PERSONS REPRESENTED.

A Lord.

CHRISTOPHER SLY, a drunken tinker.

Hostess, Page, Players, Huntsmen, and persons in the

Induction.

other servants attending on the Lord.
BAPTISTA, a rich gentleman of Padua.
VINCENTIO, an old gentleman of Pisa.
LUCENTIO, son to Vincentio, in love with Bianca.

PETRUCHIO, a gentleman of Verona, a suitor to Katharina.

PEDANT, an old fellow set up to personate Vincentio.

SCENE, sometimes in Padua; and sometimes in
PETRUCHIO'S House in the Country.

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

ASTOR, LENOX FILDEN FOUNDATIONS

TAMING OF THE SHREW.

INDUCTION.

SCENE I.-Before an Alehouse on a Heath.

Enter Hostess and SLY.

Sly. I'll pheese you, in faith.

Host. A pair of stocks, you rogue!

Sly. Y'are a baggage; the Slies are no rogues: Look in the chronicles, we came in with Richard Conqueror. Therefore, paucas pallabris ; let the world slide: Sessa!

Host. You will not pay for the glasses you have burst?c

Sly. No, not a denier: Go by, says Jeronimy;

Go to thy cold bed, and warm thee.d

Host. I know my remedy, I must go fetch the thirdborough.

[Exit.

Sly. Third, or fourth, or fifth borough, I'll answer him by law: I'll not budge an inch, boy; let him come, and kindly. [Lies down on the ground, and falls asleep.

a

Wind Horns. Enter a Lord from hunting, with
Huntsmen and Servants.

Lord. Huntsman, I charge thee, tender well my hounds :

pheese-] i. e. Chastise, beat, humble; the word is still in use in the west of England.-GIFFORD'S Ben Jonson, vol. iv. p. 189.

b paucas pallabris;] Sly, as an ignorant fellow, is purposely made to aim at languages out of his knowledge, and knock the words out of joint. The Spaniards say, pocas pallabras, i. e. few words: as they do likewise, cessa, i. e. be quiet.-THEOBALD.

c

you have burst?] To burst and to break were anciently synonymous. d Go to thy cold bed, and warm thee.] These words are used by Edgar in King Lear; they appear to have been taken from Kyd's play of Hieronymo, as it originally was acted. It was altered by Ben Jonson, and by him this line was perhaps omitted; as it no longer has a place in that tragedy.

e

- the thirdborough.] The office of thirdborough is the same with that of constable, except in places where there are both, in which case the former is little more than the constable's assistant.-RITSON

Brach Merriman, -the poor cur is emboss'd,
And couple Clowder with the deep-mouth'd brach.
Saw'st thou not, boy, how Silver made it good
At the hedge corner, in the coldest fault?
I would not lose the dog for twenty pound.

1 Hun. Why, Belman is as good as he, my lord;
He cried upon it at the merest loss,
And twice to-day pick'd out the dullest scent :
Trust me, I take him for the better dog.

Lord. Thou art a fool; if Echo were as fleet,
I would esteem him worth a dozen such.
But sup them well, and look unto them all;
To-morrow I intend to hunt again.

1 Hun. I will, my lord.

Lord. What's here? one dead, or drunk? See, doth

he breathe?

2 Hun. He breathes, my lord: Were he not warm'd with ale,

This were a bed but cold to sleep so soundly.

Lord. O monstrous beast! how like a swine he lies! Grim death, how foul and loathsome is thine image! Sirs, I will practise on this drunken man.What think you, if he were convey'd to bed, Wrapp'd in sweet clothes, rings put upon his fingers, A most delicious banquet by his bed, And brave attendants near him when he wakes, Would not the beggar then forget himself?

1 Hun. Believe me, lord, I think he cannot choose.
2 Hun. It would seem strange unto him when he wak'd.
Lord. Even as a flattering dream, or worthless fancy.

Then take him up, and manage well the jest :-
Carry him gently to my fairest chamber,
And hang it round with all my wanton pictures :
Balm his foul head with warm distilled waters,
And burn sweet wood to make the lodging sweet:
Procure me musick ready when he wakes,
To make a dulcet and a heavenly sound;