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THE

TAMING of the SHREW.

INDUCTION.

SCENE, before an Ale-house, on a Heath..

Enter Hoftefs and Sly.

SLY..

T'LL pheeze you, in faith..

I'

Hoft. A pair of ftocks, you rogue!^

Sly. Y'are a baggage; the Slies are no rogues. Look in the Chronicles, we came in with Richard Conqueror 3therefore, paucus pallabris; (1) let the world flide: Sesa. Hoft. You will not pay for the glaffes you have burst Sly. No, not a deniere: go by, Jeronimo thy cold bed, and warm thee. (2),

go to

Hoft..

(1) paucus pallabris. Sly, as an ignorant fellow, is purposely made to aim at languages out of his knowledge, and knock the words outof joint. The Saniards say, pocas palabras, i, e. few words: as they do likewife, Ceja, i. e. be quiet.

(2) Go by S. Jeronimy, go to thy cold bed, and warm thee.] All the editions have coin'd a faint here, for Sly to fwear by. But the poet had no fuch intentions. The paffage has particular humour in it, and must have been very pleafing at that time of day. But I must clear up a piece of ftage-hiftory, to make it understood. There is a fuftian

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Hoft. I know my remedy; I must go fetch the Thirdborough. (3)

[Exit.. Sly..

old play, call'd, Hieronymo; or, The Spanish Tragedy: which, I find, was the common butt of rallery to all the poets of Shakespeare's time: and a paffage, that appear'd very ridiculous in that play, is here hu-. morously alluded to. Hieronymo, thinking himself injur'd, applies to the King for justice; but the courtiers, who did not defire his wrongs shoulds be fet in the true light, attempt to hinder him from an audience.. Hiero. Juftice, oh! juftice to Hieronymo.

Lor. Back;:

-fee'ft thou not, the King is bufy?

Hier. Oh, is he fo?

King. Who is he, that interrupts our business?

Hier. Not I: Hieronymo, beware; go by, go by.

So Sly here, not caring to be dun'd by the Hoflefs, cries to her in effect, "Don't be troublesome, don't interrupt me, go by”; and, to fix: the fatire in his allufion, pleasantly calls her Feronymo. What he fays. farther to her, go to thy cold bed and warm thee, I take likewife to be a banter upon another verfe in that play.

Hier. What outcry calls me from my naked bed?

But this particular paffage of---Go, by, Hieronymo;---was so strong a ridicule, that most of the poets of that time have had a fling at it.. For inftance;

B. Jobnfon, in his Every Man in his Humour ;

What new book have you there? what!

Go by, Hieronyma!:

And Beaumont and Fletcher, in their Captain:

and whoot at thee;

And call thee bloody-bones, and fpade, and fpitfire ;;
And gaffer madman, and go by, Jeronymo.:

So Marston, in the induction to his Antonio and Mellida;

Nay, if you cannot bear two fubtle fronts under one hood, ideoty go by, go by, off this world's ftage.

For 'tis plain, tho' Jeronymo is not mention'd, the paffage is here. alluded to. And Decker in his Weftward-boe has rallied it very neatly by way of Simily.

A woman, when there be rofes in her cheeks, cherries on her lips, civet in her breath, ivory in her teeth, lilies in her hand, and liquorih in her heart, why, fhe's like a play: if new, very good company, very good company: but if stale, like old Jeronymo,---go.. by, go by.

(3) I muft go fetch the Headborough.

Sly. Third, or fourth, or fifth borough, &c.] This corrupt reading had pafs'd down through all the copies, and none of the editors pretended to guess at the poet's conceit. What an infipid, unmeaning reply does Sly make to his hoftefs? how do third, or fourth or fifibs borough relate to Headborough: the author intended but a poor wit

ticism,

Sly. Third, or fourth, or fifth borough, I'll anfwer him by law; I'll not budge an inch, boy; let him come, and kindly. [Falls afleep.

Wind borns. Enter a Lord from hunting, with a Train.

Lord. Huntsman, I charge thee, tender well my hounds;. (Brach, Merriman !-the poor cur is imbost;) 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 lofe the dog for twenty pound.

Hun. Why, Belman is as good as he, my Lord;
He cried upon it at the meereft lofs,

And twice to-day pick'd out the dullest scent:
Truft me, I take him for the better dog.

Lord. Thou art a fool; if Eccho were as fleet,
I would esteem him worth a dozen fuch..

But fup them well, and look unto them all,
To-morrow I intend to hunt again.

Hun. I will, my Lord.

Fbreathe?:

Lord. What's here? one dead, or drunk? fee, doth he 2 Hun. He breathes, my. Lord. Were he not warm'd with: This were a bed but cold, to fleep fo foundly.

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ticifm, and even that is loft. The hoftefs would fay, that she'll fetch a Conftable and this officer fhe calls by his other name, a Third-bo rough: and upon this term Sly founds the conundrum in his anfwer to her. Who does not perceive, at a fingle glance, fome conceit started by this certain correction? there is an attempt at wit, tolerable enough for a tinker, and one drunk too. Third-borough is a Saxonterm fufficiently explain'd by the Gloffaries: and in our Statute-books, no farther back than the 28th year of Henry VIIIth, we find it used, to fignify a Conftable. The word continued current in people's mouths to our author's time; and he has again employ'd it in another of his plays viz. Love's Labour loft.

Dull. I myself reprehend his own perfon; for I am his Grace's Tharborough.

The word, 'tis true, is corrupted here; but this is done on purpose. Dull reprefents the character of an ignorant Conftable; and to make him appear more truly fuch, the poet humorously makes him corrupt the very name of his office; and blunder Thirdborough into Tharborough, as he does reprefent into reprehend. I made this emendation, when I publish'd my SHAKESPEARE reftor'd; and Mr. Pope has vouchfaf'd to adopt it in his last edition.

Lord.

Lord. O monftrous beaft! how like a fwine he lies!
Grim death, how foul and loathsome is thine image !
Sirs, will practife on this drunken man.
What think you, if he were convey'd to bed,
Wrapt in fweet cloaths; 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 chufe. 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 jeft: Carry him gently to my faireff chamber,

And hang it round with all my wanton pictures;
Balm his foul head with warm distilled waters,
And burn fweet wood to make the lodging fweet.
Procure me mufick ready, when he wakes,
To make a dulcet and a heav'nly found;
And if he chance to fpeak, be ready ftraight,.
And with a low fubmiffive reverence,

Say, what is it your Honour will command ?
Let one attend him with a filver bafon

Full of rofe-water, and beftrew'd with flowers;
Another bear the ewer; a third a diaper;

And fay, wilt pleafe your Lordship cool your hands
Some one be ready with a coftly fuit,

And ask him what apparel he will wear;
Another tell him of his hounds and horse,.
And that his Lady mourns at his disease;
Perfuade him that he hath been lunatick.
And when he fays he is,fay, that he dreams;,
For he is nothing but a mighty Lord:

This do, and do it kindly, gentle Sirs:
It will be paftime paffing excellent,
If it be hufbanded with modefty.

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1 Hun. My Lord,. I warrant you, we'll play our part, As he fhall think, by our true diligence,

He is no less than what we fay he is.

Lord. Take him up gently, and to bed with him;

And

And each one to his office, when he wakes.

[Some bear out Sly. Sound Trumpets, Sirrah, go fee what trumpet 'tis that founds. Belike, fome noble gentleman that means, [Ex. Servant Travelling fome journey, to repofe him here.

Re-Enter Servant.

How now? who is it?

Ser. An't please your Honour, players That offer fervice to your Lordship.

Lord. Bid them come near:

Enter Players.

Now, fellows, you are welcome.
Play. We thank your Honour.

Lord. Do you intend to ftay with me to-night?
2 Play. So please your Lordship to accept our duty.
Lord. With all my heart. This fellow I remember,
Since once he play'd a farmer's eldest son;

'Twas where you woo'd the gentlewoman fo well: I have forgot your name; but, fure, that part Was aptly fitted, and naturally perform'd.

Sim. I think, 'twas Soto that your Honour means. (4) Lord. 'Tis very true; thou didst it excellent: Well, you are come to me in happy time, The rather for I have fome fport in hand, Wherein your cunning can affift me much. There is a Lord will hear you play to night But I am doubtful of your modefties, Left, over-eying of his odd behaviour, (For yet his Honour never heard a play,). You break into fome merry paffion, And fo offend him: For I tell you, Sirs, If you should fmile, he grows impatient.

Y

(4) I think, 'twas Soto.] I take our author here to be paying a compliment to Beaumont and Fletcher's women pleas'd, in which comedy there is the character of Soto, who is a farmer's fon, and a very facetious ferving-man. Mr. Rowe and Mr. Pope prefix the name of Sim to the line here fpoken; but the first folio has it Sinckle; which, no doubt, was the name of one of the players here introduc'd, and who had play'd the part of Soto with applause.

Play

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