Array MyBooks Classics - The Complete Works of William Shakespeare - Illustrated edition (37 plays, 160 sonnets and 5 Poetry Books With Active Table of Contents)

Fair Leda’s daughter had a thousand wooers,

Then well one more may fair Bianca have;

And so she shall. Lucentio shall 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.

Hortensio, to what end are all these words?

Hor.

Sir, let me be so bold as ask you,

Did you yet ever see Baptista’s daughter?

Tra.

No, sir, but hear I do that he hath two:

The one as famous for a scolding tongue,

As is the other for beauteous modesty.

Pet.

Sir, sir, the first’s for me, let her go by.

Gre.

Yea, leave that labor to great Hercules,

And let it be more than Alcides’ twelve.

Pet.

Sir, understand you this of me, in sooth:

The youngest daughter, whom you hearken for,

Her father keeps from all access of suitors,

And will not promise her to any man,

Until the elder sister first be wed.

The younger then is free, and not before.

Tra.

If it be so, sir, that you are the man

Must stead us all, and me amongst the rest;

And if you break the ice, and do this [feat],

Achieve the elder, set the younger free

For our access—whose hap shall be to have her

Will not so graceless be to be ingrate.

Hor.

Sir, you say well, and well you do conceive,

And since you do profess to be a suitor,

You must, as we do, gratify this gentleman,

To whom we all rest generally beholding.

Tra.

Sir, I shall not be slack; in sign whereof,

Please ye we may contrive this afternoon,

And quaff carouses to our mistress’ health,

And do as adversaries do in law,

Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.

Gru., Bion.

O excellent motion! Fellows, let’s be gone.

Hor.

The motion’s good indeed, and be it so,

Petruchio, I shall be your ben venuto.

Exeunt.

¶

Enter Katherina and Bianca.

Bian.

Good sister, wrong me not, nor wrong yourself,

To make a bondmaid and a slave of me—

That I disdain; 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 suitors here I charge [thee] tell

Whom thou lov’st best; see thou dissemble not.

Bian.

Believe me, sister, of all the men alive

I never yet beheld that special face

Which I could fancy more than any other.

Kath.

Minion, thou liest. Is’t not Hortensio?

Bian.

If you affect him, sister, here I swear

I’ll plead for you myself, but you shall have him.

Kath.

O then belike you fancy riches more:

You will have Gremio to keep you fair.

Bian.

Is it for him you do envy me so?

Nay then you jest, and now I well perceive

You have but jested with me all this while.

I prithee, sister Kate, untie my hands.

Kath.

If that be jest, then all the rest was so.

Strikes her.

Enter Baptista.

Bap.

Why, how now, dame, whence grows this insolence?

Bianca, stand aside. Poor girl, she weeps.

Go ply thy needle, meddle not with her.

For shame, thou hilding of a devilish spirit,

Why dost thou wrong her that did ne’er wrong thee?

When did she cross thee with a bitter word?

Kath.

Her silence flouts me, and I’ll be reveng’d.

Flies after Bianca.

Bap.

What, in my sight? Bianca, get thee in.

Exit [Bianca].

Kath.

What, will you not suffer me? Nay, now I see

She is your treasure, she must have a husband;

I must dance barefoot on her wedding-day,

And for your love to her lead apes in hell.

Talk not to me, I will go sit and weep,

Till I can find occasion of revenge.

Exit.

Bap.

Was ever gentleman thus griev’d as I?

But who comes here?

Enter Gremio, Lucentio in the habit of a mean man, Petruchio with [Hortensio as a musician, and] Tranio [as Lucentio] with his boy [Biondello] bearing a lute and books.

Gre. Good morrow, neighbor Baptista.

Bap. Good morrow, neighbor Gremio. God save you, gentlemen!

Pet.

And you, good sir! Pray have you not a daughter

Call’d Katherina, fair and virtuous?

Bap.

I have a daughter, sir, call’d Katherina.

Gre.

You are too blunt, go to it orderly.

Pet.

You wrong me, Signior Gremio, give me leave.

I am a gentleman of Verona, sir,

That hearing of her beauty and her wit,

Her affability and bashful modesty,

Her wondrous qualities and mild behavior,

Am bold to show myself a forward guest

Within your house, to make mine eye the witness

Of that report which I so oft have heard.

And for an entrance to my entertainment,

I do present you with a man of mine,

Presenting Hortensio.

Cunning in music and the mathematics,

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, born in Mantua.

Bap.

Y’ are welcome, sir, and he, for your good sake.

But for my daughter Katherine, this I know,

She is not for your turn, the more my grief.

Pet.

I see you do not mean to part with her,

Or else you like not of my company.

Bap.

Mistake me not, I speak but as I find.

Whence are you, sir? What may I call your name?

Pet.

Petruchio is my name, Antonio’s son,

A man well known throughout all Italy.

Bap.

I know him well; you are welcome for his sake.

Gre.

Saving your tale, Petruchio, I pray

Let us that are poor petitioners speak too.

[Backare]! you are marvellous forward.

Pet.

O, pardon me, Signior Gremio, I would fain be doing.

Gre. I doubt it not, sir; but you will curse your wooing.

[Neighbor], this is a gift very grateful, I am sure of it. To express the like kindness, myself, that have been more kindly beholding to you than any, freely give unto [you] this young scholar [presenting Lucentio,] that hath been long studying at Rheims, as cunning in Greek, Latin, and other languages, as the other in music and mathematics. His name is Cambio; pray accept his service.

Bap. A thousand thanks, Signior Gremio. Welcome, good Cambio. [To Tranio.] But, gentle sir, methinks you walk like a stranger. May I be so bold to know the cause of your coming?

Tra.

Pardon me, sir, the boldness is mine own,

That being a stranger in this city here,

Do make myself a suitor to your daughter,

Unto Bianca, fair and virtuous.

Nor is your firm resolve unknown to me,

In the preferment of the eldest sister.

This liberty is all that I request,

That upon knowledge of my parentage,

I may have welcome ’mongst the rest that woo,

And free access and favor as the rest;

And toward the education of your daughters,

I here bestow a simple instrument,

And this small packet of Greek and Latin books.

If you accept them, then their worth is great.