Tra. Gremio, 'tis known, my father hath no less | I am no breeching scholar in the schools; Tra. Why, then the maid is mine from all the By your firm promise; Gremio is out-vied. Bap. I must confess, your offer is the best; I am thus resolv'd:-On Sunday next, you know, And so I take my leave, and thank you both. [Exit. Gre. Adieu, good neighbour.-Now, I fear thee not; I'll not be tied to hours, nor 'pointed times, Luc. Here, madam: Hac ibat Simois; hic est Sigeia tellus ; Bian. Construe them. Luc. Hac ibat, as I told you before,-Simeis, 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 panta loon. Hor. Madam, my instrument's in tune. Bian, Let's hear.- [Returning. [HORTENSIO plays. Luc. Spit in the hole, man, and tune again. Sirrah, young gamester, your father were a fool Bian. Now let me see if I can construe it: Hac To give thee all, and, in his waning age, ibat Simois, I know you not ;-hic est Sigeia tellus, Set foot under thy table: Tut! a toy! I trust you not;-Hic steterat Priami, take heed he An old Italian fox is not so kind, my boy. [Exit. hear us not ;-regia, presume not;-celsa senis, desTra. A vengeance on your crafty wither'd hide! pair not. Yet I have faced it with a card of ten.' 'Tis in my head to do my master good:I see no reason, but suppos'd Lucentio Must get a father, call'd-suppos'd 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.4 ACT III. - SCENE I. A Room in Baptista's House. Enter Luc. Fiddler, forbear; you grow too forward, sir: Luc. Preposterous ass! that never read so far 1 A galiass, galeazza, Ital. was a great or double galley. The masts were three, and the number of seats for rowers thirty-two. 2 The origin of this term is also from gaming. When one man vied upon another, he was said to be outvied. 3 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. To face it meant, as it still does, to bully, to attack by impudence of face. Whether a card of ten was properly a cooling card has not yet been ascertained, but they are united in the following passage from Lyly's Euphues. And all lovers, he only excepted, are cooled with a card of ten.' 4 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?* 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 Sander the servant to Ferando in the old piece, which seems likely from a subsequent passage. Hor. Madam, 'tis now in tune. All but the base. jars. How fiery and forward our pedant is! Bian. In time I may believe, yet I mistrust. I should be arguing still upon that doubt: My lessons make no music in three parts. [Aside. Hor. Madam, before you touch the instrument, Bian. Why, I am past my gamut long ago. Sim. Anon, my lord. Slie. Give some more drink here; where's the tapster? Slie. Here, Sim, I drink to thee. 6 This species of humour, in which Latin is transla- 8 This is only said to deceive Hortensio, who is supposed to be listening. The pedigree of Ajax, however, is properly made out, and might have been taken frem Golding's Version of Ovid's Metamorphoses, book xiii.' or, it may be added, from any historical and poetical dictionary, such as is appended to Cooper's Latin Dictionary, and others of that time. 9 But is here used in its exceptive sense of be-out, without. Vide Note on the Tempest, Act iii. Sc. 1. A re, to plead Hortensio's passion; C faut, that loves with all affection; Enter a Servant. Serv. Mistress, your father prays you leave your And help to dress your sister's chamber up; [Exit. That Katharine and Petruchio should be married, Bap. Is he come ? Bion. Why, no, sir. Bap. When will he be here? Bion. When he stands where I am, and sees you there. Tra. But, say, what :-To thine old news. Bion. Why, Petruchio is coming, in a new hat and an old jerkin; a pair of old breeches, thrice turned; a pair of boots that have been candle-cases, one buckled, another laced; an old rusty sword ta'en out of the town armory, with a broken hilt and chapeless; with two broken points: His horse hipped with an old mothy saddle, the stirrups of no kindred: besides, possessed with the glanders, and like to mose in the chine; troubled with the lampas, infected with the fashions, full of windgalls, sped with spavins, raied with the yellows, past cure of the fives, stark spoiled with the staggers, begnawn with the bots; swayed in the back, and shoulder-shotten; ne'er legged before; and with a half-checked bit, and a head-stall of sheep's leather; which, being restrained to keep him from stumbling, hath been often burst, and now repaired with knots: one girt six times pieced, and a woman's crupper of velure, which hath two letters for her name, fairly set down in studs, and here and there pieced with packthread. Bap. Who comes with him? Bion. O sir, his lackey, for all the world caparisoned like the horse; with a linen stock1o on one leg, and a kersey boot-hose on the other, gartered with a red and blue list: an old hat, and The humour of forty fancies," pricked in't for a feather: a monster, a very monster in apparel; and not like a Kath. No shame but mine: I must, forsooth, be christian footboy, or a gentleman's lackey. forc'd To give my hand, oppos'd against my heart, Unto a mad-brain rudesby, full of spleen ;3 Who woo'd in haste, and means to wed at leisure. Hiding his bitter jests in blunt behaviour: And, to be noted for a merry man, He'll woo a thousand, 'point the day of marriage, Tra. Patience, good Katharine, and Baptista too; [Exit, weeping, followed by BIANCA and others. Bio. Master, master! news, old news,' and such news as you never heard of! Bap. Is it new and old too? how may that be? Bion. Why, is it not news to hear of Petruchio's coming? Tra. "Tis some odd humour pricks him to this fashion! Yet oftentimes he goes but mean apparell'd. Bap. I am glad he is come, howsoever he comes. Bap. Didst thou not say, he comes? Bion. No, sir; I say, his horse comes with him on his back. Bap. Why, that's all one. Bion. Nay, by Saint Jamy, I hold you a penny, A horse and a man is more than one, and yet not 6 Lest the reader should imagine that a sword with 1 The equivocal use of the word nice by our ances. two broken points is here meant, he should know that tors has caused some confusion among the commenta-points were tagged laces used in fastening different tors; from Baret it appears to have been synonymous, parts of the dress: two broken points would therefore with tender, delicate, ffeminate. add to the slovenly appearance of Petruchio. 2 A sale was a decoy or bait; originally the form of a bird was set up to allure a hawk or other bird of prey, and hence used for any object of allurement. Stale here may, however, only mean every common object, as stule was applied to common women. 3 Humour, caprice, inconstancy. 4 Them is not in the old copy, it was supplied by Malone: the second folio reads-yes. 5 Old news. These words were added by Rowe, and necessarily, as appears by the reply of Baptista. Old, in the sense of abundant, as, 'old turning the key,' &c. occurs elsewhere in Shakspeare. 7 i. e. the farcy, called fashions in the west of England. 8 Vives; a distemper in horses, little differing from the strangles. 10 Stocking. 9 Velvet. 11 Warburton's supposition, that Shakspeare ridicules some popular cheap book of this title, by making Petruchio prick it up in his footboy's hat instead of a feather, has been well supported by Steevens; he observes that a penny book, containing forty short poems, would, properly managed, furnish no unapt plume of feathers for the hat of a humourist's servant.' Bap. Why sir, you know, this is your wedding-|The mad-brain'd bridegroom took him such a cuff, That down fell priest and book, and book and priest: Now take them up, quoth he, if any list. day: First were we sad, fearing you would not come; Tra. And tell us, what occasion of import Pet. Tedious it were to tell, and harsh to hear: But, where is Kate? I stay too long from her; Pet. Not I, believe me; thus I'll visit her. To me she's married, not unto my clothes: Bap. I'll after him, and see the event of this. [Exit. It skills not much; we'll fit him to our turn,- Luc. Were it not that my fellow schoolmaster Tra. That by degrees we mean to look into, Signior Gremio! came you from the church? Gre. A bridegroom, say you? 'tis a groom, in- A grumoling groom, and that the girl shall find. 1 i. e. to deviate from my promise. Tra. What said the wench, when he arose again? As if the vicar meant to cozen him. He calls for wine:-A health, quoth he; as if But that his beard grew thin and hungerly, 2 The old copy reads, But, sir, love concerneth us to add, Her father's liking. The emendation is Mr. Tyrwhitt's. The nominative case to the verb concerneth is here understood. 3 It matters not much,' it is of no importance. 4 Quaint had formerly a more favorable meaning than strange, awkward, fantastical, and was used in commendation, as neat, elegant, dainty, dexterous. [Music I know you think to dine with me to-day, Bap. Is't possible, you will away to-night? Gre. Pet. It cannot be. Kath. Pet. I am content. Kath. Let me entreat you. Let me entreat you. Are you content to stay? Pet. I am content you shall entreat me stay, But yet not stay, entreat me how you can. Kath. Now, if you love me, stay. Pet. Grumio, my horses. Gru. Ay, sir, they be ready; the oats have eaten the horses. Kath. Nay, then, Do what thou canst, I will not go to-day; Pet. O, Kate, content thee; pr'ythee be not angry. Kath. I will be angry; What hast thou to do? Father, be quiet; he shall stay my leisure. Gre. Ay, marry, sir; now it begins to work. Kath. Gentlemen, forward to the bridal dinner :I see a woman may be made a fool, If she had not a spirit to resist. Pet. They shall go forward, Kate, at thy com- Obey the bride, you that attend on her: 5 The custom of having wine and sops distributed immediately after the marriage ceremony in the church is very ancient. It existed even among our Gothic an cestors, and is mentioned in the ordinances of the house hold of Henry VII. For the marriage of a Princess:Then pottes of Ipocrice to be ready, and to bee put into cupps with soppe, and to be borne to the estates, and to take a soppe and drinke.' 6 That is bluster or swagger. But for my bonny Kate, she must with me. I'll buckler thee against a million. [Exeunt PET. KATH. and GRU. Bap. Nay, let them go, a couple of quiet ones! Gre. Went they not quickly, I should die with laughing. Tra. Of all mad matches, never was the like! For to supply the places at the table, Tra. Shall sweet Bianca practise how to bride it? mistress, whose hand (she being now at hand) thou shalt soon feel, to thy cold comfort, for being slow in thy hot office. Curt. I pr'ythee, good Grumio, tell me, How goes the world? Gru. A cold world, Curtis, in every office but thine; and, therefore, fire: Do thy duty, and have thy duty; for my master and mistress are almost frozen to death. Curt. There's fire ready: And, therefore, good Grumio, the news? Gru. Why, Jack boy! ho boy!" and as much news as thou wilt. Curt. Come, you are so full of conycatching: Gru. Why, therefore, fire; for I have caught extreme cold. 'Where's the cook? is supper ready, the house trimmed, rushes strewed, cobwebs swept; the serving-men in their new fustian, their white stockings, and every officer his wedding garment on? Be the jacks fair within, the jills fair without, the carpets laid, and every thing in order? Curt. All ready; and therefore I pray thee, news. Gru. First, know, my horse is tired; my master and mistress fallen out. Curt. This is to feel a tale, not to hear a tale. Gru. And therefore 'tis called a sensible tale and listening. Now I begin: Imprimis, we came down this cuff was but to knock at your ear, and beseech a foul hill, my master riding behind my mistress Cur. Both on one horse? Gru. What's that to thee? Gru. Fye, fye on all tired jades! on all mad masters! and all foul ways! Was ever man so beaten; was ever man so rayed ?2 was ever man so weary? I am sent before to make a fire, and they are com- Gru. Tell thou the tale:— -But hadst thou not ing after to warm them. Now, were not I a little crossed me, thou shouldst have heard how her horse pot, and soon hot,3 my very lips might freeze to my fell, and she under her horse; thou should'st have teeth, my tongue to the roof of my mouth, my heart heard, in how miry a place: how she was bemoiled;1o in my belly, ere I should come by a fire to thaw how he left her with the horse upon her; how he me:-But I, with blowing the fire, shall warm my-beat me because her horse stumbled; how she waded self; for, considering the weather, a taller man than I will take cold. Holla! hoa! Curtis! Curt. Is she so hot a shrew as she's reported? Gru. She was, good Curtis, before this frost : but thou know'st, winter tames man, woman, and beast: for it hath tamed my old master, and my new mistress, and myself,' fellow Curtis. Curt. Away, thou three-inch fool! I am no beast. Gru. Am I but three inches? why, thy horn is a foot; and so long am I, at the least. But wilt thou make a fire, or shall I complain on thee to our 2 Bewrayed, dirty. 3 A little pot soon hot, is a common proverb. 4 There is an old popular catch of three parts in these words : 1 Delicacies. Scotland burneth, Scotland burneth, Fire, fire;Fire, fire, Cast on some more water.' 5 Grumio calls himself a beast, and Curtis one also by inference in calling him fellow this would not have been noticed but that one of the commentators once thought it necessary to alter myself in Grumio's speech to thyself. Grumio's sentence is proverbial: Wedding, and ill-wintering tame both man and beast.' 6 Curtis contemptuously alludes to Grumio's diminutive size; and he in return calls Curtis a cuckold. 7 This is the beginning of an old round in three parts, the music is given in the Variorum Shakspeare. S It is probable that a quibble was intended. Jack and jill signify two drinking vessels as well as men and maid-servants. through the dirt to pluck him off me; how he swore; how she prayed that never prayed before; how I cried; how the horses ran away, how her bridle was burst;11 how I lost my crupper;-with many things and thou return unexperienced to thy grave. of worthy memory; which now shall die in oblivion, Curt. By this reckoning, he is more shrew than she.12 all shall find, when he comes home. But what talk Gru. Ay; and that thou and the proudest of you I of this ?-call forth Nathaniel, Joseph, Nicholas, Philip, Walter, Sugarsop, and the rest; let their heads be sleekly combed, their blue coats13 brushed, and their garters of an indifferent14 knit: let them curtsey with their left legs; and not presume to touch a hair of my master's horse-tail, till they kiss Are they all ready? their hands. Curt. They are. Curt. Do you hear, ho! you must meet my master, to countenance my mistress. Gru. Why, she hath a face of her own. 9 The carpets were laid over the tables. The floors, as appears from the present passage and others, were strewed with rushes. 10 i. e. bedraggled, bemired. 11 Broken. 12 The term shrew was anciently applied to either sex, as appears from Chaucer's Testam. of Love, fol. 300, Ed. Speght. 1599. 13 Blue coats were the usual habits of servants. Hence a blue-bottle was sometimes used as a term of reproach for a servant. 14 Of an indifferent knit is tolerably knit, pretty good in quality. Hamlet says, 'I am myself indifferent ho nest,' i. e. tolerably honest. The reader, who will be at the pains to refer to the Variorum Shakspeare, may be amused with the discordant blunders of the most emi nent commentators about this simple expression. Curt. Who knows not that? Gru. Thou, it seems; that callest for company to countenance her. Curt. I call them forth to credit her. Gru. Why, she comes to borrow nothing of them. Nath. Welcome home, Grumio. Gru. Welcome, you;-how now, you; what, you; -fellow, you;—and thus much for greeting. Now, my spruce companions, is all ready, and all things neat? Nath. All things is ready: How near is our master? Gru. E'en at hand, alighted by this; and therefore be not-Cock's passion, silence!- -I hear my master. Enter PETRUCHIO and KATHARINA. Pet. Where be these knaves? What, no man at To hold my stirrup, nor to take my horse! All Serv. Here, here, sir; here, sir. Pet. Here, sir! here, sir! here, sir! here, You logger-headed and unpolish'd grooms!" What, no attendance? no regard? no duty? Where is the foolish knave I sent before?" Who brought it? 1. What dogs are these!-Where is the rascal cook? Kath. I pray you, husband, be not so disquiet; Gru. Here, sir; as foolish as I was before. Did I not bid thee meet me in the park, Gru. Nathaniel's coat, sir, was not fully made, gory; The rest were ragged, old, and beggarly; Re-enter Servants, with supper. merry. [Sings. Off with my boots, you rogues, you villains; When? Where are my slippers?-Shall I have some water? 1 The false concord here was no doubt intentional, it suits well with the character. Be patient; to-morrow it shall be mended, Gru. Where is he? Curt. In her chamber, Making a sermon of continency to her: [Exeunt Re-enter PETRUCHIO. That all is done in reverend care of her; [Erit. 6 It was the custom in ancient times to wash the 2 Green, in his Mihil Mumchance, says, 'This cozen-hands immediately before dinner and supper, and afterage is used likewise in selling old hats found upon dunghills, instead of newe, blackt over with the smoake of an olde link. 3 This ballad was well suited to Petruchio, as appears by the answer in A Handeful of Pleasant Delites, 1584; which is called 'Dame Beautie's replie to the lover late at libertie, and now complaineth him to be her captive,' entituled Where is the life that late I led?" 4 A word coined by Shakspeare to express the noise made by a person heated and fatigued. 5 Dr. Percy has constructed his beautiful ballad, The Friar of Orders Gray,' from the various fragments and hints dispersed through Shakspeare's plays, with a few supplemental stanzas. wards. As our ancestors cat with their fingers, we can. not wonder at such repeated ablutions. 7 Shakspeare delights in allusions to Falconry; the following allegory comprises most of its terms. Ahawk full fed was untractable, and refused the lure. 8 The lure was a thing stuffed to look like the game the hawk was to pursue; its use was to tempt him back after he had flown. 9 A haggard is a wild hawk, to man her is to tame her. To watch or wake a hawk was one part of the process of taming. 10 To bate is to flutter the wings as preparing for flight; batter l'ale, Italian. 11 Intend is used for pretend. |