2538Luc. At last, though long, our iarring notes agree,

2539And time it is when raging warre is come,

2540To smile at scapes and perils ouerblowne:

2541My faire Bianca bid my father welcome,

2542While I with selfesame kindnesse welcome thine:

2543Brother Petruchio, sister Katerina,

2544And thou Hortentio with thy louing Widdow:

2545Feast with the best, and welcome to my house,

2546My Banket is to close our stomakes vp

2547After our great good cheere: praie you sit downe,

2548For now we sit to chat as well as eate.

2549Petr. Nothing but sit and sit, and eate and eate.

2550Bap. Padua affords this kindnesse, sonne Petruchio.

2551Petr. Padua affords nothing but what is kinde.

2552Hor. For both our sakes I would that word were true.

2553Pet. Now for my life Hortentio feares his Widow.

2554Wid. Then neuer trust me if I be affeard.

2555Petr. You are verie sencible, and yet you misse my

2556 sence:

2557I meane Hortentio is afeard of you.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

2689Wid. Come, come, your mocking: we will haue no

2690telling.

2691Pet. Come on I say, and first begin with her.

2692Wid. She shall not.

2693Pet. I say she shall, and first begin with her.

2694Kate. Fie, fie, vnknit that thretaning vnkinde brow,

2695And dart not scornefull glances from those eies,

2696To wound thy Lord, thy King, thy Gouernour.

2697It blots thy beautie, as frosts doe bite the Meads,

2698Confounds thy fame, as whirlewinds shake faire budds,

2699And in no sence is meete or amiable.

2700A woman mou'd, is like a fountaine troubled,

2701Muddie, ill seeming, thicke, bereft of beautie,

2702And while it is so, none so dry or thirstie

2703Will daigne to sip, or touch one drop of it.

2704Thy husband is thy Lord, thy life, thy keeper,

2705Thy head, thy soueraigne: One that cares for thee,

2706And for thy maintenance. Commits his body

2707To painfull labour, both by sea and land:

2708To watch the night in stormes, the day in cold,

2709Whil'st thou ly'st warme at home, secure and safe,

2710And craues no other tribute at thy hands,

2711But loue, faire lookes, and true obedience;

2712Too little payment for so great a debt.

2713Such dutie as the subiect owes the Prince,

2714Euen such a woman oweth to her husband:

2715And when she is froward, peeuish, sullen, sowre,

2716And not obedient to his honest will,

2717What is she but a foule contending Rebell,

2718And gracelesse Traitor to her louing Lord?

2719I am asham'd that women are so simple,

2720To offer warre, where they should kneele for peace:

2721Or seeke for rule, supremacie, and sway,

2722When they are bound to serue, loue, and obay.

2723Why are our bodies soft, and weake, and smooth,

2724Vnapt to toyle and trouble in the world,

2725But that our soft conditions, and our harts,

2726Should well agree with our externall parts?

2727Come, come, you froward and vnable wormes,

2728My minde hath bin as bigge as one of yours,

2729My heart as great, my reason haplie more,

2730To bandie word for word, and frowne for frowne;

2731But now I see our Launces are but strawes:

2732Our strength as weake, our weakenesse past compare,

2733That seeming to be most, which we indeed least are.

2734Then vale your stomackes, for it is no boote,

2735And place your hands below your husbands foote:

2736In token of which dutie, if he please,

2737My hand is readie, may it do him ease.

2738Pet. Why there's a wench: Come on, and kisse mee

2739Kate.

2740Luc. Well go thy waies olde Lad for thou shalt ha't.

2741Vin. Tis a good hearing, when children are toward.

2742Luc. But a harsh hearing, when women are froward,

2743Pet. Come Kate, weee'le to bed,

2744We three are married, but you two are sped.

2745'Twas I wonne the wager, though you hit the white,

2746And being a winner, God giue you good night.

2748Horten. Now goe thy wayes, thou hast tam'd a curst

2749Shrow.

2750Luc.Tis a wonder, by your leaue, she wil be tam'd so.

V