hence, make¹⁰³ your best of it.

       

KATE

KATE     I never saw a better-fashioned gown,

105

105         More quaint,¹⁰⁵ more pleasing, nor more commendable.

               Belike¹⁰⁶ you mean to make a puppet of me.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Why, true, he means to make a puppet of thee.

       

TAILOR

TAILOR     She says your worship means to make a puppet of her.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     O monstrous arrogance! Thou liest, thou thread, thou thimble,

110

110         Thou yard,¹¹⁰ three-quarters, half-yard, quarter, nail!

               Thou flea, thou nit, thou winter-cricket thou!

               Braved¹¹² in mine own house with a skein of thread?

               Away, thou rag, thou quantity,¹¹³ thou remnant,

               Or I shall so be-mete¹¹⁴ thee with thy yard

115

115         As thou shalt think on prating¹¹⁵ whilst thou liv’st!

               I tell thee, I, that thou hast marred her gown.

       

TAILOR

TAILOR     Your worship is deceived. The gown is made

               Just as my master had direction.

               Grumio gave order how it should be done.

120

120 

GRUMIO

GRUMIO             I gave him no order, I gave him the stuff.¹²⁰

       

TAILOR

TAILOR     But how did you desire it should be made?

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Marry, sir, with needle and thread.

       

TAILOR

TAILOR     But did you not request to have it cut?

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Thou hast faced¹²⁴ many things.

125

125 

TAILOR

TAILOR             I have.

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Face not me. Thou hast braved¹²⁶ many men, brave not me; I will neither be faced nor braved. I say unto thee, I bid thy master cut out the gown, but I did not bid him cut it to pieces. Ergo,¹²⁸ thou liest.

       

TAILOR

TAILOR     Why, here is the note of the fashion to testify. Shows bill

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Read it.

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     The¹³¹ note lies in’s throat, if he say I said so.

       

TAILOR

TAILOR     ‘Imprimis, a loose-bodied gown.¹³²’ Reads

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Master, if ever I said loose-bodied gown, sew me in the skirts of it, and beat me to death with a bottom¹³⁴ of brown thread: I said a gown.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Proceed.

       

TAILOR

TAILOR     ‘With a small compassed¹³⁶ cape.’ Reads

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     I confess the cape.

       

TAILOR

TAILOR     ‘With a trunk¹³⁸ sleeve.’ Reads

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     I confess two sleeves.

       

TAILOR

TAILOR     ‘The sleeves curiously¹⁴⁰ cut.’ Reads

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Ay, there’s the villainy.

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Error i’th’bill,¹⁴² sir, error i’th’bill. I commanded the sleeves should be cut out and sewed up again, and that I’ll prove upon thee,¹⁴³ though thy little finger be armed in a thimble.

       

TAILOR

TAILOR     This is true that I say, an¹⁴⁵ I had thee in place where, thou shouldst know it.

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     I am for thee straight.¹⁴⁶ Take thou the bill, give me thy mete-yard, and spare not me.

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     God-a-mercy, Grumio, then he shall have no odds.¹⁴⁸

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Well, sir, in brief, the gown is not for me.

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     You are i’th’right, sir, ’tis for my mistress.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Go, take¹⁵¹ it up unto thy master’s use.

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     Villain, not for thy life. Take up my mistress’ gown for thy master’s use!

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Why, sir, what’s your conceit¹⁵³ in that?

       

GRUMIO

GRUMIO     O, sir, the conceit is deeper than you think for:¹⁵⁴

155

155         Take up my mistress’ gown to his master’s use!

               O, fie, fie, fie!

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Hortensio, say thou wilt see the tailor paid.— Aside to Hortensio

               Go take it hence. Be gone, and say no more. To the Tailor

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Tailor, I’ll pay thee for thy gown tomorrow. Aside to the Tailor

160

160         Take no unkindness of¹⁶⁰ his hasty words.

               Away, I say, commend me to thy master.

       Exit Tailor

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Well, come, my Kate. We will unto your father’s

               Even in these honest mean habiliments:¹⁶³

               Our purses shall be proud,¹⁶⁴ our garments poor,

165

165         For ’tis the mind that makes the body rich,

               And as the sun breaks through the darkest clouds,

               So honour peereth¹⁶⁷ in the meanest habit.

               What, is the jay more precious than the lark,

               Because his feathers are more beautiful?

170

170         Or is the adder better than the eel

               Because his painted¹⁷¹ skin contents the eye?

               O no, good Kate, neither art thou the worse

               For this poor furniture¹⁷³ and mean array.

               If thou account’st it shame, lay¹⁷⁴ it on me.

175

175         And therefore frolic.¹⁷⁵ We will hence forthwith,

               To feast and sport us¹⁷⁶ at thy father’s house.—

               Go, call my men, and let us straight to him, To Grumio

               And bring our horses unto Long-lane end.—

               There will we mount, and thither walk on foot.

180

180         Let’s see, I think ’tis now some seven o’clock,

               And well we may come there by dinnertime.¹⁸¹

       

KATE

KATE     I dare assure you, sir, ’tis almost two,

               And ’twill be suppertime¹⁸³ ere you come there.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     It shall be seven ere I go to horse.

185

185         Look, what¹⁸⁵ I speak, or do, or think to do,

               You are still crossing¹⁸⁶ it. Sirs, let’t alone.

               I will not go today, and ere I do,

               It shall be what o’clock I say it is.

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Why, so this gallant will command the sun.

       [Exeunt] Aside

[Act 4 Scene 2]^4.2

running scene 8

---

       Enter Tranio [disguised as Lucentio], and the Pedant dressed like Vincentio Pedant booted and bareheaded

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Sir, this is the house. Please it you that I call?

       

PEDANT

PEDANT     Ay, what else? And but² I be deceived,

               Signior Baptista may remember me,

               Near twenty years ago, in Genoa,

5

5             Where we were lodgers at the Pegasus.⁵

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     ’Tis well, and hold your own,⁶ in any case,

               With such austerity as ’longeth⁷ to a father.

       Enter Biondello

       

PEDANT

PEDANT     I warrant you. But, sir, here comes your boy.

               ’Twere good he were schooled.⁹

10

10   

TRANIO

TRANIO           Fear you not him.— Sirrah Biondello,

               Now do your duty throughly,¹¹ I advise you:

               Imagine ’twere the right¹² Vincentio.

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     Tut, fear not me.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     But hast thou done thy errand to Baptista?

15

15   

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO           I told him that your father was at Venice,

               And that you looked for¹⁶ him this day in Padua.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Thou’rt a tall¹⁷ fellow. Hold thee that to drink. Gives money

               Here comes Baptista: set your countenance,¹⁸ sir.

       Enter Baptista and Lucentio

               Signior Baptista, you are happily met.

20

20           Sir, this is the gentleman I told you of. To the Pedant

               I pray you stand²¹ good father to me now,

               Give me Bianca for my patrimony.²²

       

PEDANT

PEDANT     Soft²³ son!

               Sir, by your leave, having come to Padua

25

25           To gather in some debts, my son Lucentio

               Made me acquainted with a weighty cause

               Of love between your daughter and himself:

               And, for²⁸ the good report I hear of you,

               And for the love he beareth to your daughter,

30

30           And she to him, to stay³⁰ him not too long,

               I am content, in a good father’s care,

               To have him matched. And if you please³² to like

               No worse than I, upon some agreement

               Me shall you find ready and willing

35

35           With one consent³⁵ to have her so bestowed,

               For curious³⁶ I cannot be with you,

               Signior Baptista, of whom I hear so well.

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Sir, pardon me in what I have to say.

               Your plainness and your shortness please me well.

40

40           Right true it is, your son Lucentio here

               Doth love my daughter and she loveth him,

               Or both dissemble deeply their affections.

               And therefore if you say no more than this,

               That like a father you will deal with him

45

45           And pass⁴⁵ my daughter a sufficient dower,

               The match is made and all is done.

               Your son shall have my daughter with consent.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     I thank you, sir. Where then do you know⁴⁸ best

               We be affied⁴⁹ and such assurance ta’en

50

50           As shall with either part’s agreement stand?

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Not in my house, Lucentio, for you know

               Pitchers have ears,⁵² and I have many servants.

               Besides, old Gremio is heark’ning still,⁵³

               And haply⁵⁴ we might be interrupted.

55

55   

TRANIO

TRANIO           Then at my lodging, an it like you.

               There doth my father lie,⁵⁶ and there, this night,

               We’ll pass⁵⁷ the business privately and well.

               Send for your daughter by your servant here. Indicates Lucentio, and winks at him

               My boy shall fetch the scriv’ner⁵⁹ presently.

60

60           The worst is this, that at so slender warning

               You are like to have a thin and slender pittance.⁶¹

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     It likes me well. Cambio, hie⁶² you home,

               And bid Bianca make her ready straight.

               And, if you will, tell what hath happened:

65

65           Lucentio’s father is arrived in Padua,

               And how she’s like⁶⁶ to be Lucentio’s wife.

       [Exit Lucentio]

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     I pray the gods she may with all my heart!

       Exit

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Dally not with the gods, but get thee gone.

       Enter Peter

               Signior Baptista, shall I lead the way?

70

70           Welcome! One mess⁷⁰ is like to be your cheer.

               Come, sir, we will better it in Pisa.

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     I follow you.

       Exeunt [Tranio, Pedant and Baptista]

       Enter Lucentio [disguised as Cambio] and Biondello

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     Cambio!

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     What say’st thou, Biondello?

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     You saw my master wink and laugh upon you?

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     Biondello, what of that?

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     Faith, nothing. But has⁷⁷ left me here behind to expound the meaning or moral of his signs and tokens.⁷⁸

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     I pray thee moralize⁷⁹ them.

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     Then thus: Baptista is safe, talking with the deceiving father of a deceitful son.

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     And what of him?

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     His daughter is to be brought by you to the supper.

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     And then?

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     The old priest at Saint Luke’s church is at your command⁸⁵ at all hours.

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     And what of all this?

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     I cannot tell, except they are busied about a counterfeit assurance.⁸⁷ Take you assurance⁸⁸ of her, cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum. To th’church, take the priest, clerk and some sufficient⁸⁹ honest witnesses. If this be not that you look for, I have no more to say, but bid Bianca farewell forever and a day.

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     Hear’st thou, Biondello?

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     I cannot tarry: I knew a wench married in an afternoon as she went to the garden for parsley to stuff a rabbit, and so may you, sir. And so, adieu, sir. My master hath appointed me to go to Saint Luke’s to bid the priest be ready to come against you come⁹⁵ with your appendix.

       Exit

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     I may, and will, if she be so contented.

               She will be pleased, then wherefore should I doubt?

               Hap⁹⁸ what hap may, I’ll roundly go about her.

               It shall go hard⁹⁹ if Cambio go without her.

       Exit

[Act 4 Scene 3]^4.3

running scene 9

---

       Enter Petruchio, Kate, Hortensio [and Servants]

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Come on, a God’s name, once more toward our father’s.

               Good Lord, how bright and goodly² shines the moon!

       

KATE

KATE     The moon? The sun: it is not moonlight now.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     I say it is the moon that shines so bright.

5

5     

KATE

KATE           I know it is the sun that shines so bright.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Now, by my mother’s son, and that’s myself,

               It shall be moon, or star, or what I list,⁷

               Or ere⁸ I journey to your father’s house.—

               Go on, and fetch our horses back again.— To the Servants

10

10           Evermore crossed and crossed, nothing but crossed!

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Say as he says, or we shall never go. To Kate

       

KATE

KATE     Forward, I pray, since we have come so far,

               And be it moon, or sun, or what you please.

               An if you please to call it a rush-candle,¹⁴

15

15           Henceforth I vow it shall be so for me.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     I say it is the moon.

       

KATE

KATE     I know it is the moon.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Nay, then you lie. It is the blessèd sun.

       

KATE

KATE     Then, God be blessed, it is the blessèd sun.

20

20           But sun it is not, when you say it is not,

               And the moon changes even as your mind.

               What you will have it named, even that it is,

               And so it shall be so for Katherine.

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Petruchio, go thy ways,²⁴ the field is won. Aside

25

25   

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO           Well, forward, forward! Thus the bowl should run,²⁵

               And not unluckily against the²⁶ bias.

               But, soft, company is coming here.

       Enter Vincentio

               Good morrow, gentle mistress. Where away?²⁸ To Vincentio

               Tell me, sweet Kate, and tell me truly too, To Kate

30

30           Hast thou beheld a fresher³⁰ gentlewoman?

               Such war of white and red within her cheeks!

               What stars do spangle³² heaven with such beauty,

               As those two eyes become that heav’nly face?—

               Fair lovely maid, once more good day to thee.— To Vincentio

35

35           Sweet Kate, embrace her for her beauty’s sake. To Kate

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     A³⁶ will make the man mad, to make the woman of him. Aside

       

KATE

KATE     Young budding virgin, fair and fresh and sweet,

               Whither away, or where is thy abode?

               Happy the parents of so fair a child;

40

40           Happier the man, whom⁴⁰ favourable stars

               Allots thee for his lovely bedfellow!

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Why, how now, Kate? I hope thou art not mad.

               This is a man, old, wrinkled, faded, withered,

               And not a maiden, as thou say’st he is.

45

45   

KATE

KATE           Pardon, old father, my mistaking eyes,

               That have been so bedazzled with the sun

               That everything I look on seemeth green.⁴⁷

               Now I perceive thou art a reverend father.

               Pardon, I pray thee, for my mad mistaking.

50

50   

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO           Do, good old grandsire, and withal make known

               Which way thou travellest: if along with us,

               We shall be joyful of thy company.

       

VINCENTIO

VINCENTIO     Fair sir, and you my merry mistress,

               That with your strange encounter⁵⁴ much amazed me,

55

55           My name is called Vincentio, my dwelling Pisa,

               And bound I am to Padua, there to visit

               A son of mine, which long I have not seen.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     What is his name?

       

VINCENTIO

VINCENTIO     Lucentio, gentle sir.

60

60   

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO           Happily met, the happier for thy son.

               And now by law, as well as reverend age,

               I may entitle thee my loving father.⁶²

               The sister to my wife, this gentlewoman,

               Thy son by this⁶⁴ hath married. Wonder not,

65

65           Nor be not grieved: she is of good esteem,⁶⁵

               Her dowry wealthy, and of worthy birth;

               Beside, so qualified as may beseem⁶⁷

               The spouse of any noble gentleman.

               Let me embrace with old Vincentio,

70

70           And wander we to see thy honest⁷⁰ son,

               Who will of thy arrival be full joyous.

       

VINCENTIO

VINCENTIO     But is this true? Or is it else your pleasure,

               Like pleasant⁷³ travellers, to break a jest

               Upon the company you overtake?

75

75   

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO           I do assure thee, father, so it is.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Come, go along, and see the truth hereof,

               For our first merriment hath made thee jealous.⁷⁷

       Exeunt [all but Hortensio]

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Well, Petruchio, this has put⁷⁸ me in heart.

               Have to⁷⁹ my widow! And if she be froward,

80

80           Then hast thou taught Hortensio to be untoward.⁸⁰

       Exit

[Act 4 Scene 4]^4.4

running scene 10

---

       Enter Biondello, Lucentio and Bianca. Gremio is out before

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     Softly and swiftly, sir, for the priest is ready.

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     I fly, Biondello; but they may chance to need thee at home, therefore leave us.

       Exit [Lucentio with Bianca]

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     Nay, faith, I’ll see the church o’your back,⁴ and then come back to my master’s as soon as I can.

       [Exit]

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     I marvel Cambio comes not all this while.

       Enter Petruchio, Kate, Vincentio, Grumio, with Attendants

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Sir, here’s the door, this is Lucentio’s house.

               My father’s⁸ bears more toward the marketplace.

               Thither must I, and here I leave you, sir.

10

10   

VINCENTIO

VINCENTIO           You¹⁰ shall not choose but drink before you go.

               I think I shall command¹¹ your welcome here;

               And by all likelihood, some cheer is toward.¹²

       Knock

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     They’re busy within: you were best knock louder.

       Pedant looks out of the window

       

PEDANT

PEDANT     What’s he that knocks as he would beat down the gate?

       

VINCENTIO

VINCENTIO     Is Signior Lucentio within, sir?

       

PEDANT

PEDANT     He’s within, sir, but not to be spoken withal.

       

VINCENTIO

VINCENTIO     What if a man bring him a hundred pound or two to make merry withal?

       

PEDANT

PEDANT     Keep your hundred pounds to yourself. He shall need none, so long as I live.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Nay, I told you your son was well beloved in Padua. Do you hear, sir? To leave frivolous circumstances,²⁰ I pray you tell Signior Lucentio that his father is come from Pisa, and is here at the door to speak with him.

       

PEDANT

PEDANT     Thou liest. His father is come from Padua²² and here looking out at the window.

       

VINCENTIO

VINCENTIO     Art thou his father?

       

PEDANT

PEDANT     Ay, sir, so his mother says, if I may believe her.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Why, how now, gentleman! To Vincentio Why, this is flat knavery to take upon you another man’s name.

       

PEDANT

PEDANT     Lay hands on the villain. I believe a means to cozen²⁸ somebody in this city under my countenance.²⁹

       Enter Biondello

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     I have seen them in the church together. Aside God send ’em good shipping!³⁰ But who is here? Mine old master Vincentio! Now we are undone³¹ and brought to nothing.

       

VINCENTIO

VINCENTIO     Come hither, crack-hemp.³³ Seeing Biondello

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     I hope I may choose,³⁴ sir.

       

VINCENTIO

VINCENTIO     Come hither, you rogue. What, have you forgot me?

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     Forgot you? No, sir: I could not forget you, for I never saw you before in all my life.

       

VINCENTIO

VINCENTIO     What, you notorious villain, didst thou never see thy master’s father, Vincentio?

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     What, my old worshipful old master? Yes, marry, sir, see where he looks out of the window.

       

VINCENTIO

VINCENTIO     Is’t so, indeed?

       He beats Biondella

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     Help, help, help! Here’s a madman will murder me.

       [Exit]

       

PEDANT

PEDANT     Help, son! Help, Signior Baptista!

       [Exit from above]

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Prithee, Kate, let’s stand aside and see the end of this controversy. They stand aside

       Enter Pedant [below] with servants, Baptista, Tranio

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Sir, what are you that offer⁴⁶ to beat my servant?

       

VINCENTIO

VINCENTIO     What am I, sir? Nay, what are you, sir? O immortal gods! O fine⁴⁷ villain! A silken doublet, a velvet hose, a scarlet cloak and a copatain⁴⁸ hat! O, I am undone, I am undone! While I play the good husband at home, my son and my servant spend all at the university.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     How now? What’s the matter?

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     What, is the man lunatic?

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Sir, you seem a sober ancient gentleman by your habit, but your words show you a madman. Why, sir, what ’cerns it you⁵⁴ if I wear pearl and gold? I thank my good father, I am able to maintain⁵⁵ it.

       

VINCENTIO

VINCENTIO     Thy father! O villain! He is a sailmaker in Bergamo.⁵⁶

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     You mistake, sir, you mistake, sir. Pray, what do you think is his name?

       

VINCENTIO

VINCENTIO     His name? As if I knew not his name: I have brought him up ever since he was three years old, and his name is Tranio.

       

PEDANT

PEDANT     Away, away, mad ass! His name is Lucentio and he is mine only son, and heir to the lands of me, Signior Vincentio.

       

VINCENTIO

VINCENTIO     Lucentio! O, he hath murdered his master! Lay hold on him, I charge you in the duke’s name. O, my son, my son! Tell me, thou villain, where is my son Lucentio?

65

65   

TRANIO

TRANIO           Call forth an officer.

       [Enter an Officer]

               Carry this mad knave to the jail. Father Baptista,

               I charge you see that he be forthcoming.⁶⁷

       

VINCENTIO

VINCENTIO     Carry me to the jail?

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     Stay, officer, he shall not go to prison.

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Talk not, Signior Gremio, I say he shall go to prison.

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     Take heed, Signior Baptista, lest you be cony-catched⁷¹ in this business. I dare swear this is the right Vincentio.

       

PEDANT

PEDANT     Swear, if thou dar’st.

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     Nay, I dare not swear it.

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     Then thou wert best say that I am not Lucentio.

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     Yes, I know thee to be Signior Lucentio.

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Away with the dotard!⁷⁷ To the jail with him!

       Enter Biondello, Lucentio and Bianca

       

VINCENTIO

VINCENTIO     Thus strangers may be hailed⁷⁸ and abused. O monstrous villain!

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     O, we are spoiled⁷⁹ and— yonder he is. Deny him, forswear him, or else we are all undone.

       Exeunt Biondello, Tranio and Pedant, as fast as may be

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     Pardon, sweet father.

       Kneels

       

VINCENTIO

VINCENTIO     Lives my sweet son?

       

BIANCA

BIANCA     Pardon, dear father.

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     How hast thou offended? Where is Lucentio?

85

85   

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO           Here’s Lucentio,

               Right son to the right Vincentio,

               That have by marriage made thy daughter mine,

               While counterfeit supposes⁸⁸ bleared thine eyne.

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     Here’s packing,⁸⁹ with a witness to deceive us all!

90

90   

VINCENTIO

VINCENTIO           Where is that damnèd villain Tranio,

               That faced and braved me in this matter so?

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Why, tell me, is not this my Cambio?

       

BIANCA

BIANCA     Cambio is changed⁹³ into Lucentio.

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     Love wrought these miracles. Bianca’s love

95

95           Made me exchange my state⁹⁵ with Tranio,

               While he did bear my countenance in the town,

               And happily I have arrived at the last

               Unto the wishèd haven of my bliss.

               What Tranio did, myself enforced him to;

100

100         Then pardon him, sweet father, for my sake.

       

VINCENTIO

VINCENTIO     I’ll slit the villain’s nose, that would have sent me to the jail.

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     But do you hear, sir? Have you married my daughter without asking my good will?

       

VINCENTIO

VINCENTIO     Fear not, Baptista, we will content you, go to.¹⁰⁴ But I will in, to be revenged for this villainy. Exit

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     And I, to sound¹⁰⁶ the depth of this knavery.

       Exit

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     Look not pale, Bianca, thy father will not frown.

       Exeunt [Lucentio and Bianca]

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     My cake is dough,¹⁰⁸ but I’ll in among the rest,

               Out¹⁰⁹ of hope of all but my share of the feast.

       [Exit]

110

110 

KATE

KATE             Husband, let’s follow, to see the end of this ado.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     First kiss me, Kate, and we will.

       

KATE

KATE     What, in the midst of the street?

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     What, art thou ashamed of me?

       

KATE

KATE     No, sir, God forbid, but ashamed to kiss.

115

115 

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO             Why, then let’s home again.— Come, sirrah, let’s away.

       

KATE

KATE     Nay, I will give thee a kiss. Now pray thee, love, stay. They kiss

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Is not this well? Come, my sweet Kate.

               Better once¹¹⁸ than never, for never too late.

       Exeunt

Act 5 [Scene 1]^5.1

running scene 11

---

       Enter Baptista, Vincentio, Gremio, the Pedant, Lucentio and Bianca, [Petruchio, Katherina, Hortensio,] Tranio, Biondello, Grumio and Widow. The Servingmen with Tranio bringing in a banquet

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     At last, though long,¹ our jarring notes agree,

               And time it is, when raging war is done,

               To smile at scapes³ and perils overblown.

               My fair Bianca, bid my father welcome,

5

5             While I with selfsame kindness⁵ welcome thine.

               Brother Petruchio, sister Katherina,

               And thou, Hortensio, with thy loving widow,

               Feast with⁸ the best, and welcome to my house.

               My banquet is to close⁹ our stomachs up

10

10           After our great good cheer.¹⁰ Pray you sit down,

               For now we sit to chat as well as eat.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Nothing but sit and sit, and eat and eat!

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Padua affords this kindness, son Petruchio.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Padua affords nothing but what is kind.

15

15   

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO           For both our sakes, I would that word were true.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Now, for my life, Hortensio fears¹⁶ his widow.

       

WIDOW

WIDOW     Then¹⁷ never trust me if I be afeard.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     You are very sensible,¹⁸ and yet you miss my sense:

               I mean, Hortensio is afeard of you.

20

20   

WIDOW

WIDOW           He²⁰ that is giddy thinks the world turns round.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Roundly²¹ replied.

       

KATE

KATE     Mistress, how mean you that?

       

WIDOW

WIDOW     Thus²³ I conceive by him.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Conceives by me! How likes Hortensio that?

25

25   

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO           My widow says, thus she conceives her tale.²⁵

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Very well mended.²⁶ Kiss him for that, good widow.

       

KATE

KATE     ‘He that is giddy thinks the world turns round.’

               I pray you tell me what you meant by that.

       

WIDOW

WIDOW     Your husband, being troubled with a shrew,

30

30           Measures my husband’s sorrow by his woe:

               And now you know my meaning.

       

KATE

KATE     A very mean³² meaning.

       

WIDOW

WIDOW     Right, I mean you.

       

KATE

KATE     And I am mean³⁴ indeed, respecting you.

35

35   

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO           To her,³⁵ Kate!

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     To her, widow!

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     A hundred marks,³⁷ my Kate does put her down.

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     That’s my office.³⁸

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Spoke like an officer. Ha’ to thee, lad!

       Drinks to Hortensio

40

40   

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA           How likes Gremio these quick-witted folks?

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     Believe me, sir, they butt⁴¹ together well.

       

BIANCA

BIANCA     Head, and butt!⁴² An hasty-witted body

               Would say your head and butt were head and horn.⁴³

       

VINCENTIO

VINCENTIO     Ay, mistress bride, hath that awakened you?

45

45   

BIANCA

BIANCA           Ay, but not frighted me: therefore I’ll sleep again.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Nay, that you shall not. Since you have begun,

               Have at you⁴⁷ for a bitter jest or two.

       

BIANCA

BIANCA     Am I your bird?⁴⁸ I mean to shift my bush,

               And then pursue me as you draw your bow.⁴⁹

50

50           You are welcome all.

       Exeunt Bianca, [Katherina and Widow]

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     She hath prevented⁵¹ me. Here, Signior Tranio,

               This bird you aimed at, though you hit⁵² her not:

               Therefore a health⁵³ to all that shot and missed. Makes a toast

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     O, sir, Lucentio slipped⁵⁴ me like his greyhound,

55

55           Which runs himself and catches for his master.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     A good swift simile, but something currish.⁵⁶

       

TRANIO

TRANIO     ’Tis well, sir, that you hunted for yourself:

               ’Tis thought your deer⁵⁸ does hold you at a bay.

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     O, O, Petruchio! Tranio hits you now.

60

60   

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO           I thank thee for that gird,⁶⁰ good Tranio.

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Confess, confess, hath he not hit you here?

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     A has a little galled⁶² me, I confess.

               And as the jest did glance away from⁶³ me,

               ’Tis ten to one it maimed you two outright.

65

65   

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA           Now, in good sadness,⁶⁵ son Petruchio,

               I think thou hast the veriest⁶⁶ shrew of all.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Well, I say no: and therefore for assurance⁶⁷

               Let’s each one send unto his wife,

               And he whose wife is most obedient

70

70           To come at first when he doth send for her,

               Shall win the wager which we will propose.

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Content. What’s the wager?

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     Twenty crowns.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Twenty crowns?

75

75           I’ll venture so much of⁷⁵ my hawk or hound,

               But twenty times so much upon my wife.

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     A hundred then.

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Content.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     A match! ’Tis done.

80

80   

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO           Who shall begin?

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     That will I.

               Go, Biondello, bid your mistress come to me.

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     I go.

       Exit

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Son, I’ll be your half,⁸⁴ Bianca comes.

85

85   

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO           I’ll have no halves. I’ll bear it all myself.

       Enter Biondello

               How now? What news?

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     Sir, my mistress sends you word

               That she is busy and she cannot come.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     How?⁸⁹ She’s busy and she cannot come?

90

90           Is that an answer?

       

GREMIO

GREMIO     Ay, and a kind one too.

               Pray God, sir, your wife send you not a worse.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     I hope better.

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     Sirrah Biondello, go and entreat my wife

95

95           To come to me forthwith.

       Exit Biondello

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     O, ho, entreat her?

               Nay, then she must needs⁹⁷ come.

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     I am afraid, sir,

               Do what you can,

       Enter Biondello yours will not be entreated.

100

100         Now, where’s my wife?

       

BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO     She says you have some goodly jest in hand.

               She will not come. She bids you come to her.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Worse and worse, she will not come! O, vile,

               Intolerable, not to be endured!

105

105         Sirrah Grumio, go to your mistress,

               Say, I command her come to me.

       Exit [Grumio]

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     I know her answer.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     What?

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     She will not.

110

110 

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO             The¹¹⁰ fouler fortune mine, and there an end.

       Enter Katherina

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Now, by my holidame,¹¹¹ here comes Katherina!

       

KATE

KATE     What is your will, sir, that you send for me?

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Where is your sister, and Hortensio’s wife?

       

KATE

KATE     They sit conferring¹¹⁴ by the parlour fire.

115

115 

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO             Go fetch them hither. If they deny to come,

               Swinge¹¹⁶ me them soundly forth unto their husbands.

               Away, I say, and bring them hither straight.

       [Exit Katherina]

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     Here is a wonder, if you talk of a wonder.

       

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO     And so it is: I wonder what it bodes.

120

120 

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO             Marry, peace it bodes, and love and quiet life,

               And awful¹²¹ rule and right supremacy,

               And, to be short, what not¹²² that’s sweet and happy.

       

BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA     Now, fair befall thee,¹²³ good Petruchio;

               The wager thou hast won, and I will add

125

125         Unto their losses twenty thousand crowns,

               Another dowry to another daughter,

               For she is changed, as¹²⁷ she had never been.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Nay, I will win my wager better yet

               And show more sign of her obedience,

130

130         Her new-built virtue and obedience.

       Enter Kate, Bianca and Widow

               See where she comes and brings your froward wives

               As prisoners to her womanly persuasion.—

               Katherine, that cap of yours becomes you not.

               Off with that bauble, throw it underfoot. Kate throws the cap on the ground

135

135 

WIDOW

WIDOW             Lord, let me never have a cause to sigh,

               Till I be brought to such a silly pass!¹³⁶

       

BIANCA

BIANCA     Fie! What a foolish¹³⁷ duty call you this?

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     I would your duty were as foolish too:

               The wisdom of your duty, fair Bianca,

140

140         Hath cost me five hundred crowns since suppertime.

       

BIANCA

BIANCA     The more fool you for laying¹⁴¹ on my duty.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Katherine, I charge thee tell these headstrong women

               What duty they do owe their lords and husbands.

       

WIDOW

WIDOW     Come, come, you’re mocking. We will have no telling.

145

145 

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO             Come on, I say, and first begin with her.

       

WIDOW

WIDOW     She shall not.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     I say she shall, and first begin with her.

       

KATE

KATE     Fie, fie! Unknit¹⁴⁸ that threat’ning unkind brow, To the Widow

               And dart not scornful glances from those eyes,

150

150         To wound thy lord, thy king, thy governor.

               It blots thy beauty as frosts do bite the meads,¹⁵¹

               Confounds thy fame¹⁵² as whirlwinds shake fair buds,

               And in no sense is meet¹⁵³ or amiable.

               A woman moved¹⁵⁴ is like a fountain troubled,

155

155         Muddy, ill-seeming,¹⁵⁵ thick, bereft of beauty,

               And while it is so, none so dry or thirsty

               Will deign to sip or touch one drop of it.

               Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper,

               Thy head, thy sovereign: one that cares for thee,

160

160         And for thy maintenance commits his body

               To painful¹⁶¹ labour both by sea and land,

               To watch¹⁶² the night in storms, the day in cold,

               Whilst thou liest warm at home, secure and safe,

               And craves no other tribute at thy hands

165

165         But love, fair looks and true obedience;

               Too little payment for so great a debt.—

               Such duty as the subject owes the prince To all?

               Even such a woman oweth to her husband.

               And when she is froward, peevish,¹⁶⁹ sullen, sour,

170

170         And not obedient to his honest¹⁷⁰ will,

               What is she but a foul contending rebel

               And graceless¹⁷² traitor to her loving lord?

               I am ashamed that women are so simple¹⁷³

               To offer war where they should kneel for peace,

175

175         Or seek for rule, supremacy and sway,¹⁷⁵

               When they are bound¹⁷⁶ to serve, love and obey.

               Why are our bodies soft and weak and smooth,

               Unapt¹⁷⁸ to toil and trouble in the world,

               But that our soft¹⁷⁹ conditions and our hearts

180

180         Should well agree with our external parts?—

               Come, come, you froward and unable¹⁸¹ worms, To all the Women

               My mind hath been as big¹⁸² as one of yours,

               My heart as great, my reason haply¹⁸³ more,

               To bandy¹⁸⁴ word for word and frown for frown;

185

185         But now I see our lances are but straws,

               Our strength as weak, our weakness past compare,

               That¹⁸⁷ seeming to be most which we indeed least are.

               Then vail your stomachs,¹⁸⁸ for it is no boot,

               And place your hands below your husband’s foot:

190

190         In token of which duty, if he please,

               My hand is ready, may it do him ease.¹⁹¹

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Why, there’s a wench! Come on, and kiss me, Kate. They kiss

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     Well, go thy ways,¹⁹³ old lad, for thou shalt ha’t.

       

VINCENTIO

VINCENTIO     ’Tis¹⁹⁴ a good hearing when children are toward.

195

195 

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO             But a harsh hearing when women are froward.

       

PETRUCHIO

PETRUCHIO     Come, Kate, we’ll to bed.

               We three¹⁹⁷ are married, but you two are sped.

               ’Twas I won the wager, though you hit the white.¹⁹⁸ To Lucentio

               And being a winner, God give you goodnight!

Exeunt Petruchio [and Katherina]

200

200 

HORTENSIO

HORTENSIO             Now, go thy ways. Thou hast tamed a curst shrew.²⁰⁰

       

LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO     ’Tis a wonder, by your leave, she will be tamed so.

Textual Notes

Q = First Quarto text of The Taming of a Shrew (1594)

F = First Folio text of 1623

F2 = a correction introduced in the Second Folio text of 1632

F3 = a correction introduced in the Third Folio text of 1664

Ed = a correction introduced by a later editor

SD = stage direction

SH = speech heading (i.e., speaker’s name)

List of parts = Ed

Ind.1.0 SD Christopher = Ed. F = Christophero 1 SH SLY = Ed. F = Begger 7 thirdborough = Ed. F = Headborough 16 SH FIRST HUNTSMAN = Ed. F = Hunts. 83 SH FIRST PLAYER = Ed. F = Sincklo 95 SH FIRST PLAYER = Ed. F = Plai.

Ind.2.2 lordship = Q. F = Lord 17 fourteen pence = Ed. F = xiiii d. 94 SH PAGE = Ed. F = Lady. or La. (throughout) 128 play it. Is = Ed. F = play, it is 132 a = F2. F = a a

1.1.0 SD Tranio = F2. F = Triano 13 Vincentio = Ed. F = Vincentio’s 14 brought = Q. F = brough 25 Mi = Ed. F = Me 47 SD Katherina = F2. F = Katerina SD suitor = F2 (spelled shuiter). F = sister 149 captum = F2. F = captam 197 coloured = F2. F = Conlord 234 your = F2. F = you

1.2.23 Con tutto il cuore, ben trovato = Ed. F = contutti le core bene trobatto 24 molto honorato = Ed. F = multo honorato 29 pip = Ed. F = peepe 67 she as = F2. F = she is as 109 me and other = Ed. F = me. Other 159 me to = Ed. F = one to 177 Antonio’s = Ed. F = Butonios 257 feat = Ed. F = seeke

2.1.8 thee tell = F2. F = tel 75 Neighbour = Ed. F = neighbors 77 unto you = Ed. F = vnto 197 joint = Ed. F = ioyn’d 248 askance = Ed. F = a sconce 331 in = Ed. F = me 377 Marseillis = Ed. F = Marcellus

3.1.28 Sigeia = F2. F = sigeria 44–7 assigned to Lucentio in F 47 SH BIANCA = Ed. Not in F 48 SH LUCENTIO = Ed. F = Bian. 50 SH BIANCA = Ed. F = Hort. 63 gamut = Ed. F = gamoth or gamouth (throughout scene) 77 change = F2. F = charge 78 SH MESSENGER = Ed. F = Nicke.

3.2.16 Make feasts, invite friends = Ed. F = Make friends, inuite 29 of thy = F2. F = of 30 Old news = Ed. F = newes 32 hear = Q. F = heard 47 swayed = Ed.F = Waid 117 before l = F2. F = before 140 grumbling = F2. F = grumlling 187 SH GREMIO = F2 (Gre.). F = Gra.

3.3.17 SH CURTIS = Q. F = Gru.

3.4.4 SH HORTENSIO = F2. F = Luc. 6 SH LUCENTIO = F2. F = Hor. 7 you? First = Ed. F = you first, 8 SH LUCENTIO = F2. F = Hor. 13 none = Ed. F = me 31 her = F3. F = them 74 Take = F2. F = Par. Take in = Ed. Not in F

4.1.65 SH HABERDASHER = Ed. F = Fel. 84 is a = Q. F = is 91 like a = Q. F = like 174 account’st = Ed. F = accountedst

4.2.1 Sir = Ed. F = Sirs 5 Where = Ed. F = Tra. Where 18 SD Enter…Lucentio F mistakenly repeats an entrance direction for the Pedant 54 haply = Ed. F = happilie 87 except = F2. F = expect

4.3.19 is = Q. F = in 38 where = F2. F = whether 79 she be = F2. F = she

4.4.5 master’s = Ed. F = mistris 38 master’s = F2. F = Mistris 59 Tranio = F2. F = Tronio 114 No = Q. F = Mo

5.1.2 done = Ed. F = come 39 thee = Q. F = the 64 two = Ed. F = too 67 for = F2. F = sir