An affable and courteous gentleman;

Her name is Catharina Minola,

Renowned in Padua for her fcolding tongue.

Pet. I know her father, though I know not her;

And he knew my, deceafed father well..

1 will not fleep, Hortenfio, 'till I fee her;

And therefore let me be thus bold with you,
To give you over at this first encounter,
Unlefs you will accompany me thither.

Gru. I pray you, Sir, let him go while the humour lafts. O' my word, an the knew him as well as I do, fhe would think icolding would do little good upon him. She may, perhaps, call him half a fcore knaves, or fo: why, that's nothing; an' he begin once, he'll rail in her rope-tricks. I'll tell you what, Sir, an' the ftand him but a little, he will throw a figure in her face, and fo disfigure her with it, that the fhall have no more eyes to fee withal than a cat; you know him, not, Sir.

Hor. Tarry, Petruchio, I must go
with thee,
For in Baptifta's house my treasure is :
He hath the jewel of my life in hold,
His youngest daughter, beautiful Bianca;

(9) And her with-holds he from me, and others Suitors to her, and rivals in my love:

Suppofing it a thing impoflible,

(For thole defects I have before rehearsed),

That ever Catharina will be woo'd;
Therefore this order hath Baptista ta'en,
That none fhall have accefs unto Bianca,

"Till Catharine the curft have got a husband.

1

[more

(9) And her with-holds he from me. Other more fuitors to her, and rivals in my love, &c.] The editors, in this carelessness of their pointing, have made ftark nopfenfe of this, paffage. The regulation which I have given to the text, was dictated to me by the ingenious Dr Thirlby....

Gru. Catharine the curft?

A title for a maid of all titles the worst!

T

Hor. Now fall my friend Petruchio do me grace, And offer me disguised in fober robes To old Baptifta as a schoolmaster, Well feen in mufic, to inftru&t Bianca; That fo I may by this device, at least, Have leave and leifure to make love to her, And, unfufpected, court her by herself.

Enter GREMIO, and LUCENTIO disguised.

Gru. Here's no knavery! fee, to beguile the old folks, how the young folks lay their heads together. Mafter, look about you: who goes there? ha. Hor. Peace, Grumio, 'tis the rival of my love. Petruchio, ftand by a while.

Gru. A proper ftripling, and an amorous.----Gre. O, very well; I have perused the note. Hark you, Sir, I'll have them very fairly bound, All books of love; fee that, at any hand; And fee you read no other lectures to her: You understand me-----Over and befide

Signior Baptifta's liberality,

I'll mend it with a largefs. Take your papers too, And let me have them very well perfumed;

For the is sweeter than perfume itself,

To whom they go: what will you read to her?
Luc. Whate'er I read to her, I'll plead for you,
As for my patron, ftand you so affured,
As firmly as yourself were still in place;
Yea, and perhaps, with more fuccessful words
Than you, unlef's you were a fcholar, Sir.

Gre. Oh, this learning what a thing it is!
Gru. Oh, this woodcock, what an afs it is !---
Pet, Peace, Sirrah.

Hor. Grumio, mum! God save you, Signior

Gre. And you are well met, Signior Hortenfio. Trow you whither I am going? to Baptifta Minola; I promised to enquire carefully about a fchoolma fter for the 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 ye.

Hor. 'Tis well; and I have met a gentleman:
Hath promifed me to help me to another,
A fine musician to inftruct our mistress ;
So thall I no whit be behind in duty
To fair Bianca, fo beloved of me.

Gre. Beloved of me,--and that my deeds fhall
Gru. And that his bags fhall prove.

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

Liften 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 curft Catharine;
Yea, and to marry her, if her dowry pleafe.
Gre, So faid, fo done, is well;-----
Hortenfio, have you told him all her faults?

Petu I know the is an irkfome brawling fcold; If that be all, mafters, I hear no harm.

Gre. No, fayeft me fo, friend? what countryman? Pet. Born in Verona, old Antonio's fon

;

My father's dead, my fortune lives for me,
And I do hope good days and long to fee.
Gre. Oh, Sir, fuch a life with fuch a wife were
frange;

But if

you have a ftomach to't, o' God's name: You shall have me affifting you in all.

But will you weò this wild-cat?

Pet. Will I live?

Gru. Will he woo her? ay, or I'll hang her.
VOL. IV.

S

Pet. Why came I hither, but to that intent? Think you a little din can daunt my ears? Have I not in my time heard lions roar? Have I not heard the fea, puffed up with winds, Rage like an angry boar, chafed with fweat?e Have I not heard great ordnance in the field? And Heav'n's artillery thunder in the skies? Have I not in a pitched battle heard:

Loud larums, neighing fteeds, and trumpet's clang?
And do you tell me of a woman's tongue,

That gives not half fo great a blow to hear,
As will a chefnut in a farmer's fire?

Tufh, tufh, fear boys with bugs.

Gru. For he fears none.-----
Gre. Hortenfio, hark:

{ "

This gentleman is happily arrived,,

My mind prefumes, for his own good and ours. I Hor. I promised we would be contributers, And bear his charge of wooing whatfoe'er..

Gre. And fo we will, provided that he win her. Gru. I would I were as fure of a good dinner. To them TRANIO bravely apparelled, and BIONDELLO.

Tra. Gentlemen, God fave you. If I may be bold, tell me, I befeech you, which is the readiest way to the house of Signior Baptista Minola?

Bion. He that has the two fair daughters? is't he you mean?

Tra. Even he, Biondello..

Gre. Hark you, Sir, you mean not her, to----Tra. Perhaps, him and her; 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.

Luc. Well begun, Tranio..

Hor. Sir, a word ere you go:

Are you a fuitor to the maid you talk of, yea or no? Tra. An if I be, Sir, is it any offence?

Gre. No; if without more words you will get you hence.

Tra. Why, Sir, I pray, are not the streets as free for me, as for you?

Gre. But fo is not the.

Tra. For what reafon, I beseech you?
Gre, For this reafon, if you'll know,

That the's the choice love of Signior Gremio.
Hor. That he's the chofen of Signior Hortenfio.
Tra. Softly, my mafters; if you be gentlemen,
Do me this right; hear me with patience.
Baptifta is a noble gentleman,

To whom my father is not all unknown;
And, were his daughter fairer than she is,
She may more fuitors have, and me for one.
Fair Leda's daughter had a thousand wooers;
Then well one more may fair Bianca have,
And fo the fhall. Lucentio fhall make one,
Tho' 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. Hortenfio, to what end are all these words? Hor. Sir, let me be fo bold as to ask you, Did you yet ever fee Baptifta's daughter? Tra. No, Sir; but here I do, that he hath two; The one as famous for a scolding tongue, As the other is for beauteous modefty.

Pet. Sir, Sir, the firft'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 footh: