Tra. For what reason, I beseech you?
Gre. For this reason, if you'll know,--
That she's the choice love of signior Gremio.
Hor. That she's the chosen of signior Hortensio.
Tra. Softly, my masters! if you be gentlemen,
Do me this right,-hear me with patience.
Baptista is a noble gentleman,

To whom my father is not all unknown ;
And, were his daughter fairer than she is,
She may more suitors have, and me for one.
Fair Leda's daughter had a thousand wooers;
Then well one more may fair Bianca have :
And so she shall; Lucentio shall make one,
Though Paris came, in hope to speed alone.

Gre. What! this gentleman will out-talk us all. Luc. Sir, give him head; I know, he'll prove a jade.

Pet. Hortensio, to what end are all these words? Hor. Sir, let me be so bold as to ask you, Did you yet ever see Baptista's daughter? Tra. No, sir; but hear I do, that he hath two; The one as famous for a scolding tongue, As is the other for beauteous modesty.

Pet. Sir, sir, the first for me; let her go by. Gre. Yea, leave that labour to great Hercules; And let it be more than Alcides' twelve.

Pet. Sir, understand you this of me, insooth ;The youngest daughter, whom you hearken for, Her father keeps from all access of suitors; And will not promise her to any man, Until the elder sister first be wed: The younger then is free, and not before.

Tra. If it be so, sir, that you are the man Must stead us all, and me among the rest; An if you break the ice, and do this feat,Achieve the elder, set the younger free For our access,-whose hap shall be to have her, Will not so graceless be, to be ingrate*.

Hor. Sir, you say well, and well you do conceive; * Ungrateful.

And since you do profess to be a suitor,
You must, as we do, gratify this gentleman,
To whom we all rest generally beholden.

Tra. Sir, I shall not be slack: in sign whereof,
Please ye we may contrive this afternoon,
And quaff carouses to our mistress' health;
And do as adversaries do in law,-

Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends. Gru. Bion. O excellent motion! Fellows *, let's begone.

Hor. The motion's good indeed, and be it so ;Petruchio, I shall be your ben venuto.

ACT II.

[Exeunt.

SCENE I. The same. A room in Baptista's house.

Enter Katharina and Bianca.

Bian. Good sister, wrong me not, nor wrong yourself,

To make a bondmaid and a slave of me;
That I disdain: 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.

Kath. Of all thy suitors, here I charge thee, tell
Whom thou lov'st best: see thou dissemble not.
Bian. Believe me, sister, of all the men alive,
I never yet beheld that special face
Which I could fancy more than any other.

Kath. Minion, thou liest; Is't not Hortensio ? Bian. If you affect him, sister, here I swear, I'll plead for you myself, but you shall have him. Kath. O then, belike, you fancy riches more; You will have Gremio to keep you fair.

Bian. Is it for him you do envy me so ? Nay, then you jest;

* Companions.

and now I well perceive, + Trifling ornaments.

+ Love.

You have but jested with me all this while :
I pr'ythee, sister Kate, untie my hands."
Kath. If that be jest, then all the rest was so.
[Strikes her.

Enter Baptista.

Bap. Why, how now, dame! whence grows this insolence?

Bianca, stand aside ;-poor girl! she weeps:
Go ply thy needle; meddle not with her.-
For shame, thou hilding* of a devilish spirit,
Why dost thou wrong her that did ne'er wrong

thee?

When did she cross thee with a bitter word?'
Kath. Her silence flouts me, and I'll be reveng'd.
[Flies after Bianca.
Bap. What, in my sight?-Bianca, get thee in.
[Exit Bianca.
Kath. Will you not suffer me? Nay, now I see,
She is your treasure, she must have a husband
I must dance bare-foot on her wedding-day,
And, for your love to her, lead apes in hell.
Talk not to me; I will go sit and weep,
Till I can find occasion of revenge.

;

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

Enter Gremio, with Lucentio in the habit of a mean man; Petruchio, with Hortensio, as a musician; and Tranio, with Biondello bearing a lute and books.

Gre. Good-morrow, neighbour Baptista.

Bap. Good-morrow, neighbour Gremio: God save you, gentlemen!

Pet. And you, good sir! Pray, have you not a daughter

Call'd Katharina, fair, and virtuous ?

Bap. I have a daughter, sir, call'd Katharina.

* A worthless woman.

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 bashful modesty,

Her wondrous qualities, and mild behaviour,-
Am bold to shew myself a forward guest
Within your house, to make mine eye the witness
Of that report which I so oft have heard.
And, for an entrance to my entertainment,
I do present you with a man of mine,

[Presenting Hortensio. Cunning in musick, and the mathematicks, To instruct her fully in those sciences, Whereof, I know, she 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 sake:

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

Pet. I see, 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, sir? what may I call your name? Pet. Petruchio is my name; Antonio's son,

A man well known throughout all Italy.

Bap. I know him well: you are welcome for his sake.

Gre. Saving your tale, Petruchio, I pray, Let us, that are poor petitioners, speak too: Baccare*! you are marvellous forward.

Pet. O, pardon me, signior Gremio; I would fain be doing.

Gre. It doubt it not, sir; but you will curse your

wooing.

Neighbour, this is a gift very grateful, I am sure of it. To express the like kindness myself, that have * A proverbial exclamation then in use.

been more kindly beholden to you than any, I freely give unto you this young scholar [presenting Lucentio] that hath been long studying at Rheims; as cunning in Greek, Latin, and other languages, as the other in musick and mathematicks: his name is Cambio; pray, accept his service.

Bap. A thousand thanks, signior Gremio: welcome, good Cambio.-But, gentle sir, [To Tranio] methinks you walk like a stranger; May I be so 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 suitor to your daughter,
Unto Bianca, fair, and virtuous.

Nor is your firm resolve unknown to me,
In the preferment of the eldest sister :
This liberty is all that I request,-

That, upon knowledge of my parentage,

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

And, toward the education of your daughters,
I here bestow a simple instrument,

And this small 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 Pisa, sir; son to Vincentio.

Bap. A mighty man of Pisa; by report

I know him well: you are very welcome, sir.Take you [To Hor.] the lute, and you [To Luc.] the set of books,

You shall go see your pupils presently.

Holla, within !

Sirrah, lead

Enter a Servant.

These gentlemen to my daughters; and tell them both,

These are their tutors; bid them use them well. [Exit Servant, with Hortensio, Lucentio, and

Biondello.