1396Kate. No shame but mine, I must forsooth be forst

1397To giue my hand oppos'd against my heart

1398Vnto a mad-braine rudesby, full of spleene,

1399Who woo'd in haste, and meanes to wed at leysure:

1400I told you I, he was a franticke foole,

1401Hiding his bitter iests in blunt behauiour,

1402And to be noted for a merry man;

1403Hee'll wooe a thousand, point the day of marriage,

1404Make friends, inuite, and proclaime the banes,

1405Yet neuer meanes to wed where he hath woo'd:

1406Now must the world point at poore Katherine,

1407And say, loe, there is mad Petruchio's wife

1408If it would please him come and marry her.

1409Tra. Patience good Katherine and Baptista too,

1410Vpon my life Petruchio meanes but well,

1411What euer fortune stayes him from his word,

1412Though he be blunt, I know him passing wise,

1413Though he be merry, yet withall he's honest.

1414Kate. Would Katherine had neuer seen him though.

1416Bap. Goe girle, I cannot blame thee now to weepe,

1417For such an iniurie would vexe a very saint,

1418Much more a shrew of impatient humour.

1420Bion. Master, master, newes, and such newes as you

1421neuer heard of,

1422Bap. Is it new and olde too? how may that be?

1423Bion. Why, is it not newes to heard of Petruchio's (comming?

1424Bap. Is he come?

1425Bion. Why no sir.

1426Bap. What then?

1427Bion. He is comming.

1428Bap. When will he be heere?

1429Bion. When he stands where I am, and sees you there.

1430Tra. But say, what to thine olde newes?

1431Bion. Why Petruchio is comming, in a new hat and

1432an old ierkin, a paire of old breeches thrice turn'd; a

1433paire of bootes that haue beene candle-cases, one buck-

1434led, another lac'd: an olde rusty sword tane out of the

1435Towne Armory, with a broken hilt, and chapelesse: with

1436two broken points: his horse hip'd with an olde mo-

1437thy saddle, and stirrops of no kindred: besides possest

1438with the glanders, and like to mose in the chine, trou-

1439bled with the Lampasse, infected with the fashions, full

1440of Windegalls, sped with Spauins, raied with the Yel-

1441lowes, past cure of the Fiues, starke spoyl'd with the

1442Staggers, begnawne with the Bots, Waid in the backe,

1443and shoulder-shotten, neere leg'd before, and with a

1444halfe-chekt Bitte,& a headstall of sheepes leather, which

1445being restrain'd to keepe him from stumbling, hath been

1446often burst, and now repaired with knots: one girth sixe

1447times peec'd, and a womans Crupper of velure, which

1448hath two letters for her name, fairely set down in studs,

1449and heere and there peec'd with packthred.

1450Bap. Who comes with him?

1451Bion. Oh sir, his Lackey, for all the world Capari-

1452son'd like the horse: with a linnen stock on one leg, and

1453a kersey boot-hose on the other, gartred with a red and

1454blew list; an old hat, & the humor of forty fancies prickt

1455in't for a feather: a monster, a very monster in apparell,

1456& not like a Christian foot-boy, or a gentlemans Lacky.

1457Tra. 'Tis some od humor pricks him to this fashion,

1458Yet oftentimes he goes but meane apparel'd.

1459Bap. I am glad he's come, howsoere he comes.

1460Bion. Why sir, he comes not.

1461Bap. Didst thou not say hee comes?

1462Bion. Who, that Petruchio came?

1463Bap. I, that Petruchio came.

1464Bion. No sir, I say his horse comes with him on his (backe.

1465Bap. Why that's all one.

1466Bion. Nay by S.Iamy, I hold you a penny, a horse and

1467a man is more then one, and yet not many.

1469Pet. Come, where be these gallants? who's at home?

1470Bap. You are welcome sir.

1471Petr. And yet I come not well.

1472Bap. And yet you halt not.

1473Tra. Not so well apparell'd as I wish you were.

1474Petr. Were it better I should rush in thus:

1475But where is Kate? where is my louely Bride?

1476How does my father? gentles methinkes you frowne,

1477And wherefore gaze this goodly company,

1478As if they saw some wondrous monument,

1479Some Commet, or vnusuall prodigie?

1480Bap. Why sir, you know this is your wedding day:

1481First were we sad, fearing you would not come,

1482Now sadder that you come so vnprouided:

1483Fie, doff this habit, shame to your estate,

1484An eye-sore to our solemne festiuall.

1485Tra. And tell vs what occasion of import

1486Hath all so long detain'd you from your wife,

1487And sent you hither so vnlike your selfe?

1488Petr. Tedious it were to tell, and harsh to heare,

1489Sufficeth I am come to keepe my word,

1490Though in some part inforced to digresse,

1491Which at more leysure I will so excuse,

1492As you shall well be satisfied with all.

1493But where is Kate? I stay too long from her,

1494The morning weares, 'tis time we were at Church.

1495Tra. See not your Bride in these vnreuerent robes,

1496Goe to my chamber, put on clothes of mine.

1497Pet. Not I, beleeue me, thus Ile visit her.

1498Bap. But thus I trust you will not marry her.

1499Pet. Good sooth euen thus: therefore ha done with (words,

1500To me she's married, not vnto my cloathes:

1501Could I repaire what she will weare in me,

1502As I can change these poore accoutrements,

1503'Twere well for Kate, and better for my selfe.

1504But what a foole am I to chat with you,

1505When I should bid good morrow to my Bride?

1506And seale the title with a louely kisse. Exit.

1507Tra. He hath some meaning in his mad attire,

1508We will perswade him be it possible,

1509To put on better ere he goe to Church.

1510Bap. Ile after him, and see the euent of this. Exit.

1511Tra. But sir, Loue concerneth vs to adde

1512Her fathers liking, which to bring to passe

1513As before imparted to your worship,

1514I am to get a man what ere he be,

1515It skills not much, weele fit him to our turne,

1516And he shall be Vincentio of Pisa,

1517And make assurance heere in Padua

1518Of greater summes then I haue promised,

1519So shall you quietly enioy your hope,

1520And marry sweet Bianca with consent.

1521Luc. Were it not that my fellow schoolemaster

1522Doth watch Bianca's steps so narrowly:

1523'Twere good me-thinkes to steale our marriage,

1524Which once perform'd, let all the world say no,

1525Ile keepe mine owne despite of all the world.

1526Tra. That by degrees we meane to looke into,

T2 And