Gre. Tut, fhe's a lamb, a dove, a fool to him:
I'll tell you, Sir Lucentio; when the Priest
Should ask, if Catharine fhould be his wife?
Ay, by gogs-woons, quoth he; and fwore fo loud,
That, all-amaz'd, the Prieft let fall the book;
And as he stoop'd again to take it up,

This mad-brain'd Bridegroom took him fuch a cuff,
That down fell priest and book, and book and priest.
Now take them up, quoth he, if any lift.

Tra. What faid the wench, when he rose up again? Gre. Trembled and fhook; for why, he ftamp'd and fwore,

As if the Vicar meant to cozen him.
But after many ceremonies done,
He calls for wine: a health, quoth he; as if
H'ad been aboard carowfing to his Mates
After a ftorm; quafft off the mufcadel,
And threw the fops all in the fexton's face;
Having no other cause, but that his beard
Grew thin and hungerly, and feem'd to ask
His fops as he was drinking. This done, he took
The Bride about the neck, and kift her lips
With fuch a clamorous fmack, that at the parting
All the church echo'd; and I feeing this,
Came thence for very fhame; and after me,
I know, the rout is coming: Such a mad marriage
Ne'er was before. Hark, hark, I hear the minstrels.
[Mufick plays.

Enter Petruchio, Catharina, Bianca, Hortenfio, and Baptifta.

Pet. Gentlemen and friends, I thank you for your
pains :

I know, you think to dine with me to day,
And have prepar'd great ftore of wedding cheer;
But fo it is, my hafte doth call me hence;
And therefore here I mean to take my leave.

Bap. Is't poffible, you will away to night?
Pet. I muft away to day, before night come.
Make it no wonder; if you
knew my business,

You

You would entreat me rather go than stay.
And, honeft Company, I thank you all,
That have beheld me give away my felf
To this moft patient, fweet and virtuous wife.
Dine with my father, drink a health to me,
For I must hence, and farewel to you all.
Tra. Let us intreat you ftay 'till after dinner.
Pet. It may not be.

Gre. Let me intreat you.

Pet. It cannot be.

Cath. Let me intreat you.

Pet. I am content

Cath. Are you content to ftay?

Pet. I am content, you fhall intreat me, ftay; But yet not stay, intreat me how you can.

Cath. Now, if you love me, ftay.

Pet. Grumio, my horses.

Gru. Ay, Sir, they be ready: the oats have eaten the horses.

Cath. Nay, then,

Do what thou canft, I will not go to day;
No, nor to morrow, nor 'till I please my felf:
The door is open, Sir, there lyes your way,
You may be jogging, while your boots are green;
For me, I'll not go, 'till I please my self:
"Tis like, you'll prove a jolly furly groom,
That take it on you at the first so roundly.

Pet. O, Kate, content thee; pr'ythee, be not angry. Cath. I will be angry; what haft thou to do? Father, be quiet; he fhall ftay my leisure.

Gre. Ay, marry, Sir; now it begins to work.
Cath. Gentlemen, forward to the bridal-dinner.
I fee, a woman may be made a fool,
If she had not a spirit to refift.

Pet. They fhall go forward, Kate, at thy command.
Obey the Bride, you that attend on her:
Go to the feaft, revel and domineer;
Carowfe full measure to her maiden-head;
Be mad and merry, or go hang your felves;
But for my bonny Kate, fhe muft with me.

Nay,

Nay, look not big, nor ftamp, nor ftare, nor fret, I will be mafter of what is mine own;

She is my goods, my chattels, fhe is my house,
My houfhold stuff, my field, my barn,
My horfe, my ox, my afs, my any thing;
And here the ftands, touch her who ever dare.
I'll bring my action on the proudest he,
That ftops my way in Padua: Grumio,
Draw forth thy weapon; we're befet with thieves;
Rescue thy mistress, if thou be a man:
Fear not, fweet wench, they fhall not touch thee, Kate;
I'll buckler thee against a million.

[Exeunt Pet. and Cath. Bap. Nay, let them go, a couple of quiet ones. Gre. Went they not quickly, I fhould die with

laughing.

Tra. Of all mad matches, never was the like.
Luc. Mistress, what's your opinion of
your Sifter?
Bian. That, being mad her felf, fhe's madly mated.
Gre. I warrant him, Petruchio is Kated.

Bap. Neighbours and Friends, tho' Bride and Bride groom want

For to fupply the places at the table;

You know, there wants no junkets at the feast:
Lucentio, you fupply the Bridegroom's place;
And let Bianca take her Sifter's room..

Tra. Shall fweet Bianca practise how to bride it? Bap. She fhall, Lucentio: Gentlemen, let's go.

[Exeunt.

VOL. II

Y

ACT

ACT

IV.

SCENE, Petruchio's Country House.

Enter Grumio.

GRUM I O.

F'

IE, fie on all tired jades, and all mad mafters, and all foul ways! was ever man fo beaten? was ever man fo raide? was ever man fo weary? I am fent before, to make a fire; and they are coming after, to warm them: now were I not a little pot, and foon hot, my very lips might freeze to my teeth, my tongue to the roof of my mouth, my heart in my belly, ere I fhould come by a fire to thaw me, but I with blowing the fire fhall warm my felf; for confidering the weather, a taller man than I will take cold: holla, hoa, Curtis!

Enter. Curtis.

Curt. Who is it that calls fo coldly?

Gru. A piece of ice. If thou doubt it, thou may'st flide from my fhoulder to, my heel, with no greater a run but my head and my neck. A fire, good Curtis.

Curt. Is my mafter and his wife coming, Grumio? Gru, Oh, ay, Curtis, ay; and therefore fire, fire; caft on no water.

Curt. Is the fo hot a Shrew, as she's reported?

Gru. She was, good Curtis, before this froft; but thou know'ft, winter tames man, woman and beaft; for it hath tam'd my old master, and my new mistress, and my self, fellow Curtis.

Curt. Away, you three-inch'd fool; I am no beast. Gru. (18) Am I but three inches? why, my horn is a foot, and fo long am I at the leaft. But wilt thou make

(18) Am I but three Inches? why, thy Horn is at the leaft] This is faid by Grumio to Curtis.

a foot, and fo long am But, tho' all the Co

make a fire, or fhall I complain on thee to our mistress, whose hand, the being now at hand, thou shalt foon feel to thy cold comfort, for being flow in thy hot office.

Curt. I pr'ythee, good Grumio, tell me, how goes

the

Gru. A cold world, Curtis, in every office but thine; and therefore fire: do thy duty, and have thy duty; for my mafter and miftrefs are almoft frozen to death. Curt. There's fire ready; and therefore, good Grumio, the news.

Gru. Why, Jack boy, ho boy, and as much news as thou wilt.

Curt. Come, you are fo full of conycatching.

Gru. Why, therefore, fire; for I have caught extream cold. Where's the cook? is fupper ready, the house trimm'd, rufhes ftrew'd, cobwebs fwept, the servingmen in their new fuftian, their white stockings, and every officer his wedding garment on? be the Jacks fair within, the Fills fair without, carpets laid, and every thing in order?

:

Curt. All ready and therefore, I pray thee, what news?

Gru. First, know, my horfe is tired, my mafter and mistress fall'n out.

Curt. How?

Gru. Out of their faddles into the dirt; and thereby hangs a tale.

Curt. Let's ha't, good Grumio.

Gru. Lend thine ear.

Curt. Here.

Gru. There.

[Strikes him.

Curt. This is to feel a tale, not to hear a tale. Gru. And therefore 'tis call'd a fenfible tale: and this cuff was but to knock at your ear, and befeech liftning. Now I begin: imprimis, we came down a foul hill, my mafter riding behind my mistress.

pies agree in the Reading, what Horn had Curtis? But Grumio rides Poft before his Mafter, and blows his Horn to give notice of his own coming home, and his Mafter's Approach.

Y 2

Curt.