ACT 1. SCENE 1.

A Street in Padua. Flourish. Enter LUCENTIO, and his Man TRANIO.

Lucentio.

TRANIO, since-for the great desire I had

To see fair Padua, nursery of arts-
I am arriv'd for fruitful Lombardy,
The pleasant garden of great Italy;

And, by my father's love and leave, am arm'd
With his good will, and thy good company,
Most trusty servant, well approv'd in all;
Here let us breathe, and happily institute
A course of learning, and ingenious studies.
Pisa, renowned for grave citizens,

Gave me my being, and my father first,

A merchant of great traffick through the world,
Vincentio, come of the Bentivolii.

Vincentio his son, brought up in Florence,
It shall become, to serve all hopes conceiv'd,
To deck his fortune with his virtuous deeds:
And therefore, Tranio, for the time I study,
Virtue, and that part of philosophy

Will I apply, that treats of happiness
By virtue 'specially to be achiev'd.

Tell me thy mind: for I have Pisa left,
And am to Padua come; as he that leaves
A shallow plash, to plunge him in the deep,

Ciij

10

20

And

And with satiety seeks to quench his thirst.
Tra. Me pardonato, gentle master mine,
I am in all affected as yourself;
Glad that you thus continue your resolve,
To suck the sweets of sweet philosophy.
Only, good master, while we do admire
This virtue, and this moral discipline,
Let's be no stoicks, nor no stocks, I pray;
Or so devote to Aristotle's checks,
As Ovid be an outcast quite abjur'd :

30

Talk logick with acquaintance that you have,
And practise rhetorick in your common talk;
Musick, and poesy, use to quicken you;
The mathematicks, and the metaphysicks,
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.
If, Biondello, thou wert come ashore,
We could at once put us in readiness;
And take a lodging, fit to entertain

Such friends as time in Padua shall beget.
But stay a while: What company is this?

40

Tra. Master, some show, to welcome us to town.

Enter BAPTISTA, with KATHARINE and BIANCA. GREMIO and HORTENSIO.

NIO stand by.

LUCENTIO and TRA

Bap. Gentlemen, importune me no farther, But how I firmly am resolv'd you know

That

That is not to bestow my youngest daughter,
Before I have a husband for the elder :

50

If either of you both love Katharina,
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, is it your will

To make a stale of me amongst these mates?

Hor. Mates, maid! how 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-wis, it is not half way to her heart:

60

But, if it were, doubt not, her care shall be
To comb your noddle with a three-legg'd stool,
And paint your face, and use you like a fool.
Hor. From all such devils, good Lord, deliver us!
Gre. And me too, good Lord!

Tra. Hush, master; here is some good pastime to

ward;

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.

70

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;
For I will love thee ne'er the less, my girl.

Kath. A pretty peat! 'tis best

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.

80

Luc. Hark, Tranio! thou may'st hear Minerva speak.

[Aside.

Hor. Signior Baptista, will you be so strange? Sorry am I, that our will effects

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 ? go

Bap. Gentlemen, content ye; I am resolv'd:

Go in, Bianca.

[Exit BIANCA.

And for I know, she taketh most delight

In musick, instruments, and poetry,
School-masters will I keep within my house,
Fit to instruct her youth. If you, Hortensio→
Or signior Gremio, you-know any such,
Prefer them hither; for to cunning men
I will be very kind, and liberal

To mine own children in good bringing-up;
And so farewel. Katharina, you may stay;
For I have more to commune with Bianca.
Kath. Why, and, I trust, I may go too,

not?

100

[Exit.

May I

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. Farewel:-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.

113

Hor. So will I, signior Gremio: But a word, I pray. Though the nature of our quarrel never yet 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 '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.

120

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 her faults, and money enough. Gre. I cannot tell : but I had as lief take her

131

dowry