I am asham'd, that Women, are so simple
To offer war where they should kneel for peace;
Or seek for rule, supremacy, and sway,
When they are bound to serve, love, and obey.
Why are our bodies soft, and weak and smooth,
Unapt to toil and trouble in the world,
But that our soft conditions and our hearts
Should well agree with our external parts?
Come, come, you froward and unable worms,
My mind hath been as big as one of yours,
My heart as great, my reason haply more,
To bandy word for word, and frown for frown;
But, how I fee, our launces are but straws,
Our strength as weak, our weakness pait compa e;
That seeming to be most, which we indeed le are,
(20) Then vale your stomachs, for it is no boil
And place your hands below your Husband's 100t:
In token of which duty, if he please,
My hand is ready, may it do him eale.
Pet. Why, there's a wench: come on, i d kiss me,

Kate.

ca.

(26) Tben vale your Stomachs, &c.] This Ductr Conjugal Obedience, that runs thro' all Catharine's Speech, thuu cuineis of the Play to be compleated in her being so thoroughly reto Bu this Comedy has likewise a fubfervient Walk, which from wing is conpected to, and made a part of the main Plot; viz. th. 4ge of Bian

This Marriage, according to the Regulation of Copies, is executed and clear'd up in the fourth A&t: and the fif. cou made to begin till the whole Company meet at Lucentio's Aparı By this Regulation, there is not only an unreasonable Disproportion in Length, betwixt the 4th and 5th Acts; but a manifeft Absurdity committed in the Conduct of the Fable. By the Division I have ventur'd at, these Inconveniencies are remedied : and the Action lies more uniform.

For now the whole Catastrophe is wound up in the 5th Act: It begins with Lucentio going to Church to marry Bianca : The tņue Vincentio arrives, to. discover the Impoiture carried on by the Pedant: and after this Eclaircissement is hung in Suspence (always a Pleasure to an Audience,) till towards the Middle of the 5th Act ; the main Business is wound up, of Catharine approving herself to be a Convert; and an Instructer, in their Duty, to the other new-married Ladies. If it be objected, that, by the Change I make, the Lord and his Servants (who are Characters out of the Drama) speak in the Middle of an Act; that is a Matter of no Importance. Their Thort Interlocution was never design'd to mark the Intervals of the Acts.

Luc,

Luc. Well, go thy ways, old lad, for thou shalt ha’t. Vin. 'Tis a good hearing, when children are toward. Luc. But a harsh hearing, when women are froward,

Pet. Come, Kate, we'll to bed ; (27) We three are married, but you two are sped. 'Twas I won the wager, tho' you hit the white; And being a winner, God give you good night.

[Exeunt Petruchio and Catharina. Hor. Now go thy ways, thou hast tam'd a curft

Shrew. Luc. 'Tis a wonder, by your leave, she will be tam'd so.

[Exeunt omnes.

Enter two servants bearing Sly in his own apparel, and

leave him on the Stage. Then enter a Tapster. Sly awaking.] Sim, give's some more wine what, all the Players gone? am not I a Lord?

Tap. Å Lord, with a murrain! come, art thou drunk fill ?

Sly. Who's this? Tapster! oh, I have had the bravest dream that ever thou heard t in all thy life.

Tap. Yea, marry, but thou hadft best get thee home, for your Wife will course you for dreaming here all night. Sly. Will me? I know how to tame a Shrew.

I dreamt upon it all this night, and thou hast wak'd me out of the best dream that ever I had. But I'll to my Wife, and tame her too, if she anger me.

(27) We two are married, but You two are sped.] This is the Reading only of the Modern Copies, I have chose to read with the older Books. Petruchio, I think verily, would say This : I, and you Lucentio, and you Hortenfio, are all under the fame Predicament in one Respect, we are all three married; but You Two are finely help'd up with Wives, that don't know the Duty of Obedience,

KING of France.
Duke of Florence.
Bertram, Count of Rousillon.
Lafeu, an old Lord.
Parolles, a parasitical follower of Bertram ; ' a coward,

but vain, and a great pretender to valour. Several young French 'Lords, that serve with Bertram

in the Florentine war. Steward,

Servants to the Countess of Rousillon. Clown,

}

Countess of Rousillon, mother to Bertram.
Helena, daughter to Gerard de Narbon, a famous phy-

fician, some time since dead.
An old widow of Florence.
Diana, daughter to the widow.
Violenta,
Mariana,

Neighbours, and friends to the widowa

Lords attending on the King; Officers, Soldiers, &c.

SCENE lies partly in France; and, partly

in Tuscany.

ALL'S