Luc. And not a jot of Tranio in your mouth; Tranio is chang'd into Lucentio.

Bion. The better for him: 'would I were fo too. Tra. So would I, i' faith, boy, to have the next wifh after; that Lucentio, indeed, had Baptifta's youngest daughter. But, firrah, not for my fake, but your master's, I advife you, ufe your manners difcreetly in all kind of companies: when I am alone, why, then I am Tranio; but in all places elfe, your mafter Lucentio.

Luc. Tranio, let's go. One thing more rests, that thyfelf execute, to make one among these wooers. If thou aik me why, fufficeth my reafons are both good and weighty. [Exeunt.

Before Hortenfio's House, in Padua.

Enter Petruchio and Grumio.

Pet. Verona, for a while I take my leave,
To fee my friends in Padua ; but of all,
My best beloved and approved friend,
Hortenfio; and, I trow, this is the house.;
Here, firrah Grumio, knock, I fay.

Gru. Knock, Sir? whom fhould I knock? is there any man has rebus'd your Worship?

Pet. Villain, I fay, knock me here foundly.
Gru. Knock you here, Sir? why, Sir, what am
I, Sir,

That I fhould knock you here, Sir.

Pet. Villain, I fay, knock me at this gate,
And rap me well; or I'll knock your knave's pate.
Gru. My mafter is grown quarrelfome: I should
knock you first,

And then I know after who comes by the worst.
Pet. Will it not be?

Faith, firrah, an you'll not knock, I'll ring it;
I'll try how you can fol, fa, and sing it.

[He wrings him by the ears. Gru. Help, mafters, help; my mafter is mad. Pet. Now knock, when I bid you: firrah, villain!

Enter Hortenfio.

Hor. How now, what's the matter? my old friend Grumio, and my good friend Petruchio! how do you all at Verona?

Pet. Signior Hortenfio, come you to part the fray? Con tutto il core, ben trovato, may I fay.

Hor. Alla noftra cafa ben venuto, molto honorato Signor mio Petruchio.

Rife, Grumio, rife; we will compound this quarrel. Gru Nay, 'tis no matter what he leges in Latin. If this be not a lawful caufe for me to leave his fervice, look you, Sir: he bid me knock him, and rap him foundly, Sir. Well, was it fit for a fervant to ufe his mafter fo, being, perhaps, for aught. I fee, two and thirty, a pip out?

Whom, would to God, I had well knock'd at first,
Then had not Grumio come by the worst.

Pet. A fenfelefs villain !Good Hortenfio,.
I bid the rascal knock upon your gate,
And could not get him for my heart to do it.

Gru. Knock at the gate? O Heav'ns! (pake you not these words plain? Sirrah, knock me here, rap me here, knock me well, and knock me foundly: and come you now with knocking at the gate?

Pet. Sirrah, be gone, or talk not, I advise you. Har. Petruchio, patience; I am Grumio's pledge. Why, this is a heavy chance 'twixt him and you, Your ancient, trufty, pleafant fervant Grumio; And tell me now, fweet friend, what happy gale Blows you to Padua here, from old Verona?

Pet. Such wind as fcatters young men through the world.

To feek their fortunes farther than at home,
Where fmall experience grows. But, in a few,
Signior Hortenfio, thus it ftands with me:
Antonio my father is deceas'd;

And I have thrust myself into this maze,
Haply to wive and thrive, as best I may:
Crowns in my purfe I have, and goods at home,
And fo am come abroad to fee the world.

Hor. Petruchio, fhall I then come roundly to thee,

And with thee to a fhrewd ill-favour'd wife?
Thou'dft thank me but a little for my counfel;
And yet, I'll promife thee, fhe shall be rich,
And very rich: but thou'rt too much my friend,
And I'll not with thee to her.

know

Pet. Signior Hortenfio, 'twixt fuch friends as us
Few words fuffice; and therefore if you
One rich enough to be Petruchio's wife;
(As wealth is burden of my wooing dance);
Be fhe as foul as was Florentius' love,
As old as Sibyl, and as curs'd and fhrewd
As Socrates' Xantippe, or a worse,

She moves me not; or not removes, at least,
Affection's edge in me. Were fhe as rough
As are the fwelling Adriatic feas,

I come to wive it wealthily in Padua :
If wealthily, then happily, in Padua.

Gru. Nay, look you, Sir, he tells you flatly what his mind is: why, give him gold enough, and marry him to a puppet, or an aglet-baby, or an old trot with ne'er a tooth in her head, tho' fhe have as many difeafes as two and fifty horfes; why, nothing comes amifs, fo money comes withal.

Hor. Petruchio, fince we have ftep'd thus far in, I will continue that I broach'd in jeft.

I can, Petruchio, help thee to a wife

With wealth enough, and young and beauteous;
Brought up as beft becomes a gentlewoman.
Her only fault, and that is fault enough,

Is, that he is intolerably curs'd;

And threwd, and forward, fo beyond all measure, That, were my ftate far worfer than it is,

I would not wed her for a mine of gold.

Pet. Hortenfio, peace; thou know'st not gold's effect;

Tell me her father's name, and 'tis enough:
For I will board her, tho' fhe chide as loud
As thunder, when the clouds in Autumn crack.
Hor. Her father is Baptifta Minola,
An affable and courteous gentleman;
Her name is Catharina Minolo,

Renown'd in Padua for her fcolding tongue.

Pet. I know her father, tho' I know not her;
And he knew my deceased father well.

I will not fleep, Hortenfio, 'till I fee her;
And therefore let me be thus bold with you,
To give you over at this first encounter,..
Unless you will accompany me thither.

Gru. I pray you, Sir, let him go while the hu~~ mour lafts. O' my word, an' fhe knew him as well as I do, fhe would think fcolding would do little good upon him. She may, perhaps, call him half a fcore knaves, or fo: why, that's nothing; an' he begin once, he'll rail-in his rope-tricks (I'll tell you what, Sir) an' fhe ftand him but a little, he will throw a figure in her face, and fo disfigure her with it, that the fhall have no more eyes to fee. withal than a cat. You know him not, Sir.

Hor. Tarry, Petruchio, I muit go with thee,
For in Baptifta's houfe my treasure is :
He hath the jewel of my life in hold,

His youngest daughter, beautiful Bianca;

And her with-holds he from ine, and others more
Suitors to her, and rivals in my love;
Suppofing it a thing impoffible,

For thofe defects I have before rehears'd,
That ever Catharina will be woo'd;
Therefore this order hath Baptista ta'en,
That none shall have access unto Bianca,
'Till Catharine the curs'd have got a husband.
Gru. Catharine the curs'd?

A title for a maid of all titles the worst!

Hor. Now fhall my friend Petruchio do me grace,“, And offer me, difguis'd in fober robes,

To old Baptifta as a school-mafter,

Well feen in mufic, to inftruct Bianca ;
That fo I may by this device, at least,
Have leave and leifure to make love to her;
And, unfufpected, court her by herself.

Enter Gremio, and Lucentio difguis'd.

Gru. Here's no knavery! fee, to beguile the old: 1

folks, how the young folks lay their heads together. Mafter, look about you: who goes there? ha! Hor. Peace, Grumio, 'tis the rival of my love. Petruchio, ftand by a while.

Gru. A proper ftripling, and an amorous..
Gre. O, very well; I have perus'd the note.
Hark you, Sir, I'll have them very fairly bound,
All books of love; fee that, at any hand;
And fee you read no other lectures to her :
You understand me-over and befide
Signior Baptifta's liberality,

I'll mend it with a largefs. Take your papers too,
And let them have them very well perfum'd;
For fhe is fweeter than perfume itself,

To whom they go; what will you read to her?
Luc. Whate'er I read to her, I'll plead for you,
As for my patron, ftand you fo affured;

As firmly as yourself were ftill in place;
Yea, and, perhaps, with more fuccefsful words
Than you, unless you were a fcholar, Sir.
Gre. Oh this learning, what a thing it is!
Gru. O this woodcock, what an afs it is!-
Pet. Peace, firrah.

Hor. Grumio, mum! God fave you, Signior
Gremio.

Gre. And you are well met, Signior Hortenfio. Trow you whither I am going? to Baptifta Minola; I promifed to enquire carefully about a fchool-mafter for the fair Bianca; and by good fortune I have lighted well on this young man, for learning and behaviour fit for her turn, well read in poetry, and other books; good ones,. I warrant ye.

Hor. 'Tis well; and I have met a gentleman, Hath promis'd me to help me to another,

A fine musician to inftruct our niftress;

So fhall I no whit be behind in duty

To fair Bianca, fo belov'd of me.

Gre. Belov'd of me,and that my deeds fhall prove.

Gru. And that his bags fhall prove.

Hr. Gremio, 'tis now no time to vent our love.