Hor. I promis'd, we would be contributors, And bear his charge of wooing, whatsoe'er. Gre. And so we will; provided, that he win her. Gru. I would I were as sure of a good dinner. [Asi: Enter TRANIO, bravely apparell'd; and BIONDELLO. Tra. Gentlemen, God save you! if I may be bold, Tell me, I beseech you, which is the readiest way To the house of signior Baptista Minola ? Gre. He that has the two fair daughters :-is't he you mean? [Aside to TRANIO. Tra. Even he. Biondello ! Gre. Hark you, sir; you mean not her to Tra. Perhaps, him and her, sir; 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 ; [Aside. Are you a suitor to the maid you talk of, yea, or no? 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 so is not she. Tra. For what reason, I beseech you? Gre. For this reason, if you'll know, That she's the choice love of signior Gremio. Hor. That she's the chosen of signior Hortensio. To whom my father is not all unknown ; Gre. What! this gentleman will out-talk us all. Tra. No, sir; but hear I do, that he hath two; The one as famous for a scolding tongue, As the other is for beauteous modesty. Pet. Sir, sir, the first'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, insooth ;— Hor. Sir, you say well, and well do you conceive; You must, as we do, gratify this gentleman, To whom we all rest generally beholden. Tra. Sir, I shall not be slack in sign whereof, Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends. Gru. Bion. O excellent motion !-Fellows, lets be gone. Hor. The motion's good indeed, and be it so ;Petruchio, I shall be your ben venuto. ACT II. [Exeunt. SCENE I.-The same. A Room in BAPTISTA's House. Enter KATHARINA and BIANCA. Bianca. GOOD sister, wrong me not, nor wrong yourself, So well I know my duty to my elders. Kath. Of all thy suitors, here I charge thee, tell Bian. Believe me, sister, of all the men alive, Kath. Minion, thou liest; Is't not Hortensio ? Bian. Is it for him you do envy me so? Kath. If that be jest, then all the rest was so. Enter BAPTISTA. [Strikes her.. Bap. Why, how now, dame! whence grows this insolence? Bianca, stand aside ;-poor girl! she weeps:- -For shame, thou hilding5 of a devilish spirit, Why dost thou wrong her that did ne'er wrong thee? When did she cross thee with a bitter word? Kath. Her silence flouts me, and I'll be reveng'd. [Flies after BIANCA. Bap. What, in my sight?-Bianca, get thee in. [Exit BIANCA. Kath. Will you not suffer me? Nay, now I see, [Exit KATH. Bap. Was ever gentleman thus griev'd as I? But who comes here? [5] The word hilding or hinderling, is a low wretch: it is applied to Katharine for the coarseness of her behaviour JOHNS. [6] To lead apes" was in our author's time, as at present one of the employments of a bear herd, who often carries about one of those animals along with his bear: but I know not how this phrase came to be applied to old maids. MALONE. That women who refused to bear children, should, after death, be condemned to the care of apes in leading-strings, might have been considered as an act of posthumous retribution. STEEV. Enter GREMIO, with LUCENTIO in the habit of a mean man ; PETRUCHIO, with HORTENSIO as a musician; and TRANIO, with BIONDELLO bearing a lute and books. Gre. Good-morrow, neighbour Baptista. Bap. Good-morrow, neighbour Gremio:-God save you, gentlemen! Pet. And you, good sir! Pray, have you not a daughter Call'd Katharina, fair, and virtuous? Bap. I have a daughter, sir, call'd Katharina. Pet. You wrong me,signior Gremio; give me leave.— I am a gentleman of Verona, sir, That,-hearing of her beauty, and her wit, Her affability, and bashful modesty, Her wondrous qualities, and mild behaviour,- Within your house, to make mine eye the witness [Presenting HORTENSIO. Bap. You're welcome, sir; and he,for your good sake: But for my daughter Katharine,-this I know, She is not for your turn, the more my grief. Pet. I see, you do not mean to part with her; Or else you like not of my company. Bap. Mistake me not, I speak but as I find. Whence are you, sir, what may I call your name? Pet. Petruchio is my name; Antonio's son, A man well known throughout all Italy. Bap. I know him well: you are welcome for his sake. Let us, that are poor petitioners, speak too: Pet. O, pardon me, signior Gremio; I would fain be doing. Gre. I doubt it not, sir; but you will curse your wooing. [7] The word is an old proverbial one. FARMER. -Neighbour, this is a gift very grateful, I am sure of it. To express the like kindness myself, that have been more kindly beholden to you than any, I freely give unto you this young scholar,that hath been long studying atRheims [Presenting LUCENTIO]; as cunning in Greek, Latin, and other languages, as the other in music and mathematics: His name is Cambio; pary,accept his service. Bap. A thousand thanks, signior Gremio:-Welcome, good Cambio.-But, gentle sir, methinks, you walk like a stranger; [To TRANIO.] May I be so bold to know the cause of your coming? Tra. Pardon me, sir, the boldness is mine own; That, being a stranger in this city here, Do make myself a suitor to your daughter, Unto Bianca, fair, and virtuous. Nor is your firm resolve unknown to me, I may have welcome 'mongst the rest that woo, And this small packet of Greek and Latin books: & Bap. A mighty man of Pisa; by report I know him well: you are very welcome, sir.Take you [To HOR.] the lute, and you [To Luc.] the set of books, You shall go see your pupils presently. Holla, within!-Sirrah, lead Enter a Servant. These gentlemen to my daughters; and tell them both, We will go walk a little in the orchard, Pet. Signior Baptista, my business asketh haste, [8] In Queen Elizabeth's time the young ladies of quality were usually instructed in the learned languages, if any pains were bestowed on their minds at all. Lady Jane Grey and her sisters, Queen Elizabeth, &c. are trite instances. PERCY. |