And feal the title with a lovely kifs ?

[Exit.

Tra. He hath fome meaning in his mad attire:

We will perfuade him, be it poffible,

To put on better ere he go to church.

Bap. I'll after him, and fee the event of this. [Exit.

Tra. But, Sir, our love concerneth us to add
Her father's liking; which to bring to pafs,
As I before imparted to your Worship,

I am to get a man, (whate'er he be,

It fkills not much; we'll fit him to our turn);
And he shall be Vincentio of Pisa,
And make affurance here in Padua
Of greater fums than I have promised :
So fhall you quietly enjoy your hope,
And marry fweet Bianca with confent.

Luc. Were it not that my
fellow-fchoolmafter
Doth watch Bianca's fteps fo narrowly,

'Twere good, methinks, to fteal our marriage;
Which once perform'd, let all the world fay, No,
I'll keep my own, defpight of all the world.

Tra. That by degrees we mean to look into,
And watch our vantage in this business :
We'll over-reach the grey-beard Gremio,
The narrow-prying father Minola,
The quaint musician amorous Licio;
All for my master's fake, Lucentio.

SCENE. VI. Enter Gremio.

Now, Signior Gremio, came you from the church? Gre. As willingly as e'er I came from school. Tra. And is the bride and bridegroom coming home? ·

Gre. A bridegroom, fay you? 'tis a groom, indeed, A grumbling groom, and that the girl fhall find. Tra. Curfter than fhe? why, 'tis impoffible. Gre.. Why, he's a devil, a devil, a very fiend. Tra. Why, fhe's a devil, a devil, the devil's dam. Gre. Tut, fhe's a lamb, a dove, a fool to him. I'll tell you, Sir Lucentio; when the priest Should ask, if Catharine should be his wife?

Ay, by gogs-woons, quoth he; and swore fo loud,
That, all-amaz'd, the priest let fall the book;
And as he ftoop'd again to take it up,

This mad-brain'd bridegroom took him fuch a cuff,
That down fell priest and book, and book and priest.
Now take them up, quoth he, if any lift.

Tra. What faid the wench, when he rofe up again? Gre. Trembled and fhook; for why, he ftamp'd and fwore,

As if the vicar meant to cozen him.

But after many ceremonies done,

"He calls for wine: a health, quoth he; as if "H'ad been aboard carowfing to his mates "After a ftorm: quaft off the mufcadel, "And threw the fops all in the fexton's face; Having no other cause, but that his beard "Grew thin and hungerly, and feem'd to ask "His fops as he was drinking. This done, he took "The bride about the neck, and kifs'd her lips "With fuch a clamorous fimack, that at the parting "All the church echo'd ;" and I feeing this, Came thence for very fhame; and after me, I know, the rout is coming. Such a nad marriage Ne'er was before.-Hark, hark, I hear the minstrels. [Mufic plays.

SCENE VII.

Enter Petruchio, Catharina, Bianca, Hortenfio, and Baptifta.

Pet. Gentlemen and friends, I thank you for your pains:

I know, you think to dine with me to-day,

And have prepar'd great ftore of wedding-cheer;
But fo it is, my hafte doth call me hence;
And therefore here I mean to take my leave.

Bap. Is 't poffible you will away to-night?
Pet. I muft away to-day, before night come.
Make it no wonder; if you knew my business,
You would intreat me rather go than stay.
And, honeft company, I thank you all,
That have beheld me give away myself

To this most patient, fweet, and virtuous wife.
Dine with my father, drink a health to me,
For I must hence, and farewel to you all.

Tra. Let us intreat you ftay till after dinner.
Pet. It may not be.

Gre. Let me intreat you.

Pet. It cannot be.

Cath. Let me intreat you.

Pet. I am content

Cath. Are you content to stay?

Pet. I am content you shall intreat me stay; But yet not ftay, intreat me how you can.

Cath. Now, if you love me, ftay.

Pet. Grumio, my horfes.

Gru. Ay, Sir, they be ready: the oats have eaten the horfes *

Cath. Nay, then,

Do what thou canft, I will not go to-day;
No, nor to-morrow, nor till I please myself.
The door is open, Sir, there lies your way,
You may be jogging, while your boots are green;
For me, I'll not go till I pleafe myself.
'Tis like you'll prove a jolly furly groom,
That take it on you at the first fo roundly.

Pet. O Kate, content thee, pr'ythee, be not angry. Cath. I will be angry; what haft thou to do? Father, be quiet; he fhall ftay my leifure.

Gre. Ay, marry, Sir; now it begins to work. Cath, Gentlemen, forward to the bridal dinner. I fee, a woman may be made a fool,

If he had not a spirit to refift..

Pet. They fhall go forward, Kate, at thy com mand.

Obey the bride, you that attend on her:
Go to the feaft, revel and domineer;
Carowse full measure to her maidenhead;
Be mad and merry, or go hang yourselves:
But for my bonny Kate, fhe muft with me.
Nay, look not big, nor ftamp, nor ftare, nor fret,
I will be mafter of what is mine own;
She is my goods, my chattels, the is my houfe,
* That is, the distemper fo called.

My houfhold-stuff, my field, my barn,

My horfe, my ox, my afs, my any thing;
And here the ftands, touch her whoever dare.
I'll bring my action on the proudest he,
That ftops my way in Padua: Grumio,

Draw forth thy weapon; we're befet with thieves;
Rescue thy miftrefs, if thou be a man:

Fear not, fweet wench, they fhall not touch thee,

Kate;

I'll buckler thee against a million.

[Exeunt Pet. and Cath. Bap. Nay, let them go, a couple of quiet ones. Gre. Went they not quickly, I fhould die with laughing.

Tra. Of all mad matches, never was the like.
Luc. Miftrefs, what's your opinion of your fifter?
Bian. That, being mad herself, she's madly mated.
Gre. I warrant him, Petruchio is Kated.

Bap. Neighbours and friends, tho' bride and bridegroom want

For to fupply the places at the table;

You know, there wants no junkets at the feaft:
Lucentio, you fupply the bridegroom's place;
And let Bianca take her fifter's room.

Tra. Shall fweet Bianca practife how to bride it?
Bap. She fhall, Lucentio: Gentlemen, let's go.
[Exeunt.

A C T IV. SCENE I.

Grumio.

Petruchio's country-house.

Enter Grumio.

IE, fie on all tired jades, and all mad mafters, and all foul ways! Was ever man fo beaten? was ever man fo raied? was ever man fo weary? I am fent before, to make a fire; and they are coming after, to warm them: now were I not a little pot, and foon hot, my very lips might freeze to my teeth, my tongue to the roof of my mouth, my heart in my belly, ere I should come by a fire to thaw me; but I

with blowing the fire fhall warm myfelf; for, confidering the weather, a taller man than I will take cold. Holla, hoa, Curtis !

Enter Curtis.

Gurt. Who is it that calls fo coldly?

Gru. A piece of ice. If thou doubt it, thou may'st flide from my shoulder to my heel, with no greater a run but my head and my neck. A fire, good Curtis. Curt. Is my mafter and his wife coming, Grumio ? Gru. Oh, ay, Curtis, ay; and therefore, fire, fire; caft on no water.

Curt. Is fhe fo hot a fhrew as the 's reported?

Gru. She was, good Curtis, before this froft; but thou know'ft, winter tames man, woman, and beaft; for it hath tam'd my old mafter, and my new mistress, and thyfelf, fellow Curtis.

Curt. Away, you three-inch'd fool; I am no beast, Gru, Am I but three inches? why, thy horn is a foot, and fo long am I at the leaft. But wilt thou make a fire, or fhall I complain on thee to our mistress? whofe hand, fhe being now at hand, thou fhalt foon feel to thy cold comfort, for being flow in thy hot office.

Curt. I pr'ythee, good Grumio, tell me, how goes the world?

Gru. A cold world, Curtis, in every office but thinę; and, therefore, fire: do thy duty, and have thy duty; for my mafter and miftrefs are almoft frozen to death.

Curt. There's fire ready; and therefore, good Grumio, the news.

Gru. Why, Jack boy, ho boy, and as much news as thou wilt *.

Gurt. Come, you are fo full of coneycatching.

Gru. Why, therefore, fire; for I have caught extreme cold. Where's the cook? is fupper ready, the houfe trimm'd, rufhes ftrew'd, cobweb fwept, the ferving-men in their new fuftian, their white ftockings, and every officer his wedding-garment on? be the Jacks fair within, the Jills fair without, carpets laid, and every thing in order ?.

This seems to be a fragment of fome old ballad.