KATH. And I am mean, indeed, respecting you. PET. To her, Kate! HOR. To her, widow! PET. A hundred marks, my Kate does put her down. HOR. That's my office.' PET. Spoke like an officer:-Ha' to thee, lad.* [Drinks to HORTENSIO. BAP. How likes Gremio these quick-witted folks? GRE. Believe me, fir, they butt together well. BIAN. Head, and butt? an hafty-witted body Would fay, your head and butt were head and horn. VIN. Ay, mistress bride, hath that awaken'd you? BIAN. Ay, but not frighted me; therefore I'll fleep again. PET. Nay, that gun, you fhall not; fince you have be Have at you for a bitter jeft or two.5 3 -put her down. That's my office.] This paffage will be beft explained by another, in Much ado about Nothing: "Lady, you have put him down.-So I would not he should do me, my lord, left I should prove the mather of fouls." STEEVENS, 4 Ha to thee, lad.] The old copy has-to the. Corrected by the editor of the fecond folio. MALONE. 5 Have at you for a bitter jeft or two.] The old copy reads-a better jeft. The emendation, (of the propriety of which there cannot, I conceive, be the fmallest doubt,) is one of the very few corrections of any value made by Mr. Capell. So before in the present play: Hiding his bitter jefs in blunt behaviour." " Again, in Love's Labour's Loft: "Too bitter is thy jeft." Again, in Baftard's Epigrams, 1598: "He fhut up the matter with this bitter jeft." MALONE. I have received this emendation; and yet 66 a better jeft" may mean no more than a good one. Shakspeare often ufes the comparative for the pofitive degree. So, in K. Lear: her fmiles and tears "Were like a better day.” BLAN. Am I your bird? I mean to fhift my bush, And then purfue me as you draw your bow:You are welcome all. [Exeunt BIANCA, KATHARINA, and Widow. PET. She hath prevented me.-Here, fignior Tranio, This bird you aim'd at, though you hit her not; Therefore, a health to all that fhot and mifs'd. TRA. O, fir, Lucentio flipp'd me like his grey hound, Which runs himself, and catches for his master. BAP. Now, in good sadness, fon Petruchio, Again, in Macbeth: 66 go not my horfe the better- -." i. e. if he does not go well. STEEVENS. 6 -fwift-] befides the original fenfe of Speedy in motion, fignified witty, quick-witted. So, in As you Like it, the Duke fays of the Clown, "He is very swift and fententious." Quick is now used in almoft the fame fenfe as nimble was in the age after that of our author. Heylin fays of Hales, that he had known Laud for a nimble difputant. JOHNSON. 7that gird, good Tranio.] A gird is a farcafm, a gibe. So, in Stephen Goffon's School of Abufe, 1579: "Curculio may chatte till his heart ake, ere any be offended with his gyrdes." STEEVENS. 8 -you two outright.] Old copy-you too. Corrected by Mr. Rowe. MALONE. PET. Well, I fay-no: and therefore, for affurance," Let's each one send unto his wife;" 9 for affurance,] Inftead of for the original copy has fir. Corrected by the editor of the fecond folio. MALONE. 2 Let's each one fend unto his wife;] Thus in the original play: "Feran. Come, gentlemen; nowe that fupper's done, "How fhall we spend the time til we go to bed? "Aurel. Faith, if you wil, in trial of our wives, "Who wil come fooneft at their husbands cal. "Pol. Nay, then, Ferando, he must needes fit out; "For he may cal, I thinke, til he be weary, "Before his wife wil come before the lift. "Feran. "Tis wel for you that have fuch gentle wives: "Yet in this trial wil I not fit out; "It may be Kate wil come as foone as I do fend. "Aurel. My wife comes fooneft, for a hundred pound. "That my wife comes as foone as I do fend. "Aurel. How now, Ferando! you dare not lay, belike. "Feran. Why true, I dare not lay indeed: "But how? So little mony on fo fure a thing. "A hundred pound! Why I have laid as much "Upon my dog in ranning at a deere. "She fhall not come fo far for such a trifle: "But wil you lay five hundred markes with me? "And whofe wife fooneft comes, when he doth cal, "And fhewes herselfe most loving unto him, "Let him injoy the wager I have laid: "Now what say you? Dare you adventure thus ? "Pol. I, were it a thousand pounds, I durft prefume "On my wife's love: and I wil lay with thee. Enter Alfonfo. Alfon. How now fons! What in conference so hard? May I, without offence, know where about? "Aurel. Faith, father, a waighty cause, about our wives: "Five hundred markes already we have laid; "And he whose wife doth shew most love to him, "He must injoy the wager to himfelfe. Alfon. Why then Ferando, he is fure to lose it: "I promise thee fon, thy wife wil hardly come; "And therefore I would not wish thee lay so much. "Feran. Tufh, father; were it ten times more, And he, whofe wife is most obedient To come at first when he doth fend for her, "I durft adventure on my lovely Kate:- "Aurel. Upon mine honor, if I lofe, Ile pay. "Feran. Then fit we downe, and let us fend for them. Alfon. I promife thee Ferando, I am afraid thou wilt lofe, "Aurel. Ile fend for my wife first: Valeria, "Go bid your miftris come to me. "Val. I wil, my lord, "Aurel. Now for my hundred pound: "Would any lay ten hundred more with me, "I know I should obtain it by her love. [Exit Valeria. "Feran. I pray God, you have laid too much already. "For you, I dare prefume, have loft it al. "Enter Valeria againe. "Now, firha, what faies your miftris ? "Val. She is fomething bufie, but sheele come anone. "Feran. Why fo: did I not tel you this before? "She was bufie, and cannot come, "Aurel. I pray God, your wife fend you fo good an answere: "She may be bufie, yet fhe faies fheele come, "Feran. Wel, wel: Polidor, fend you for your wife. "Pol. Agreed. Boy, defire your miftris to come hither. Boy. I wil, fir. "Feran. I, fo, fo; he defires hir to come. "Alfon. Polidor, I dare prefume for thee, "I thinke thy wife wil not denie to come; "And I do marvel much, Aurelius, "That your wife came not when you fent for her. "Enter the Bay againe. "Pol. Now, wher's your mistris ? Boy. She bade me tell you that fhee will not come: "And you have any bufineffe, you must come to her. "Feran. O monftrous intollerable prefumption, "Worfe then a blafing ftar, or fnow at midfummer, "Earthquakes, or any thing unfeasonable! "She will not come; but he must come to hir. "Pol. Wel, fir, I pray you, let's heare what "Anfwere your wife will make. "Feran. Sirha, command your miftris to come "To me prefently. [Exit, [Exit Sander. HOR. Content;-What is the wager Twenty crowns. "Aurel, I thinke, my wife, for all the did not come, "But I have won, for fee where Kate doth come. [She takes off her cap, and treads on it, Pol. Oh wonderful metamorphofis! "Aurel. This is a wonder, almost past beleefe. "Feran. This is a token of her true love to me; "And yet Ile try her further you shall fee. "Come hither, Kate: Where are thy fifters? "Kate. They be fitting in the bridal chamber. "Feran. Fetch them hither; and if they will not come, 68 Alfon. I promife thee, Ferando, I would have fworne "Thy wife would ne'er have done fo much for thee. "Feran. But you shal fee fhe wil do more then this; "For fee where the brings her fifters forth by force. "Enter Kate, thrusting Phylema and Emelia before her, and makes them come unto their husbands cal. "Kate, See husband, I have brought them both. "Feran. 'Tis wel done, Kate. "Emel. I fure; and like a loving peece, you're worthy "To have great praife for this attempt. 66 Phyle. I, for making a foole of herselfe and us, "Aurel. Befhrew thee, Phylema, thou hast "Loft me a hundred pound to night; "For I did lay that thou wouldst first have come, "Pol, But, thou, Emelia, haft loft me a great deal more, "Emel. You might have kept it better then: "Who bade you lay? "Feran, Now, lovely Kate, before their husbands here, "I prethee tel unto these head-strong women "What dewty wives do owe unto their husbands. |