The Taming of the Shrew (Folio, 1623)

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2. The Taming of the Shrew, Folio, 1623 (Old-spelling transcription)
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228The Taming of the Shrew.

 2558Wid. He that is giddie thinks the world turns round.
 2559Petr. Roundlie replied.
 2560Kat. Mistris, how meane you that?
 2561Wid. Thus I conceiue by him.
 2562Petr. Conceiues by me, how likes Hortentio that?
 2563Hor. My Widdow saies, thus she conceiues her tale.
 2564Petr. Verie well mended: kisse him for that good
 2565	Widdow.
 2566Kat.He that is giddie thinkes the world turnes round,
 2567I praie you tell me what you meant by that.
 2568Wid. Your housband being troubled with a shrew,
 2569Measures my husbands sorrow by his woe:
 2570And now you know my meaning.
 2571Kate. A verie meane meaning.
 2572Wid. Right, I meane you.
 2573Kat. And I am meane indeede, respecting you.
 2574Petr. To her Kate.
 2575Hor. To her Widdow.
 2576Petr. A hundred marks, my Kate does put her down.
 2577Hor. That's my office
 2578Petr. Spoke like an Officer: ha to the lad.
 2579	Drinkes to Hortentio.
 2580Bap. How likes Gremio these quicke witted folkes?
 2581Gre. Beleeue me sir, they But together well.
 2582Bian. Head, and but an hastie witted bodie,
 2583Would say your Head and But were head and horne.
 2584Vin. I Mistris Bride, hath that awakened you?
 2585Bian. I, but not frighted me, therefore Ile sleepe a-
 2586	gaine. 
 2587Petr. Nay that you shall not since you haue begun:
 2588Haue at you for a better iest or too.
 2589Bian. Am I your Bird, I meane to shift my bush,
 2590And then pursue me as you draw your Bow.
 2591You are welcome all.  Exit Bianca.
 2592Petr. She hath preuented me, here signior Tranio,
 2593This bird you aim'd at, though you hit her not,
 2594Therefore a health to all that shot and mist.
 2595Tri. Oh sir, Lucentio slipt me like his Gray-hound,
 2596Which runs himselfe, and catches for his Master.
 2597Petr. A good swift simile, but something currish.
 2598Tra. 'Tis well sir that you hunted for your selfe:
 2599'Tis thought your Deere does hold you at a baie.
 2600Bap. Oh, oh Petruchio, Tranio hits you now.
 2601Luc. I thanke thee for that gird good Tranio.
 2602Hor. Confesse, confesse, hath he not hit you here?
 2603Petr. A has a little gald me I confesse:
 2604And as the Iest did glaunce awaie from me,
 2605'Tis ten to one it maim'd you too out right.
 2606Bap. Now in good sadnesse sonne Petruchio,
 2607I thinke thou hast the veriest shrew of all.
 2608Petr. Well, I say no: and therefore sir assurance,
 2609Let's each one send vnto his wife,
 2610And he whose wife is most obedient,
 2611To come at first when he doth send for her,
 2612Shall win the wager which we will propose.
 2613Hort. Content, what's the wager?
 2614Luc. Twentie crownes.
 2615Petr. Twentie crownes,
 2616Ile venture so much of my Hawke or Hound,
 2617But twentie times so much vpon my Wife.
 2618Luc. A hundred then.
 2619Hor. Content.
 2620Petr. A match, 'tis done.
 2621Hor. Who shall begin?
 2622Luc. That will I.
 2623Goe Biondello, bid your Mistris come to me.

 2624Bio. Igoe.  Exit.
 2625Bap. Sonne, Ile be your halfe, Bianca comes.
 2626Luc. Ile haue no halues: Ile beare it all my selfe.
 2627Enter Biondello.
 2628How now, what newes?
 2629Bio. Sir, my Mistris sends you word
 2630That she is busie, and she cannot come.
 2631Petr. How? she's busie, and she cannot come: is that
 2632an answere?
 2633Gre. I, and a kinde one too:
 2634Praie God sir your wife send you not a worse.
 2635Petr. I hope better.
 2636Hor. Sirra Biondello, goe and intreate my wife to
 2637come to me forthwith.  Exit.Bion.
 2638Pet. Oh ho, intreate her, nay then shee must needes
 2639come.
 2640Hor. I am affraid sir, doe what you can
 2641Enter Biondello.
 2642Yours will not be entreated: Now, where's my wife?
 2643Bion. She saies you haue some goodly Iest in hand,
 2644She will not come: she bids you come to her.
 2645Petr. Worse and worse, she will not come:
 2646Oh vilde, intollerable, not to be indur'd:
 2647Sirra Grumio, goe to your Mistris,
 2648Say I command her come to me.  Exit.
 2649Hor. I know her answere.
 2650Pet. What?
 2651Hor. She will not.
 2652Petr. The fouler fortune mine, and there an end.
 
 2653Enter Katerina.
 2654Bap. Now by my hollidam here comes Katerina.
 2655Kat. What is your will sir, that you send for me?
 2656Petr. Where is your sister, and Hortensios wife?
 2657Kate. They sit conferring by the Parler fire.
 2658Petr. Goe fetch them hither, if they denie to come,
 2659Swinge me them soundly forth vnto their husbands:
 2660Away I say, and bring them hither straight.
 2661Luc. Here is a wonder, if you talke of a wonder.
 2662Hor. And so it is: I wonder what it boads.
 2663Petr. Marrie peace it boads, and loue, and quiet life,
 2664An awfull rule, and right supremicie:
 2665And to be short, what not, that's sweete and happie.
 2666Bap. Now faire befall thee good Petruchio;
 2667The wager thou hast won, and I will adde
 2668Vnto their losses twentie thousand crownes,
 2669Another dowrie to another daughter,
 2670For she is chang'd as she had neuer bin.
 2671Petr. Nay, I will win my wager better yet,
 2672And show more signe of her obedience,
 2673Her new built vertue and obedience.
 2674Enter Kate, Bianca, and Widdow.
 2675See where she comes, and brings your froward Wiues
 2676As prisoners to her womanlie perswasion:
 2677Katerine, that Cap of yours becomes you not,
 2678Off with that bable, throw it vnderfoote.
 2679Wid. Lord let me neuer haue a cause to sigh,
 2680Till I be brought to such a sillie passe.
 2681Bian. Fie what a foolish dutie call you this?
 2682Luc. I would your dutie were as foolish too:
 2683The wisdome of your dutie faire Bianca,
 2684Hath cost me fiue hundred crownes since supper time.
 2685Bian. The more foole you for laying on my dutie.
 2686Pet. Katherine I charge thee tell these head-strong
 2687women, what dutie they doe owe their Lords and hus-
 2688bands.
 Wid. Come,

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The Taming of the Shrew (Folio, 1623)