Crowns in my purse I have, and goods at home,
And fo am come abroad to fee the world.

Hor. Petruchio, fhall I then come roundly to thee,
And wish thee to a fhrewd illfavour'd wife?
Thou'lt 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 wifh thee to her.

Pet. Signior Hortenfio, 'twixt fuch friends as us
Few words fuffice; and, therefore, if you know
One rich enough to be Petruchio's wife;
(As wealth is burden of my wooing dance)
Be fhe as foul as was Florentius' love,
As old as Sybil, and as curft and fhrewd
As Socrates' Xantippe, or a worse,

She moves me not, or not removes, at least,
Affection's edge in me; were fhe as rough
As are the swelling Adriatick feas:

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

Gru. Nay, look you, fir, 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 two and fifty horses; why, nothing comes amifs, fo money comes withal.

Hor. Petruchio, fince we are ftep'd thus far in, I will continue that I broach'd in jeft.

I can, Petruchio, help thee to a wife

With wealth enough, and young, and beauteous,
Brought up as beft becomes a gentlewoman;
Her only fault, and that is fault enough,

Is, that she is intolerably curft,

And fhrewd, and froward, fo beyond all measure,

That were my state far worfer than it is,

I would not wed her for a mine of gold.

↑ This, probably, alludes to fome ftory in an Italian novel, and should be written Florentio's love.

Pet.

Pet. Hortenfio, peace! thou know'ft not gold's effect;
Tell me her father's name, and 'tis enough:

For I will board her, though the chide as loud
As thunder, when the clouds in autumn crack.
Hor. Her father is Baptifta Minola,
An affable and courteous gentleman;
Her name is Catharina Minola,

Renown'd in Padua for her fcolding tongue.

Pet. I know her father, though I know not her; And he knew my deceased father well:

I will not fleep, Hortenfio, 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.

Gru. I pray you, fir, let him go while the humour lafts. O'my word, an fhe knew him as well as I do, fhe would think fcolding 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 rhetorick. I'll tell you what, fir, an fhe stand him but a little, he will throw a figure in her face, and fo disfigure her with it, that she shall have no more eyes to fee withal than a cat: you know him not, fir.

Hor. Tarry, Petruchio, I must go with thee; For in Baptifta's house my treasure is:

He hath the jewel of my life in hold,

His youngest daughter, beautiful Bianca;

And her withholds he from me, and other more
Suitors to her, and rivals in my love:

Suppofing it a thing impoffible,

From thofe defects I have before rehears'd,
That ever Catharina will be woo'd;
Therefore this order hath Baptifta ta'en,

That none fhall have access unto Bianca,
Till Catharine the curft have got a husband.
Gru. Catharine the curft!

A title for a maid of all titles the worst.

Hor.

Hor. Now fhall my friend Petruchio do me grace, And offer me, disguis'd in fober robes,

To old Baptifta as a schoolmaster

Well feen in musick, to instruct Bianca ;
That fo I may, by this device, at least,
Have leave and leisure to make love to her,
And, unfufpected, court her by herself.

SCENE VI.

Enter Gremio, and Lucentio difguis'd.

Gru. Here's no knavery! fee, to beguile the old folks, how the young folks lay their heads together! Mafter, look about you: who goes there? ha.

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

Gru. A proper ftripling, and an amorous!
Gre. O, very well; I have perus'd the note.
Hark you, I'll have them very fairly bound;
All books of love, fee that, at any hand;
And see you read no other lectures to her:
You understand me: over and befide
Signior Baptifta's liberality,

I'll mend it with a largess. Take your papers,
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, ftand you so affured;
fo

As firmly as yourself were still in place:

Yea, and, perhaps, with more fuccefsful words
Than you, unless you were a scholar, fir..
Gre. O this learning! what a thing it is!
Gru. O this woodcock! what an afs it is!:
Pet. Peace, firrah!

Hor. Grumio, mum! God fave you, fignior Gremio.

Gre..

Gre. And you are well met, fignior Hortenfio. Trow you whither I am going? to Baptifta Minola: I promis'd to inquire carefully about a schoolmafter for the 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 ye.

Hor. 'Tis well; and I have met a gentleman Hath promis'd me to help me to another,

A fine musician to inftruct our mistress;

So fhall I no whit be behind in duty

To fair Bianca, fo belov'd of me.

Gre. Belov'd of me, and that my deeds shall prove.
Gru. And that his bags fhall 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 curft Catharine,
Yea, and to marry her, if her dowry please.
Gre. So faid, fo done, is well;

Hortenfio, have you told him all her faults?

Pet. I know, fhe is an irksome brawling scold;

If that be all, masters, I hear no harm.

Gre. No, fay'ft me fo, friend? pray, what countryman? Pet. Born in Verona, old Antonio's fon;

My father's dead, my fortune lives for me,

And I do hope good days and long to fee.

Gre. O, fuch a life with fuch a wife were strange;

But, if you have a ftomach, to't o'god's name,
You shall have me affifting you in all.

But will you woo this wild cat?

Pet. Will I live?

Gru. Will he woo her? ay, or I'll hang her. Pet. Why came I hither, but to that intent? Think you, a little din can daunt my ears?

Have I not in my time heard lions roar?

Have I not heard the fea, puff'd up with winds,
Rage like an angry boar, chafed with sweat?
Have I not heard great ordnance in the field?
And heav'n's artillery thunder in the skies?
Have I not in a pitched battle heard

Loud larums, neighing steeds, and trumpets clang?
And do you tell me of a woman's tongue,
That gives not half so great a blow to th'ear,
As will a cheftnut in a farmer's fire?

Tush, tush! fear boys with bugs.
Gru. For he fears none.
Gre. Hortenfio, hark:

This gentleman is happily arriv'd,

My mind prefumes, for his own good, and ours.
Hor. I promis'd we would be contributors,
And bear his charge of wooing, whatsoe'er.

Gre. And so we will, provided that he win her.
Gru. I would I were as fure of a good dinner!

SCENE VII.

To them Tranio bravely apparell'd, and Biondello.

Tra. Gentlemen, god fave you! If I may be bold, tell me, I beseech you, which is the readiest way to the house of fignior Baptifta Minola?

Bion. He that has the two fair daughters? is't he you mean ? Tra. Even he, Biondello.

Gre. Hark you, fir; you mean not her to

Tra. Perhaps, him and her; what have you to do?
Pet. Nor her that chides, fir, at any hand, I pray.
Tra. I love no chiders, fir: Biondello, let's away.
Luc. Well begun, Tranio.

Hor. Sir, a word ere you go:

Are you a fuitor to the maid you talk of, yea, or no?

VOL. II.

M m

[afide.

Tra.