ftrain'd to keep him from ftumbling, hath been often burft, and now repair'd with Knots; one Girth fix times piec'd, and a Woman's Crupper of Velure, which hath two Letters for her Name, fairly fet down in Studs, and here and there piec'd with Packthred.

Bap. Who comes with him?

Bion. Oh Sir, his Lackey, for all the World comparifon'd like the Horfe, with a linnen Stock on one Leg, and a kersey Boot-hofe on the other, garter'd with a red and blue Lift, an old Hat, and the Humour of forty Fancies prickt up in't for a Feather: A Monster, a very Monster in Apparel, and not like a Chriftian Foot-boy, or Gentleman's Lackey. Tra. 'Tis fome odd Humour pricks him to this Fashion; Yet oftentimes he goes but mean Apparell'd.

Bap. I am glad he's come, how foever he comes.
Bion. Why Sir, he comes not.

Bap. Didft thou not fay he comes?

Bion. Who? that Petruchio came?

Bap. Ay, that Petruchio came.

Bion. No, Sir; I fay his Horse comes with him on his Back.

Bap. Why that's all one.

Bion. Nay, by St. Jamy, I hold you a Penny, a Horse and a Man is more than one, and yet not many.

Enter Petruchio and Grumio fantastically habited. Pet. Come, where be thefe Gallants? who's at Home? Bap. You are welcome, Sir.

Pet. And yet I come not well.

Bap. And yet you halt not.

Tra. Not fo well Apparell'd as I wish you were.
Pet. Were it better I fhould rush in thus.

But where is Kate? where is my lovely Bride?

How does my Father? Gentles, methinks you frown,
And wherefore gaze this goodly Company,
As if they faw fome wondrous Monument,
Some Comet, or unusual Prodigy?

Bap. Why, Sir, you know this is your Wedding-day a
First were we fad, fearing you would not come;
Now fadder, that you come fo unprovided.
Fie, doff this Habit, fhame to your Estate,

An Eye-fore to our folemn Festival.

Tra. And tell us what Occafion of Import
Hath all fo long detain'd you from your Wife,
And fent you hither fo unlike your Helf?

Pet. Tedious it were to tell, and harsh to hear :
Sufficeth I am come to keep my Word,
Tho' in fome Part enforced to digrefs,
Which at more Leifure I will fo excufe,
As you shall well be fatisfied withal.

But where is Kate? I stay too long from her;
The Morning wears; 'tis time we were at Church.
Tra. See not your Bride in these unreverent Robes;
Go to my Chamber, put on Cloaths of mine.
Pet. Not I; believe me, thus I'll vifit her.

Bap. But thus, I truft, you will not marry her.
Pet. Good footh, even thus; therefore ha' done with
Words;

To me fhe's married, not unto my Clothes:
Could I repair what she will wear in me,
As I could change thefe poor Accoutrements,
'Twere well for Kate, and better for my felf.
But what a Fool am I to chat with you,
When I should bid good Morrow to my Bride,

And feal the Title with a lovely Kifs?

[Exit.

Tra. He hath fome Meaning in his mad Attire:

We will perfuade him, be it poffible,

To put on better e'er he go to Church.

[Exit.

Bap. I'll after him, and fee the Event of this.
Tra. But, Sir, Love concerneth us to add
Her Father's liking; which to bring to pass,
As before I imparted to your Worship,
I am to get a Man; what e'er he be
It skills not much; we'll fit him to our Turn,
And he fhall be Vincentio of Pisa,
And make Affurance here in Padua,
Of greater Sums than I have promised;
So fhall you quietly enjoy your Hope,
And marry fweet Bianca with Confent.

Luc. Were it not that my fellow School-master
Doth watch Bianca's Steps fo narrowly,
Twere good methinks to fteal our Marriage;

Which once perform'd, let all the World fay no,
I'll keep mine own, defpight of all the World.
Tra. That by Degrees we mean to look into,
And watch our Vantage in this Bufiness:
We'll over-reach the Gray-beard Gremio,
The narrow prying Father Minola,
The quaint Mufician amorous Licio ;
All for my Mafter's fake Lucentio.
Enter Gremio.

Signior Gremio, came you from the Church?

Gre. As willingly as e'er I came from School.
Tra. And is the Bride and Bridegroom coming home?
Gre. A Bridegroom fay you? 'Tis a Groom indeed,
A grumbling Groom, and that the Girl fhall find.
Tra. Curfter than fhe? why 'tis impoffible.

Gre. Why he's a Devil, a Devil, a very Fiend.
Tra. Why fhe's a Devil, a Devil, the Devil's Dam.
Gra. Tut, fhe's a Lamb, a Dove, a Fool to him :
I'll tell you, Sir Lucentio, when the Priest
Should ask if Katharine should be his Wife?
Ay, by Gogs-woons, quoth he; and swore fo loud,
That, all amaz'd, the Prieft let fall the Book;
And as he stoop'd again to take it up,

This mad-brain'd Bridegroom took him fuch a Cuff,
That down fell Prieft and Book, and Book and Priest.
Now take them up, quoth he, if any lift.

Tra. What, faid the Wench, when he rose up again?
Gre. Trembled and fhook; for why, he ftamp'd and fwore,
As if the Vicar meant to cozen him.

But after many Ceremonies done,

He calls for Wine: A Health, quoth he; as if
He had been Aboard carowzing to his Mates
After a Storm; quaft off the Mufcadel,
And threw the Sops all in the Sexton's Face;
Having no other Reason, but that his Beard
Grew thin and hungerly, and feem'd to ask
His Sops as he was drinking. This done, he took
The Bride about the Neck, and kist her Lips
With fuch a clamorous Smack, that at the Parting
All the Church did Eccho; and I feeing this,

Came thence for very Shame; and after me

I know the Rout is coming: Such a mad Marriage
Never was before. Hark, hark, I hear the Minstrels play.
[Mufick plays.
Enter Petruchio, Katharina, Bianca, Hortenfio and Baptifta.
Pet. Gentlemen and Friends, I thank you for your Pains:
I know you think to dine with me to Day,
And have prepar'd great Store of wedding Cheer;
But fo it is, my Hafte doth call me hence;
And therefore here I mean to take my Leave.
Bap. Is't poffible you will away to Night?"
Pet. I muft away to Day, before Night come:
Make it no Wonder; if you knew my Bufinefs,
You would intreat me rather go than stay.
And honeft Company, I thank you all,
That have beheld me give away my felf
To this moft patient, fweet and virtuous Wife:
Dine with my Father, drink a Health to me,
For I muft hence, and farewel to you all.
Tra. Let us intreat you stay 'till after Dinner.
Pet. It may not be.

Gre. Let me intreat you.

Pet. It cannot be.

Kath. Let me intreat you.

Pet. I am content.

Kath. Are you content to ftay?

Pet. I am content you fhall intreat me stay;

But yet not ftay, intreat me how you can.

Kath. Now, if you love me, ftay.

Pet. Grumio, my Horse.

Gru. Ay, Sir, they be ready; the Oats have eaten the Horses. Kath. Nay then

Do what thou canft, I will not go to Day;

No, nor to Morrow, nor till I please my felf:
The Door is open, Sir, there lyes your way,
You may be jogging whiles your Boots are green.
For me, I'll not be gone 'till I please my self:
'Tis like you'll prove a jolly furly Groom,
That take it on you at the firft fo roundly.

Pet. O Kate, content thee; prethee be not angry.

Kath,

Kath. I will be angry; what haft thou to do? Father, be quiet; he fhall ftay my Leifure.

Gre. Ay, marry Sir, now it begins to work. Kath. Gentlemen, forward to the Bridal-dinner. I fee a Woman may be made a Fool,

If she had not a Spirit to refift.

Pet. They fhall go forward, Kate, at thy Command.
Obey the Bride, you that attend on her:
Go to the Feaft, revel and domineer;

Carowse full Measure to her Maiden-head;
Be mad and merry, or go hang your felves;
But for my bonny Kate, fhe muft with me.
Nay, look not big, nor ftamp, nor ftare, nor fret,
I will be Mafter of what is mine own;

She is my Goods, my Chattels, fhe is my House,
My Houshold Stuff, my Field, my Barn,
My Horse, my Ox, my Afs, my any thing;
And here fhe ftands, touch her who ever dare;
I'll bring my Action on the proudeft he
That ftops my way in Padua: Grumio,

Draw forth thy Weapon; we are befet with Thieves;
Rescue thy Mistress if thou be a Man:

Fear not, fweet Wench, they fhall not touch thee, Kate;
I'll buckler thee against a Million.

[Exeunt Pet. and Kath, Bap. Nay, let them go, a couple of quiet ones.

Gre. Went they not quickly, I fhould die with Laughing.
Tra. Of all mad Matches, never was the like.

Luc. Miftrefs, what's your Opinion of

your Sifter? Bian. That being mad her felf, she's madly mated. Gre. I warrant him Petruchio is Kated.

Bap. Neighbours and Friends, tho' Bride and Bridegroom

wants

For to fupply the Places at the Table;

You know there wants no Junkets at the Feaft: Lucentio, You shall supply the Bridegroom's Place,

And let Bianca take her Sifter's room.

Tra. Shall fweet Bianca practise how to Bride it?
Bap. She fhall, Lucentio: Come, Gentlemen, let's go.

R 4

[Exeunt.

Enter