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I advise you, use your manners difcreetly in all kind of companies: when I am alone, why, then I am Tranio; but in all places elfe, your mafter Lucentio.

Luc. Tranio, let's go: one thing more refts, that thyfelf execute, to make one among these wooers; if thou afk me why, fufficeth, my reasons are both good and weighty. [Exeunt. SCENE before Hortenfio's House, in Padua.

Enter Petruchio, and Grumio.

Erona, for a while I take my leave,

Pet. Er

To fee my friends in Padua; but of all

My best beloved and approved friend,

Hortenfio; and, I trow, this is the houfe;

Here, firrah, Grumio, knock, I fay.

Gru. Knock, Sir? whom fhould I knock? is there

any man, has rebus'd your worship?

Pet. Villain, I fay, knock me here foundly.

Gru. Knock you here, Sir? why, Sir, what am I, Sir, That I fhould knock you here, Sir?

Pet. Villain, I fay, knock me at this gate,

And rap me well, or I'll knock your

knave's pate.

Gru. My mafter is grown quarrelfome: I fhould knock you first,

And then I know after, who comes by the worft.
Pet. Will it not be?

Faith, firrah, an you'll not knock, I'll ring it,
try how you can Sol, Fa, and fing it.

I'll

[He wrings him by the ears. Gru. Help, mafters, help; my master is mad. Pet. Now knock, when I bid you: firrah! villain !

Enter Hortenfio.

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

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Pet. Signior Hortenfio, come you to part the fray? Con tutto il core ben trovato, may I fay.

Hor. Alla noftra cafa ben venuto, molto honorato Signor mio Petruchio.

Rife, Grumio, rife; we will compound this quarrel.

Gru. Nay, 'tis no matter, this be not a lawful caufe look you, Sir: he bid me foundly, Sir. Well, was it matter fo, being, perhaps, thirty, a pip out?

what he leges in Latin. If for me to leave his fervice, knock him, and rap him fit for a fervant to use his for ought I fee, two and

Whom, would to God, I had well knock'd at first,
Then had not Grumio come by the worst.

Pet. A fenfelefs villain! Good Hortenfio,

I bid the rafcal knock upon your gate,

And could not get him for my heart to do it.

Gru. Knock at the gate? O heav'ns! fpake you not thefe words plain? firrah, knock me here, rap me here, knock me well, and knock me foundly: 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 is a heavy chance 'twixt him and you,
Your ancient, trufty, pleafant fervant Grumia;
And tell me now, fweet friend, what happy gale
Blows you to Padua here, from old Verona?

Pet. Such wind as fcatters young men through the world,
To seek their fortunes farther than at home;
(8) Where small experience grows, but in a few.
Signior Hortenfio, thus it ftands with me,

Antonio my father is deceas'd;

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

Hor. Petruchio, fhall I then come roundly to thee,

(8) Where small experience grows, but in a few.] Our poet is frequently obfcure in his ufe of this conjunction disjunctive. He means here, that fmall experience grows to youths, who ftay at home; except to a few, that are exceptions to this obfervation.

And

And with thee to a fhrewd ill-favour'd wife ?
Thou'dft thank me but a little for my counfel,
And yet, I'll promife thee, fhe shall be rich,
And very rich: but thou'rt too much my friend,
And I'll not with thee to her.

know

Pet. Signior Hortenfio, 'twixt fuch friends as us
Few words fuffice; and therefore if you
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 Sibyl, and as curft and shrewd
As Socrates' Xantippe, or a worse,

She moves me not; or not removes, at least,
Affection's edge in me. Were the as rough
As are the fwelling Adriatick feas,

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, tho' fhe have as many diseases as two and fifty horfes; why, nothing comes amifs, fo money comes withal.

Hor. Petruchio, fince we are ftept 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 he is intolerable curit ;.

And fhrewd, and froward, fo beyond all measure,
That, were my ftate far worfer than it is,

I would not wed her for a mine of gold.

Pet. Hortenfio, peace; thou know'ft not gold's effect
Tell me her father's name, and 'tis enough:
For I will board her, tho' fhe 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,

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Renown'd

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Renown'd in Padua for her fcolding tongue.

Pet. I know her father, tho' I know not her;
And he knew my deceased father well.
I will not fleep, Hortenfio, 'till I fee her,
And therefore let me be thus bold with you,
To give you over at this first encounter,
Unlefs you will accompany me thither.

Gru. I pray you, Sir, let him go while the humour lafts. O' my word, an fhe 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 fhe ftand 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 fee withal than a cat: you know him not, Sir.

Hor. Tarry, Petruchio, I must go with thee,
For in Baptifta's houfe my treasure is:
He hath the jewel of my life in hold,

His youngest daughter, beautiful Bianca;

(9) And her with-holds he from me, and others more
Suitors to her, and rivals in my love:
Suppofing it a thing impoffible,

(For thofe defects I have before rehears'd,)
That ever Catharina will be woo'd;
Therefore this order hath Baptifta ta'en,
That none shall have accefs 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. Now fhall my friend Petruchio do me grace,
And offer me difguis'd in fober robes

To old Baptifta as a fchool mafter,

Well feen in mufick, to inftru&t Bianca;

That fo I may by this device, at leaft,

(9) And her withholds be from me. Other more fuitors to her, and rivals in my love: &c.] The editors, in this careleffness of their pointing, have made ftark nonfenfe of this paffage. The regulation, which I have given to the text, was dictated to me by the ingenious Dr. Thirlby

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

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. Master, 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, Sir, I'll have them very fairly bound,
All books of love; fee that, at any hand;
And fee, you read no other lectures to her:
You underftand me-Over and befide

Signior Baptifta's liberality,

I'll mend it with a largefs. 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 affured;
As firmly, as yourself were ftill in place;
Yea, and perhaps, with more fuccessful words
Than you, unless you were a fcholar, Sir.
Gre. Oh this learning, what a thing it is!
Gru. Oh this woodcock, what an ass it is!
Pet. Peace, firrah.

Hor. Grumio, mum! God fave you, Signior Gremio. Gre. And you are well met, Signior Hortenfio. Trow you, whither I am going? to Baptifta Minola; I promis'd to enquire carefully about a school-mafter 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 you.

Hor. 'Tis well; and I have met a gentleman,

Hath promis'd me to help me to another,
A fine mufician to inflruct our mistress;

So fhall I no whit be behind in duty

To

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