Gru. My master is grown quarrelsome: I should knock you first,

And then I know after who comes by the worst.

Pet. Will it not be?

'Faith, sirrah, an you'll not knock, I'll wring it ;9

I'll try how you can sol, fa, and sing it.

[He wrings GRUMIO by the ears.

Gru. Help, masters, help! my master is mad.
Pet. Now, knock when I bid you: sirrah! villain !

Enter HORTENSIO.

Hor. How now? what's the matter?-My old friend Grumio! and my good friend Petruchio!— How do you all at Verona?

Pet. Signior Hortensio, come you to part the fray? Con tutto il core bene trovato, may I say.

Hor. Alla nostra casa bene venuto,

Molto honorato signor mio Petruchio.

Rise, Grumio, rise; we will compound this quarrel.

Gru. Nay, 'tis no matter, what he 'leges in Latin.— If this be not a lawful cause for me to leave his service. -Look you, sir,-he bid me knock him, and rap him soundly, sir: Well, was it fit for a servant to use his master so; being, perhaps, (for aught I see,) two and thirty, a pip out?

Whom, 'would to God, I had well knock'd at first,

Then had not Grumio come by the worst.

Pet. A senseless villain !-Good Hortensio,

I bade the rascal knock upon your gate,
And could not get him for my heart to do it.
Gru. Knock at the gate?-O heavens !

Spake you not these words plain,-Sirrah, knock me here,
Rap me here, knock me well, and knock me soundly?
And come you now with-knocking at the gate?
Pet. Sirrah, be gone, or talk not, I advise you.
Hor. Petruchio, patience; I am Grumio's pledge:
Why, this a heavy chance 'twixt him and you;

wring it ;] Here seems to be a quibble between ringing at a door, and wringing a man's ears.-STEEVENS.

STEEVENS.

what he 'leges in Latin.] i. e. I suppose, what he alleges in Latin.

Your ancient, trusty, pleasant servant Grumio.
And tell me now, sweet friend,-what happy gale
Blows you to Padua here, from old Verona?

Pet. Such wind as scatters young men through the world,
To seek their fortunes further than at home,
Where small experience grows. But in a few,"
Signior Hortensio, thus it stands with me :-
Antonio, my father, is deceas'd;

And I have thrust myself into this maze,
Haply to wive, and thrive, as best I may :
Crowns in my purse I have, and goods at home,
And so am come abroad to see the world.

Hor. Petruchio, shall I then come roundly to thee,
And wish thee to a shrewd ill-favour'd wife?
Thoud'st thank me but a little for my counsel:
And yet I'll promise thee she shall be rich,

And very rich :-but thou'rt too much my friend,
And I'll not wish thee to her.

Pet. Signior Hortensio, 'twixt such friends as we,
Few words suffice: and, therefore, if thou know
One rich enough to be Petruchio's wife,
(An wealth is burthen of my wooing dance,)
Be she as foul as was Florentius' love,
As old as Sybil, and as curst and shrewd
As Socrates' Xantippe, or a worse,
She moves me not, or not removes, at least,
Affection's edge in me; were she as rough
As are the swelling Adriatick seas:

I come to wive it wealthily in Padua ;
If wealthily, then happily in Padua.

Gru. Nay, look you, sir, he tells you flatly what his mind is: Why, give him gold enough and marry him to a puppet, or an aglet-baby;" or an old trot with ne'er a tooth in her head, though she have as many diseases as

in a few,] i. e. In short, in few words.

wish thee-] i. e. Recommend thee.

Be she as foul as was Florentius' love,] The allusion is to a story told by Gower in the first book De Confessione Amantis. Florent is the name of a knight who had bound himself to marry a deformed hag, provided she taught him the solution of a riddle on which his life depended.-STEEVENS.

aglet-baby ;] i. e. A diminutive being, not exceeding in size the tag of a point. An aglet-baby was a small image or head cut on the tag of a point, or lace.-MALONE.

two and fifty horses; why, nothing comes amiss, so money comes withal.

Hor. Petruchio, since we have stepp'd thus far in, I will continue that I broach'd in jest.

I can, Petruchio, help thee to a wife

With wealth enough, and young, and beauteous;
Brought up, as best becomes a gentlewoman:

Her only fault (and that is faults enough,)

Is, that she is intolerably curst,

And shrewd, and froward; so beyond all measure,
That, were my state far worser than it is,

I would not wed her for a mine of gold.

Pet. Hortensio, peace; thou know'st not gold's effect:— Tell me her father's name, and 'tis enough;

For I will board her, though she chide as loud
As thunder, when the clouds in autumn crack.
Hor. Her father is Baptista Minola,

An affable and courteous gentleman:
Her name is Katharina Minola,

Renown'd in Padua for her scolding tongue.
Pet. I know her father, though I know not her:
And he knew my deceased father well

:

I will not sleep, Hortensio, till I see her;

And therefore let me be thus bold with you,
To give you over at this first encounter,
Unless you will accompany me thither.

Ο'

Gru. I pray you, sir, let him go while the humour lasts. my word, an she knew him as well as I do, she would think scolding would do little good upon him: She may, perhaps, call him half a score knaves, or so: why, that's nothing; an he begin once, he'll rail in his rope-tricks. I'll tell you what, sir,-an she stand him" but a little, he will throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure her with it, that she shall have no more eyes to see withal than a cat: You know him not, sir.

X1 shrewd,]-here means, shrewish.

y rope-tricks.] The same as ropery, which in our author's days was synonymous with roguery, as well deserving a rope.--NARES.

stand-] i. e. Withstand.

that she shall have no more eyes to see withal than a cat:] It may mean, that he shall swell up her eyes with blows, till she shall seem to peep with a contracted pupil, like a cat in the light.-JOHNSON.

Hor. Tarry, Petruchio, I must go with thee;
For in Baptista's keep my treasure is :
He hath the jewel of my life in hold,
His youngest daughter, beautiful Bianca ;
And her withholds from me, and other more
Suitors to her, and rivals in my love:
Supposing it a thing impossible,

(For those defects I have before rehears'd,)
That ever Katharina will be woo'd,
Therefore this order hath Baptista ta'en;
That none shall have access unto Bianca,
Till Katharine the curst have got a husband.
Gru. Katharine the curst!

A title for a maid, of all titles the worst.

Hor. Now shall my friend Petruchio do me grace;

And offer me, disguis'd in sober robes,

To old Baptista as a schoolmaster

Well seen in musick, to instruct Bianca:

That so I may by this device, at least,

Have leave and leisure to make love to her,
And, unsuspected, court her by herself.

Enter GREMIO; with him LUCENTIO disguised with books under his arm.

Gru. Here's no knavery! See; to beguile the old folks, how the young folks lay their heads together! Master, master, look about you: Who goes there? ha!

Hor. Peace, Grumio; 'tis the rival of my love :Petruchio, stand by a while.

Gru. A proper stripling, and an amorous!

[They retire.
Gre. O, very well; I have perus'd the note.
Hark you, sir; I'll have them very fairy bound:
All books of love, see that at any hand;

And see you read no other lectures to her:
You understand me:-Over and beside

Signior Baptista's liberality,

I'll mend it with a largess :-Take your papers too,

And let me have them very well perfum'd;
For she is sweeter than perfume itself,

To whom they go. What will you read to her?
Luc. Whate'er I read to her, I'll plead for you,
As for my patron, (stand you so assur❜d,)
As firmly as yourself were still in place :
Yea, and (perhaps) with more successful words
you, unless
you were a scholar, sir.
Gre. O this learning! what a thing it is!

Than

Gru. O this woodcock! what an ass it is!

Pet. Peace, sirrah.

Hor. Grumio, mum !-God save you, signior Gremio! Gre. And you're well met, signior Hortensio. Trow you, Whither I am going?-To Baptista Minola.

I promis'd to enquire carefully

About a schoolmaster for fair Bianca:

And, by good fortune, I have lighted well

On this young man; for learning, and behaviour,
Fit for her turn; well read in poetry

And other books,-good ones, I warrant you.

Hor. 'Tis well: and I have met a gentleman,
Hath promis'd me to help me to another,
A fine musician to instruct our mistress;

So shall I no whit be behind in duty

To fair Bianca, so belov'd of me.

Gre. Belov'd of me,-and that my deeds shall prove. Gru. And that his bags shall prove.

Hor. Gremio, 'tis now no time to vent our love :

Listen to me, and if you speak me fair,

I'll tell you news indifferent good for either.

Here is a gentleman, whom by chance I met,
Upon agreement from us to his liking,
Will undertake to woo curst Katharine;
Yea, and to marry her, if her dowry please.
Gre. So said, so done, is well :-
Hortensio, have you told him all her faults?

Pet. I know, she is an irksome brawling scold;
If that be all, masters, I hear no harm.

[Aside.

Gre. No, say'st me so, friend? What countryman?
Pet. Born in Verona, old Antonio's son: