TAMIN G

OF THE

SHRE W.

A Lord, before whom the Play is supposed to be play'd.
CHRISTOPHER SLY, a drunken Tinker.

Hoftefs.

Page, Players, Huntfmen, and other Servants attending on the Lord.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

BAPTISTA, Father to KATHARINA and BIANCA; very rich. VINCENTIO, an old Gentleman of Pifa.

LUCENTIO, Son to VINCENTIO, in love with BIANCA. PETRUCHIO, a Gentleman of Verona, a fuitor to KAS

GREMIO,

THARINA.

HORTENSIO, } Pretenders to BIANCA.

TRANIO,

BIONDELLO,

} Servants to LUCENTIO.

GRUMIO, Servant to PETRUCHIO.

PEDANT, an old Fellow fet up to perfonate VINCENTIO.

KATHARINA, the Shrew.

BIANCA, her Sifter.

Widow.

Taylor, Haberdasher; with Servants attending on BAPTISTA,

and PETRUCHIO.

SCENE-fometimes in Padua; and fometimes in Petruchio's Houfe in the Country.

THIS PLAY was formed principally upon an old comedy, with the fame title, as appears from a variety of clofe imitations; fome of the incidents were taken from Gascoigne's comedy of the Suppofes: it was written about the year 1606.

TAMING

OF THE

SHRE W.

INDUCTION.

a

SCENE I.

Before an Alehoufe on a Heath.

Enter Hoftefs and Sly.

Sly. I'll pheese you, in faith.

Hoft. A pair of stocks, you rogue!

Sly. Y'are a baggage; the Slies are no rogues: Look in the chronicles, we came in with Richard Conqueror. Therefore, paucas pallabris ;· let the world slide: Sessa! Hoft. You will not pay for the glaffes you have burst?

a

d

pheefe]-comb your head, curry, drub.
rogues:]-vagrants, vulgar fellows.

• William.

pocas pallabras - few words; let the world flip, wag on; -be quiet, ceffa.

VOL. II.

braft, broken.

Sly. No, not a denier: Go by, Jeronimy ;-Go to thy cold bed, and warm thee.

Hoft. I know my remedy, I must go fetch the thirdborough. [Exit.

Sly. Third, or fourth, or fifth borough, I'll answer him by law I'll not budge an inch, boy; let him come, and kindly. [Falls afleep.

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

Lord. Huntsman, I charge thee, tender well my hounds: Brach Merriman,-the poor cur is imboft,And couple Clowder with the deep-mouth'd brach. Saw'st thou not, boy, how Silver made it good At the hedge-corner, in the coldeft fault? I would not lofe the dog for twenty pound.

k

Hun. Why, Belman is as good as he, my lord: 'He cried upon it at the meerest loss,

m

And twice to-day pick'd out the dulleft fcent:
Trust me, I take him for the better dog.

Lord. Thou art a fool; if Eccho were as fleet,
I would esteem him worth a dozen fuch.

But fup them well, and look unto them all,
To-morrow I intend to hunt again.

Hun. I will, my lord.

f No, not a denier :]-No, not a farthing.

8 Go by, Jeronimy ;-Go to thy cold bed, and warm thee.]-" Don't be troublesome, don't interrupt me, go by."-A burlesque of two of Hieronimo's fpeeches in the Spanish Tragedy is here plainly intended. Hieronimo beware; go by, go by."

"What outcries pluck me from my naked bed ?" thirdborough,]-conftable-Headborough.

i Brach Merriman,—the poor cur is imboft,]-The beagle's joints are fwollen.

in the coldest fault?]-when the trail had been long loft.

1 He cried upon it at the meereft lofs,]-babbled, gave his tongue on

the first lofs of scent.

pick'd out the dulleft fcent :]-hunted upon the weakest.

Lord.

Lord. What's here? one dead, or drunk? See, doth

he breathe?

2 Hun. He breathes, my lord: Were he not warm'd with ale,

This were a bed but cold to fleep fo foundly.

Lord. O monftrous beaft! how like a fwine he lies! Grim death, how foul and loathfome is thine image!Sirs, I will practise on this drunken man.

What think you, if he were convey'd to bed,
Wrap'd in fweet cloaths, rings put upon his fingers,
A most delicious banquet by his bed,

And brave attendants near him when he wakes,
Would not the beggar then forget himself?

1 Hun. Believe, me, lord, I think he cannot chufe. 2 Hun. It would seem strange unto him when he wak'd. Lord. Even as a flattering dream, or worthless fancy. Then take him up, and manage well the jeft:

Carry him gently to my faireft chamber,

And hang it round with all my wanton pictures:
"Balm his foul head with warm diftilled waters,
And burn fweet wood to make the lodging fweet:
Procure me mufick ready when he wakes,
To make a dulcet and a heavenly found;
And if he chance to speak, be ready ftraight,
And, with a low fubmiffive reverence,
Say, What is it your honour will command?
Let one attend him with a filver bafon,

Full of rofe-water, and beftrew'd with flowers;
Another bear the ewer, the third a diaper,

And fay,-Will't please your lordship cool your hands?
Some one be ready with a costly suit,

And ask him what apparel he will wear;

Another tell him of his hounds and horse,