Kate. Minion thou lyest: Is"t not Hortensio?
Bian. If you affect him sister, heere I sweare Ile pleade for you my selfe, but you shal haue him
Kate. Oh then belike you fancie riches more, You wil haue Gremio to keepe you faire
Bian. Is it for him you do enuie me so?
Nay then you iest, and now I wel perceiue You haue but iested with me all this while: I prethee sister Kate, vntie my hands
Ka. If that be iest, then all the rest was so.
Strikes her
Enter Baptista.
Bap. Why how now Dame, whence growes this insolence?
Bianca stand aside, poore gyrle she weepes: Go ply thy Needle, meddle not with her.
For shame thou Hilding of a diuellish spirit, Why dost thou wrong her, that did nere wrong thee?
When did she crosse thee with a bitter word?
Kate. Her silence flouts me, and Ile be reueng"d.
Flies after Bianca
Bap. What in my sight? Bianca get thee in.
Enter.
Kate. What will you not suffer me: Nay now I see She is your treasure, she must haue a husband, I must dance bare-foot on her wedding day, And for your loue to her, leade Apes in h.e.l.l.
Talke not to me, I will go sit and weepe, Till I can finde occasion of reuenge
Bap. Was euer Gentleman thus greeu"d as I?
But who comes heere.
Enter Gremio, Lucentio, in the habit of a meane man, Petruchio with Tranio, with his boy bearing a Lute and Bookes.
Gre. Good morrow neighbour Baptista
Bap. Good morrow neighbour Gremio: G.o.d saue you Gentlemen
Pet. And you good sir: pray haue you not a daughter, cal"d Katerina, faire and vertuous
Bap. I haue a daughter sir, cal"d Katerina
Gre. You are too blunt, go to it orderly
Pet. You wrong me signior Gremio, giue me leaue.
I am a Gentleman of Verona sir, That hearing of her beautie, and her wit, Her affability and bashfull modestie: Her wondrous qualities, and milde behauiour, Am bold to shew my selfe a forward guest Within your house, to make mine eye the witnesse Of that report, which I so oft haue heard, And for an entrance to my entertainment, I do present you with a man of mine Cunning in Musicke, and the Mathematickes, To instruct her fully in those sciences, Whereof I know she is not ignorant, Accept of him, or else you do me wrong.
His name is Litio, borne in Mantua
Bap. Y"are welcome sir, and he for your good sake.
But for my daughter Katerine, this I know, She is not for your turne, the more my greefe
Pet. I see you do not meane to part with her, Or else you like not of my companie
Bap. Mistake me not, I speake but as I finde, Whence are you sir? What may I call your name
Pet. Petruchio is my name, Antonio"s sonne, A man well knowne throughout all Italy
Bap. I know him well: you are welcome for his sake
Gre. Sauing your tale Petruchio, I pray let vs that are poore pet.i.tioners speake too? Bacare, you are meruaylous forward
Pet. Oh, Pardon me signior Gremio, I would faine be doing
Gre. I doubt it not sir. But you will curse Your wooing neighbors: this is a guift Very gratefull, I am sure of it, to expresse The like kindnesse my selfe, that haue beene More kindely beholding to you then any: Freely giue vnto this yong Scholler, that hath Beene long studying at Rhemes, as cunning In Greeke, Latine, and other Languages, As the other in Musicke and Mathematickes: His name is Cambio: pray accept his seruice
Bap. A thousand thankes signior Gremio: Welcome good Cambio. But gentle sir, Me thinkes you walke like a stranger, May I be so bold, to know the cause of your comming?
Tra. Pardon me sir, the boldnesse is mine owne, That being a stranger in this Cittie heere, Do make my selfe a sutor to your daughter, Vnto Bianca, faire and vertuous: Nor is your firme resolue vnknowne to me, In the preferment of the eldest sister.
This liberty is all that I request, That vpon knowledge of my Parentage, I may haue welcome "mongst the rest that woo, And free accesse and fauour as the rest.
And toward the education of your daughters: I heere bestow a simple instrument, And this small packet of Greeke and Latine bookes: If you accept them, then their worth is great: Bap. Lucentio is your name, of whence I pray
Tra. Of Pisa sir, sonne to Vincentio
Bap. A mightie man of Pisa by report, I know him well: you are verie welcome sir: Take you the Lute, and you the set of bookes, You shall go see your Pupils presently.
Holla, within.
Enter a Seruant
Sirrah, leade these Gentlemen To my daughters, and tell them both These are their Tutors, bid them vse them well, We will go walke a little in the Orchard, And then to dinner: you are pa.s.sing welcome, And so I pray you all to thinke your selues
Pet. Signior Baptista, my businesse asketh haste, And euerie day I cannot come to woo, You knew my father well, and in him me, Left solie heire to all his Lands and goods, Which I haue bettered rather then decreast, Then tell me, if I get your daughters loue, What dowrie shall I haue with her to wife
Bap. After my death, the one halfe of my Lands, And in possession twentie thousand Crownes
Pet. And for that dowrie, Ile a.s.sure her of Her widdow-hood, be it that she suruiue me In all my Lands and Leases whatsoeuer, Let specialties be therefore drawne betweene vs, That couenants may be kept on either hand
Bap. I, when the speciall thing is well obtain"d, That is her loue: for that is all in all
Pet. Why that is nothing: for I tell you father, I am as peremptorie as she proud minded: And where two raging fires meete together, They do consume the thing that feedes their furie.
Though little fire growes great with little winde, Yet extreme gusts will blow out fire and all: So I to her, and so she yeelds to me, For I am rough, and woo not like a babe
Bap. Well maist thou woo, and happy be thy speed: But be thou arm"d for some vnhappie words
Pet. I to the proofe, as Mountaines are for windes, That shakes not, though they blow perpetually.
Enter Hortensio with his head broke.
Bap. How now my friend, why dost thou looke so pale?
Hor. For feare I promise you, if I looke pale
Bap. What, will my daughter proue a good Musitian?
Hor. I thinke she"l sooner proue a souldier, Iron may hold with her, but neuer Lutes