Shakespeare's First Folio Part 186

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