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As if they faw fome wondrous monument, m.a
Some comet, or unusual prodigy

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Bap. Why, Sir, you know, this is your wedding day:

First, were we fad, fearing you would not come;
Now fadder, that you come fo unprovided.

Fy, doff this habit, fhame to your estate,
An eye-fore to our folemn festival...

Tra. And tell us what occafion of import
Hath all fo long detain'd you from your wife,
And fent you hither fo unlike yourself?

Pet. Tedious it were to tell, and harsh to hear:
Sufficeth, I am come to keep my word,
Tho' in fome part enforced to digress,
Which at more leifure I will fo excuse,
As you fhall well be fatisfied withal.

But, where is Kate? I ftay too long from her;
The morning wears; 'tis time, we were at church.
Tra. See not your bride in these unreverent robes;
Go to my chamber, put on cloaths of mine.

Pet. Not I; believe me, thus I'll vifit her.'

[words;

Bap. But thus, I truft, you will not marry her. Pet. Good footh, even thus; therefore ha'done with To me the's married, not unto my cloaths: Could I repair what she will wear in me, As I could change thefe poor accoutrements, 'Twere well for Kate, and better for myself. But what a fool am I to chat with you, When I fhould bid good-morrow to my And feal the title with a lovely kifs ?

bride,

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.

[Exit.

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 pass,
As I before imparted to your worship,

I am to get a man, (whate'er he be,
It kills not much; we'll fit him to our turn ;)
And he fhall be Vincentio of Pita,

And make affurance here in Padua

Of

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Of greater fums than I have promised:
So fhall you quietly enjoy your hope,
And marry fweet Bianca with confent.

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

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'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 gray-beard Gremio,
The narrow-prying father Minola,
The quaint mufician amorous Licio;
All for my master's fake, Lucentio.

Enter Gremio."

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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 thall 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 fwore fo loud,
That, all-amaz'd, the prieft let fall the book;
And as he stoop'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 weach, when he rofe up again?
Gre. Trembled and thook; for why, he flamp'd and

He calls for wine: a health, quoth he; as if

[(wore,

As if the vicar meant to cozen him.

But after many ceremonies done,

H'ad been aboard caroufing to his mates

After a ftorm; quafft off the mufcadel,

And threw the fops all in the fexton's face;

Having no other caufe, 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 kist her lips
With fuch a clamorous fmack, that at the parting
All the church echo'd; and I seeing this, dow
Came thence for very fhame; and after me, 15
I know, the rout is coming: Such a mad marriage-
Ne'er was before. Hark, hark, I hear the minstrels.
[Mufick plays.
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 store of wedding cheers.
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?
Pei. I must away to-day, before night come.
Make it no wonder; if you knew my business,
You would entreat me rather go than stay.
And, honeft company, I thank you all,
That have beheld me give away myself
To this moft 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

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Cath. Are you content to ftay?

Pet. I am content, you shall intreat me, flay;

But yet not tay, intreat me how you can.

Cath. Now, if you love me, flay.

Pet. Grumio, my horfes.

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

Cath. Nay, then,

Do

Do what thou can't, I will not go to-day;
No, nor to-morrow, mor'till I please myfelf:
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; prythee, be not angry.
Cath. I will be angry; what haft thou to do
Father, be quiet; he shall flay 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 she had not a spirit to refift.

Pèt. They fhall go forward, Kate, at thy command,
Obey the bride, you that attend on her:
Go to the feaft, revel and domineer;
Caroufe full measure to her maiden-head;
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, fhe is my houfe,"
My fhoushold stuff, my field, my barn,
My horse, my ox, my afs, my any thing;
And here fhe ftands, touch her who ever dare.
I'll bring my action on the proudeft 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 shall 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 should die with laughing..
Tra. Of all mad matches, never was the like.
Luc. Miltrefs, what's your opinion of your fifter?
Bian. That, being mad herfelf, fhe's madly mated.
Gre. I warrant him, Petruchio is kated.

Báp. Neighbours and friends, tho' bride and bridegroom
For to fupply the places at the table;

[want

You

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

Tra. Shall fweet Bianca practise how to bride it!
Bap. She fhall, Lucentie: Gentlemen, let's go. [Exeunt.

F

A CT IV.

SCENE, Petruchio's Country Houfe.

Enter Grumio.

GRUMI 0.

Y, fy on all tired jades, and all mad masters, and all foul ways! was ever man fo beaten? was ever man fo raide 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 fhould come by a fire to thaw me; but I with blowing the fire fhall warm myself; for confidering the weather, a taller man than I will take cold: Holla, hoa, Curtis!

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Curt. Who is it that calls fo coldly?

Gru. A piece of ice. If thou doubt it, thou may'st flide from my fhoulder to my heel, with no greater a run but my head and my neck. A fire, good Curtis.

Curt. Is my master 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 fhe'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 master, and my new miftrefs, and myself, fellow Curtis.

Curt.

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