Luc. Gramercies, Tranio, well dost thou advise. If, Biondello, thou wert come ashore, We could at once put us in readiness, And take a lodging fit to entertain Tra. Master, some show, to welcome us to town. Enter BAPTISTA, KATHARINA, BIANCA, GREMIO, and Because I know you well, and love you well, Unless you were of gentler, milder mould. Kath. I'faith, sir, you shall never need to fear; I wis10, it is not half way to her heart; But if it were, doubt not her care should be To comb your noddle with a three-legg'd stool, And paint your face, and use you like a fool. Hor. From all such devils, good Lord, deliver us! Gre. And me too, good Lord! Tra. Hush, master! here is some good pastime toward; That wench is stark mad, or wonderful froward, 9 She means 'do you intend to make a strumpet of me among these companions? But the expression seems to have a quibbling allusion to the chess term of stale-mate. So in Bacon's twelfth Essay: "They stand like a stale at chess, where it is no mate, but yet the game cannot stir. Shakspeare sometimes uses stale for a decoy, as in the second scene of the third act of this play. 10 Think, Luc. But in the other's silence I do see Tra. Well said, master; mum! and gaze your fill, Put finger in the eye,-an she knew why. Luc. Hark, Tranio! thou may'st hear Minerva speak. [Aside. Hor. Signior Baptista, will you be so strange1?? Sorry am I that our goodwill effects Bianca's grief. Gre. Why, will you mew13 her up, Signior Baptista, for this fiend of hell, And make her bear the penance of her tongue Bap. Gentlemen, content ye; I am resolv'd:Go in, Bianca. [Exit BIANCA. And for I know, she taketh most delight In music, instruments, and poetry, Schoolmasters will I keep within my house, Fit to instruct her youth.-If you, Hortensio, Or signior Gremio, you, know any such, Prefer14 them hither; for to cunning15 men I will be very kind, and liberal To mine own children in good bringing up; 11 Pet. 12 i. e. so odd, so different from others in your conduct. 13 To mew up, was to confine, or shut up close, as it was the custom to confine hawks while they mew'd or moulted. F. note on K. Richard III. Act i. Sc. 1. 14 Recommend. ob 15 Cunning has not yet lost its original signification of knowing, learned, as may be observed in the translation of the Bible. And so farewell. Katharina, you may stay: For I have more to commune with Bianca. [Exit. Kath. Why, and I trust, I may go too: May I not? What, shall I be appointed hours; as though, belike, I knew not what to take and what to leave? Ha! [Exit. Gre. You may go to the devil's dam: your gifts 16 are so good, here is none will hold you. Their 17 love is not so great, Hortensio, but we may blow our nails together, and fast it fairly out; our cake's dough on both sides. Farewell.-Yet, for the love I bear my sweet Bianca, if I can by any means light on a man to teach her that wherein she delights, I will wish18 him to her father. Hor. So will I, signior Gremio: but a word, I pray. Though the nature of our quarrel yet never brook'd parle, know now, upon advice19, it toucheth us both, that we may yet again have access to our fair mistress, and be happy rivals in Bianca's love, to labour and effect one thing 'specially. Gre. What's that, I pray? Hor. Marry, sir, to get a husband for her sister. Gre. A husband! a devil, Hor. I say, a husband. Gre. I say, a devil: Think'st thom, Hortensio, though her father be very rich, any man is so very a fool to be married to hell? Hor. Tush, Gremio, though it pass your patience, and mine, to endure her loud alarums, why, man, there be good fellows in the world, an a man could light on them, would take her with all faults, and money enough. Gre. I cannot tell; but I had as lief take her dowry with this condition, to be whipped at the high-cross every morning, 16 Endowments. 17 It seems that we should read-Your love, yr. in old writing stood for either their or your. If their love be right, it must mean-the goodwill of Baptista and Bianca towards us, 18 i. e. I will recommend him. 19 Consideration, or reflection. Hor. 'Faith, as you say, there's small choice in rotten apples. But, come; since this bar in law makes us friends, it shall be so far forth friendly maintained, till by helping Baptista's eldest daughter to a husband, we set his youngest free for a husband, and then have to't afresh.-Sweet Bianca! Happy man be his dole20! He that runs fastest, gets the ring21. How say you, signior Gremio? Gre. I am agreed: and 'would I had given him the best horse in Padua to begin his wooing, that would thoroughly woo her, wed her, and bed her, and rid the house of her. Come on. [Exeunt GREMIO and HORTENSIO. Tra. [Advancing.] I pray, sir, tell me,-Is it possible That love should of a sudden take such hold? Tra. Master, it is no time to chide you now; If love have touch'd you, nought remains but so,Redime te captum quam queas minimo23, 20 A proverbial expression. Dole is lot, portion. The phrase is of very common occurrence. We have a similar expression in Beaumont and Fletcher's Cupid's Revenge: "Then happy man be his fortune! 21 The allusion is to the sport of running at the ring, or some similar game. 22 Is not driven out by chiding, 23 This line is quoted as it appears in Lilly's Grammar, and not as it is in Terence, See Farmer's Essay on the Learning of Shakspeare. Vol. IH, 15 Luc. Gramercies, lad; go forward; this contents; The rest will comfort, for thy counsel's sound. Tra. Master, you look'd so longly24 on the maid, Perhaps you mark'd not what's the pith of all. Luc. O yes, I saw sweet beauty in her face, Such as the daughter25 of Agenor had, That made great Jove to humble him to her hand, Began to scold; and raise up such a storm, Tra. Nay, then, 'tis time to stir him from his trance, I pray, awake, sir; If you love the maid, Bend thoughts and wits to achieve her. Thus it stands: Her elder sister is so curst and shrewd, Tra. Master, for my hand, Both our inventions meet and jump in one. Tra. You will be schoolmaster, And undertake the teaching of the maid: Luc. 24 Longingly. 25 Europa. It is: May it be done? |