Bap. Sir, pardon me in what I haue to say, Your plainnesse and your shortnesse please me well: Right true it is your sonne Lucentio here Doth loue my daughter, and she loueth him, Or both dissemble deepely their affections: And therefore if you say no more then this, That like a Father you will deale with him, And pa.s.se my daughter a sufficient dower, The match is made, and all is done, Your sonne shall haue my daughter with consent

Tra. I thanke you sir, where then doe you know best We be affied and such a.s.surance tane, As shall with either parts agreement stand

Bap. Not in my house Lucentio, for you know Pitchers haue eares, and I haue manie seruants, Besides old Gremio is harkning still, And happilie we might be interrupted

Tra. Then at my lodging, and it like you, There doth my father lie: and there this night Weele pa.s.se the businesse priuately and well: Send for your daughter by your seruant here, My Boy shall fetch the Scriuener presentlie, The worst is this that at so slender warning, You are like to haue a thin and slender pittance

Bap. It likes me well: Cambio hie you home, and bid Bianca make her readie straight: And if you will tell what hath hapned, Lucentios Father is arriued in Padua, And how she"s like to be Lucentios wife



Biond. I praie the G.o.ds she may withall my heart.

Enter.

Tran. Dallie not with the G.o.ds, but get thee gone.

Enter Peter.

Signior Baptista, shall I leade the way, Welcome, one messe is like to be your cheere, Come sir, we will better it in Pisa

Bap. I follow you.

Exeunt.

Enter Lucentio and Biondello.

Bion. Cambio

Luc. What saist thou Biondello

Biond. You saw my Master winke and laugh vpon you?

Luc. Biondello, what of that?

Biond. Faith nothing: but has left mee here behinde to expound the meaning or morrall of his signes and tokens

Luc. I pray thee moralize them

Biond. Then thus: Baptista is safe talking with the deceiuing Father of a deceitfull sonne

Luc. And what of him?

Biond. His daughter is to be brought by you to the supper

Luc. And then

Bio. The old Priest at Saint Lukes Church is at your command at all houres

Luc. And what of all this

Bion. I cannot tell, expect they are busied about a counterfeit a.s.surance: take you a.s.surance of her, c.u.m preuilegio ad Impremendum solem, to th" Church take the Priest, Clarke, and some sufficient honest witnesses: If this be not that you looke for, I haue no more to say, But bid Bianca farewell for euer and a day

Luc. Hear"st thou Biondello

Biond. I cannot tarry: I knew a wench maried in an afternoone as shee went to the Garden for Pa.r.s.eley to stuffe a Rabit, and so may you sir: and so adew sir, my Master hath appointed me to goe to Saint Lukes to bid the Priest be readie to come against you come with your appendix.

Enter.

Luc. I may and will, if she be so contented: She will be pleas"d, then wherefore should I doubt: Hap what hap may, Ile roundly goe about her: It shall goe hard if Cambio goe without her.

Enter.

Enter Petruchio, Kate, Hortentio

Petr. Come on a G.o.ds name, once more toward our fathers: Good Lord how bright and goodly shines the Moone

Kate. The Moone, the Sunne: it is not Moonelight now

Pet. I say it is the Moone that shines so bright

Kate. I know it is the Sunne that shines so bright

Pet. Now by my mothers sonne, and that"s my selfe, It shall be moone, or starre, or what I list, Or ere I iourney to your Fathers house: Goe on, and fetch our horses backe againe, Euermore crost and crost, nothing but crost

Hort. Say as he saies, or we shall neuer goe

Kate. Forward I pray, since we haue come so farre, And be it moone, or sunne, or what you please: And if you please to call it a rush Candle, Henceforth I vowe it shall be so for me

Petr. I say it is the Moone

Kate. I know it is the Moone

Petr. Nay then you lye: it is the blessed Sunne

Kate. Then G.o.d be blest, it is the blessed sun, But sunne it is not, when you say it is not, And the Moone changes euen as your minde: What you will haue it nam"d, euen that it is, And so it shall be so for Katherine

Hort. Petruchio, goe thy waies, the field is won

Petr. Well, forward, forward, thus the bowle should run, And not vnluckily against the Bias: But soft, Company is comming here.

Enter Vincentio.

Good morrow gentle Mistris, where away: Tell me sweete Kate, and tell me truely too, Hast thou beheld a fresher Gentlewoman: Such warre of white and red within her cheekes: What stars do spangle heauen with such beautie, As those two eyes become that heauenly face?

Faire louely Maide, once more good day to thee: Sweete Kate embrace her for her beauties sake

Hort. A will make the man mad to make the woman of him

Kate. Yong budding Virgin, faire, and fresh, & sweet, Whether away, or whether is thy aboade?

Happy the Parents of so faire a childe; Happier the man whom fauourable stars A lots thee for his louely bedfellow

Petr. Why how now Kate, I hope thou art not mad, This is a man old, wrinckled, faded, withered, And not a Maiden, as thou saist he is

Kate. Pardon old father my mistaking eies, That haue bin so bedazled with the sunne, That euery thing I looke on seemeth greene: Now I perceiue thou art a reuerent Father: Pardon I pray thee for my mad mistaking

Petr. Do good old grandsire, & withall make known Which way thou trauellest, if along with vs, We shall be ioyfull of thy companie

Vin. Faire Sir, and you my merry Mistris, That with your strange encounter much amasde me: My name is call"d Vincentio, my dwelling Pisa, And bound I am to Padua, there to visite A sonne of mine, which long I haue not seene

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