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American Shakespeare Center, Return to the Forbidden Planet. To Dec. 1, 2013.
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The Taming of the Shrew (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Erin Kelly
Not Peer Reviewed
228
The Taming of the Shrew.
Wid. He that is giddie thinks the world turns round.
Petr. Roundlie replied.
2560Kat. Mistris, how meane you that?
Wid. Thus I conceiue by him.
Petr. Conceiues by me, how likes Hortentio that?
Hor. My Widdow saies, thus she conceiues her tale.
Petr. Verie well mended: kisse him for that good
2565 Widdow.
Kat.He that is giddie thinkes the world turnes round,
I praie you tell me what you meant by that.
Wid. Your housband being troubled with a shrew,
Measures my husbands sorrow by his woe:
2570And now you know my meaning.
Kate. A verie meane meaning.
Wid. Right, I meane you.
Kat. And I am meane indeede, respecting you.
Petr. To her Kate.
2575Hor. To her Widdow.
Petr. A hundred marks, my Kate does put her down.
Hor. That's my office
Petr. Spoke like an Officer: ha to the lad.
Drinkes to Hortentio.
2580Bap. How likes Gremio these quicke witted folkes?
Gre. Beleeue me sir, they But together well.
Bian. Head, and but an hastie witted bodie,
Would say your Head and But were head and horne.
Vin. I Mistris Bride, hath that awakened you?
2585Bian. I, but not frighted me, therefore Ile sleepe a-
gaine.
Petr. Nay that you shall not since you haue begun:
Haue at you for a better iest or too.
Bian. Am I your Bird, I meane to shift my bush,
2590And then pursue me as you draw your Bow.
You are welcome all.
Exit Bianca.
Petr. She hath preuented me, here signior Tranio,
This bird you aim'd at, though you hit her not,
Therefore a health to all that shot and mist.
2595Tri. Oh sir, Lucentio slipt me like his Gray-hound,
Which runs himselfe, and catches for his Master.
Petr. A good swift simile, but something currish.
Tra. 'Tis well sir that you hunted for your selfe:
'Tis thought your Deere does hold you at a baie.
2600Bap. Oh, oh Petruchio, Tranio hits you now.
Luc. I thanke thee for that gird good Tranio.
Hor. Confesse, confesse, hath he not hit you here?
Petr. A has a little gald me I confesse:
And as the Iest did glaunce awaie from me,
2605'Tis ten to one it maim'd you too out right.
Bap. Now in good sadnesse sonne Petruchio,
I thinke thou hast the veriest shrew of all.
Petr. Well, I say no: and therefore sir assurance,
Let's each one send vnto his wife,
2610And he whose wife is most obedient,
To come at first when he doth send for her,
Shall win the wager which we will propose.
Hort. Content, what's the wager?
Luc. Twentie crownes.
2615Petr. Twentie crownes,
Ile venture so much of my Hawke or Hound,
But twentie times so much vpon my Wife.
Luc. A hundred then.
Hor. Content.
2620Petr. A match, 'tis done.
Hor. Who shall begin?
Luc. That will I.
Goe Biondello, bid your Mistris come to me.
Bio. Igoe.
Exit.
2625Bap. Sonne, Ile be your halfe, Bianca comes.
Luc. Ile haue no halues: Ile beare it all my selfe.
Enter Biondello.
How now, what newes?
Bio. Sir, my Mistris sends you word
2630That she is busie, and she cannot come.
Petr. How? she's busie, and she cannot come: is that
an answere?
Gre. I, and a kinde one too:
Praie God sir your wife send you not a worse.
2635Petr. I hope better.
Hor. Sirra Biondello, goe and intreate my wife to
come to me forthwith.
Exit.Bion.
Pet. Oh ho, intreate her, nay then shee must needes
come.
2640Hor. I am affraid sir, doe what you can
Enter Biondello.
Yours will not be entreated: Now, where's my wife?
Bion. She saies you haue some goodly Iest in hand,
She will not come: she bids you come to her.
2645Petr. Worse and worse, she will not come:
Oh vilde, intollerable, not to be indur'd:
Sirra Grumio, goe to your Mistris,
Say I command her come to me.
Exit.
Hor. I know her answere.
2650Pet. What?
Hor. She will not.
Petr. The fouler fortune mine, and there an end.

Enter Katerina.
Bap. Now by my hollidam here comes Katerina.
2655Kat. What is your will sir, that you send for me?
Petr. Where is your sister, and Hortensios wife?
Kate. They sit conferring by the Parler fire.
Petr. Goe fetch them hither, if they denie to come,
Swinge me them soundly forth vnto their husbands:
2660Away I say, and bring them hither straight.
Luc. Here is a wonder, if you talke of a wonder.
Hor. And so it is: I wonder what it boads.
Petr. Marrie peace it boads, and loue, and quiet life,
An awfull rule, and right supremicie:
2665And to be short, what not, that's sweete and happie.
Bap. Now faire befall thee good Petruchio;
The wager thou hast won, and I will adde
Vnto their losses twentie thousand crownes,
Another dowrie to another daughter,
2670For she is chang'd as she had neuer bin.
Petr. Nay, I will win my wager better yet,
And show more signe of her obedience,
Her new built vertue and obedience.
Enter Kate, Bianca, and Widdow.
2675See where she comes, and brings your froward Wiues
As prisoners to her womanlie perswasion:
Katerine, that Cap of yours becomes you not,
Off with that bable, throw it vnderfoote.
Wid. Lord let me neuer haue a cause to sigh,
2680Till I be brought to such a sillie passe.
Bian. Fie what a foolish dutie call you this?
Luc. I would your dutie were as foolish too:
The wisdome of your dutie faire Bianca,
Hath cost me fiue hundred crownes since supper time.
2685Bian. The more foole you for laying on my dutie.
Pet. Katherine I charge thee tell these head-strong
women, what dutie they doe owe their Lords and hus-
bands.
Wid. Come,