It fhall become to ferve all hopes conceiv'd,
To deck his fortune with his virtuous deeds:
And therefore, Tranio, for the time I ftudy,
Virtue and that part of philofophy
Will I apply, that treats of happiness
By virtue fpecially to be atchiev'd.
Tell me thy mind, for I have Pifa left,
And am to Padua come, as he that leaves
A fhallow plash to plunge him in the deep,
And with fatiety feeks to quench his thirst.
Tra.. Me pardonato, gentle mafter mine,
I am in all affected as your felf:

Glad, that you thus continue your refolye,
To fuck the fweets of fweet philofophy:
Only, good mafter, while we do admire
This virtue, and this moral difcipline,
Let's be no Stoicks, nor no ftocks, I pray;
Or, fo devote to Ariftotle's checks,
As Ovid be an outcast quite abjur'd.
Talk logick with acquaintance that you have,
And practise rhetorick in your common talk;
Mufick and Poefie ufe to quicken you;
The Mathematicks, and the Metaphyficks,
Fall to them, as you find your ftomach ferves you :
No profit grows, where is no pleasure ta'en:
In brief, Sir, ftudy what you most affect.
Luc. Gramercies, Tranio, well dost thou advise;
If, Biondello, thou wert come afhore,
We could at once put us in readiness;
And take a lodging fit to entertain

Such friends. as time in Padua fhall beget.

But stay a while, what company is this?

Tra. Master, fome fhow to welcome us to town.

Enter Baptifta with Catharina and Bianca, Gremio and Hortenfio. Lucentio and Tranio ftand by.

Bap. Gentlemen Both, importune me no farther,
For how I firmly am refolv'd, you know;

That is, not to bestow my youngest Daughter,
Before I have a husband for the elder;

If either of you both love Catharina,

Because I know you well, and love you well,
Leave shall you have to court her at your pleasure.

Gre. To cart her rather. She's too rough for me: There, there, Hortenfio, will you any wife? Cath. I pray you, Sir, 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.

Cath. I'faith, Sir, you fhall never need to fear,
I wis, it is not half way to her heart:

But if it were, doubt not, her care shall be
To comb your noddle with a three-legg'd ftool,
And paint your face, and ufe you like a fool,
Hor. From all fuch devils, good Lord deliver us.
Gre. And me too, good Lord.

Tra. Hufh, mafter, here's fome good pastime
toward;

That wench is ftark mad, or wonderful fro

ward.

Luc. But in the other's filence I do fee

Maid's mild behaviour and sobriety.

Peace, Tranio.

Tra. Well faid, master; mum! and gaze your fill.

Bap. Gentlemen, that I may foon make good
What I have faid, Bianca, get you in;

And let it not displease thee, good Bianca;
For I will love thee ne'er the lefs, my girl.

afide

Cath. A pretty Peat! it is best put finger in the eye;

an fhe knew why.

Bian. Sifter, content you in my discontent.

Sir, to your pleasure humbly I subscribe:

My books and inftruments fhall be my company,

On them to look, and practise by my self.

Luc. Hark, Tranio, thou may'st hear Minerva fpeak.

Hor. Signior Baptifta, will you be so strange?
Sorry am I, that our good will effects
Bianca's grief.

[afide.

Gra

Gre. Why will you mew her up,
Signior Baptifta, for this fiend of hell,

And make her bear the penance of her tongue?
Bap. Gentlemen, content ye; I am refolv'd:
Go in, Bianca.

[Exit Bianca.

And for I know, fhe taketh moft delight
In mufick, inftruments, and poetry;
School-masters will I keep within my house,
Fit to inftruct her youth. If you, Hortenfio,
Or Signior Gremio, you, know any fuch,
Prefer them hither: for to cunning men
I will be very kind; and liberal

To mine own children, in good bringing up ;
And fo farewel: Catharina, you may flay,
For I have more to commune with Bianca.

[Exit.

Cath. Why, and, I truft, I may go too, may I not? what, fhall I be appointed hours, as tho', belike, I knew not what to take, and what to leave? ha!

[Exit. Gre. You may go to the devil's dam: your gifts are fo good, here is none will hold you. Our love is not fo great, Hortenfio, but we may blow our nails together, and fast it fairly out. Our cake's dow on both fides. Farewel; 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 the delights, I will with him to her Father.

Hor. So will I, Signior Gremio: but a word, I pray ; tho' the nature of our quarrel never yet brook'd Parle, know now, upon advice, it toucheth us Both, that we may yet again have access to our fair Miftrefs, and be happy rivals in Bianca's love, to labour and effect one thing 'fpecially.

Gre. What's that, I pray ?

Hor. Marry, Sir, to get a husband for her fifter.
Gre. A husband! a devil.

Hor. I fay, a husband.

Gre. I fay, a devil. Think'ft thou, Hortenfio, tho' her father be very rich, any man is so very a fool to be married to hell?

VOL. II.

Her.

Hor. Tufh, Gremio; tho' it pafs your patience and mine to endure her loud alarms, why, man, there be good fellows in the world, an a man could light on them, would take her with all her faults, and mony enough,

Gre. I cannot tell but I had as lief take her dowry with this condition to be whipp'd at the high-crofs every morning.

Hor. Faith, as you fay, there's a fmall 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 fet 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, Signior Gremio ?

Gre. I am agreed; and I would I had given him the beft horfe in Padua to begin his wooing, that would thoroughly woo her, wed her, and bed her, and rid the houfe of her. Come on.

[Exeunt Gremio and Hortenfio.

Manent Tranio and Lucentio.

Tra. I pray, Sir, tell me, is it poffible
That love fhould on 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 th' 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 perish, 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. Master, it is no time to chide you now;
Affection is not rated from the heart.

If love hath touch'd you, nought remains but so,
Redime te captum quàm queas minimô.

Lac.

Luc. Gramercy, lad; go forward, this contents; The reft will comfort, for thy counfel'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,

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 such a storm,
That mortal ears might hardly endure the din?
Luc. Tranio, I faw her coral lips to move,
And with her breath fhe did perfume the air;
Sacred and fweet was all I faw in her.

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

Bend thoughts and wit t'atchieve her. Thus it stands:
Her eldest Sifter is fo curft and fhrewd,

That 'till the Father rids his hands of her,
Master, your Love must live a Maid at home :
And therefore has he clofely mew'd her up,
Because the shall not be annoy'd with fuitors.
Luc. Ah, Tranio, what a cruel Father's he!
But art thou not advis'd he took fome care
Το

get her cunning school-masters t' instruct her? Tra. Ay, marry, am I, Sir; and now 'tis plotted. Luc. I have it, Tranio.

Tra. Mafter, for my hand,

Both our inventions meet and jump in one.

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 son,

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