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American Shakespeare Center, The Duchess of Malfi. To Jun. 15, 2013.
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The Taming of the Shrew (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Erin Kelly
Not Peer Reviewed
The Taming of the Shrew.
219
Kate. No shame but mine, I must forsooth be forst
To giue my hand oppos'd against my heart
Vnto a mad-braine rudesby, full of spleene,
Who woo'd in haste, and meanes to wed at leysure:
1400I told you I, he was a franticke foole,
Hiding his bitter iests in blunt behauiour,
And to be noted for a merry man;
Hee'll wooe a thousand, point the day of marriage,
Make friends, inuite, and proclaime the banes,
1405Yet neuer meanes to wed where he hath woo'd:
Now must the world point at poore Katherine,
And say, loe, there is mad Petruchio's wife
If it would please him come and marry her.
Tra. Patience good Katherine and Baptista too,
1410Vpon my life Petruchio meanes but well,
What euer fortune stayes him from his word,
Though he be blunt, I know him passing wise,
Though he be merry, yet withall he's honest.
Kate. Would Katherine had neuer seen him though.
1415
Exit weeping.
Bap. Goe girle, I cannot blame thee now to weepe,
For such an iniurie would vexe a very saint,
Much more a shrew of impatient humour.
Enter Biondello.
1420Bion. Master, master, newes, and such newes as you
neuer heard of,
Bap. Is it new and olde too? how may that be?
Bion. Why, is it not newes to heard of Petruchio's
Bap. Is he come?
1425Bion. Why no sir.
Bap. What then?
Bion. He is comming.
Bap. When will he be heere?
Bion. When he stands where I am, and sees you there.
1430Tra. But say, what to thine olde newes?
Bion. Why Petruchio is comming, in a new hat and
an old ierkin, a paire of old breeches thrice turn'd; a
paire of bootes that haue beene candle-cases, one buck-
led, another lac'd: an olde rusty sword tane out of the
1435Towne Armory, with a broken hilt, and chapelesse: with
two broken points: his horse hip'd with an olde mo-
thy saddle, and stirrops of no kindred: besides possest
with the glanders, and like to mose in the chine, trou-
bled with the Lampasse, infected with the fashions, full
1440of Windegalls, sped with Spauins, raied with the Yel-
lowes, past cure of the Fiues, starke spoyl'd with the
Staggers, begnawne with the Bots, Waid in the backe,
and shoulder-shotten, neere leg'd before, and with a
halfe-chekt Bitte,& a headstall of sheepes leather, which
1445being restrain'd to keepe him from stumbling, hath been
often burst, and now repaired with knots: one girth sixe
times peec'd, and a womans Crupper of velure, which
hath two letters for her name, fairely set down in studs,
and heere and there peec'd with packthred.
1450Bap. Who comes with him?
Bion. Oh sir, his Lackey, for all the world Capari-
son'd like the horse: with a linnen stock on one leg, and
a kersey boot-hose on the other, gartred with a red and
blew list; an old hat, & the humor of forty fancies prickt
1455in't for a feather: a monster, a very monster in apparell,
& not like a Christian foot-boy, or a gentlemans Lacky.
Tra. 'Tis some od humor pricks him to this fashion,
Yet oftentimes he goes but meane apparel'd.
Bap. I am glad he's come, howsoere he comes.
1460Bion. Why sir, he comes not.
Bap. Didst thou not say hee comes?
Bion. Who, that Petruchio came?
Bap. I, that Petruchio came.
Bion. No sir, I say his horse comes with him on his
1465Bap. Why that's all one.
Bion. Nay by S.Iamy, I hold you a penny, a horse and
a man is more then one, and yet not many.

Enter Petruchio and Grumio.
Pet. Come, where be these gallants? who's at home?
1470Bap. You are welcome sir.
Petr. And yet I come not well.
Bap. And yet you halt not.
Tra. Not so well apparell'd as I wish you were.
Petr. Were it better I should rush in thus:
1475But where is Kate? where is my louely Bride?
How does my father? gentles methinkes you frowne,
And wherefore gaze this goodly company,
As if they saw some wondrous monument,
Some Commet, or vnusuall prodigie?
1480Bap. Why sir, you know this is your wedding day:
First were we sad, fearing you would not come,
Now sadder that you come so vnprouided:
Fie, doff this habit, shame to your estate,
An eye-sore to our solemne festiuall.
1485Tra. And tell vs what occasion of import
Hath all so long detain'd you from your wife,
And sent you hither so vnlike your selfe?
Petr. Tedious it were to tell, and harsh to heare,
Sufficeth I am come to keepe my word,
1490Though in some part inforced to digresse,
Which at more leysure I will so excuse,
As you shall well be satisfied with all.
But where is Kate? I stay too long from her,
The morning weares, 'tis time we were at Church.
1495Tra. See not your Bride in these vnreuerent robes,
Goe to my chamber, put on clothes of mine.
Pet. Not I, beleeue me, thus Ile visit her.
Bap. But thus I trust you will not marry her.
Pet. Good sooth euen thus: therefore ha done with
1500To me she's married, not vnto my cloathes:
Could I repaire what she will weare in me,
As I can change these poore accoutrements,
'Twere well for Kate, and better for my selfe.
But what a foole am I to chat with you,
1505When I should bid good morrow to my Bride?
And seale the title with a louely kisse.
Exit.
Tra. He hath some meaning in his mad attire,
We will perswade him be it possible,
To put on better ere he goe to Church.
1510Bap. Ile after him, and see the euent of this.
Exit.
Tra. But sir, Loue concerneth vs to adde
Her fathers liking, which to bring to passe
As before imparted to your worship,
I am to get a man what ere he be,
1515It skills not much, weele fit him to our turne,
And he shall be Vincentio of Pisa,
And make assurance heere in Padua
Of greater summes then I haue promised,
So shall you quietly enioy your hope,
1520And marry sweet Bianca with consent.
Luc. Were it not that my fellow schoolemaster
Doth watch Bianca's steps so narrowly:
'Twere good me-thinkes to steale our marriage,
Which once perform'd, let all the world say no,
1525Ile keepe mine owne despite of all the world.
Tra. That by degrees we meane to looke into,
T2
And