Remove you hence I knew you at the first, You were a moveable. Pet. Why, what's a moveable? Kath. A joint stool.' Pet. Thou hast hit it: come, sit on me. Kath. Asses are made to bear, and so are you. Pet. Should be? should buz. Kath. Well ta'en, and like a buzzard. Pet. O, slow-wing'd turtle! shall a buzzard take thee? Kath. Ay, for a turtle; as he takes a buzzard.2 Pet. Come, come, you wasp; i'faith, you are too angry. Kath. If I be waspish, best beware my sting. Pet. My remedy is then, to pluck it out. Kath. Ay, if the fool could find it where it lies. Pet. Who knows not where a wasp doth wear his sting? In his tail. Kath. In his tongue. Pet. Whose tongue ? Kath. Yours, if you talk of tails; and so farewell. Pet. What, with my tongue in your tail? nay, come again, Good Kate; I am a gentleman. Kath. That I'll try. [Striking him. Pet. I swear I'll cuff you, if you strike again. Kath. So may you lose your arms : If you strike me, you are no gentleman; Pet. A herald, Kate? O put me in thy books. Pet. A combless cock, so Kate will be my ben. STEEVENS. This is a proverbial expression. [2] Perhaps we may read better-Ay, for a turtle, and he takes a buzzard. i. e he may take me for a turtle, and he shall find me a hawk. JOHNSON. [3] A craven is a degenerate, dispirited cock. STEEVENS. Craven was a term also applied to those who in appeals of battle became recreant, and by pronouncing this word, called for quarter from their opponents; the consequence of which was, that they forever after were deemed infamous. REED. Pet. Why, here's no crab; and therefore look not sour. Kath. There is, there is. Pet. Then show it me. Kath. Had I a glass, I would. Pet. What, you mean my face? Kath. Well aim'd of such a young one. Pet. Now, by saint George, I am too young Pet. 'Tis with cares. Kath. I care not. for you. Pet. Nay, hear you, Kate: in sooth, you 'scape not so. Kath. I chafe you, if I tarry; let me go. Pet. No, not a whit; I find you passing gentle. For thou art pleasant, gamesome, passing courteous, Nor hast thou pleasure to be cross in talk; Kath. Go, fool, and whom thou keep'st command. As Kate this chamber with her princely gait? O, be thou Dian, and let her be Kate; And then let Kate be chaste, and Dian sportful ! Kath. Where did you study all this goodly speech? Kath. A witty mother! witless else her son. Kath. Yes; keep you warm. Pet. Marry, so I mean, sweet Katharine, in thy bed: And therefore, setting all this chat aside, Thus in plain terms:-Your father hath consented you, For, by this light, whereby I see thy beauty, Re-enter BAPTISTA, GREMIO, and TRANIO. Signior Petruchio: How speed you with Pet. How but well, sir? how but well? It were impossible, I should speed amiss. Bap. Why, how now, daughter Katharine ? in your dumps? Kath. Call you me, daughter? now I promise you, You have show'd a tender fatherly regard, To wish me wed to one half lunatic; A mad-cap ruffian, and a swearing Jack, That thinks with oaths to face the matter out. Pet. Father, 'tis thus,-yourself and all the world, For she's not froward, but modest as the dove ; For patience she will prove a second Grissel;5 And to conclude,-we have 'greed so well together, Kath. I'll see thee hang'd on Sunday first. Gre. Hark, Petruchio! she says, she'll see thee hang'd first. Tra. Is this your speeding? nay, then, good night our part! Pet. Be patient, gentlemen; I choose her for myself; If she and I be pleas'd, what's that to you? "Tis bargain'd 'twixt us twain, being alone, That she shall still be curst in company. I tell you, 'tis incredible to believe How much she loves me: O, the kindest Kate!— [4] The editor of the second folio with some probability reads-from a wila Kat (meaning certainly cat.) MALONE. [5] The story of Grisel is to be found among the compositions of the French Fabliers. DOUCE. She hung about my neck; and kiss on kiss Bap. I know not what to say: but give me your hands; -God send you joy, Petruchio! tis a match. Gre. Tra. Amen, say we; we will be witnesses. I will to Venice, Sunday comes apace :— [Exe. PET. and KATH. severally. Tra. 'Twas a commodity lay fretting by you: 'Twill bring you gain, or perish on the seas. Tra. And I am one, that love Bianca more Gre. But thine doth fry." Skipper, stand back; 'tis age, that nourisheth. [6] i. e. a timorous dastardly creature. STEEVENS. "The fire of love in youthful blood, But when crept into aged veins, It slowly burns, and long remains ; It glows, and with a sullen heat, Like fire in logs, it burns, and warms us long, And though the flame be not so great, VOL. II. 30 Bap. Content you, gentlemen; I'll compound this strife; -Say, signior Gremio, what can you assure her? 8 Basons, and ewers, to lave her dainty hands; Tra. That only came well in.-Sir, list to me, I am my father's heir, and only son: If I may have your daughter to my wife, Gre. Two thousand ducats by the year, of land ! Tra. Gremio, 'tis known, my father hath no less [8] Counterpoints were in ancient times extremely costly. In Wat Tyler's rebellion, Stowe informs us, when the insurgents broke into the wardrobe in the Savoy, they destroyed a coverlet, worth a thousand marks. MALONE. [9] We may suppose that pewter was, even in the time of Queen Elizabeth, too costly to be used in common. STEEVENS. [1] A galeas or gelliass, is a heavy low-built vessel of burthen, with both sails and oars, partaking at once of the nature of a ship and a galley STEEVENS. |