As Stephen Sly, and old John Naps of Greece, Sly. Now, Lord be thanked for my good amends ! Sly. I thank thee; thou shalt not lose by it. Enter the PAGE, as a Lady, with Attendants. Page. How fares my noble lord? Sly. Marry, I fare well; for here is cheer enough. Where is my wife? Page. Here, noble lord; What is thy will with her? Sly. I know it well:-What must I call her? Lord. Madam. Sly. Al'ce madam, or Joan madam? Lord, Madam, and nothing else; so lords call ladies. Above some fifteen years and more. Page. Ay, and the time seems thirty unto me; Being all this time abandon'd from your bed. Sly. 'Tis much;-Servants, leave me and her alone. Madam, undress you, and come now to bed. Page. Thrice noble lord, let me entreat of you To pardon me yet for a night or two; Or, if not so, until the sun be set: For your physicians have expressly charged, That I should yet absent me from your bed: I hope this reason stands for my excuse. Sly. Ay, it stands so, that I may hardly tarry so long. But I would be loath to fall into my dreams again; I will therefore tarry, in despite of the flesh and the blood. Enter a SERVANT. Serv. Your honour's players, hearing your amendment, Are come to play a pleasant comedy, For so your doctors hold it very meet; Seeing too much sadness hath congeal'd your blood, And melancholy is the nurse of frenzy, Therefore, they thought it good you hear a play, And frame your mind to mirth and merriment, Which bars a thousand harms, and lengthens life. Sly. Marry, I will; let them play it: Is not a commonty* a Christmas gambol, or a tumbling trick? Page. No, my good lord; it is more pleasing stuff. * Comedy. Sly. What, household stuff? Page. It is a kind of history. Sly. Well, we'll see't: Come, madam wife, sit by my side, and let the world slip; we shall ne'er be younger. [They sit down. ACT I. Scene I-Padua. A public Place. Enter LUCENTIO and TRANIO. Luc. Tranio, since-for the great desire I had Gave me my being, and my father first, Vincentio his son, brought up in Florence, Tra. Mi perdonate,† gentle master mine, Glad that you thus continue your resolve, Fall to them as you find your stomach serves you: *Pool. + Pardon me. Harsh rules. No profit grows, where is no pleasure ta'en;- Luc. Gramercies, Tranio, well dost thou advise. Such friends, as time in Padua shall beget. Tra. Master, some show, to welcome us to town. Enter BAPTISTA, KATHARINA, BIANCA, GREMIO, and HOR- Bap. Gentlemen, impórtune me no further, If either of you both love Katharina, Because I know you well, and love you well, There, there, Hortensio, will you any wife? Kath. I pray you, Sir [To BAP.], is it your will To make a stale of me* amongst these mates ? Hor. Mates, maid, how mean you that? no mates for you, Unless you were of gentler, milder mould. Kath. I' faith, Sir, you shall never need to fear; I wis,t it is not half way to her heart: But, if it were, doubt not her care should be To comb your noddle with a three-legg'd stool, And paint your face and use you like a fool. Hor. From all such devils, good Lord, deliver us! Gre. And me too, good Lord! Tra. Hush, master, here is some good pastime toward; That wench is stark mad, or wonderful froward. Luc. But in the other's silence I do see Maid's mild behaviour and sobriety. Peace, Tranio. Tra. Well said, master: mum! and gaze your fill. And let it not displease thee, good Bianca; Put finger in the eye,-an she knew why. Bian. Sister, content you in my discontent. Sir, to your pleasure humbly I subscribe: My books, and instruments, shall be my company; On them to look, and practise by myself. Luc. Hark, Tranio! thou mayst hear Minerva speak. [Aside. Hor. Signior Baptista, will you be so strange? *To put me, stale-mate, into a corner. Think. + Pet. Sorry am I, that our good will affects Bianca's grief. Gre. Why, will you mew her up, Signior Baptista, for this fiend of hell, And make her bear the penance of her tongue? And for I know, she taketh most delight Schoolmasters will I keep within my house, To mine own children in good bringing up; [Exit BIANCA. Kath. Why, and I trust I may go too; May I not? What, shall I be appointed hours; as though belike, I knew not what to take, and what to leave? Ha! [Exit. [Exit. Gre. You may go to the devil's dam; your gifts are so good, here is none will hold you. Their love is not so great, Hortensio, but we may blow our nails together, and fast it fairly out; our cake 's dough on both sides. Farewell :-Yet, for the love I bear my sweet Bianca, if I can by any means light on a fit man, to teach her that wherein she delights, I will wish him to her father. Hor. So will I, signior Gremio: But a word, I pray. Though the nature of our quarrel yet never brook'd parle, know now, upon advice,† it toucheth us both, that we may yet again have access to our fair mistress, and be happy rivals in Bianca's love,-to labour and effect one thing 'specially. Gre. What's that, I pray? Hor. Marry, Sir, to get a husband for her sister. Gre. A husband'! a devil. Hor. I say, a husband. Gre. I say, a devil: Think'st thou, Hortensio, though her father be very rich, any man is so very a fool to be married to hell? Hor. Tush, Gremio, though it pass your patience, and mine, to endure her loud alarums, why, man, there be good fellows in the world, an a man could light on them, would take her with all faults, and money enough. Gre. I cannot tell; but I had as lief take her dowry with this condition, to be whipped at the high-cross every morning. Hor. 'Faith, as you say, there's small choice in rotten apples. But, come; since this bar in law makes us friends, it shall be so far forth friendly maintained, 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, signior Gremio ? Gre. I am agreed: and 'would I had given him the best horse *Recommend. † Consideration. 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 HORTENSIO, Tra. [Advancing.] I pray, Sir, tell me,-Is it possible That love should of a sudden take such hold? Luc. O Tranio, till I found it to be true, I never thought it possible, or likely; Tra. Master, it is no time to chide you now; If love have touch'd you, naught remains but so,- Luc. Gramercies, lad; go forward: this contents; That made great Jove to humble him to her hand, 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? And with her breath she did perfume the air; Tra. Nay, then, 'tis time to stir him from his trance. Bend thoughts and wits to achieve her. Thus it stands:- That, till the father rid his hands of her, Tra. Master, for my hand, Both our inventions meet and jump in one. Luc. Tell me thine first. Tra. You will be schoolmaster, *Driven out by chiding. † Longingly. + Europa. |