Bap. Why, Sir, you know, this is your wedding-day: 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; The morning wears, 'tis time we were at church. Tra. See not your bride in these unreverent robes; Go to my chamber, put on clothes of mine. Pet. Not I, believe me; thus I'll visit her. Bap. But thus, I trust, you will not marry her. Pet. Good sooth, even thus; therefore have done with words; To me she's married, not unto my clothes: Could I repair what she will wear in me, As I can change these poor accoutrements, "Twere well for Kate, and better for myself. But what a fool am I, to chat with you, When I should bid good-morrow to my bride, And seal the title with a lovely kiss! [Exeunt PETRUCHIO, GRUMIO, and BIONDELLO. Tra. He hath some meaning in his mad attire: We will persuade him, be it possible, To put on better ere he go to church. Bap. I'll after him, and see the event of this. I am to get a man,-whate'er he be, It skillst not much; we'll fit him to our turn,— Luc. Were it not that my fellow-schoolmaster *I. e. deviate. + Matters. [Exit. The quaint* musician, amorous Licio; Re-enter GREMIO. Signior Gremio! came you from the church? The mad-brain'd bridegroom took him such a cuff, Tra. What said the wench, when he arose again? Gre. Trembled and shook; for why, he stamp'd, and swore, As if the vicar meant to cozen him. But after many ceremonies done, He calls for wine:-A health, quoth he; as if But that his beard grew thin and hungerly, [Music. Enter PETRUCHIO, KATHARINA, BIANCA, BAPTISTA, Pet. Gentlemen and friends, I thank you for your pains: I know, you think to dine with me to-day, And have prepared great store of wedding cheer; But so it is, my haste doth call me hence, And therefore here I mean to take my leave. * Strange. †The wine drunk by the company in church immediately after the marriage-ceremony. Pet. I must away to-day, before night come:- Tra. Let us entreat you stay till after dinner. Gre. Let me entreat you. Kath. Let me entreat you. Pet. I am content. Kath. 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; No, nor to-morrow, nor till I please myself. The door is open, Sir, there lies your way, You may be jogging, whiles your boots are green; Pet. O, Kate, content thee; pr'ythee, be angry. Gre. Ay, marry, Sir: now it begins to work. If she had not a spirit to resist. Pet. They shall go forward, Kate, at thy command:- Go to the feast, revel and domineer,* She is my goods, my chattels; she is my house, * Bluster. Fear not, sweet wench, they shall not touch thee, Kate; [Exeunt PETRUCHIO, KATHARINA, and GRUMIO. Bap. Nay, let them go, a couple of quiet ones. Gre. Went they not quickly, I should die with laughing. Luc. Mistress, what's your opinion of your sister? Bian. That, being mad herself, she's madly mated. Bap. Neighbours and friends, though bride and bridegroom wants For to supply the places at the table, You know, there wants no junkets* at the feast ;- Tra. Shall sweet Bianca practise how to bride it? [Exeunt. ACT IV. SCENE I-A Hall in PETRUCHIO's Country House. Enter GRUMIO. Gru. Fie, fie, on all tired jades! on all mad masters! and all foul ways; Was ever man so beaten? was ever man so rayed?t was ever man so weary? I am sent before to make a fire, and they are coming after to warm them. Now, were not I a little pot, and soon hot, my very lips might freeze to my teeth, my tongue to the roof of my mouth, my heart in my belly, ere I should come by a fire to thaw me:-But, I, with blowing the fire, shall warm myself; for, considering the weather, a taller man than I will take cold. Holla, hoa! Curtis ! Enter CURTIS. Curt. Who's that, calls so coldly? Gru. A piece of ice: If thou doubt it, thou mayst slide from my shoulder to my heel, with no greater a run but my head and my neck. A fire, good Curtis. Curt. Is my master and his wife coming, Grumio ? Gru. O, ay, Curtis, ay: and therefore fire, fire; cast on no water. 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, you 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 *Delicacies. + Bewrayed; dirtied. I complain on thee to our 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 jackst fair within, the jills‡ fair without, the carpets§ laid, and everything 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. How! Gru. Out of their saddles into the dirt; And thereby hangs a tale. Curt. Let's ha't, Good Grumio. Gru. Lend thine ear. Curt. Here. Gru. There. Curt. This is to feel a tale, not to hear a tale. [Striking him. Gru. And therefore 'tis called a sensible tale: and this cuff was but to knock at your ear, and beseech listening. Now I begin: Imprimis, we came down a foul hill, my master riding behind my mistress : Curt. Both on one horse? Gru. What's that to thee? Gru. Tell thou the tale:- -But hadst thou not crossed me, thou shouldst have heard how her horse fell, and she under her horse; thou shouldst have heard, in how míry a place; how she was bemoiled; how he left her with the horse upon her; how he beat me because her horse stumbled; how she waded through the dirt to pluck him off me; how he swore; how she prayedthat never prayed before; how I cried; how the horses ran away; how her bridle was burst; how I lost my crupper;with many things of worthy memory; which now shall die in oblivion, and thou return unexperienced to thy grave. Curt. By this reckoning, he is more shrew than she. Gru. Ay; and that, thou and the proudest of you all shall find, when he comes home. But what talk I of this ?-call forth Nathaniel, Joseph, Nicholas, Philip, Walter, Sugarsop, and the rest; let their heads be sleekly combed, their blue coats brushed, *The commencement of an old catch. Women servants. VOL. II. H † (Drinking.) § Table carpets or cloths. |