TRA.

What is he, Biondello?

BION. Mafter, a mercatantè, or a pedant,?

meaning at prefent, as Biondello confeffes his ignorance of the quality of the person who is afterwards perfuaded to represent the father of Lucentio. The precife meaning of it is not ascertained in Jonson, neither is the word to be found in any of the original copies of Shakspeare. I have alfo reason to suppose that the true import of the word enghle is fuch as can have no connection with this paffage, and will not bear explanation.

Angel primitively fignifies a messenger, but perhaps this sense is inapplicable to the paffage before us. So, Ben Jonfon, in The Sad Shepherd:

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the dear good angel of the spring,

"The nightingale-."

And Chapman, in his translation of Homer, always calls a mesfenger an angel. See particularly B. XXIV.

In The Scornful Lady of Beaumont and Fletcher, an old ufurer is indeed called

"old angel of gold."

It is poffible, however, that instead of ancient angel, our author might have written-angel-merchant, one whose business it was to negociate money. He is afterwards called a mercatantè, and profeffes himself to be one who has bills of exchange about him. STEEVENS.

7 Master, a mercatantè, or a pedant,] The old editions read marcantant. The Italian word mercatantè is frequently used in the old plays for a merchant, and therefore I have made no fcruple of placing it here. The modern editors, who printed the word as they found it spelt in the folio, were obliged to fupply a fyllable to make out the verse, which the Italian pronunciation renders unnecessary. A pedant was the common name for a teacher of languages. So, in Cynthia's Revels, by Ben Jonfon: "He loves to have a fencer, a pedant, and a musician, feen in his lodgings." STEEVENS.

Mercatantè,] So, Spenfer, in the third Book of his Fairy Queen:

"Sleeves dependant Albanese wife."

And our author has Veronesè in his Othello. FARMER.

-pedast,] Charon, the fage Charon, as Pope calls him, defcribes a pedant, as fynonymous to a household schoolmaster, and adds a general character of the fraternity by no means to their advantage. See Charon on Wisdom, 4to. 1640. Lennard's

I know not what; but formal in apparel,
In gait and countenance furely like a father.
Luc. And what of him, Tranio ?

TRA. If he be credulous, and trust my tale,
I'll make him glad to feem Vincentio ;
And give affurance to Baptifta Minola,
As if he were the right Vincentio.

Take in your love, and then let me alone.9

[Exeunt LUCENTIO and BIANCA.

TRA.

And you, fir! you are welcome. Travel you far on, or are you at the furthest ?

PED. Sir, at the furthest for a week or two:
But then up further; and as far as Rome;
And fo to Tripoly, if God lend me life.

TRA. What countryman, I pray ?

PED.

Of Mantua.

TRA. Of Mantua, fir?-marry, God forbid! And come to Padua, careless of your life?

furely like a father.] I know not what he is, fays the fpeaker, however this is certain, he has the gait and countenance of a fatherly man. WARBURTON.

The editor of the fecond folio reads-furly, which Mr. Theobald adopted, and has quoted the following lines, addreffed by Tranio to the Pedant, in support of the emendation:

" "Tis well; and hold your own in any case,
"With fuch aufterity as 'longeth to a father.”

MALONE.

9 Take in your love, and then let me alone.] The old copies exhibit this line as follows, disjoining it from its predeceffors: Par. Take me your love, and then let me alone.

Corrected by Mr. Theobald. Malone.

STEEVENS:

PED. My life, fir! how, I pray? for that goes hard.
TRA. 'Tis death for any one in Mantua
To come to Padua ;' Know you not the cause?
Your fhips are ftaid at Venice; and the duke
(For private quarrel 'twixt your duke and him,)
Hath publish'd and proclaim'd it openly :
"Tis marvel; but that you're but newly come,
You might have heard it else proclaim'd about.

PED. Alas, fir, it is worse for me than so;
For I have bills for money by exchange
From Florence, and must here deliver them.
TRA. Well, fir, to do you courtesy,
This will I do, and this will I advise you ;-
First, tell me, have you ever been at Pifa?

PED. Ay, fir, in Pisa have I often been ;
Pifa, renowned for grave citizens.2

TRA. Among them, know you one Vincentio ? PED. I know him not, but I have heard of him; A merchant of incomparable wealth.

TRA. He is my father, fir; and, footh to say, In countenance fomewhat doth resemble you. BION. As much as an apple doth an oyster, and all one.

TRA. To fave your life in this extremity, This favour will I do you for his fake;

[Afide.

And think it not the worst of all your fortunes,
That
you are like to fir Vincentio.

'Tis death for any one in Mantua &c.] So, in The Comedy of Errors:

if any Syracufan born

"Come to the bay of Ephesus, he dies." STEEvens. Pifa, renowned for grave citizens.] This line has been al

His name and credit fhall you undertake,

And in my house you fhall be friendly lodg'd;

Look, that you take upon you as you should;
You understand me, fir;-fo fhall you stay
Till you have done your bufinefs in the city :
If this be courtesy, fir, accept of it.

PED. O, fir, I do; and will repute you ever
The patron of my life and liberty.

TRA. Then go with me, to make the matter good. This, by the way, I let you understand ;My father is here look'd for every day, To pafs affurance3 of a dower in marriage "Twixt me and one Baptifta's daughter here: In all these circumftances I'll instruct you : Go with me, fir, to clothe you as becomes you.4 [Exeunt.

3 To pass affurance-] To pass affurance means to make a conveyance or deed. Deeds are by law-writers called, "The common affurances of the realm," because thereby each man's property is affured to him. So, in a fubfequent scene of this Act: they are bufied about a counterfeit affurance." MAlone.

4 Go with me, fir, &c.] Thus the fecond folio. The firft omits the word-fir. STEEVENS.

Go with me, &c.] There is an old comedy called Suppofes, tranflated from Ariofto, by George Gafcoigne. Thence Shakfpeare borrowed this part of the plot, (as well as fome of the phrafeology,) though Theobald pronounces it his own invention. There, likewife, he found the quaint name of Petruchio. My young mafter and his man exchange habits, and perfuade a Scenefe, as he is called, to perfonate the father, exactly as in this play, by the pretended danger of his coming from Sienna to Ferrara, contrary to the order of the government. FARMER.

In the fame play our author likewise found the name of Licio. MALONE.

SCENE III.

A Room in Petruchio's Houfe.

Enter KATHARINA and GRUMIO.5

GRU. No, no; forfooth; I dare not, for my life.
KATH. The more my wrong, the more his spite

appears:

5 Enter Katharina and Grumio.] Thus the original play : "Enter Sander and his miftris.

"San. Come, miftris.

"Kate. Sander, I prethee helpe me to fome meat ; "I am fo faint that I can scarcely stand.

"San. I marry miftris: but you know my maister "Has given me a charge that you must eat nothing, "But that which he himself giveth you.

"Kate. Why man, thy mafter needs never know it. "San. You fay true, indeed. Why looke you, miftris ; "What say you to a pece of bieffe and muftard now?

"Kate. Why, I fay, 'tis excellent meat; canst thou helpe me to fome?

"San. I, I could helpe you to fome, but that I doubt "The muftard is too chollerick for you.

"But what say you to a fheepes head and garlicke? "Kate. Why any thing; I care not what it be.

"San. I, but the garlicke I doubt will make your breath ftincke; and then my mafter will course me for letting you eate it. But what say you to a fat capon?

"Kate. That's meat for a king; fweete Sander help me to fome of it.

"San. Nay, berlady, then 'tis too deere for us; we muft not meddle with the king's meate.

"Kate. Out villaine! doft thou mocke me?

"Take that for thy fawfineffe.

[She beates him.

"San. Sounes are you fo light-fingred, with a murrin;

"Ile keepe you fafting for it these two daies.

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"Kate. I tell thee villaine, Ile tear the flesh off

Thy face and eate it, and thou prate to me thus.
"San. Here comes my mafter now: heele course

you.