1654greater a run but my head and my necke. A fire good

1655Curtis.

1656Cur. Is my master and his wife comming Grumio?

1657Gru. Oh I Curtis I, and therefore fire, fire, cast on no

1658water.

1659Cur. Is she so hot a shrew as she's reported.

1660Gru. She was good Curtis before this frost: but thou

1661know'st winter tames man, woman, and beast: for it

1662hath tam'd my old master, and my new mistris, and my

1663selfe fellow Curtis.

1664Gru. Away you three inch foole, I am no beast.

1665Gru. Am I but three inches? Why thy horne is a foot

1666and so long am I at the least. But wilt thou make a fire,

1667or shall I complaine on thee to our mistris, whose hand

1668(she being now at hand) thou shalt soone feele, to thy

1669cold comfort, for being slow in thy hot office.

1670Cur. I prethee good Grumio, tell me, how goes the

1671world?

1672Gru. A cold world Curtis in euery office but thine, &

1673therefore fire: do thy duty, and haue thy dutie, for my

1674Master and mistris are almost frozen to death.

1675Cur. There's fire readie, and therefore good Grumio

1676the newes.

1677Gru. Why Iacke boy, ho boy, and as much newes as

1678wilt thou.

1679Cur. Come, you are so full of conicatching.

1680Gru. Why therefore fire, for I haue caught extreme

1681cold. Where's the Cooke, is supper ready, the house

1682trim'd, rushes strew'd, cobwebs swept, the seruingmen

1683in their new fustian, the white stockings, and euery offi-

1684cer his wedding garment on? Be the Iackes faire with-

1685in, the Gils faire without, the Carpets laide, and euerie

1686thing in order?

1687Cur. All readie: and therefore I pray thee newes.

1688Gru. First know my horse is tired, my master & mi-

1689stris falne out. Cur. How?

1690Gru. Out of their saddles into the durt, and thereby

1691hangs a tale.

1692Cur. Let's ha't good Grumio.

1693Gru. Lend thine eare.

1694Cur. Heere.

1695Gru. There.

1696Cur. This 'tis to feele a tale, not to heare a tale.

1697Gru. And therefore 'tis cal'd a sensible tale: and this

1698Cuffe was but to knocke at your eare, and beseech list-

1699ning: now I begin, Inprimis wee came downe a fowle

1700hill, my Master riding behinde my Mistris.

1701Cur. Both of one horse?

1702Gru. What's that to thee?

1703Cur. Why a horse.

1704Gru. Tell thou the tale: but hadst thou not crost me,

1705thou shouldst haue heard how her horse fel, and she vn-

1706der her horse: thou shouldst haue heard in how miery a

1707place, how she was bemoil'd, how hee left her with the

1708horse vpon her, how he beat me because her horse stum-

1709bled, how she waded through the durt to plucke him off

1710me: how he swore, how she prai'd, that neuer prai'd be-

1711fore: how I cried, how the horses ranne away, how her

1712bridle was burst: how I lost my crupper, with manie

1713things of worthy memorie, which now shall die in obli-

1714uion, and thou returne vnexperienc'd to thy graue.

1715Cur. By this reckning he is more shrew than she.

1716Gru. I, and that thou and the proudest of you all shall

1717finde when he comes home. But what talke I of this?

1718Call forth Nathaniel, Ioseph, Nicholas, Phillip, Walter, Su-

1719gersop and the rest: let their heads bee slickely comb'd,

1720their blew coats brush'd, and their garters of an indiffe-

1721rent knit, let them curtsie with their left legges, and not

1722presume to touch a haire of my Masters horse-taile, till

1723they kisse their hands. Are they all readie?

1724Cur. They are.

1725Gru. Call them forth.

1726Cur. Do you heare ho? you must meete my maister

1727to countenance my mistris.

1728Gru. Why she hath a face of her owne.

1729Cur. Who knowes not that?

1730Gru. Thou it seemes, that cals for company to coun-

1731tenance her.

1732Cur. I call them forth to credit her.

1734Gru. Why she comes to borrow nothing of them.

1735Nat. Welcome home Grumio.

1736Phil. How now Grumio.

1737Ios. What Grumio.

1738Nick. Fellow Grumio.

1739Nat. How now old lad.

1740Gru. Welcome you: how now you: what you: fel-

1741low you: and thus much for greeting. Now my spruce

1742companions, is all readie, and all things neate?

1743Nat. All things is readie, how neere is our master?

1744Gre. E'ne at hand, alighted by this: and therefore be

1745not--- Cockes passion, silence, I heare my master.

1747Pet. Where be these knaues? What no man at doore

1748To hold my stirrop, nor to take my horse?

1749Where is Nathaniel, Gregory, Phillip.

1750All ser. Heere, heere sir, heere sir.

1751Pet. Heere sir, heere sir, heere sir, heere sir.

1752You logger-headed and vnpollisht groomes:

1753What? no attendance? no regard? no dutie?

1754Where is the foolish knaue I sent before?

1755Gru. Heere sir, as foolish as I was before.

1756Pet. You pezant, swain, you horson malt-horse drudg

1757Did I not bid thee meete me in the Parke,

1758And bring along these rascal knaues with thee?

1759Grumio. Nathaniels coate sir was not fully made,

1760And Gabrels pumpes were all vnpinkt i'th heele:

1761There was no Linke to colour Peters hat,

1762And Walters dagger was not come from sheathing:

1763There were none fine, but Adam, Rafe, and Gregory,

1764The rest were ragged, old, and beggerly,

1765Yet as they are, heere are they come to meete you.

1766Pet. Go rascals, go, and fetch my supper in. Ex. Ser.

1767Where is the life that late I led?

1768Where are those? Sit downe Kate,

1769And welcome. Soud, soud, soud, soud.

1771Why when I say? Nay good sweete Kate be merrie.

1772Off with my boots, you rogues: you villaines, when?

1773It was the Friar of Orders gray,

1774As he forth walked on his way.

1775Out you rogue, you plucke my foote awrie,

1776Take that, and mend the plucking of the other.

1777Be merrie Kate: Some water heere: what hoa.

1779Where's my Spaniel Troilus? Sirra, get you hence,

1780And bid my cozen Ferdinand come hither:

1781One Kate that you must kisse, and be acquainted with.

1782Where are my Slippers? Shall I haue some water?

1783Come Kate and wash,& welcome heartily:

1784you horson villaine, will you let it fall?

T3 Kate