As Stephen Sly, and old John Naps of Greece,
And Peter Turf, and Henry Pimpernell,
And twenty more such names and men as these,
Which never were, nor no man ever saw.

Sly. Now Lord be thanked for my good amends!
All. Amen.

Sly. By th’Mass, I think I am a Lord indeed.
What is thy name?

Man. Sim, an't please your Honour.

Sly. Sim? that's as much as to say, Simeon or Simon; put forth thy hand and fill the pot.

The servant gives him drink.]

Í thank thee; thou shalt not lose by it.

Lady. How fares my noble Lord ?

Sly. Marry, I fare well, for here is cheer enough.
Where's my wife?

Lady. Here noble Lord, what is thy will with her?
Sly. Are you my wife, and will not call me huf-

band ?
My men should call me Lord, I am your good man.
Lady. My husband and my Lord, my Lord and

husband; I am your wife in all obedience.

Sly. I know it well: what must I call her ?

Lord. Madam.
Sly, Alce madam, or Joan madam?
Lord. Madam, and nothing else, so Lords call La-

(dies. Sly. Come, sit down on my knee.' Sim, drink to her. Madam wife, they fay, that I have dream’d, and Nept above some fifteen years and more.

Lady. Ay, and the time seems thirty unto me, Being all this time abandon'd from your bed.

Sly.

Sly. 'Tis much.--Servants, leave me and her alone. Madam, undress you, and come now to bed.- Sim, drink to her.

Lady. Thrice noble Lord, let me entreat of you, To pardon me yet for a night or two. Or, if not so, until the sun be set; For your Physicians have expresly charg’d, In peril to incur your former malady, That I should yet abfent me from your bed. I hope, this reason stands for my excuse. Sly

. Ay, it stands so, that I may hardly tarry so long; but I would be loath to fall into my dream again : I will therefore tarry in despight of the flesh and the blood.

Mel. Your Honour's Players, hearing your' a

mendnient, Are come to play a pleasant comedy ; For fo your Doctors hold it very meet; Seeing too much sadness hath congeal'd your blood; And melancholy is the nurse of frenzy. "Therefore, they thought it good you hear a play, And frame your mind to mirth and merriment; Which bars a thousand harms, and lengthens life.

Sly. Marry, I will ; let them play; is it not a Com. modity ? a Christmas gambol, or a tumbling trick ?

Lady. No, my good Lord, it is more pleasing stuff,
Sly. What, houshold stuff?
Lady. It is a kind of history.

Sly. Well, we'll fee't; come, Madam wife, sit by my side, and let the world nip, we shall ne'er be younger,

Τ Η Ε

T

RANIO, since for the great desire I had

To fee fair Padua, nursery of arts,
I am arriv'd from fruitful Lombardy ?,

The pleasant garden of great Italy;
And, by my father's love and leave, am arm'd
With his good-will, and thy good company :
Most trusty servant, well approv'd in all,
Here let us breathe, and haply institute
A course of learning, and * ingenious studies.
Pisa, renowned for grave citizens,
Gave me my Being: and my father first,
A merchant of great traffick through the world :
Vincentio's come of the Bentivoli,

1

' -- from fruitful Lombardy.) think it was written inzenuous So Mr. Theobald. The former studies, but of this and a thoueditions, instead of from, bad for. fand such observations there is ingenious.) I rather little certainty.

Lucentio

Lucentio his fon, brought up in Florence,
It shall become, to serve all hopes conceiv’d,
To deck his fortune with his virtuous deeds :
And therefore, Tranio, for the time I study,
Virtue and that part of philosophy ?
Will I apply, that treats of happiness
By virtue specially to be atchiev'd.
Tell me thy mind, for I have Pifa left,
And am to Padua come, as he that leaves
A shallow plash to plunge him in the deep,
And with satiety seeks to quench his thirst.

Tra. Me pardonato, gentle master mine,
I am in all affected as yourself :
Glad, that you thus continue your resolve,
To fuck the sweets of sweet philosophy :
Only, good master, while we do adinire
This virtue, and this moral discipline,
Let's be no Stoicks, nor no stocks, I pray 5
Or, so devote to Aristotle's checks,
As Ovid be an outcast quite abjur’d.
Talk Logick with acquaintance that you have,
And practice Rhetorick in your common talk ;
Musick and Poesy use to quicken you;
The Mathematicks, and the Metaphysicks,
Fail to them, as you find your stomach serves you:
No profit grows, where is no pleasure ta’en:
In brief, Sir, study what you most affect.

Luc. Gramercies, Tranio, well dost thou advise ; If, Biondello, thou wert come ashore, We could at once put us in readiness ; And take a lodging fit to entertain Such friends, as time in Padua shall beget. But stay a while, what company is this?

Tra. Mafter, some shew to welcome us to town.

2 Sir Thomas Hanmer, and af- ply were indifferently used, as to ter him Dr. Warburton, read to ply or apply his ftudies. virtue ; but formerly ply and ap.

SCENE

Enter Baptista with Catharina and Bianca, Gremio

and Hortenfio. Lucentio and Tranio stand by.

Bap. Gentlemen both, importune me no farther, For how I firmly am resolv'd, you know; That is, not to bestow my youngest daughter, Before I have a husband for the elder ; If either of you both love Catharina, Because I know you well, and love you well, Leave shall you have to court her at your pleasure.

Gre. To cart her rather. -She's too rough for me. There, there, Hortenfio, will you any wife?

Caib. I pray you, Sir, is it your will
To make a Stale of me amongst these mates ?

Hor. Mates, maid, how mean you that? no matęs

for you

Unless you were of gentler, milder, mould,

Cath. I'faith, Sir, you shall never need to fear,
I wis, it is not half way to her heart :
But if it were, doubt noț, her care shall be
To comb your noddle with a three-legg'd stool,
And paint your face, and use you like a fool.

Hor, From all such devils, good Lord, deliver us.
Gre. And me too, good Lord.
Tra. Hush, master, here's some good pastime)

toward;
That wench is stark mad, or wonderful fro-

ward.
Luc. But in the other's filence I do fee
Maid's mild behaviour and lobriety.
Peace, Tranio

Tra. Well said, master; mum! and gaze

afide.

your fill,

Bap. Gentlemen, that I may soon make good What I have said, Bianca, get you

in VOL. III.

с

And