PET. I pray you do; I will attend her here,— And woo her with some spirit when she comes. Say, that she frown; I'll say, she looks as clear And say she uttereth piercing eloquence : Enter KATHARINA. Good-morrow, Kate 2; for that's your name, I hear. As morning roses newly wASH'D WITH DEW:] So, Milton in his L'Allegro : There on beds of violets blue, "And fresh-blown roses wash'd in dew." So, in Barnaby Riche's Farewell to Militarie Profession : 66 lamenting with teares that trickled down her cheekes, like droppes of dew upon roses in a Maie morning." So also, in the old Taming of a Shrew, as Mr. Todd observes : "As glorious as the morning washt with dew." MALONE. 2 Good-morrow, Kate; &c.] Thus, in the original play : "Feran. Twenty good-morrows to my lovely Kate. "Kate. You jeast I am sure; is she yours already? "Feran. I tel thee Kate, I know thou lov'st me well. "Kate. The divel you do; who told you so? "Feran. My mind, sweet Kate, doth say I am the man, "Must wed, and bed, and marrie bonnie Kate. "Kate. Was ever seene so grosse an asse as this? "Feran. I, to stand so long and never get a kisse. "Kate. Hands off, I say, and get you from this place; "Or I will set my ten commandements in your face. "Feran. I prithy do, Kate; they say thou art a shrew, KATH. Well have you heard, but something hard of hearing *; They call me-Katharine, that do talk of me. PET. You lie, in faith; for you are call'd plain Kate, And bonny Kate, and sometimes Kate the curst; But Kate, the prettiest Kate in Christendom, Kate of Kate-Hall, my super-dainty Kate, For dainties are all cates: and therefore, Kate, Take this of me, Kate of my consolation ;Hearing thy mildness prais'd in every town, Thy virtues spoke of, and thy beauty sounded, (Yet not so deeply as to thee belongs,) 66 66 "And I like thee better, for I would have thee so. "Kate. Let go my hand, for feare it reach your eare. "Feran. No, Kate, this hand is mine, and I thy love. Kate. Yfaith, sir, no; the woodcocke wants his taile. Feran. But yet his bil will serve, if the other faile. Alfon. How now, Ferando? what [says] my daughter? Feran. Shee's willing, sir, and loves me as her life. Kate. Tis for your skin then, but not to be your wife. Alfon. Come hither, Kate, and let me give thy hand, To him that I have chosen for thy love; 66 66 66 "And thou to-morrow shalt be wed to him. "Kate. Why, father, what do you mean to do with me, “To give me thus unto this brainsicke man, But yet I will consent and marry him, (For I methinkes have liv'd too long a maide,) And match him too, or else his manhood's good. 66 Alfon. Give me thy hand: Ferando loves thee well, "And will with wealth and ease maintaine thy state. "Here Ferando, take her for thy wife, And Sunday next shall be your wedding-day. “Feran. Why so, did I not tel thee I should be the man? Father, I leave my lovely Kate with you. "Provide yourselves against our marriage day, "For I must hie me to my country-house "In haste, to see provision may be made To entertaine my Kate when she doth come," &c. STEEVENS. 3 Well have you HEARD, but something HARD of hearing;] A poor quibble was here intended. It appears from many old English books that heard was pronounced in our author's time, as if it were written hard. MALONE. Myself am mov'd to woo thee for my wife. KATH. Mov'd! in good time: let him that mov'd you hither, Remove you hence: I knew you at the first, You were a moveable. PET. KATH. A joint-stool *. Why, what's a moveable? PET. mean. PET. Alas, good Kate! I will not burden thee: For, knowing thee to be but young and light,KATH. Too light for such a swain as you to catch; And yet as heavy as my weight should be. PET. Should be? should buz. Катн. Well ta'en, and like a buzzard. PET. O slow-wing d turtle! shall a buzzard take thee? KATH. Ay, for a turtle; as he takes a buzzard‘. 4 A joint-stool.] This is a proverbial expression : 66 Cry you mercy, I took you for a join'd stool." See Ray's Collection. It is likewise repeated as a proverb in Mother Bombie, a comedy, by Lyly, 1594, and by the Fool in King Lear. STEEVENS. 5 No such JADE, SIR,] The latter word, which is not in the old copy, was supplied by the editor of the second folio. MALOne. Perhaps we should read-no such jack. However, there is authority for jade in a male sense. So, in Soliman and Perseda, Piston says of Basilisco, "He just like a knight! He'll just like a jade." FARMER. So, before, p. 409: "I know he'll prove a jade." MALONE. Ay, for a turtle; As he takes a buzzard.] Perhaps we may read better Ay, for a turtle, and he takes a buzzard. That is, he may take me for a turtle, and he shall find me a hawk. JOHNSON. This kind of expression likewise seems to have been proverbial. So, in The Three Lords of London, 1590: PET. Come, come, you wasp; i'faith, you are too angry. KATH. If I be waspish, best beware my sting. In his tail. ΚΑΤΗ. PET. In his tongue. Whose tongue ? KATH. Yours, if you talk of tails; and so fare well. PET. What, with my tongue in your tail? nay, come again, Good Kate; I am a gentleman. Катн. That I'll try. [Striking him. PET. I swear I'll cuff you, if you strike again. KATH. So may you lose your arms: If you strike me, you are no gentleman; PET. A herald, Kate ? O, put me in thy books. PET. A combless cock, so Kate will be my hen. KATH. No cock of mine, you crow too like a craven 7. PET. Nay, come, Kate, come; you must not look "Than take a faulcon for a buzzard?" STEEVENS. 7 — a CRAVEN.] A craven is a degenerate, dispirited cock. So, in Rhodon and Iris, 1631 : That he will pull the craven from his nest." STEEVENS. Craven was a term also applied to those who in appeals of battle became recreant, and by pronouncing this word, called for quarter from their opponents; the consequence of which was, that they for ever after were deemed infamous. See note on 'Tis Pity She's a Whore. Dodsley's Collection of Old Plays, vol. viii. p. 10, edit. 1780. REED. KATH. It is my fashion, when I see a crab. not sour. KATH. There is, there is. PET. Then show it me. Катн. Had I a glass, I would. Well aim'd of such a young one. PET. What, you mean my face? Катн. PET. Now, by Saint George, I am too young for you. KATH. Yet you are wither'd. PET. Катн. "Tis with cares. I care not. PET. Nay, hear you, Kate: in sooth, you 'scape not so. KATH. I chafe you, if I tarry; let me go. PET. No, not a whit; I find you passing gentle. 'Twas told me, you were rough, and coy, and sullen, And now I find report a very liar; For thou art pleasant, gamesome, passing courteous; But slow in speech, yet sweet as spring-time flowers: Why does the world report, that Kate doth limp? * Go, fool, and whom thou keep'st command.] This is exactly the Пάμ Taσ of Theocritus, Eid. xv. v. 90, and yet I would not be positive that Shakspeare had ever read even a translation of Theocritus. TYRWHITT. |