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Enter PETRUCHIO and GRUMIO.

Pet. Come, where be these gallants? who's at home?
Bap. You are welcome, sir.

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Tra.

As I wish you were.

And yet I come not well. 90

Not so well apparell'd

Pet. Were it better, I should rush in thus.

But where is Kate? where is my lovely bride?

How does my father? Gentles, inethinks you frown:
And wherefore gaze this goodly company,

As if they saw some wondrous monument,

Some comet or unusual prodigy?

Bap. Why, sir, you know this is your wedding-day:

First were we sa 1, fearing you would not come ;
Now sadder, that you come so unprovided.
Fie, doff this habit, shame to your estate,
An eye-sore to our solemn festival!

Tra. And tell us, what occasion of import
Hath all so long detain'd you from your wife,
And sent you hither so unlike yourself?

Pet. Tedious it were to tell, and harsh to
Sufficeth, I am come to keep my word,
Though in some part enforced to digress;
Which, at more leisure, I will so excuse
As you shall well be satisfied withal.

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But where is Kate? I stay too long from her :

The morning wears, 'tis time we were at church.

Tra. See not your bride in these unreverent robes:

Pet. Not I, believe me thus I'll visit her.

Go to my chamber; put on clothes of mine.

Bap. But thus, I trust, you will not marry her.

Pet. Good sooth, even thus; therefore ha' done with words:

To me she's married, not unto my clothes:
Could I repair what she will wear in me,
As I can change these poor accoutrements,
"Twere well for Kate and better for myself.
But what a fool am I to chat with you,
When I should bid good morrow to my
And seal the title with a lovely kiss!

bride,

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[Exeunt Petruchio and Grumio. Tra. He hath some meaning in his mad attire: We will persuade him, be it possible,

To put on better ere he go to church.

Bap. I'll after him, and see the event of this.

[Exeunt Baptista, Gremio, and attendan:ı

Tra. But to her love concerneth us to add Her father's liking: which to bring to pass, As I before imparted to your worship,

I am to get a man,-whate'er he be,

It skills not much, we'll fit him to our turn,-
And he shall be Vincentio of Pisa;
And make assurance here in Padua
Of greater sums than I have promised.
So shall you quietly enjoy your hope,
And marry sweet Bianca with consent.

Luc. Were it not that my fellow-schoolmaster
Doth watch Bianca's steps so narrowly,
"Twere good, methinks, to steal our marriage;
Which once perform'd, let all the world say no,
I'll keep mine own, despite of all the world.

Tra. That by degrees we mean to look into,
And watch our vantage in this business:
We'll over-reach the greybeard, Gremio,
The narrow-prying father, Minola,
The quaint musician, amorous Licio;
All for my master's sake, Lucentio.

Re-enter GREMIO.

Signior Gremio, came you from the church?

Gre. As willingly as e'er I came from school.

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Tra. And is the bride and bridegroom coming, home?
Gre. A bridegroom say you? 'tis a groom indeed,

A grumbling groom, and that the girl shall find.
Tra. Curster than she? why, 'tis impossible.
Gre. Why, he's a devil, a devil, a very fiend.
Tra. Why, she's a devil, a devil, the devil's dam.
Gre. Tut, she's a lamb, a dove, a fool to him!

I'll tell you, Sir Lucentio: when the priest
Should ask, if Katharine should be his wife,

"Ay, by gogs-wouns," quoth he; and swore so loud,
That, all-amazed, the priest let fall the book;
And, as he stoop'd again to take it up,

The mad-brain'd bridegroom took him such a cuff
That down fell priest and book and book and priest:
"Now take them up," quoth he, "if any list."

Tra. What said the wench when he rose again?

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Gre. Trembled and shook; for why, he stamp'd and

swore,

As if the vicar meant to cozen him.

But after many ceremonies done,

He calls for wine: "A health!" quoth he, as if
He had been aboard, carousing to his mates

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After a storm; quaff'd off the muscadel
And threw the sops all in the sexton's face;
Having no other reason

But that his beard grew thin and hungerly
And seem'd to ask him sops as he was drinking.
This done, he took the bride about the neck
And kiss'd her lips with such a clamorous smack
That at the parting all the church did echo:
And I seeing this came thence for very shame;
And after me, I know, the rout is coming.
Such a mad marriage never was before:
Hark, hark! I hear the minstrels play.

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[Music.

Re-enter PETRUCHIO, KATHARINA, BIANCA, BAPTISTA,
HORTENSIO, GRUMIO, and Train.

Pet. Gentlemen and friends, I thank you for your pains:

I know you think to dine with me to-day,

And have prepared great store of wedding cheer;
But so it is, my haste doth call me hence,
And therefore here I mean to take my leave.

Bap. Is 't possible you will away to-night?
Pet. I must away to-day, before night come:
Make it no wonder; if you knew my business,
You would entreat me rather go than stay.
And, honest company, I thank you all,
That have beheld me give away myself
To this most patient, sweet and virtuous wife:
Dine with my father, drink a health to me;
For I must hence; and farewell to you all.
Tra. Let us entreat you stay till after dinner.
Pet. It may not be.
Gre.

Pet. It cannot be.
Kath.

Pet. I am content.

Kath.

Let me entreat you.

Let me entreat you.

Are you content to stay?

Pet. I am content you shall entreat me stay;

But yet not stay, entreat me how you can.

Kath. Now, if you love me, stay.

Pet.

Grumio, my horse.

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Gru. Ay, sir, they be ready; the oats have eaten the horses.

Kath. Nay, then,

Do what thou canst, I will not go to-day;

No, nor to-morrow, not till I please myself.

The door is open, sir; there lies your way;

You may be jogging whiles your boots are green;

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For me, I'll not be gone till I please myself:
'Tis like you'll prove a jolly surly groom,
That take it on you at the first so roundly.

Pet. O Kate, content thee; prithee, be not angry.
Kath. I will be angry: what hast thou to do?
Father, be quiet: he shall stay my leisure.
Gre. Ay, marry, sir, now it begins to work.
Kath. Gentlemen, forward to the bridal dinner:

I see a woman may be made a fool,

If she had not a spirit to resist.

Pet. They shall go forward, Kate, at thy command
Obey the bride, you that attend on her;

Go to the feast, revel and domineer,
Carouse full measure to her maidenhead,
Be mad and merry, or go hang yourselves:
But for my bonny Kate, she must with me.

Nay, look not big, nor stamp, nor stare, nor fret;

I will be master of what is mine own:

She is my goods, my chattles; she is my house,
My household stuff, my field, my barn,

My horse, my ox, my ass, my any thing;

And here she stands, touch her whoever dare;

I'll bring mine action on the proudest he

That stops my way in Padua. Grumio

Draw forth thy weapon, we are beset with thieves;
Rescue thy mistress, if thou be a man.

Fear not, sweet wench, they shall not touch thee, Kate :
I'll buckler thee against a million.

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[Exeunt Petruchio, Katharina, and Grumio.

Bap. Nay, let them go, a couple of quiet ones.

Gre. Went they not quickly, I should die with laughing.

Tra. Of all mad matches never was the like.

Luc. Mistress, what's your opinion of your sister?

Bian. That, being mad herself, she's madly mated.

Gre. I warrant him, Petruchio is Kated.

Bap. Neighbours and friends, though bride and bride

groom wants

For to supply the places at the table,

You know there wants no junkets at the feast.

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Lucentio, you shall supply the bridegroom's place;

And let Bianca take her sister's room.

Tra. Shall sweet Bianca practise how to bride it?
Bap. She shall, Lucentio.

Come, gentlemen, let's go.

[Exeunt.

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Gru. Fie, fie on all tired jades, on all mad masters, and all foul ways! Was ever man so beaten? was ever man so rayed? was ever man so weary? I am sent before to make a fire, and they are coming after to warm them. Now, were not I a little pot and soon hot, my very lips might freeze to my teeth, my tongue to the roof of my mouth, my heart in my belly, ere I should come by a fire to thaw me: but I, with blowing the fire, shall warm myself; for, considering the weather, a taller man than I will take cold. Holla, ho! Curtis.

Enter CURTIS.

Curt. Who is that calls so coldly?

Gru. A piece of ice: if thou doubt it, thou mayst slide from my shoulder to my heel with no greater a run but my head and my neck. A fire, good Curtis.

Curt. Is my master and his wife coming, Grumio?

Gru. O, ay, Curtis, ay: and therefore, fire, fire; cast on no water.

Curt. Is she so hot a shrew as she's reported?

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Gru. She was, good Curtis, before this frost : but, thou knowest, winter tames man, woman and beast; for it hath tamed my old master and my new mistress and myself, fellow Curtis.

Curt. Away, you three-inch fool! I am no beast.

Gru. Am I but three inches? why, thy horn is a foot; and so long am I at the least. But wilt thou make a fire, or shall I complain on thee to our mistress, whose hand, she being now at hand, thou shalt soon feel, to thy cold comfort, for being slow in thy hot office ?

Curt. I prithee, good Grumio, tell me, how goes the world?

Gru. A cold world, Curtis, in every office but thine; and therefore fire do thy duty, and have thy duty; for my master and mistress are almost frozen to death.

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Curt. There's fire ready; and therefore, good Grumio, the news.

Gru. Why, "Jack, boy! ho! boy!" and as much news as will thaw.

Curt. Come, you are so full of cony catching!

Gru. Why, therefore fire; for I have caught extreme

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