Shakespeare's First Folio Part 188

Kate. I chafe you if I tarrie. Let me go

Pet. No, not a whit, I finde you pa.s.sing gentle: 'Twas told me you were rough, and coy, and sullen, And now I finde report a very liar: For thou art pleasant, gamesome, pa.s.sing courteous, But slow in speech: yet sweet as spring-time flowers.

Thou canst not frowne, thou canst not looke a sconce, Nor bite the lip, as angry wenches will, Nor hast thou pleasure to be crosse in talke: But thou with mildnesse entertain'st thy wooers, With gentle conference, soft, and affable.

Why does the world report that Kate doth limpe?

Oh sland'rous world: Kate like the hazle twig Is straight, and slender, and as browne in hue As hazle nuts, and sweeter then the kernels: Oh let me see thee walke: thou dost not halt

Kate. Go foole, and whom thou keep'st command

Pet. Did euer Dian so become a Groue As Kate this chamber with her princely gate: O be thou Dian, and let her be Kate, And then let Kate be chaste, and Dian sportfull

Kate. Where did you study all this goodly speech?

Petr. It is extempore, from my mother wit

Kate. A witty mother, witlesse else her sonne

Pet. Am I not wise?

Kat. Yes, keepe you warme

Pet. Marry so I meane sweet Katherine in thy bed: And therefore setting all this chat aside, Thus in plaine termes: your father hath consented That you shall be my wife; your dowry greed on, And will you, nill you, I will marry you.

Now Kate, I am a husband for your turne, For by this light, whereby I see thy beauty, Thy beauty that doth make me like thee well, Thou must be married to no man but me, Enter Baptista, Gremio, Trayno.

For I am he am borne to tame you Kate, And bring you from a wilde Kate to a Kate Conformable as other houshold Kates: Heere comes your father, neuer make deniall, I must, and will haue Katherine to my wife

Bap. Now Signior Petruchio, how speed you with my daughter?

Pet. How but well sir? how but well?

It were impossible I should speed amisse

Bap. Why how now daughter Katherine, in your dumps?

Kat. Call you me daughter? now I promise you You haue shewd a tender fatherly regard, To wish me wed to one halfe Lunaticke, A mad-cap ruffian, and a swearing Iacke, That thinkes with oathes to face the matter out

Pet. Father, 'tis thus, your selfe and all the world That talk'd of her, haue talk'd amisse of her: If she be curst, it is for pollicie, For shee's not froward, but modest as the Doue, Shee is not hot, but temperate as the morne, For patience shee will proue a second Grissell, And Romane Lucrece for her chast.i.tie: And to conclude, we haue greed so well together, That vpon sonday is the wedding day

Kate. Ile see thee hang'd on sonday first

Gre. Hark Petruchio, she saies shee'll see thee hang'd first

Tra. Is this your speeding? nay the[n] G.o.dnight our part

Pet. Be patient gentlemen, I choose her for my selfe, If she and I be pleas'd, what's that to you?

'Tis bargain'd twixt vs twaine being alone, That she shall still be curst in company.

I tell you 'tis incredible to beleeue How much she loues me: oh the kindest Kate, Shee hung about my necke, and kisse on kisse Shee vi'd so fast, protesting oath on oath, That in a twinke she won me to her loue.

Oh you are nouices, 'tis a world to see How tame when men and women are alone, A meac.o.c.ke wretch can make the curstest shrew: Giue me thy hand Kate, I will vnto Venice To buy apparell 'gainst the wedding day; Prouide the feast father, and bid the guests, I will be sure my Katherine shall be fine

Bap. I know not what to say, but giue me your ha[n]ds, G.o.d send you ioy, Petruchio, 'tis a match

Gre. Tra. Amen say we, we will be witnesses

Pet. Father, and wife, and gentlemen adieu, I will to Venice, sonday comes apace, We will haue rings, and things, and fine array, And kisse me Kate, we will be married a sonday.

Exit Petruchio and Katherine.

Gre. Was euer match clapt vp so sodainly?

Bap. Faith Gentlemen now I play a marchants part, And venture madly on a desperate Mart

Tra. Twas a commodity lay fretting by you, 'Twill bring you gaine, or perish on the seas

Bap. The gaine I seeke, is quiet me the match

Gre. No doubt but he hath got a quiet catch: But now Baptista, to your yonger daughter, Now is the day we long haue looked for, I am your neighbour, and was suter first

Tra. And I am one that loue Bianca more Then words can witnesse, or your thoughts can guesse

Gre. Yongling thou canst not loue so deare as I

Tra. Gray-beard thy loue doth freeze

Gre. But thine doth frie, Skipper stand backe, 'tis age that nourisheth

Tra. But youth in Ladies eyes that florisheth

Bap. Content you gentlemen, I wil co[m]pound this strife 'Tis deeds must win the prize, and he of both That can a.s.sure my daughter greatest dower, Shall haue my Biancas loue.

Say signior Gremio, what can you a.s.sure her?

Gre. First, as you know, my house within the City Is richly furnished with plate and gold, Basons and ewers to laue her dainty hands: My hangings all of tirian tapestry: In Iuory cofers I haue stuft my crownes: In Cypres chests my arras counterpoints, Costly apparell, tents, and Canopies, Fine Linnen, Turky cus.h.i.+ons bost with pearle, Vallens of Venice gold, in needle worke: Pewter and bra.s.se, and all things that belongs To house or house-keeping: then at my farme I haue a hundred milch-kine to the pale, Sixe-score fat Oxen standing in my stalls, And all things answerable to this portion.

My selfe am strooke in yeeres I must confesse, And if I die to morrow this is hers, If whil'st I liue she will be onely mine

Tra. That only came well in: sir, list to me, I am my fathers heyre and onely sonne, If I may haue your daughter to my wife, Ile leaue her houses three or foure as good Within rich Pisa walls, as any one Old Signior Gremio has in Padua, Besides, two thousand Duckets by the yeere Of fruitfull land, all which shall be her ioynter.

What, haue I pincht you Signior Gremio?

Gre. Two thousand Duckets by the yeere of land, My Land amounts not to so much in all: That she shall haue, besides an Argosie That now is lying in Marcellus roade: What, haue I choakt you with an Argosie?

Tra. Gremio, 'tis knowne my father hath no lesse Then three great Argosies, besides two Gallia.s.ses And twelue t.i.te Gallies, these I will a.s.sure her, And twice as much what ere thou offrest next

Gre. Nay, I haue offred all, I haue no more, And she can haue no more then all I haue, If you like me, she shall haue me and mine

Tra. Why then the maid is mine from all the world By your firme promise, Gremio is out-vied

Bap. I must confesse your offer is the best, And let your father make her the a.s.surance, Shee is your owne, else you must pardon me: If you should die before him, where's her dower?

Tra. That's but a cauill: he is olde, I young

Gre. And may not yong men die as well as old?

Bap. Well gentlemen, I am thus resolu'd, On sonday next, you know My daughter Katherine is to be married: Now on the sonday following, shall Bianca Be Bride to you, if you make this a.s.surance: If not, to Signior Gremio: And so I take my leaue, and thanke you both.

Enter.

Gre. Adieu good neighbour: now I feare thee not: Sirra, yong gamester, your father were a foole To giue thee all, and in his wayning age Set foot vnder thy table: tut, a toy, An olde Italian foxe is not so kinde my boy.

Enter.

Tra. A vengeance on your crafty withered hide, Yet I haue fac'd it with a card of ten: 'Tis in my head to doe my master good: I see no reason but suppos'd Lucentio Must get a father, call'd suppos'd Vincentio, And that's a wonder: fathers commonly Doe get their children: but in this case of woing, A childe shall get a sire, if I faile not of my cunning.

Enter.

Actus Tertia.