ACT II.

SCENE I.

Baptifta's House in Padua.

Enter Catharina and Bianca.

BIANCA.

OOD Sifter, wrong me not, nor wrong yourfelf,

To make a bond- maid and a flave of me;
That I difdain; but for these other Gawds,
Unbind my hands, I'll pull them off myself;
Yea, all my raiment, to my petticoat,
Or, what you will command me, will I do;
So well I know my duty to my elders.

Cath. Of all thy Suitors here, I charge thee, tell
Whom thou lov'it best: fee, thou diffemble not.
Bian. Believe me, Sifter, of all men alive

I never yet beheld that special face,
Which I could fancy more than any other.
Cath. Minion, thou lieft; is't not Hortenfio?
Bian. If you affect him, fifter, here I swear,
I'll plead for you myself, but you shall have him.
Cath. Oh, then, belike, you fancy riches more;
You will have Gremio, to keep you fair.

Bian. Is it for him you do fo envy me?

Nay, then you jeft; and now, I well perceive,
You have but jested with me all this while;

but for thefe other Goods,] This is fo trifling and unexpreffive a Word, that, I am fatisfied our Author wrote, Gawds (i. e. Toys, trifling Ornaments); a Term that he freVOL. III.

quently ufes and feems fond of.

THEOBALD.

to keep you fair.] I

fhould wish to read, To keep you fine. But either word may serve.

D

I

I pr'ythee, fifter Kate, untie my hands,

Cath. If that be jeft, then all the rest was fo.
[Strikes her.

Enter Baptifta.

Bap. Why, how now, dame, whence grows this infolence?

Bianca, ftand afide; poor girl, fhe weeps;

Go ply thy needle, meddle not with her.
For fhame, thou hilding' of a devilish spirit,
Why doft thou wrong her, that did ne'er wrong thee?
When did the crofs thee with a bitter word?

Cath. Her filencé flouts me, and I'll be reveng'd. [Flies after Bianca. Bap. What, in my fight?-Bianca, get thee in. (Exit Bianca. Cath. Will you not fuffer me? nay, now I fee, She is your treafure; fhe muft have a husband; I muft dance bare-foot on her wedding-day,

And, for your love to her, lead apes in hell:
Talk not to me, I will go fit and weep,

'Till I can find occafion of revenge.

[Exit Cath.

Bap. Was ever gentleman thus griev'd, as I? But who comes here?

SCENE II.

Enter Gremio, Lucentio in the habit of a mean man ; Petruchio with Hortenfio, like a mufician; Tranio and Biondello bearing a lute and books.

Gre. Good morrow, neighbour Baptista.

Bap. Good morrow, neighbour Gremio: God fave you, Gentlemen.

A bilding] The word bilding, or hinderling, is a low wretch; it is applied to Ca

tharine for the coarfenefs of her behaviour,

Pet. And you, good Sir; pray, have you not a daughter call'd Catharina, fair and virtuous? Bap. I have a daughter, Sir, call'd Catharina. Gre. You are too blunt; go to it orderly.

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 bathful modefty,

Her wondrous qualities and mild behaviour,
Am bold to fhew myfelf a forward guest

Within your houfe, to make mine eye the witnefs
Of that Report, which I fo oft have heard.
And, for an entrance to my entertainment,

[Prefenting Hortenfio.
I do prefent you with a man of mine,
Cunning in mufick, and the mathematicks,
To inftruct her fully in thofe fciences,
Whereof, I know, fhe is not ignorant:
Accept of him, or else you do me wrong,
His name is Licio, born in Mantua.

Bap You're welcome, Sir, and he for your good fake. But for my daughter Catharina, this I know, She is not for your turn, the more's my grief. Pet. I tee you do not mean to part with her; Or else you like not of my company.

Bap. Miftake me not, I fpeak but what 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. Iknow him well: you are welcome for his fake. Gre. Saving your tale, Petruchio, I pray, let us, that are poor petitioners, fpeak too. you are marvellous forward.

Baccare, you are marvellous forward.] We muft read, Baccalare; by which the Italians mean, thou arrogant, prefump

Baccalare!

tuous man! the word is ufed fcornfully, upon any one that would affume a port of grandeur. WARBURTON.

D 2

Pst.

Pet. Oh, pardon me, Signior Gremio, I would fain be doing.

9

Gre. I doubt it not, Sir, but you will curfe your wooing.

Neighbour, this is a gift very grateful, I am fure of it. To exprefs the like kindness myself, that have been more kindly beholden to you than any, free leave give to this young scholar, that hath been long ftudying at Reims, [Prefenting Lucentio.] as cunning in Greek, Latin, and other languages, as the other in mufick and mathematicks; his name is Cambio; pray, accept his fervice.

Bap. A thousand thanks, Signior Gremio: welcome, good Cambio. But, gentle Sir, methinks, you walk like a ftranger; [To Tranio] may I be fo 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 fuitor to your daughter,

Unto Bianca, fair and virtuous:

Nor is your firm refolve unknown to me,
In the preferment of the eldest fifter.
This liberty is all that I request;

That, upon knowledge of my parentage,

I may have welcome 'mongst the reft that wooe,
And free accefs and favour as the reft,

And, toward the education of your daughters,
I here bestow a fimple Inftrument,

If

And this fmall packet of Greek and Latin books. you accept them, then their worth is great. [They greet privately.

9 I doubt it not, Sir, but you will curfe your wooing neighbours. This is a gift] This nonfenfe may be rectified by only pointing

it thus, I doubt it not, Sir, but you will curfe your wooing. Neigh bour, this is a gift, &c. addresfing himself to Baptifta

WARBURTON,

Bap.

Bap. Lucentio is your name? of whence, I pray?
Tra. Of Pifa, Sir, fon to Vincentio.

Bap. A mighty man of Pifa; by Report
I know him well; you are very welcome, Sir,
Take You the lute, and You the Set of books,

[To Hortenfio and Lucentio.

You shall go see your pupils presently.
Holla, within !.

Enter a Servant.

Sirrah, lead these gentlemen

To my two daughters; and then tell them Both,
These are their tutors, bid them ufe them well.
[Exit. Serv. with Hortenfio and Lucentio,
We will go walk a little in the orchard,

And then to dinner. You are paffing welcome,
And fo, I pray you all, to think yourselves.

Pet. Signior Baptifta, my business asketh hafte,
And every day I cannot come to wooe.
You knew my father well, and in him me,
Left folely heir to all his lands and goods,
Which I have better'd, rather than decreas'd;
Then tell me, if I get your daughter's love,
What dowry fhall I have with her to wife?

Bap. After my death, the one half of my lands:
And, in poffeffion, twenty thousand crowns.
Pet. And, for that dowry, I'll affure her of
Her widowhood, be it that she survive me,
In all my lands and leases whatsoever;
Let specialties be therefore drawn between us,
That covenants may be kept on either hand.

Bap. Ay, when the fpecial thing is well obtain'd, That is, her love; for that is all in all.

you,

father,

Pet. Why, that is nothing; for I tell
I am as peremptory as the proud-minded.
And where two raging fires meet together,
They do confume the thing that feeds their fury: