Hor. I promis'd, we would be contributors,
And bear his charge of wooing, whatsoe'er.
Gre. And fo we will; provided that he win her.
Gru. I would I were as fure of a good dinner.
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 readieft way To the house of fignior Baptifta Minola?
Gre. 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, fir: What have you to do?
Pet. Not 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?
Tra. An if I be, fir, is it any offence?
Gre. No; if without more words you will get you hence. Tra. Why, fir, I pray, are not the streets as free
For me as for you ?
Gre. But fo is not fhe.
Tra. For what reafon, I befeech you?
Gre. For this reason, if you'll know ;·
That she's the choice love of fignior Gremio,
Hor. That she's the chosen of fignior Hortenfio.
Tra. Softly, my mafters! if you be gentlemen,
Do me this right-hear me with patience.
Baptifta is a noble gentleman,
To whom my father is not all unknown;
And were his daughter fairer than she is,
She may more fuitors have, and me for one.
Fair Leda's daughter had a thousand wooers;
Then well one more may fair Bianca have:
And fo fhe fhall; Lucentio fhall make one,
Though Paris came, in hope to speed alone.
Gre. What! This gentleman will out-talk us all.
Luc. Sir, give him head; I know he'll prove a jade.
Pet. Hortenfio, to what end are all these words?
Hor. Sir, let me be fo bold as to ask you,
Did you yet ever fee Baptifta's daughter?
Tra. No, fir; but hear I do, that he hath two:
The one as famous for a fcolding tongue,
As the other is for beauteous modefty.
Pet. Sir, fir, the first for me; let her go by.
Gre. Yea, leave that labour to great Hercules;
And let it be more than Alcides' twelve.
Pet. Sir, understand you this of me, infooth ;-
The youngest daughter, whom you hearken for,
Her father keeps from all accefs of fuitors;
And will not promife her to any man,
Until the eldest fifter firft be wed:
The younger then is free, and not before.
Tra. If it be fo, fir, that you are the man
Muft ftead us all, and me amongst the reft;
An if you break the ice, and do this feat-
Achieve the elder, fet the younger free
For our accefs-whofe hap fhall be to have her,
Will not fo graceless be, to be ingrate.
Hor. Sir, you fay well, and well you do conceive:
And fince you do profefs to be a fuitor,
You muft, as we do, gratify this gentleman,
To whom we all reft generally beholden.
Tra. Sir, I fhall not be flack: in fign whereof,
Please ye we may contrive this afternoon,
And quaff carouses to our mistress's health;
And do as adversaries do in law-
Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.
Gru. Ŏ excellent motion! Fellows, let's begone, Hor. The motion's good indeed, and be it fogPetruchio, I fhall be your ben venuto.
SCENE I. BAPTISTA's House in Padua.
Enter KATHARINA and BIANCA.
GOOD fifter, wrong me not, nor wrong yourself,
To make a bondmaid and a flave of me;
That I difdain: but for these other gawds.
Unbind my hands, I'll pull them off myself,
Yea, all my raiment, to my petticoat;
Or, what you will command me, will I do,
So well I know my duty to my elders.
Kath. Of all thy fuitors, here I charge thee, tell
Whom thou lov'st best: see thou diffemble not.
Bian. Believe me, fifter, of all the men alive,
I never yet beheld that fpecial face
Which I could fancy more than any other.
Kath. Minion, thou ly'ft; Is't not Hortenfio?
Bian. If you affect him, fifter, here I swear,
I'll plead for you myself, but you shall have him.
Kath. Oh then, belike your fancy riches more;
You will have Gremio to keep you fair.
Bian. Is it for him you do envy me fo?
Nay, then you jeft; and now I well perceive,
You have but jested with me all this while :
I prithee, fifter Kate, untie my hands,
Kath. If that be jeft, then all the reft was fo.
Bap. Why, how now, dame! whence grows this info
Bianca, ftand afide ;-poor girl! fhe weeps:
Go ply the needle; meddle not with her.
For fhame, thou hilding of a devilish spirit,
Why doft thou wrong her that did ne'er wrong thee?
When did fhe cross thee with a bitter word?
Kath. Her filence flouts me, and I'll be reveng'd.
[Flies after BIANCA.
Bap. What, in my fight ?-Bianca, get thee in.
Kath. Will you not fuffer me? Nay, now I fee,
She is your treasure, she must have a husband;
I muft dance bare-foot on her wedding-day,
And, for your love to her, lead apes in hell.
Talk not to me; I will go fit and weep,
'Till I can find occafion of revenge.
Bap. Was ever gentleman thus griev'd as I? But who comes here?
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