478

TAMING OF THE SHREW.

(ACT II

ACT II.

SCENE I. The same. A Room in Baptista's House.

Enter KATHARINA and BIANCA.

Bian. Good sister, wrong me not, nor wrong your

self,
To make a bondmaid and a slave of me;
That I disdain : but for these other gawds,
Unbind my hands, I'll pull them off myself,
Yea, all my raiment, to my petticoat;
Or, what you will command me, will I do,
So well I know my duty to my elders.

Kath. Of all thy suitors, here I charge thee, tell
Whom thou lov'st best. See thou dissemble not.

Bian. Believe me, sister, of all the men alive,
I never yet beheld that special face
Which I could fancy more than any other.

Kath. Minion, thou liest. Is’t not Hortensis) :

Bian. If you affect him, sister, here I swear, I'll plead for you myself, but you shall have him.

Kath. O then, belike, you fancy riches more ;
You will have Gremio to keep you fair.

Bian. Is it for him you do envy me so?
Nay, then you jest; and now I well perceive,
You have but jested with me all this while.
I prythee, sister Kate, untie my hands.
Kath. If that be jest, then all the rest was so.

[Strikes her. Enter BAPTISTA. Bap. Why, how now, dame! whence grows this

insolence ? Bianca, stand aside ;-poor girl! she weeps.Go, ply thy needle; meddle not with her.

I Love.

For shame, thou hilding of a devilish spirit,
Why dost thou wrong her that did ne'er wrong thee?
When did she cross thee with a bitter word ?
Kath. Her silence flouts me, and I'll be revenged.

[Flies after BIANCA. Bap. What, in my sight !-Bianca, get thee in.

[Exit BIANCA. Kath. Will you not suffer me? Nay, now I see She is your treasure; she must have a husband

l;
I must dance barefoot on her wedding-day,
And, for

your love to her, lead apes in hell. ?
Talk not to me; I will go sit and weep,
Till I can find occasion of revenge.

[Exit KATHARINA. Bap. Was ever gentleman thus grieved as I? But who comes here?

Enter GREMIO, with LUCENTIo in the habit of a mean

man ; PETRUCHIO, with HORTENSIO as a Musician;
and TRANIO, with BIONDELLO bearing a lute and
books.
Gre. Good-morrow, neighbor Baptista.

Bap. Good-morrow, neighbor Gremio. God save
you, gentlemen!
Pet. And you, good sir! Pray, have you not a

daughter
Called Katharina, fair and virtuous ?

Bap. I have a daughter, sir, called Katharina.
Gre. You are too blunt; go to it orderly.
Pet. You wrong me, seignior Gremio; give me

leave.
I am a gentleman of Verona, sir,
That,-hearing of her beauty and her wit,
Her affability, and bashful modesty,

1 A hilding signifies a base, low wretch: it is applied to Katharina for the coarseness of her behavior.

2 The origin of this very old proverbial phrase is not known. Steevens suggests that it might have been considered an act of posthumous retribution for women who refused to bear children, to be condemned to the care of apes in leading-strings after death.

480

TAMING OF THE SHREW.

[ACT п

Her wondrous qualities, and mild behavior, —
Am bold to show myself a forward guest
Within your house, to make mine eye the witness
Of that report which I so oft have heard ;
And, for an entrance to my entertainment,
I do present you with a man of mine,

[Presenting HORTENSIO
Cunning in music, and the mathematics,
To instruct her fully in those sciences,
Whereof, I know, she is not ignorant.
Accept of him, or else you do me wrong ;
His name is Licio, born in Mantua.
Bap. You're welcome, sir; and he, for your good

sake. But for my daughter Katharine,—this I know, She is not for your turn, the more my grief.

Pet. I see you do not mean to part with her; Or else you like not of my company.

Bap. Mistake me not; I speak but as I find. Whence are you, sir ? What may I call your name?

Pet. Petruchio is my name ; Antonio's son, A man well known throughout all Italy. Bap. I know him well; you are welcome for his

sake. Gre. Saving your tale, Petruchio, I pray, Let us, that are poor petitioners, speak too. Baccare ! you are marvellous forward. Pet. O, pardon me, seignior Gremio ; I would fain

be doing. Gre. I doubt it not, sir ; but you will curse your

wooing: Neighbor, this is a gift very grateful, I am sure of it. To express the like kindness myself

, that have been more kindly beholden to you than any, I freely give unto you this young scholar, [Presenting LUCENTIO.] that hath been long studying at Rheims; as cunning in Greek, Latin, and other languages, as the other in

1 A cant word meaning go back, in allusion to a proverbial saying Backare, quoth Mortimer to his sow.'

music and inathematics. His name is Cambio; pray, accept his service.

Bap. A thousand thanks, seignior Gremio; welcome, good Cambio.—But, gentle sir, [To Tranio.] methinks you walk like a stranger. May I be so bold to know the cause of your coming ?

Tra. Pardon me, sir, the boldness is mine own;
'That, being a stranger in this city here,
Do make myself a suitor to your daughter,
Unto Bianca, fair and virtuous.
Nor is your firm resolve unknown to me,
In the preferment of the eldest sister.
This liberty is all that I request,-
That, upon knowledge of my parentage,
I may have welcome 'mongst the rest that woo,
And free access and favor as the rest.
And toward the education of your daughters,
I here bestow a simple instrument,
And this small package of Greek and Latin books.
If you accept them, then their worth is great.

Bap. Lucentio is your name? Of whence, I pray?
Tra. Of Pisa, sir; son to Vincentio.

Bap. A mighty man of Pisa, by report I know him well : you are very welcome, sir. Take you [To Hor.] the lute, and you [To Luc.] the

set of books; You shall go see your pupils presently. Holla, within !

Enter a Servant. Sirrah, lead These gentlemen to my daughters, and tell them both, These are their tutors; bid them use them well. [Exit Servant, with HORTENSIO, LUCENTIO,

and BIONDELLO. We will

go

walk a little in the orchard,

| In the reign of Elizabeth, the young ladies of quality were usually instructed in the learned languages, if any pains were bestowed upon their minds at all. The queen herself, lady Jane Grey, and her sisters, &c. are trite instances.

61

VOL. II.

And then to dinner. You are passing welcome,
And so I pray you all to think yourselves.

Pet. Seignior Baptista, my business asketh haste,
And every day I cannot come to woo.
You knew my father well ; and in him, me,
Left solely heir to all his lands and goods,
Which I have betterer rather than decreased.
Then tell me, if I get your daughter's love,
What dowry shall I have with her to wife ?
Bup. After my death, the one half of

my lands; And, in possession, twenty thousand crowns.

Pet. And for that dowry, I'll assure her of
Her widowhood, be it that she survive me,-
In all my lands and leases whatsoever.
Let specialties be therefore drawn between us,
That covenants may be kept on either hand.

Bap. Ay, when the special thing is well obtained ; This is,-her love; for that is all in all.

Pet. Why, that is nothing; for I tell you, father, i am as peremptory as she proud-minded; And where two raging fires meet together, They do consume the thing that feeds their fury: Though little fire grows great with little wind, Yet extreme gusts will blow out fire and all. So I to her, and so she yields to me; For I am rough, and woo not like a babe. Bap. Well mayst thou woo, and happy be thy

speed! But be thou armed for some unhappy words.

Pet. Ay, to the proof; as mountains are for winds, That shake not, though they blow perpetually.

Re-enter HORTENSIO, with his head broken. Bap. How now, my friend? Why dost thou look

so pale ! Hor. For fear, I promise you, if I look pale. Bap. What, will my daughter prove a good musician?

i Perhaps we should read on. Of and on are frequently confounded by the negligence of printers, in the old copy.