I am afham'd, that Women, are fo fimple
To offer war where they should kneel for peace;
Or feek for rule, fupremacy, and fway,

When they are bound to ferve, love, and obey.
Why are our bodies foft, and weak and fmooth,
Unapt to toil and trouble in the world,

But that our foft conditions and our hearts
Should well agree with our external parts?
Come, come, you froward and unable worms,
My mind hath been as big as one of yours,
My heart as great, my reafon haply more,
To bandy word for word, and frown for frown;
But, now I fee, our launces are but straws,
Our strength as weak, our weaknefs paft compa e;
That feeming to be moft, which we indeed le
(26) Then vale your ftomachs, for it is no boot,
And place your hands below your Husband's oot:
In token of which duty, if he pleafe,

My hand is ready, may it do him cafe.

are,

Pet. Why, there's a wench: come on, and kifs me, Kate,

onjugal Obeuffrefs of the

But this Co

bing is con

e of Bian Copies, is

10. made

. By this

(26) Then vale your Stomachs, &c.] This Doctr dience, that runs thro' all Catharine's Speech, fhev Play to be compleated in her being fo thoroughly ret medy has likewise a subservient Walk, which from nected to, and made a Part of the main Plot; viz. te ca. This Marriage, according to the Regulation of executed and clear'd up in the fourth A&t: and the fif to begin till the whole Company meet at Lucentio's Apar Regulation, there is not only an unreasonable Diiproportion in Length, betwixt the 4th and 5th Acts; but a manifest Absurdity committed in the Conduct of the Fable. By the Divifion I have ventur'd at, thefe Inconveniencies are remedied: and the Action lies more uniform. For now the whole Catastrophe is wound up in the 5th Act: It begins with Lucentio going to Church to marry Bianca: The true Vincentio arrives, to difcover the Imposture carried on by the Pedant: and after this Eclairciffement is hung in Sufpence (always a Pleasure to an Audience,) till towards the Middle of the 5th Act; the main Bufinefs is wound up, of Catharine approving herself to be a Convert; and an Instructer, in their Duty, to the other new-married Ladies. If it be objected, that, by the Change I make, the Lord and his Servants (who are Characters out of the Drama) speak in the Middle of an Act; that is a Matter of no Importance. Their fhort Interlocution was never defign'd to mark the Intervals of the Acts.

Luc.

Luc. Well, go thy ways, old lad, for thou fhalt ha't. Vin. 'Tis a good hearing, when children are toward. Luc. But a harsh hearing, when women are froward. Pet. Come, Kate, we'll to bed;

(27) We three are married, but you two are fped. 'Twas I won the wager, tho' you hit the white; And being a winner, God give you good night.

[Exeunt Petruchio and Catharina. Hor. Now go thy ways, thou haft tam'd a curft Shrew.

Luc. 'Tis a wonder, by your leave, fhe will be Exeunt omnes.

tam'd fo.

Enter two fervants bearing Sly in his own apparel, and leave him on the Stage. Then enter a Tapfter.

Sly awaking.] Sim, give's fome more wine all the Players gone? am not I a Lord?

what,

Tap. A Lord, with a murrain! come, art thou drunk ftill?

Sly. Who's this? Tapfter! oh, I have had the bravest dream that ever thou heardft in all thy life.

Tap. Yea, marry, but thou hadst beft get thee home, for your Wife will courfe you for dreaming here all night.

Sly. Will he? I know how to tame a Shrew. I dreamt upon it all this night, and thou haft wak'd me out of the best dream that ever I had. But I'll to my Wife, and tame her too, if she anger me.

(27) We two are married, but You two are Sped.] This is the Reading only of the Modern Copies, I have chofe to read with the older Books. Petruchio, I think verily, would fay This: I, and you Lucentio, and you Hortenfio, are all under the fame Predicament in one Respect, we are all three married; but You Two are finely help'd up with Wives, that don't know the Duty of Obedience,

ALL'S WELL,

THAT

ENDS WELL.

A2 3

KING of France.

Duke of Florence.

Bertram, Count of Roufillon.

Lafeu, an old Lord.

Parolles, a parafitical follower of Bertram; a coward, but vain, and a great pretender to valour. Several young French 'Lords, that ferve with Bertram in the Florentine war.

Steward,
Clown, S

}

Servants to the Countess of Roufillon.

Countess of Roufillon, mother to Bertram. Helena, daughter to Gerard de Narbon, a famous phyfician, fome time fince dead.

An old widow of Florence.

Diana, daughter to the widow.

Violenta,

Mariana,

• Neighbours, and friends to the widow.

Lords attending on the King; Officers, Soldiers, &c.

SCENE lies partly in France; and, partly in Tuscany.

ALL'S