Aurel. This is a wonder, almost past beleefe. "Feran. This is a token of her true love to me; "And yet Ile try her further you shall see. "Come hither, Kate: Where are thy sisters ? "Kate. They be sitting in the bridal chamber." "Feran. Fetch them hither; and if they will not come, "Bring them perforce, and make them come with thee. "Kate. I will. "Alfon. I promise thee, Ferando, I would have Sworne "Thy wife would ne'er have done so much for thee. "Feran. But you shal see she wil do more than this; "For see where she brings her sisters forth by force. "Enter Kate thrusting Phylema and Emilia before her, and makes them come unto their husbands cal. "Kate. See, husband, I have brought them both. "Feran. 'Tis wel done, Kate. "Emil. I sure; and like a loving peece, you're worthy "To have great praise for this attempt. (6 Phyle. I, for making a foole of herself and us. "Lost me a hundred pound to-night; "For I did lay that thou wouldst first have come. "Pol. But thou, Emilia, hast lost me a great deal more. "Emil. You might have kept it better then: ❝ Who bade you lay ? "Feran. "Feran. Now, lovely Kate, before their husbands here, "I prethee tel unto these head-strong women "What dewty wives do owe unto their husbands. "Kate. Then, you that live thus by your pamper'd wils, "Now list to me, and marke what I shall say— "A rib was taken; of which the Lord did make "Laying "Laying our hands under their feet to tread, [" She laies her hand under her husband's feet. "Feran. Inough, sweet; the wager thou hast won; "And they, I am sure, cannot deny the same. "Alfon. I, Ferando, the wager thou hast won; "And for to shew thee how I am pleas'd in this, "A hundred pounds I freely give thee more, "Another dowry for another daughter, "For she is not the same she was before. "Feran. Thanks, sweet father; gentlemen, good night; "For Kate and I will leave you for to-night: "Exeunt Ferando, Kate, and Sander. "Alfon. Now, Aurelius, what say you to this? "Aurel. Beleeve me, father, I rejoice to see "Ferando and his wife so lovingly agree. "Exeunt Aurelius and Phylema, and Alfonso and Valeria. "Emil. How now, Polidor? in a dumpe? What saist thou man ? "Pol. I say, thou art a shrew. "Emil. That's better than a sheepe. "Pol. Well, since 'tis done, come, let's goe. "Exeunt Polidor and Emilia. "Then "Then enter two bearing of Slie in his own apparell againe, and leaves him where they found him, and then goes out then enters the Tapster. "Tapster. Now that the darksome night is overpast, "And dawning day appears in christall skie, "Now must I hast abroad: but soft! who's this? "What, Slie? O wondrous! hath he laine heere all night? "Ile wake him; I thinke he's starv'd by this, 332. Then vail your stomachs, pride, your spirit. 342. Though you hit the white ;] STEEVENS. -] i. e. abate your STEEVENS. To hit the white is a phrase borrowed from archery: the mark was commonly white. Here it alludes to the name Bianca, or white. JOHNSON. 345. At the conclusion of this piece, Mr. Pope continued his insertions from the old play, as follows: Enter two servants, bearing Sly in his own apparel, and leaving him on the stage. Then enter a Tapster. "Sly. [awaking.] Sim, give's some more wine.What, all the players gone?— -Am I not a lord? "Tap. A lord, with a murrain ?-Come, art thou drunk still? "Sly. Who's this? Tapster!-Oh, I have had the bravest dream that ever thou heard'st in all thy life. "Tap. Yea, marry, but thou hadst best get thee home, for your wife will curse you for dreaming here all night. Sly. "Sly. Will she, I know how to tame a shrew. I dreamt upon it all this night, and thou hast wak'd me out of the best dream that ever I had. But I'll to my wife, and tame her too, if she anger me." These passages, which have been hitherto printed as part of the work of Shakspere, I have sunk into the notes, that they may be preserved, as they seem to be necessary to the integrity of the piece, though they really compose no part of it, being neither published in the folio or quarto edition. Mr. Pope, however, has quoted them with a degree of inaccuracy which would have deserved censure, had they been of greater consequence than they are, The players delivered down this comedy, among the rest, as one of Shakspere's own; and its intrinsick merit bears sufficient evidence to the propriety of their decision. Chance has at last furnished me with the original to which Shakspere was indebted for his fable; nor does this discovery at all dispose me to retract my former opinion, which the reader may find at the beginning of the play. Such parts of the dialogue as our author had immediately imitated, I have occasionally pointed out; but must refer the reader, who is desirous to examine the whole structure of the piece, to Six old Plays on which Shakspere founded, &c. published by S. Leacroft, at Charing Cross, as a Supplement to our commentaries on Shakspere. Beaumont and Fletcher wrote what may be called a sequel to this comedy, viz. The Woman's Prize, or the Tamer |