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 chattels; 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 my action on the proudest he

That stops my way in Padua.-Grumio,

Draw forth thy weapon, we 're 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.

[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!

Gru. Fye, fye 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, ere I should come by a fire to thaw me. Holla hoa! Curtis.

Curt. Who is that, calls so coldly?

Gru. A piece of ice. If thou doubt it, thou may'st slide from my shoulder to my heel, with no greater run but my head and my neck. A fire, good Curtis.

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

* Rayed, bewrayed, bemired.

Gru. O, ay, Curtis, ay, and therefore fire, fire; cast on no water. Curt. Is she so hot a shrew as she's reported?

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. -We came

down a foul hill, my master riding behind my mistress.

Curt. Both on one horse ?

Gru. What's that to thee?

Curt. Why, a horse.

Gru. Tell thou the tale.-But had'st thou not crossed me, thou should'st have heard how her horse fell, and she under her horse; thou should'st have heard, in how miry a place: how she was bemoiled; how he left her with the horse upon her; how he beat me because her horse stumbled; how she waded through the dirt to pluck him off me; how he swore; how she prayed-that never prayed before; how I cried; how the horses ran away, how her bridle was burst, how I lost my crupper; -with many things of worthy memory which now shall die in oblivion, and thou return inexperienced to thy grave.

Curt. By this reckoning, he is more shrew than she.

Gru. Ay, and that thou and the proudest of you all shall find, when he silence! - I hear my master.

Enter PETRUCHIO and KATHARINA.

Pet. Where be these knaves? What, no man at the door,

To hold my stirrup, nor to take my horse!

Where is Nathaniel, Gregory, Philip ?

All Serv.

Here, sir;

Here, sir.

Pet.

Here, sir! here, sir! here, sir! here, sir!—
You logger-headed and unpolish'd grooms!
What, no attendance? no regard? no duty?-
Where is the foolish knave I sent before?

Gru. Here, sir; as foolish as I was before.

Pet. You peasant swain!

Did I not bid thee meet me in the park,

And bring along these rascal knaves with thee?

Gru. Nathaniel's coat, sir, was not fully made,
And Gabriel's pumps were all unpink'd i' the heel;
There was no link to colour Peter's hat,

And Walter's dagger was not come from sheathing:
There were none fine, but Adam, Ralph, and Gregory;
The rest were ragged, old, and beggarly;

Yet, as they are, here are they come to meet you.
Pet. Go, rascals, go, and fetch my supper in.-

Why, when, I say?—Nay, good sweet Kate, be merry.
Off with my boots, you rogues, you villains; when?

"It was the friar of orders grey

As he forth walked on his way :-"

Out, out, you rogue! You pluck my foot awry:

Take that, and mend the plucking off the other.
Be merry, Kate :-Some water here; what, ho!
Where's my spaniel Troilus?-Sirrah, get you hence,
And bid my cousin Ferdinand come hither:

[Sings.

[Strikes him.

One, Kate, that you must kiss, and be acquainted with.—
Where are my slippers ?-Shall I have some water?

[Exit Serv.

[A bason is presented to him.

Come, Kate, and wash, and welcome heartily

You villain! will you let it fall?

[Servant lets the ewer fall. [Strikes him.

Kath. Patience, I pray you; 't was a fault unwilling.
Pet. A beetle-headed, flat-ear'd knave!

Come, Kate, sit down; I know you have a stomach.

* Soud, soud, an expression of heat and weariness.

Will you give thanks, sweet Kate; or else shall I ?—

Pet. 'Tis burnt and so is all the meat :
What dogs are these?-Where is the rascal cook?
How durst you, villains, bring it from the dresser,
And serve it thus to me that love it not?
There, take it to you, trencher, cups, and all.

[Throws the meat, &c., about the stage.

You heedless joltheads and unmanner'd slaves!
What, do you grumble? I'll be with you straight.
Kath. I pray you, husband, be not so disquiet;
The meat was well, if you were so contented.

Pet. I tell thee, Kate, 't was burnt and dried away;

And I expressly am forbid to touch it,

For it engenders choler, planteth anger;

And better 't were that both of us did fast,-
Since, of ourselves, ourselves are cholerick,-
Than feed it with such over-roasted flesh.
Be patient; to-morrow it shall be mended,
And, for this night, we'll fast for company :-
Come, I will bring thee to thy bridal chamber.

[Exeunt PETRUCHIO, KATHARINA, and CURTIS. Nath. (advancing). Peter, didst ever see the like? Peter. He kills her in her own humour.

Re-enter CURTIS.

Grum. Where is he?

Curt. In her chamber,

Making a sermon to her,

And rails, and swears, and rates; that she, poor soul,

Knows not which way to stand, to look, to speak;

And sits as one new risen from a dream.

Away, away! for he is coming hither.

[Exeunt.

Re-enter PETRUCHIO.

Pet. Thus have I politickly begun my reign,
And 't is my hope to end successfully.

My falcon now is sharp, and passing empty;
And, till she stoop, she must not be full-gorg'd,
For then she never looks upon her lure.

Another way I have to man my haggard,*
To make her come, and know her keeper's call,
That is, to watch her, as we watch the kites
That bate,† and beat, and will not be obedient.
She eat no meat to-day, nor none shall eat;
Last night she slept not, nor to-night she shall not;
As with the meat, some undeserved fault

I'll find about the making of the bed;

And here I'll fling the pillow, there the bolster,
This way the coverlet, another way the sheets :-
Ay, and amid this hurly, I intend

That all is done in reverend care of her :

And, in conclusion, she shall watch all night:

And, if she chance to nod, I'll rail and brawl,
And with the clamour keep her still awake.

This is the way to kill a wife with kindness;

And thus I curb her mad and headstrong humour.—

He that knows better how to tame a shrew,
Now let him speak; 't is charity to shew.

[Exit.

*

SCENE, a Room in the same House.

Enter KATHARINA and GRUMIO.

Gru. No, no; forsooth, I dare not, for my life.

Kath. The more my wrong, the more his spite appears :

What, did he marry me to famish me?

* To tame my wild hawk.

† Bate, flutter.