2282.Man. Wilt please your mightinesse to wash your

229 hands:

230Oh how we ioy to see your wit restor'd,

231Oh that once more you knew but what you are:

232These fifteene yeeres you haue bin in a dreame,

233Or when you wak'd, so wak'd as if you slept.

234Beg. These fifteene yeeres, by my fay, a goodly nap,

235But did I neuer speake of all that time.

2361.Man. Oh yes my Lord, but verie idle words,

237For though you lay heere in this goodlie chamber,

238Yet would you say, ye were beaten out of doore,

239And raile vpon the Hostesse of the house,

240And say you would present her at the Leete,

241Because she brought stone-Iugs, and no seal'd quarts:

242Sometimes you would call out for Cicely Hacket.

243Beg. I, the womans maide of the house.

2443.man.Why sir you know no house, nor no such maid

245Nor no such men as you haue reckon'd vp,

246As Stephen Slie, and old Iohn Naps of Greece,

247And Peter Turph, and Henry Pimpernell,

248And twentie more such names and men as these,

249Which neuer were, nor no man euer saw.

250Beg. Now Lord be thanked for my good amends.

251All. Amen.

253Beg. I thanke thee, thou shalt not loose by it.

254Lady. How fares my noble Lord?

255Beg. Marrie I fare well, for heere is cheere enough.

256Where is my wife?

257La. Heere noble Lord, what is thy will with her?

258Beg. Are you my wife, and will not cal me husband?

259My men should call me Lord, I am your good-man.

260La.My husband and my Lord, my Lord and husband

261I am your wife in all obedience.

262Beg. I know it well, what must I call her?

263Lord. Madam.

264Beg. Alce Madam, or Ione Madam?

265Lord. Madam, and nothing else, so Lords cal Ladies

266Beg. Madame wife, they say that I haue dream'd,

267And slept aboue some fifteene yeare or more.

268Lady. I, and the time seeme's thirty vnto me,

269Being all this time abandon'd from your bed.

270Beg. 'Tis much, seruants leaue me and her alone:

271Madam vndresse you, and come now to bed.

272La. Thrice noble Lord, let me intreat of you

273To pardon me yet for a night or two:

274Or if not so, vntill the Sun be set.

275For your Physitians haue expressely charg'd,

276In perill to incurre your former malady,

277That I should yet absent me from your bed:

278I hope this reason stands for my excuse.

279Beg. I, it stands so that I may hardly tarry so long:

280But I would be loth to fall into my dreames againe: I

281wil therefore tarrie in despight of the flesh & the blood

283Mes.Your Honors Players hearing your amendment,

284Are come to play a pleasant Comedie,

285For so your doctors hold it very mcete,

286Seeing too much sadnesse hath congeal'd your blood,

287And melancholly is the Nurse of frenzie,

288Therefore they thought it good you heare a play,

289And frame your minde to mirth and merriment,

290Which barres a thousand harmes, and lengthens life.

291Beg. Marrie I will let them play, it is not a Comon-

292tie, a Christmas gambold, or a tumbling tricke?

293Lady. No my good Lord, it is more pleasing stuffe.

294Beg. What, houshold stuffe.

295Lady. It is a kinde of history.

296Beg. Well, we'l see't:

297Come Madam wife sit by my side,

298And let the world slip, we shall nere be yonger.

300Luc. Tranio, since for the great desire I had

301To see faire Padua, nurserie of Arts,

302I am arriu'd for fruitfull Lumbardie,

303The pleasant garden of great Italy,

304And by my fathers loue and leaue am arm'd

305With his good will, and thy good companie.

306My trustie seruant well approu'd in all,

307Heere let vs breath, and haply institute

308A course of Learning, and ingenious studies.

309Pisa renowned for graue Citizens

310Gaue me my being, and my father first

311A Merchant of great Trafficke through the world:

312Vincentio's come of the Bentiuolij,

313Vincentio's sonne, brough vp in Florence,

314It shall become to serue all hopes conceiu'd

315To decke his fortune with his vertuous deedes:

316And therefore Tranio, for the time I studie,

317Vertue and that part of Philosophie

318Will I applie, that treats of happinesse,

319By vertue specially to be atchieu'd.

320Tell me thy minde, for I haue Pisa left,

321And am to Padua come, as he that leaues

322A shallow plash, to plunge him in the deepe,

323And with sacietie seekes to quench his thirst.

324Tra. Me Pardonato, gentle master mine:

325I am in all affected as your selfe,

326Glad that you thus continue your resolue,

327To sucke the sweets of sweete Philosophie.

328Onely (good master) while we do admire

329This vertue, and this morall discipline,

330Let's be no Stoickes, nor no stockes I pray,

331Or so deuote to Aristotles checkes

332As Ouid; be an out-cast quite abiur'd:

333Balke Lodgicke with acquaintance that you haue,

334And practise Rhetoricke in your common talke,

335Musicke and Poesie vse, to quicken you,

336The Mathematickes, and the Metaphysickes

337Fall to them as you finde your stomacke serues you:

338No profit growes, where is no pleasure tane:

339In briefe sir, studie what you most affect.

340Luc. Gramercies Tranio, well dost thou aduise,

341If Biondello thou wert come ashore,

342We could at once put vs in readinesse,

343And take a Lodging fit to entertaine

344Such friends (as time) in Padua shall beget.

345But stay a while, what companie is this?

346Tra. Master some shew to welcome vs to Towne.

350Bap. Gentlemen, importune me no farther,

351For how I firmly am resolu d you know:

352That is, not to bestow my yongest daughter,

353Before I haue a husband for the elder:

354If either of you both loue Katherina,