And, will you, nill

you, I will marry you.
Now, Kate, I am a husband for your turn;
For, by this light, whereby I see 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 Kate to a Kate1
Conformable, as other household 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,

Seignior Petruchio, how speed you with
My daughter?

Pet.

How but well, sir? how but well?

It were impossible I should speed amiss.

Bap. Why, how now, daughter Katharine; in your dumps?

Kath. Call you me daughter? Now, I promise you, You have showed a tender, fatherly regard,

To wish me wed to one half lunatic;

A mad-cap ruffian, and a swearing Jack,

That thinks with oaths to face the matter out.

Pet. Father, 'tis thus :-Yourself and all the world,
That talked of her, have talked amiss of her;
If she be curst, it is for policy;

For she's not froward, but modest as the dove;
She is not hot, but temperate as the morn;
For patience she will prove a second Grissel;
And Roman Lucrece for her chastity;

2

And to conclude,-we have 'greed so well together, That upon Sunday is the wedding-day.

Kath. I'll see thee hanged on Sunday first.

1 Thus the first folio. The second folio reads:-"a wild Kat to a Kate;" the modern editors, "a wild cat."

2 The story of Griselda, so beautifully related by Chaucer, was taken by him from Boccaccio. It is thought to be older than the time of the Florentine, as it is to be found among the old fabliaux.

Gre. Hark, Petruchio! she says she'll see thee hanged first.

Tra. Is this your speeding? Nay, then, good night our part!

Pet. Be patient, gentlemen; I choose her for myself.

If she and I be pleased, what's that to you ? 'Tis bargained 'twixt us twain, being alone, That she shall still be curst in company.

I tell you, 'tis incredible to believe

How much she loves me. O, the kindest Kate!—
She hung about my neck; and kiss on kiss
She vied so fast, protesting oath on oath,
That in a twink, she won me to her love,
O,

you are novices! 'Tis a world to see,'
How tame, when men and women are alone,
A meacock 2 wretch can make the curstest shrew.-
Give me thy hand, Kate! I will unto Venice,
To buy apparel 'gainst the wedding-day.-
Provide the feast, father, and bid the guests;
I will be sure my Katharine shall be fine.

Bap. I know not what to say; but give me your hands;

God send you joy, Petruchio! 'tis a match.

Gre. Tra. Amen, say we; we will be witnesses. Pet. Father, and wife, and gentlemen, adieu;

I will to Venice; Sunday comes apace.

We will have rings, and things, and fine array; And kiss me, Kate; we will be married o' Sunday. [Exeunt PET. and KATH. severally. Gre. Was ever match clapped up so suddenly? Bap. Faith, gentlemen, now I play a merchant's part,

And venture madly on a desperate mart.

Tra. 'Twas a commodity lay fretting by you. "Twill bring you gain, or perish on the seas.

Bap. The gain I seek is quiet in the match.

1 This phrase, which frequently occurs in old writers, is equivalent to,

it is a wonder, or a matter of admiration to see.

2 A tame, dastardly creature, particularly an over-mild husband.

Gre. No doubt, but he hath got a quiet catch.
But now, Baptista, to your younger daughter;-
Now is the day we long have looked for;
I am your neighbor, and was suitor first.

Tra. And I am one that love Bianca more Than words can witness, or your thoughts can guess. Gre. Youngling! thou canst not love so dear as I. Tra. Gray-beard! thy love doth freeze.

Gre. But thine doth fry. Skipper, stand back; 'tis age that nourisheth. Tra. But youth, in ladies' eyes that flourisheth. Bap. Content you, gentlemen; I'll compound this strife.

'Tis deeds must win the prize; and he, of both, That can assure my daughter greatest dower, Shall have Bianca's love.

Say, seignior Gremio, what can you assure her?

Gre. First, as you know, my house within the city Is richly furnished with plate and gold;

Basins, and ewers, to lave her dainty hands;
My hangings all of Tyrian tapestry;

In ivory coffers I have stuffed my crowns;
In cypress chests my arras, counterpoints,"
Costly apparel, tents, and canopies;

2

Fine linen, Turkey cushions bossed with pearl,
Valance of Venice gold in needle-work,
Pewter and brass, and all things that belong
To house, or house-keeping. Then, at my farm,
I have a hundred milch-kine to the pail,
Six score fat oxen standing in my stalls,
And all things answerable to this portion.
Myself am struck in years, I must confess;
And, if I die to-morrow, this is hers,

If, whilst I live, she will be only mine.

Tra. That only came well in.—————Sir, list to me. I am my father's heir, and only son:

If I may have your daughter to my wife,

1 Coverings for beds; now called counterpanes.

2 Tents were hangings, tentes (French), probably so named from the tenters upon which they were hung.

I'll leave her houses three or four as good,
Within rich Pisa walls, as any one
Old seignior Gremio has in Padua ;

Besides two thousand ducats by the year,
Of fruitful land, all which shall be her jointure.
What, have I pinched you, seignior Gremio?

Gre. Two thousand ducats by the year, of land!
My land amounts not to so much in all:
That she shall have; besides an argosy,
That now is lying in Marseilles' road.
What, have I choked you with an argosy?

Tra. Gremio,'tis known my father hath no less
Than three great argosies; besides two galliasses,1
And twelve tight galleys. These I will assure her,
And twice as much, whate'er thou offer'st next,
Gre. Nay, I have offered all; I have no more;
And she can have no more than all I have.-
If you like me, she shall have me and mine.

Tra. Why, then the maid is mine from all the world,

By your firm promise; Gremio is outvied.

your

Bap. I must confess, your offer is the best;
And, let father make her the assurance,
She is your own; else, you must pardon me.
If you should die before him, where's her dower?
Tra. That's but a cavil; he is old, I young.

Gre. And may not young men die, as well as old?
Bap. Well, gentlemen,

I am thus resolved.-On Sunday next, you know,
My daughter Katharine is to be married:

Now, on the Sunday following, shall Bianca
Be bride to you, if you make this assurance;
If not, to seignior Gremio.

And so I take my leave, and thank you both.

[Exit.

Gre. Adieu, good neighbor.-Now, I fear thee not;

Sirrah, young gamester, your father were a fool
To give thee all, and, in his waning age,

1 A galiass (galeazza, Ital.) was a great or double galley. The masts were three, and the number of seats for rowers thirty-two.

Set foot under thy table. Tut! a toy!

An old Italian fox is not so kind, my boy.

[Exit.

Tra. A vengeance on your crafty withered hide!

Yet I have faced it with a card of ten.1

'Tis in my head to do my master good:-
I see no reason, but supposed Lucentio
Must get a father, called-supposed Vincentio ;
And that's a wonder. Fathers, commonly,

Do get their children; but, in this case of wooing,
A child shall get a sire, if I fail not of my cunning.

[Exit.?

ACT III.

SCENE I. A Room in Baptista's House.

Enter LUCENTIO, HORTENSIO, and BIANCA.

Luc. Fiddler, forbear; you grow too forward, sir. Have you so soon forgot the entertainment Her sister Katharine welcomed you withal? Hor. But, wrangling pedant, this is The patroness of heavenly harmony. Then give me leave to have prerogative; And when in music we have spent an hour, Your lecture shall have leisure for as much.

1 This phrase, which often occurs in old writers, was most probably derived from some game at cards, wherein the standing boldly upon a ten was often successful.

2 After this Mr. Pope introduced the following speeches of the presenters, as they are called; from the old play :

Slie. When will the fool come again? *

Sim. Anon, my lord.

Slie. Give some more drink here; where's the tapster? Here, Sim, eat some of these things.

Sim. I do, my lord.

Slie. Here, Sim, I drink to thee.

This probably alludes to the custom of filling up the vacancy of the stage between the acts by the appearance of a fool on the stage; unless Sly meant Sander, the servant to Ferando, in the old piece, which seems likely from a subsequent passage.