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 fay, there's small choice in rotten apples. But, come; fince this bar in law makes us friends, it fhall be fo far forth friendly maintain'd,―till by helping Baptifta'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 fay 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 poffible
That love fhould of a fudden take fuch hold?
Luc. Oh, Tranio, 'till I found it to be true,
I never thought it poffible, or likely;
But fee! while idly I ftood looking on,
I found the effect of love in idleness:
And now in plainness do confess to thee,-
That art to me as fecret, and as dear,
As Anna to the queen of Carthage was,-
Tranio, I burn, I pine, I perifh, Tranio,
If I atchieve not this young modest girl:
Counsel me, Tranio, for I know thou canst;
Affift me, Tranio, for I know thou wilt.

Tra. Mafter, 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,

1 Happy man be bis dole !]-I wish him joy that gains the prize. m rated]-expell'd by threats.

* Redime te captum quam queas minimo.

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

Tra. Mafter, you look'd fo longly on the maid,
Perhaps you mark'd not what's the pith of all.
Luc. O yes, I faw sweet beauty in her face,
Such as the daughter of Agenor had,

0

That made great Jove to humble him to her hand,
When with his knees he kifs'd the Cretan strand.

Tra. Saw you no more? mark'd you not, how her fifter
Began to fcold; and raise up fuch a storm,
That mortal ears might hardly endure the din?
Luc. Tranio, I saw her coral lips to move,

And with her breath fhe did perfume the air;
Sacred, and sweet, was all I faw in her.

Tra. Nay, then, 'tis time to ftir him from his trance. I pray, awake, fir; If you love the maid,

Bend thoughts and wits to atchieve her. Thus it ftands:

Her eldest fifter is fo curft and fhrewd,

That, 'till the father rid his hands of her,
Master, your love muft live a maid at home;
And therefore has he closely mew'd her up,
Because she shall not be annoy'd with suitors.

Luc. Ah, Tranio, what a cruel father's he!
But art thou not advis'd, he took fome care
To get her cunning schoolmafters to inftruct her?
Tra. Ay, marry, am I, fir; and now 'tis plotted.
Luc. I have it, Tranio.

Tra. Master, for my hand,

Both our inventions meet and jump in one.

* Redime te captum quam queas minimo.]—Ransom yourself the readiest way you know.

0

daughter of Agenor]-Europa, deluded by Jupiter, in the form of a bull. P for my hand,1-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 poffible; For who fhall bear your part, And be in Padua here Vincentio's fon?

Keep house, and ply his book; welcome his friends; Vifit his countrymen, and banquet them?

१

Luc. Bafta; content thee; for I have it full.
We have not yet been seen in any house;
Nor can we be diftinguish'd by our faces,
For man, or mafter: then it follows thus ;-
Thou shalt be master, Tranio, in my stead,
Keep house, and ' port, and fervants, as I should:
I will fome other be; fome Florentine,
Some Neapolitan, or mean man of Pifa.-
'Tis hatch'd, and fhall be fo :-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.

In brief, fir, fith it your pleasure is,

[They exchange babits.

And I am ty'd to be obedient;

(For fo your father charg'd me at our parting;
Be ferviceable to my fon, quoth he,
Although, I think, 'twas in another fenfe)
I am content to be Lucentio,

Because fo well I love Lucentio.

Luc. Tranio, be fo, because Lucentio loves : And let me be a flave, to atchieve that maid Whofe fudden fight hath thrall'd my wounded eye.

port,]-ftate, figure.

a Bafta ;]-It fufficeth.

$

keep his tongue.-enfure his fecrecy.

Enter

Enter Biondello.

Here comes the rogue. Sirrah, where have you been? Bion. Where have I been? Nay, how now, where are you?

Master, has my fellow Tranio ftoln your cloaths?
Or
you ftoln his? or both? pray, what's the news?
Luc. Sirrah, come hither; 'tis no time to jeft,
And therefore frame your manners to the time.
Your fellow Tranio here, to fave my life,
Puts my apparel and my countenance on,
And I for my escape have put on his ;
For in a quarrel, fince I came afhore,
I kill'd a man, and fear I am defcry'd :
Wait you on him, I charge you, as becomes,
While I make way from hence to fave
my life:
You understand me?

Pion. Ay, fir, ne'er a whit.

mouth;

Luc. And not a jot of Tranio in your 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 Baptifta's youngest daughter. But, firrah,-not for my fake, but your master's, — I advise

You use your manners difcreetly in all kind of companies: When I am alone, why, then I am Tranio;

But in all places elfe, your mafter Lucentio.

Luc. Tranio, let's go :

One thing more refts, 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, furely; 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!

SCENE

II.

Before Hortenfio's Houfe in Padua.

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,
Hortenfio; and, I trow, this is his houfe :-
Here, firrah Grumio; knock, I say.

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

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

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

Pet. Villain, I fay, knock me at this gate,

And rap me well, or I'll knock your knave's pate.
Gru. My mafter is grown quarrelfome: I fhould 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;
I'll try how you can fol, fa,

and fing it.

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

• abused.

Enter