Gre. Hark, Petruchio! she says she'll see thee

hanged first.

1

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 pleased, what's that to you?
'Tis bargained '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. 0, the kindest Kate!-
She hung about my neck; and kiss on kiss
She vied so fast, protesting oath on oath,
That in a twink, she won me to her love.
0, you are novices! 'Tis a world to see,
How tame, when men and women are alone,
A meacock ? wretch can make the curstest shrew.-
Give me thy hand, Kate! I will unto Venice,
To buy apparel 'gainst the wedding-day.-
Provide the feast, father, and bid the guests;
I will be sure my Katharine shall be fine.
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.

Pet. Father, and wife, and gentlemen, adieu ;
I will to Venice; Sunday comes apace.
We will have rings, and things, and fine array;
And kiss me, Kate; we will be married o' Sunday.

[Exeunt Pet. and Kath. severally.
Gre. Was ever match clapped up so suddenly?
Bap. Faith, gentlemen, now I play a merchant's

part,

And venture madly on a desperate mart.

Tra. 'Twas a commodity lay fretting by you. 'Twill bring you gain, or perish on the seas.

Bap. The gain I seek is--quiet in the match.

1 This phrase, which frequently occurs in old writers, is equivalent to, it is a wonder, or a matter of admiration to see.

2 A tame, dastardiy creature, particularly an over-mild husband.

Gre. No doubt, but he hath got a quiet catch.
But now, Baptista, to your younger daughter ;-
Now is the day we long have looked for ;
I am your neighbor, and was suitor first.

Tra. And I am one that love Bianca more
Than words can witness, or your thoughts can guess.

Gre. Youngling! thou canst not love so dear as I.
Tra. Gray-beard! thy love doth freeze.
Gre.

But thine doth fry Skipper, stand back; 'tis age that nourisheth.

Tra. But youth, in ladies' eyes that flourisheth. Bap. Content you, gentlemen; I'll compound this

strife. 'Tis deeds must win the prize ; and he, of both, That can assure my daughter greatest dower, Shall have Bianca's love.Say, seignior Gremio, what can you assure her?

Gre. First, as you know, my house within the city Is richly furnished with plate and gold; Basins, and ewers, to lave her dainty hands; My hangings all of Tyrian tapestry; In ivory coffers I have stuffed my crowns; In cypress chests my arras, counterpoints, Costly apparel, tents, and canopies; Fine linen, Turkey cushions bossed with pearl, Valance of Venice gold in needle-work, Pewter and brass, and all things that belong To house, or house-keeping. Then, at my farm, I have a hundred milch-kine to the pail, Six score fat oxen standing in my stalls, And all things answerable to this portion. Myself am struck in years, I must confess; And, if I die to-morrow, this is hers, If, whilst I live, she will be only mine.

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,

1 Coverings for beds; now called counterpanes.

2 Tents were hangings, tentes (French), probably so named from the tenters upon which they were hung,

62

VOL. II.

490

TAMING OF THE SHREW.

[ACT II

1

I'll leave her houses three or four as good,
Within rich Pisa walls, as any one
Old seignior Gremio has in Padua ;
Besides two thousand ducats by the year,
Of fruitful land, all which shall be her jointure.
What, have I pinched you, seignior Gremio ?

Gre. Two thousand ducats by the year, of land !
My land amounts not to so much in all :
That she shall have; besides an argosy,
That now is lying in Marseilles' road.
What, have I choked you with an argosy?

Tra. Gremio,'tis known my father hath no less Than three great argosies; besides two galliasses, And twelve tight galleys. These I will assure her, And twice as much, whate'er thou offer'st next,

Gre. Nay, I have offered all; I have no more ; And she can have no more than all I have. If you like me, she shall have me and mine. . Tra. Why, then the maid is mine from all the

world,
By your firm promise ; Gremio is outvied.

Bap. I must confess, your offer is the best;
And, let your father make her the assurance,
She is your own; else, you must pardon me.
If you should die before him, where's her dower ?

Tra. That's but a cavil; he is old, I young
Gre. And may not young men die, as well as old ?

Bap. Well, gentlemen,
I am thus resolved.-On Sunday next, you know,
My daughter Katharine is to be married:
Now, on the Sunday following, shall Bianca
Be bride to you, if you make this assurance ;
If not, to seignior Gremio.
And so I take my leave, and thank you

both. [Exit.
Gre. Adieu, good neighbor.--Now, I fear thee not;
Sirrah, young gamester, your father were a fool
To give thee all, and, in his waning age,

1 A galiass (galeazza, Ital.) was a great or double galley. The masts were three, and the number of seats for rowers thirty-two.

Set foot under thy table. Tut! a toy !
An old Italian fox is not so kind, my boy.

[Exit,
Tra. A vengeance on your crafty withered hide !
Yet I have faced it with a card of ten.
'Tis in my head to do my master good :
I see no reason, but supposed Lucentio
Must get a father, called-supposed Vincentio ;
And that's a wonder. Fathers, commonly,
Do get their children; but, in this case of wooing,
A child shall get a sire, if I fail not of my cunning,

[Exit.

ACT III.

SCENE I. A Room in Baptista's House.

Enter LUCENTIO, HORTENSIO, and BIANCA.
Luc. Fiddler, forbear; you grow too forward, sir.
Have you so soon forgot the entertainment
Her sister Katharine welcomed you withal ?

Hor. But, wrangling pedant, this is
The patroness of heavenly harmony.
Then give me leave to have prerogative;
And when in music we have spent an hour,
Your lecture shall have leisure for as much.

1 This phrase, which often occurs in old writers, was most probably derived from some game at cards, wherein the standing boldly upon a ten was often successful.

2 After this Mr. Pope introduced the following speeches of the presenters, as they are called; from the old play :

Slie. When will the fool come again? *
Sim. Anon, my lord.

Slie. Give some more drink here; where's the tapster? Here, Sim, eat some of these things.

Sim. I do, my lord.
Slie. Here, Sim, I drink to thee.

* This probably alludes to the custom of filling up the vacancy of the stage between the acts by the appearance of a fool on the stage ; unless Sly meant Sinder, the servant to Ferando, in the old piece, which seems likely from a subsequent passi ge

Luc. Preposterous ass! that never read so far
To know the cause why music was ordained!
Was it not to refresh the mind of man,
After his studies, or his usual pain ?
Then give me leave to read philosophy,
And, while I pause, serve in your harmony.

Hor. Sirrah, I will not bear these braves of thine.

Bian. Why, gentlemen, you do me double wrong, To strive for that which resteth in my choice. I am no breeching scholar in the schools; I'll not be tied to hours, nor 'pointed times, But learn my lessons as I please myself. And, to cut off all strife, here sit we down.Take you your instrument, play you the whiles; His lecture will be done ere you have tuned. Hor. You'll leave his lecture when I am in tune?

[To BIANCA.-HORTENSIO retires. Luc. That will be never !—Tune your instrument. Bian. Where left we last?

Luc. Here, madam.-
Hac ibat Simois; hic est Sigeia tellus ;
Hic steterat Priami regia celsa senis.

Bian. Construe them.

Luc. Hac ibat, as I told you before, —Simois, I am Lucentio,-hic est, son unto Vincentio of Pisa, —Sigeia tellus, disguised thus to get your love ;--Hic steterat, and that Lucentio that comes a wooing, Priami, is my man Tranio,-regia, bearing my port,-celsa senis, that we might beguile the old pantaloon.

Hor. Madam, my instrument's in tune. [Returning. Bian. Let's hear.

[HORTENSIO plays. O fie! The treble jars.

Luc. Spit in the hole, man, and tune again.

Bian. Now let me see if I can construe it. Hac ibat Simois, I know .you not ;—hic est Sigeia tellus, I trust you not ;-Hic steterat Priami, take heed he

1 This species of humor, in which Latin is translated into English of a perfectly different meaning, is to be found in two plays of Middleton, The Witch, and The Chaste Maid of Cheapside; and in other writers.