That, were my state far worser than it is,
I would not wed her for a mine of gold.

Pet. Hortensio, peace; thou know'st not gold's effect.

Tell me her father's name, and 'tis enough;
For I will board her, though she chide as loud
As thunder, when the clouds in autumn crack.
Hor. Her father is Baptista Minola,

An affable and courteous gentleman:
Her name is Katharina Minola,

Renown'd in Padua for her scolding tongue.
Pet. I know her father, though I know not her;
And he knew my deceased father well:-
I will not sleep, Hortensio, till I see her;
And therefore let me be thus bold with you,
To give you over at this first encounter,
Unless you will accompany me thither.

Gru. I pray you, Sir, let him go while the humour 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 score knaves, or so: why, that's nothing; an he begin once, he'll rail in his rope-tricks. Pli tell you what, Sir,-an she stand him but a little, he will throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure her with it, that she shall have no more eyes to see withal than a cat; you know him not, Sir. Hor. Tarry, Petruchio, I must go with thee; For in Baptista's keep my treasure is: He hath the jewel of my life in hold, His youngest daughter, beautiful Bianca; And her withholds from me, and othér more Suitors to her, and rivals in my love: Supposing it a thing impossible,

(For those defects I have before rehearsed,)
That ever Katharina will be woo'd,

Therefore, this order hath Baptista ta'en ;-
That none shall have access unto Bianca,
Till Katharine the curst have got a husband.
Gru. Katharine the curst!

A title for a maid, of all titles the worst.

Hor. Now shall my friend Petruchio do me

grace;

And offer me, disguised in sober robes,

To old Baptista as a school-master

Well seen in music, to instruct Bianca:

Abusive language.
These measures.

+ Custody.

§ Versed.

That so I may by this device, at least,

Have leave and leisure to make love to her,
And, unsuspected, court her by herself.

Enter GREMIO; with him LUCENTIO disguised, with Books under his arm.

Gru. Here's no knavery! See; to beguile the old folks, how the young folks lay their heads together! Master, master, look about you: Who goes there? Ha!

Hor. Peace, Grumio; 'tis the rival of my love:Petruchio, stand by a while.

Gru. A proper stripling, and an amorous!

[They retire. Gre. O, very well; I have perused the note, Hark you, Sir; I'll have them very fairly bound All books of love, see that at any hand; And see you read no other lectures to her: You understand me. Over and beside

Signior Baptista's liberality,

I'i mend it with d largess +:-Take your papers

And let me have them very well perfumed
For she is sweeter than perfume itself,

To whom they go. What will you read to her?
Luc. Whate'er I read to her, P'il plead for you,
As for my patron, (stand you so assured,)
As firmly as yourself were still in place:

Yea, and (perhaps) with more successful words.
Than you, unless you were a scholar, Sir.
Gre. O this learning! What a thing it is!
Gru. O this woodcock! What an ass it is!

Pet. Peace, sirrah.

Hor. Grumio, mum!-God save you, signior Gremio!

Gre. And you're well met, signior Hortensio. Trow you,

Whither I am going!-To Baptista Minola.

I promised to enquire carefully

About a school-master for fair Bianca:
And, by good fortune, I have lighted well

On this young man; for learning, and behaviour,
Fit for her turn; well read in poetry,

And other books,-good ones, I warrant you.
Hor. 'Tis well; and I have met a gentleman,
Hath promised me to help me to another,
A fine musician to instruct our mistress;

So shall I no whit be behind in duty-
To fair Bianca, so beloved of me.

Gre. Beloved of me,-and that my deeds shall

prove.

Gru. And that his bags shall prove.

[Aside.

Hor. Gremio, 'tis now no time to vent our

love:

Listen to me, and if you speak me fair,
I'll tell you news indifferent good for either,
Here is a gentleman, whom by chance I met,
Upon agreement from us to his liking,
Will undertake to woo curst Katharine ;
Yea, and to marry her, if her dowry please.
Gre. So said, so done, is well-

Hortensio, have you told him all her faults?
Pet. I know, she is an irksome brawling scold;
If that be all, masters, I hear no harm.

Gre. No, say'st me so, friend? What countryman ?
Pet. 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.

Gre. O, Sir, such a life, with such a wife, were strauge!

But, if you have a stomach to't, o' God's name;
You shall have me assisting you in all.
But will you woo this wild cat?

Pet. Will I live?

Gru. Will he woo her? Ay, or I'll hang her.

[Aside. Pet. 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, puff'd up with winds, Rage like an angry boar, chafed with sweat! Have I not heard great ordnance in the field, And heaven's artillery thunder in the skies? Have I not in a pitched battle heard

Loud 'larums, neighing steeds, and trumpets clang?
And do you tell me of a woman's tongue;

That gives not half so great a blow to the ear,
As will a chesnut in a farmer's fire?

Tush! Tush! Fear boys with bugs.

Gru. For he fears none.

Gre. Hortensio, hark!

This gentleman is happily arrived,

[Aside.

My mind presumes, for his own good and yours. Hor. I promised, we would be contributors,

Fright boys with bug-bears.

And bear his charge of wooing, whatsoe'er,
Gre. And so we will; provided, that he win her.
Gru. I would, I were as sure of a good dinner.
[Aside.

Enter TRANIO, bravely apparell'd; and BIONDELLO.
Tra. Gentlemen, God save you! If I may be bold,
Tell me, I beseech you, which is the readiest way
To the house of signior Baptista Minola?

Gre. He that has the two fair daughters-is't [Aside to Tranio.] he you mean?

Tra. Even he. Biondello !

Gre. Hark you, Sir; you mean not her toTra. Perhaps, him and her, Sir; What have you to do!

Pet. Not her that chides, Sir, at any hand, I pray.

Tra. I love no chiders, Sir:-Biondello let's

away.

LAC. Well begun, Tranio.

Hor. Sir, a word ere you go ;

[Aside.

Are you a suitor to the maid you talk of, yea, or no? Tra. An if I be, Sir, is it any offence? (hence. Gre. No, if, without more words, you will get you Tra. Why, Sir, I pray, are not the streets as free For me, as for you?

Gre. But so is not she.

Tra. For what reason, I beseech you?

Gre. For this reason, if you'll know,-
That she's the choice love of signior Gremio.
Hor. That she's the chosen of signior Hortensio.
Tra. Softly, my masters! if you be gentlemen,
Do me this right,-hear me with patience.
Baptista is a noble gentleman,

To whom my father is not all unknown;
And, were his daughter fairer than she is,
She may more suitors have, and me for one.
Fair Leda's daughter had a thousand wooers;
Then well one more may fair Bianca have :
And so she shall; Lucentio shall make one,
Though Paris came, in hope to speed alone."
Gre. What! This gentleman will out-talk us all. -
Luc. Sir, give him head; I know, he'll prove a jade.
Pet. Hortensio, to what end are all these words?
Hor. Sir, let me be so bold as to ask you,
Did you yet ever see Baptista's daughter?
Tra. No, Sir; but hear I do, that he hath two;
The one as famous for a scolding tongue,
As is the other for beauteous modesty.

Pet. Sir, Sir, the first's for me; let her go by. Gre. Yea, leave that labour to great Hercules; And let it be more than Alcides' twelve.

Pet. Sir, understand you this of me in sooth ;The youngest daughter, whom you hearken for, 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. Tra. If it be so, Sir, that you are the man Must stead us all, and me among the rest; And if you break the ice, and do this feat,Achieve the elder, set the younger free

For our access,-whose hap shall be to have her, Will not so graceless be, to be ingrate.

Hor. Sir, you say well, and well you do conceive;

And since you do profess to be a suitor,

You must, as we do, gratify this gentleman,
To whom we all rest generally beholden."

Tra. Sir, I shall not be slack; in sign whereof,
Please ye we may contrive this afternoon,
And quaff carouses to our mistress' health;
And do as adversaries do in law,-

Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.
Gru. Bion. O excellent motion! Fellows t, let's be

gone.

Hor. The motion's good indeed, and be it so ;Petruchio, I shall be your ben venuto. [Exeunt

ACT II,

SCENE 1.-The same.-A Room in BAPTISTA'S House.

Enter KATHARINE and BIANCO.

Bian. Good sister, wrong me not, nor wrong
yourself,

To make a bondmaid and a slave of me;
That I disdain: but for these other gawds t
Unbind my hands, I'll pull them off myself,
Yea, all my raiment, to my petticoat;
Or, what you will command me, will I do,
So well I know my duty to my elders.

Kath. Of all thy suitors, here I charge thee, tell Whom thou lovest best: see thou dissemble not.

• Ungrateful.

Trifling ornaments.

+ Companions.