Gre. I cannot tell : but I had as lief take her dowry with this condition,--to be whipp'd at the high cross every morning.

Hor. 'Faith, as you say, there's small choice in rotten apples. Buc, come ; since this bar in law makes us friends, it shall be so far forth friendly maintain'd,—till by helping Baptista's eldest daughter to a husband, we set his youngest free for a husband, and then have to't afresh. Sweet Bianca ! - Happy man be his dole! He that runs fastest, gets the ring. How say you, fignior Gremio?

Gre. I am agreed : and 'would I had given him the best horse in Padua to begin his wooing, that would thoroughly woo her, wed her, and bed her, and rid the house of her. Come on.

[Exeunt Gremio and Hortenfio.
Manent Tranio, and Lucentio.
Tra. I pray, fir, tell me-Is it possible
That love should of a sudden take such hold ?

Luc. Oh, Tranio, 'till I found it to be true,
I never thought it poflible, or likely ;
But see! while idly I stood looking on,
I found the effect of love in idleness :
And now in plainness do confess to thee,
That art to me as secret, and as dear,
As Anna to the queen of Carthage was,-
Tranio, I burn, I pine, I perish, Tranio,
If I atchieve not this young modest girl :
Counsel me, Tranio, for I know thou canst;
Afist me, Tranio, for I know thou wilt.

Tra. Malter, it is no time to chide you now ;
Affection is not rated from the heart :
If love have touch'd you, nought remains but so,

| Happy man be bis dole! ]-I wish him joy that gains the prize. m rated]-expellid by threats.

* Redime te captum quam queas minimo.

Luc. Gramercies, lad ; go forward : this contents ; The rest will comfort, for thy counsel's found.

Tra. Mafter, you look'd so longly on the maid,
Perhaps you mark'd not what's the pith of all.

Luc. O yes, I saw sweet beauty in her face,
Such as the °daughter of Agenor had,
That made great Jove to humble him to her hand,
When with his knees he kiss'd the Cretan strand.

Tra. Saw you no more ? mark'd you not, how her sister
Began to scold; and raise up such a storm,
That mortal ears might hardly endure the din?

Luc. Tranio, I saw her coral lips to move, And with her breath she did perfume the air Sacred, and sweet, was all I saw in her.

Tra. Nay, then, 'tis time to stir him from his trance.
I pray, awake, fir; If you love the maid,
Bend thoughts and wits to atchieve her. Thus it stands :-
Her eldest sister is so curst and shrewd,
Thar, 'till the father rid his hands of her,
Master, your love must live a maid at home;
And therefore has he closely mew'd her up,
Because she lhall not be annoy'd with suitors.

Luc. Ah, Tranio, what a cruel father's he!
But art thou not advis’d, he took some care
To get her cunning schoolmasters to instruct her?

Tra. Ay, marry, am I, fir ; and now 'tis plotted.
Luc. I have it, Tranio.

Tra. Master, Pfor my hand,
Both our inventions meet and jump in one.

* Redime te captum quam quras minimo.)-Ransom yourself the readiest way you know.

• daughter of Agenor)-Europa, deluded by Jupirer, in the form of a bull.

p for my hand, l-I'll wager my hand. VOL. II.

U

Luc. Luc. Tell me thine first.

Tra. You will be school-master,
And undertake the teaching of the maid :
That's your device.

Luc. It is : May it be done?

Tra. Not possible ; For who shall bear your part,
And be in Padua here Vincentio's son ?
Keep house, and ply his book ; welcome his friends;
Visit his countrymen, and banquet them?

Luc. 9 Basta ; content thee ; for I have it full.
We have not yet been seen in any house ;
Nor can we be distinguish'd by our faces,
For man, or master : then it follows thus ;-
Thou shalt be master, Tranio, in my stead,
Keep house, and 'port, and servants, as I should :
I will some other be ; some Florentine,
Some Neapolitan, or mean man of Pifa..
'Tis hatch'd, and shall be so :-Tranio at once
Uncase thee; take my colour'd hat and cloak:
When Biondello comes, he waits on thee;
But I will charm him first to keep his tongue.
Tra. So had

you
need.

[They exchange babits.
In brief, fir, fith it your pleasure is,
And I am ty'd to be obedient;
(For so your father charg'd me at our parting;
Be serviceable to my son, quoth he,
Although, I think, 'twas in another sense)
I am content to be Lucentio,
Because so well I love Lucentio.

Luc. Tranio, be so, because Lucentio loves : And let me be a slave, to atchieve that maid Whose sudden light hath thrallid my wounded

Enter Biondello. Here comes the rogue. Sirrah, where have you been ?

, Bion. Where have I been? Nay, how now, where are

you?

Mafter, has my fellow Tranio stoln your cloaths ?
Or
you

stoln his ? or both ? pray, what's the news ?
Luc. Sirrah, come hither ; 'tis no time to jest,
And therefore frame your manners to the time.
Your fellow Tranio here, to save my life,
Puts

my apparel and my countenance on,
And I for my escape have put on his ;
For in a quarrel, since I came ashore,
I kill'd a man, and fear I am descry'd :
Wait you on him, I charge you, as becomes,
While I make way from hence to save my life :
You understand me?

Pion. Ay, fir, ne'er a whit.
Luc. And not a jot of Tranio in

your mouth; Tranio is chang’d into Lucentio.

Bion. The better for him ; 'Would, I were so too!
Tra. So would I, 'faith boy, to have the next wish

after, That Lucentio indeed had Baptista's youngest daughter. But, firrah,—not for my fake, but your master's, - I

advise You use your manners discreetly in all kind of companies : When I am alone, why, then I am Tranio; But in all places else, your master Lucentio.

Luc. Tranio, let's go :One thing more rests, that thyself execute ;To make one among these wooers : If thou ask me why, Sufficeth, my reasons are both good and weighty. (Exeunt.

1 Man. My lord, you nod; you do not mind the play.

U 2

Sly.

Sly. Yes, by faint Anne, do I. A good matter, surely; Comes there any more of it?

Page. My lord, 'tis but begun.

Sly. 'Tis a very excellent piece of work, madam lady; 'Would, it were done!

S C Ε Ν Ε ΙΙ.
Before Hortenfio's House in Pedua.

Enter Petruchio, and Grumio.

Pet. Verona, for a while I take my leave,
To see my friends in Padua ; but of all,
My best beloved and approved friend,
Hortensio; and, I trow, this is his house:
Here, firrah Grumio; knock, I say.

Gru. Knock, sir! whom should I knock ? is there any man has' rebus'd your worship?

Pet. Villain, I say, knock me here foundly.

Gru. Knock you here, sir ? why, sir, what am I, fir, That I should knock you here, sir?

Pet. Villain, I say, knock me at this gate,
And rap me well, or I'll knock your knave's pate.

Gru. My master is grown quarrelsome: I should knock

you first,

And then I know after who comes by the worst.

Pet. Will it not be ?
Faith, firrah, an you'll not knock, I'll ring it;

how
you can fol, fa, and sing it.

[He wrings him by the ears. Gru. Help, masters, help! my master is mad. Pet. Now knock when I bid you : sirrah! villain !

I'll try

• abufed.

Enter