O, how we joy to see your wit restored! O, that once more you knew but what you are! 1 Serv. O, yes, my lord; but very idle words:For though you lay here in this goodly chamber, Yet would you say, ye were beaten out of door; And rail upon the hostess of the house; And say, you would present her at the leet t, Because she brought stone jugs, and no seal'd quarts: Sometimes, you would call out for Cicely Hacket. Sly. Ay, the woman's maid of the house. 3 Serv. Why, Sir, you know no house, nor no such maid; Nor no such men, as you have reckon'd up,- And twenty more such names and men as these, Sly. Now, Lord be thanked for my good amends! Sly. I thank thee; thou shalt not lose by it. Enter the PAGE, as a Lady,"with Attendants. Sly. Marry, I fare well; for here is cheer enough. Where is my wife? Page. Here, noble lord; What is thy will with her? Syl. Are you my wife, and will not call me-hus band; My men should call me-lord; I am your goodman. Page. My husband and my lord, my lord and husband; I am your wife in all obedience. Sly. I know it well:-What must I call her? Sly. Al'ce madam, or Joan madani. Lord. Madam, and nothing else; so lords call la dies. Sly. Madam wife, they say, that I have dream'd, and slept Above some fifteen year and more. Page. Ay, and the time seems thirty unto me; Being all this time abandon'd from your bed. Faith. VOL. II. + Court-leet. ૨૧ Sly. 'Tis much ;-Servants, leave me and her alone. Madam undress you, and come now to bed. Page. Thrice noble lord, let me entreat of you, To pardon me yet for a night or two; Or, if not so, until the sun be set: For your physicians have expressly charged, That I should yet absent me from your bed: Sly. Ay, it stands so, that I may hardly tarry so long. But I would be loath to fall into my dreams. again; I will therefore tarry, in despite of the flesh and the blood." Enter a SERVANT. Serv. Your honour's players, hearing your amendAre come to play a pleasant comedy, For so your doctors hold it very meet; [ment, Seeing too much sadness hath congeal'd your blood, And melancholy is the nurse of frenzy, Therefore they thought it good you hear a play, And frame your mind to mirth and merriment, Which bars a thousand harms, and lengthens life. Sly. Marry, I will; let them play it: Is not a commontyl a Christmas gambol, or a tumbling trick? Page. No, my good lord; it is more pleasing stuff. Sly. What, houshold stuff? Page. It is a kind of history. Sly. Well, we'll see't: come, madam wife, sit by my side, and let the world slip; we shall ne'er be younger. [They sit down. ACT I. SCENE I-Padua.-A public Place. Luc. Tranio, since for the great desire 1 had And, by my father's love and leave, am arm'd For comedy. Gave me my being, and my father first, Vincentio, his son, brought up in Florence, Glad that you thus continue your resolve, The mathematics, and the metaphysics, Fall to them, as you find your stomach serves you : No profit grows, where is no pleasure ta'en; In brief, Sir, study what you most affect. Luc. Gramercies, Tranio, well dost thou advise. Such friends as time in Padua shall beget. Tra. Master, some show, to welcome us to town. Enter BAPTISTA, KATHARINA, BIANCA, GREMIO, and HORTENSIO.-LUCENTIO and TRANIO stand aside. Bap. Gentlemen, impórtune me no further, If either of you both love Katharina, Small piece of water. + Pardon me. Because I know you well, and love you well, Leave shall you have to court her at your pleasure. Gre. To cart her rather: she's too rough for me. There, there Hortensio, will you any wife? Kath. I pray you, Sir, [To Bap.] is it your will To make a stale of me amongst these mates? Hor. Mates, maid! Now mean you that! No mates for you, Unless you were of gentler milder mould. Kath. I'faith, Sir, you shall never need to fear; I wist + it is not half way to her heart: But, if it were, doubt not, her care should be Hor. From all such devils, good Lord, deliver us! Tra. Hush, master! Here is some good pastime to. That wench is stark mad, or wonderful froward. Luc. But in the other's silence I do see Maid's mild behaviour and sobriety. Peace, Tranio. Tra. Well said, master; mum! And gaze your fill. Bap. Gentlemen, that I may soon make good What I have said,-Bianca, get you in: And let it not displease thee, good Bianca ; Put finger in the eye-an she knew why. Bian. Sister, content you in my discontent.Sir, to your pleasure humbly I subscribe: My books and instruments, shall be my company; On them to look, and practise by myself. Luc. Hark, Tranio! Thou may'st hear Minerva speak. [Aside. Hor. Signio Baptista, will you be so strange ? Sorry am 1, that our good will affects Bianca's grief. Gre. Why will you mew her up, Signior Baptista, for this fiend of hell, And make her bear the penance of her tongue? And for I know, she taketh most delight A bait or decoy. + Think. Pet. Shut. Prefer them hither; for to cunning + men [Exit. Kath. Why, and I trust, I may go too, may I not? What, shall I be appointed hours; as though, belike, I knew not what to take, and what to leave! Ha! [Exit. Gre. You may go to the devil's dam; your gifts are so good, here is none will hold you. Their love is not so great, Hortensio, but we may blow our nails together, and fast it fairly out; our cake's dough on both sides. Farewell :-Yet, for the love I bear my sweet Bianca, if I can by any means light on a fit man, to teach her that wherein she delights, I will wish him to her father. Hor. So will I, signior Gremio: but a word, I pray. Though the nature of our quarrel yet never brook'd parle, know now, upon advice, it toucheth us both, that we may yet again have access to our fair mistress, and be happy rivals in Bianca's love, to labour and effect one thing 'specially. Gre. What's that, I pray? Hor. Marry, Sir, to get a husband for her sister. Gre. A husband! A devil. Hor. I say, a husband. Gre. I say, a devil:-Think'st thou, Hortensio, though her father be very rich, any man is so very a fool to be married to hell? Hor. Tush, Gremio, though it pass your patience, and mine, to endure her loud alarums, why, man, there be good fellows in the world, an a man could light on them, would take her with all faults, and money enough, Gre. I cannot tell: but I had as lief take her dowry with this condition,-to be whipp'd at the high-cross every morning. Hor. 'Faith, as you say, there's small choice in rotten apples. But, come; since this bar in law makes us friends, it shall be so far forth friendly maintain'd,-tili by helping Baptista's eldest daughter to a husband, we set his youngest free for a husband, and then have to't afresh.-Sweet Bianca!Happy man be his dole! He that runs fastest, gets the ring. How say you, siguior Gremio ? Recommend. + Knowing, learned. |