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You understand me?

Bion. Ay, Sir, ne'er a whit.

Luc. And not a jot of Tranio in your mouth; Tranio is chang'd into Lucentio.

Bion. The better for him: 'Would, I were so too. Tra. So would I, i'faith, boy, to have the next wish after; that Lucentio, indeed, had Baptifta's youngest daughter. But firrah, not for my fake, but your mafter's, I advise you, use your manners difcreetly in all kind of companies: when I am alone, why, then I am Tranio; but in all places elfe, your mafter Lucentio.

Luc. Tranio, let's go: one thing more refts, that thyfelf execute, to make one among these wooers; if thou ask me why, fufficeth, my reafons are both good and weighty. [Exeunt.

Pet.

SCENE V.

Before Hortenfio's House, in Padua.

V

Enter Petruchio, and Grumio.j

Erona, for a while I take my leave,

To see my friends in Padua ; but of all My best beloved and approved friend, Hortenfio; and, I trow, this is the house ;

- Here, firrah, Grumio, knock, I say.

Gru. Knock, Sir? whom fhould I knock? is there any man has rebus'd your Worship?

Pet. Villain, I fay, knock me here foundly.
Gru. Knock you here, Sir? why, Sir, what am I
Sir,

That I fhould knock you here, Sir.

Pet. Villain, I fay, knock me at this gate, And rap me well; or I'll knock your knave's pate. Gru. My master is grown quarrelfome: I should knock you first,

And then I know after, who comes by the worst.

C 4

Pet.

Pet. Will it not be?

Faith, firrah, an you'll not knock, I'll ring it,
I'll try how you can Sol, Fa, and fing it.

[He wrings him by the ears. .Gru, Help, mafters, help; my mafter is mad. Pet. Now knock, when I bid you : Sirrah! Villain !

Enter Hortenfio.

Hor. How now, what's the matter? my old friend Grumio, and my good friend Petruchio! how do you all at Verona?

Pet. Signior Hortenfio, come you to part the fray? Con tutto il Core, ben trovato, may I say.

Hor. Alla noftra Cafa ben venuto, molto bonorato
Signor mio Petruchio.

Rife, Grumio, rife; we will compound this quarrel. Gru. Nay, 'tis no matter, what he, leges in Latin. If this be not a lawful caufe for me to leave his fervice, look you, Sir: he bid me knock him, and rap him foundly, Sir. Well, was it fit for a fervant to use his mafter fo, being, perhaps, for aught I fee, two and thirty, a pip out?

Whom, would to God, I had well knock'd at first,
Then had not Grumio come by the worst.
-Good Hortenfio,
I bid the rafcal knock upon your gate,

Pet. A fenfeless villain!

And could not get him for my heart to do it.

Gru. Knock at the gate? O heavens! fpake you not these words plain? firrah, knock me here, rap me here, knock me well, and knock me foundly: and come you now with knocking at the gate?

Pet. Sirrah, be gone, or talk not, I advise you. Hor. Petruchio, patience; I am Grumio's pledge.", Why, this is a heavy chance 'twixt him and you, Your ancient, trufty, pleafant fervant Grumio; And tell me now, fweet friend, what happy Gale Blows you to Padua here, from old Verona ?

Pet.

Pet. Such wind as fcatters young men through the

world,

To seek their fortunes farther than at home,

› Where small experience grows. But, in a few,
Signior Hortenfio, thus it ftands with me,
Antonio my father is deceas'd;

And I have thrust myself into this maze,
Happly to wive and thrive, as beft I may:
Crowns in my purse I have, and goods at home,
And fo am come abroad to see the world.

Hor. Petruchio, fhall I then come roundly to thee,
And with thee to a fhrew'd ill-favour'd wife?
Thou'dft thank me but a little for my counsel,
And yet, I'll promise thee, fhe fhall be rich,
And very rich: but thou'rt too much my friend,
And I'll not with thee to her.

Pet. Signior Hortenfio, 'twixt fuch friends as us
Few words fuffice; and therefore if you know
One rich enough to be Petruchio's wife;
(As wealth is burthen of my wooing dance")
Be fhe as foul as was Florentius' love',
As old as Sibyl, and as curft and fhrewd
As Socrates' Xantippe, or a worse,

She moves me not; or not removes, at least,
• Affection's edge in me.

.

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Were fhe as rough

As

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As are the fwelling Adriatic Seas,
I come to wive it wealthily in Padua:
If wealthily, then happily, in Padua.

Gru. Nay, look you, Sir, he tells you flatly what his mind is why, give him gold enough, and marry him to a puppet, or an aglet-baby, or an old Trot with ne'er a tooth in her head, tho' fhe have as many diseases as two and fifty horfes; why, nothing comes amifs, fo money comes withal.

Hor. Petruchio, fince we have ftept thus far in, I will continue that I broach'd in jeft.

I can, Petruchio, help thee to a wife

With wealth enough, and young and beauteous;
Brought up, as beft becomes a gentlewoman.
Her only fault, and that is fault enough,

Is, that he is intolerably curst:

And hrewd, and froward, so beyond all measure,
That, were my state far worfer than it is,

I would not wed her for a Mine of Gold.

Pet. Hortenfio, peace; thou know'ft not gold's effect;

Tell me her father's nome, and 'tis enough:
For I will board her, tho' fhe chide as loud
As thunder, when the clouds in Autumn crack.
Hor. Her Father is Baptifta Minola,

An affable and courteous Gentleman;

over with the worft bad qualities of age, ugliness and ill-manners. Yet, after this, he talks of AfJection's edge being fo ftrong in him that nothing can abate it. Some of the old copies indeed, instead of me, read time: this will direct us to the true reading, whch I am perfeaded is this,

Affation SIEG'D IN COIN, i. e. placed, feated, fixed. This makes him fpeak to the purpose, that his affection is all love of money. The expreflion too is

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Her name is Catharina Minola,

Renown'd in Padua for her scolding tongue.

Pet. I know her Father, tho' I know not her;
And he knew my deceafed Father well.
I will not fleep, Hortenfio, 'till I see her,
And therefore let me be thus bold with you,
To give you over at this first encounter,
Unless you will accompany me thither.

Gru. I pray you, Sir, let him go while the humour lafts. O'my word, an' the knew him as well as I do, fhe would think fcolding would do little good upon him. She may, perhaps, call him half a score knaves, or fo: why, that's nothing; an' he begin once, he'll rail-In his rope-tricks (I'll tell you what, Sir) an' she stand him but a little, he will throw a figure in her face, and fo disfigure her with it, that she shall have no more eyes to fee withal than a cat. You know him not, Sir.

Hor. Tarry, Petruchio, I must go with thee, For in Baptifta's house my Treasure is :

He hath the jewel of my life in hold,

His youngest daughter, beautiful Bianca;

And her with-holds he from me, and others more
Suitors to her, and Rivals in my love;
Suppofing it a thing impoffible,

For those defects I have before rehears'd,
That ever Catharina will be woo'd;
Therefore this order hath Baptifta ta'en,
That none shall have accefs unto Bianca,
Till Catharine the curft have got a husband.

* An' be begin once, he'll rail in his rope-tricks.] This is obfcure. Sir Thomas Hanmer reads. ke'll rail in bis rhetorick; I'll tell you, &c. Rhetorick agrees very well with figure in the fucceeding part of the fpeech, yet I am inclined to believe that Rope-nicks ivan, ae word.

It food thus:

And her withholds he from me.' Other more Suitors to her, and Rivals in my Love: &c.] The Regulation, which I have given to the Text, was dictated to me by the ingenious Dr. Thirlby.

THEOBALD.

Gru.

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