Hor. Alla noftra casa bene venuto multo honorata fignior mio Petruchio.

Rife Grumio rife, we will compound this quarrell.

Gru. Nay 'tis no matter fir, what he leges in Latine. If this be not a lawfull caufe for me to leaue his feruice, looke you fir: he bid me knocke him, and rap him foundly fir, well, was it fit for a feruant to vse his master so, being perhaps (for ought I fee) two and thirty, a peepe out? Whome would to God I had well knockt at first then had not Grumio. come by the worst.

Petr. A fenceleffe villaine: good Hortenfio,

I bad the rafcall knocke vpon your gate,

And could not get him for my heart to do it.

Gru. Knocke at the gate? Oh heauens: fpake you not thefe words plaine? Sirra, knocke mee heere: rappe me heere: knocke me well, and knocke me foundly? And come you now with knocking at the gate?

Petr. Sirra begon, or talke not I aduise you.
Hor. Petruchio patience, I am Grumio's pledge:
Why this a heauie chance twixt him and you,
Your ancient truftie pleasant feruant Grumio:
And tell me now (fweete friend) what happie gale
Blowes you to Padna heere, from old Verona ?

Petr. Such winde as fcatters yong men through the world,

To feeke their fortunes farther then at home,

Where small experiencc growes but in a few,
Signior Hortenfio, thus it ftands with me,
Antonio my father is deceast,

And I haue thruft myfelfe into this maze,

Happily to wiue and thriue, as best I may :

Crownes in my purse I haue, and goods at home,

And fo am come abroad to see the world.

Hor. Petruchio, fhall I then come roundly to thee, And wish thee to a fhrew'd ill-fauor'd wife?

C 3

Thoud'ft

Thou'dst thanke me but a little for my counsell :
And yet Ile promise thee fhe shall be rich,
And verie rich but th'art too much my friend,
And Ile not wish thee to her.

Petr. Hortenfio, 'twixt fuch friends as wee,
Few words fuffice: and therefore, if thou know
One rich enough to be Petruchio's wife:
(As wealth is burthen of my woing dance)
Be the as foule as was Florentius loue,
As old as Sibell, and as curft and fhrow'd
As Socrates Zentippe, or a worse:

She moues me not, or not remoues at least
Affections edge in me.
Were fhe as rough

As are the fwelling Adriaticke feas.

I come to wiue it wealthily in Padua :

If wealthily, then happily in Padua.

Gru. Nay looke you fir, he tels you flatly what his minde is:

: why giue him gold enough, and marrie him to a puppet or an aglet babie, or an old trot with ne're a tooth in her head, though he haue as many diseases as two and fiftie horses, Why nothing comes amiffe, fo monie comes withall.

Hor. Petruchio, fince we are ftept thus farr in,

I will continue that I broach'd in iest,

I can Petruchio helpe thee to a wife

With wealth enough, and yong and beautious,
Brought vp as beft becomes a gentlewoman.
Her only fault and that is faults enough,

Is, that he is intollerable curft,

And fhrow'd and froward, fo beyond all meafure,

That were my state farre worfer then it is,

I would not wed her for a mine of gold.

Petr. Hortenfio peace: thou know'ft not golds effect, Tell mee her fathers name, and 'tis enough:

For

For I will boord her, though the chide as loud
As thunder, when the clouds in autumne cracke.
Hor. Her father Baptifta Minola,

An affable and courteous gentleman,

Her name is Katherina Minola,

Renown'd in Padua for her fcolding tongue.

Petr. I know her father, though I know not her,
And he knew my deceafed father well:

I will not sleepe Hortenfio til I fee her,

And therefore let me be thus bold with you,
To giue you ouer at this first encounter,

Valeffe you will accompanie mee thither.

Gru. I pray you fir let him go while the humor lafts. A my word, and fhe knew him as well as I do, she would thinke fcolding would do little good vpon him. Shee may perhaps call him halfe a score knaues, or fo: why that's nothing; and he begins once, hee'le raile in his rope trickes, Ile tell you what fir, and she stand him but a litle, he will throw a figure in her face, and fo disfigure hir with it, that The fhall haue no more eies to fee withall then a cat: you know him not fir.

Hor. Tarrie Petruchio I must go with thee,
For in Baptiftas keepe my treasure is :
He hath the iewel of my life in hold,
His yongeft daughter, beautifull Bianca,
And her with-holds from me. Other more
Suters to her, and riuals in my loue:
Suppofing it a thing impoffible,

For those defects I haue before rehearst,
That euer Katherina wil be woo'd
Therfore this order hath Baptifta tane,
That none shall haue acceffe vnto Bianca,
Till Katherine the curft, haue got a husband.

Gru. Katherine the curft,

A title for a maide, of all titles the worst.

Hor. Now fhall my friend Petruchio do me grace,

And offer me difguis'd in fober robes,

To old Baptifta as a schoole-master. '
Well feene in muficke, to instruct Bianca,
That fo I may by this deuice at least
Haue leaue and leifure to make loue to her,
And vnfufpected court her by her felfe.

Enter Gremio and Lucentio difguis'd.

Gru. Heere's no knauerie. See, to beguile the olde folkes, how the young folkes lay their heads together. Mafter, master, looke about you: who goes there?

Hor. Peace Grumio, it is the riuall of my loue. Petruchio ftand by a while.

Gru. A propper ftripling, and an amorous.

Gremio. Oh very well, I haue perus'd the note: Hearke you fir, Ile haue them verie fairely bound, All bookes of loue, fee that at any hand,

And fee you reade no other lectures to her :

You vnderftande me.

Ouer and befide

Signior Baptiftas liberalitie,

Ile mend it with a largeffe. Take your paper too,
And let me haue them verie well perfum'd;

For she is sweeter then perfume itselfe

you

To whom they go to: what will reade to her.
Luc. What ere I read to her, Ile pleade for you,

As for my patron, ftand you fo affur'd,

As firmely as your felfe were still in place,
Yea and perhaps with more fucceffefull words

Then you: vnlesse you were a scholler fir.

Gre. Oh this learning, what a thing it is.

Gru.

Gru. Oh this woodcocke, what an asse it is.
Petru. Peace firra.

Hor. Grumio mum: God faue you fignior Gremio.
Gre. And you are wel met, fignior Hortenfio.
Trow you whither I am going? To Baptifta Minola,
I promist to enquire carefully

Aboute a schoolemafter for the faire Bianca,

And by good fortune I haue lighted well
On this yong man: for learning and behaviour
Fit for her turne, well read in poetrie

And other bookes, good ones, I warrant yee.

Hor. 'Tis well and I haue met a gentleman
Hath promift me to helpe one to another,
A fine mufitian to inftruct our miftris,
So fhall I no whit be behind in dutie,
To faire Bianca, fo beloued of me.
Gre. Beloued of me, and that my deeds shall
deeds fhall proue.
Gru. And that his bags fhall proue.

Hor. Gremio, 'tis now time to vent our loue,
Listen to me, and if you speake me faire,
Ile tell you newes indifferent good for either.
Heere is a gentleman whom by chance I met
Vpon agreement from vs to his liking,
Will vndertake to woo curst Katherine,
Yea and to marrie her, if her dowrie please.
Gre. So faid, fo done, is well :
Hortenfio, haue you told him all her faults?

Petr. I know she is an irksome brawling fcold:

If that be all masters, I heare no harme.

Gre. No, fayft me fo, friend? what countreyman?
Petr. Borne in Verona, old Butonios fonne :

My father dead, my fortune liues for me,
And I do hope good dayes and long, to fee.

Gre.