KATH. If I be waspish, beft beware my fting.
PET. My remedy is then, to pluck it out.
KATH. Ay, if the fool could find it where it lies.
PET. Who knows not where a wasp doth wear
his fting?

In his tail.

Whose tongue?

3

KATH. Yours, if you talk of tails; and fo fare

well.

[Striking him.

PET. I fwear I'll cuff you, if you strike again.
KATH. So may you lofe your arms:

If you ftrike me, you are no gentleman;
And if no gentleman, why, then no arms.

PET. A herald, Kate? O, put me in thy books.
KATH. What is your creft? a coxcomb?

PET. A comblefs cock, fo Kate will be my hen. KATH. NO Cock of mine, you crow too like a

craven.*

3 Yours, if you talk of tails;] The old copy reads-tales, and it may perhaps be right." Yours, if your talk be no better than an idle tale. Our author is very fond of using words of fimilar founds in different fenfes.-I have, however, followed the emendation made by Mr. Pope, which all the modern editors have adopted. MALONE.

a craven.] A craven is a degenerate, difpirited cock.

So, in Rhodon and Iris, 1631:

"That he will pull the craven from his neft."

STEEVENS.

PET. Nay, come, Kate, come; you must not look fo four.

KATH. It is my fashion, when I fee a crab.

PET. Why, here's no crab; and therefore look not four,

KATH. There is, there is.

PET. Then show it me.

KATH.

Had I a glafs, I would.

Well aim'd of fuch a young one.

PET. What, you mean my face?

Катн.

PET. Now, by faint George, I am too young for

you.

KATH. Yet you are wither'd.

PET.

ΚΑΤΗ.

'Tis with cares.

I care not.

PET. Nay, hear you, Kate: in footh, you 'scape not fo.

KATH. I chafe you, if I tarry; let me go.

PET. No, not a whit; I find you paffing gentle. 'Twas told me, you were rough, and coy, and fullen,

And now I find report a very liar;

For thou art pleasant, gamefome, paffing courteous; But flow in fpeech, yet fweet as fpring-time flowers: Thou canst not frown, thou canst not look askance, Nor bite the lip, as angry wenches will;

Craven was a term alfo applied to thofe who in appeals of battle became recreant, and by pronouncing this word, called for quarter from their opponents; the confequence of which was, that they for ever after were deemed infamous,

See note on 'Tis Pity fhe's a Whore. Dodley's Collection of Old Plays, Vol. VIII, p. 10. edit. 1780. REED.

I do prefent you with a man of mine,

[Prefenting HORTENSIO. Cunning in mufick, and the mathematicks, To instruct her fully in those sciences, Whereof, I know, fhe is not ignorant : Accept of him, or elfe you do me wrong; His name is Licio, born in Mantua.

BAP. You're welcome, fir; and he, for your good fake:

But for my daughter Katharine,-this I know,
She is not for your turn, the more my grief.

PET. I fee, 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, fir? what may I call your name?

PET. Petruchio is my name; Antonio's fon, A man well known throughout all Italy.

BAP. I know him well: you are welcome for his fake.

GRE. Saving your tale, Petruchio, I pray, Let us, that are poor petitioners, fpeak too: Baccare! you are marvellous forward.'

Baccare! you are marvellous forward.] We must read, Baccalare; by which the Italians mean, thou arrogant, prefumptuous man! the word is ufed fcornfully upon any one that would assume a port of grandeur. WARBURTON.

The word is neither wrong nor Italian: it was an old proverbial one, used by John Heywood; who hath made, what he pleases to call, Epigrams upon it. Take two of them, fuch as they are:

"Backare, quoth Mortimer to his fow,

"Went that fow backe at that bidding, trow you?”

"Backare, quoth Mortimer to his fow: fe,
"Mortimer's fow fpeaketh as good Latin as he."

Howel takes this from Heywood, in his Old Sarwes and Adages: and Philpot introduces it into the proverbs collected by Camden.

FARMER.

And, will you, nill you,' I will marry you.
Now, Kate, I am a husband for your turn;
For, by this light, whereby I fee thy beauty,
(Thy beauty, that doth make me like thee well,)
Thou must be married to no man but me:
For I am he am born to tame you, Kate;
And bring you from a wild Cat to a Kate3
Conformable, as other houfhold Kates.
Here comes your father; never make denial,
I must and will have Katharine to my wife.

Re-enter BAPTISTA, GREMIO, and TRANIO.

BAP. Now,

Signior Petruchio: How speed you with
My daughter?

PET.

How but well, fir? how but well?

It were impoffible, I should speed amifs.

BAP. Why, how now, daughter Katharine? in your dumps?

KATH. Call you me, daughter? now, I promise

you,

You have fhow'd a tender fatherly regard,

To with me wed to one half lunatick;

7

1601:

nill you,] So, in The Death of Robert Earl of Huntington,

"Will you or nill you, you must yet go in."

Again, in Damon and Pithias, 1571:

8

"Neede hath no law; will I, or nill I, it must be done.”

a wild cat to a Kate-] The first folio reads—
a wild Kate to a Kate, &c.

The fecond folio

-a

wild Kat to a Kate, &c.

STEEVENS.

STEEVENS.

The editor of the fecond folio with fome probability_reads― from a wild Kat (meaning certainly cat.) So before: "But will you woo this wild cat?" MALONE.

BAP. A thousand thanks, fignior Gremio: welcome, good Cambio.-But, gentle fir, [ToTRANIO.] methinks, you walk like a stranger; May I be fo bold to know the caufe of your coming?

TRA. Pardon me, fir, 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 eldeft fifter:
This liberty is all that I request,-
That, upon knowledge of my parentage,

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

And, toward the education of your daughters,
I here beftow a fimple inftrument,

And this fmall packet of Greek and Latin books:
If you accept them, then their worth is great.

BAP. Lucentio is your name?' of whence, I pray? TRA. Of Pifa, fir; fon to Vincentio.

preceding part of this fcene, where Petruchio, presenting Hortenfio to Baptifta, uses almoft the fame form of words:

"And, for an entrance to my entertainment,

"I do prefent you with a man of mine,
"Cunning in mufick," &c.

Free leave give, &c. was the abfurd correction of the editor of the third folio. MALONE.

6 this fmall packet of Greek and Latin books:] In Queen Elizabeth's time the young ladies of quality were ufually inftructed in the learned languages, if any pains were beftowed on their minds at all. Lady Jane Grey and her fifters, Queen Elizabeth, &c. are trite inftances. PERCY.

7 Lucentio is your name?] How fhould Baptifta know this! Perhaps a line is loft, or perhaps our author was negligent. Mr. Theobald fuppofes they converfe privately, and that thus the name is learned; but then the action must stand still; for there is no fpeech interpofed between that of Tranio and this of Baptifta. Another editor imagines that Lucentio's name was written on the packet of books. MALONE.