Curt. All ready; and therefore, I pray thee, what news? Gru. First, know, my horfe is tired, my mafter and miftrefs fall'n out. Curt. How? Gru. Out of their faddles into the dirt; and thereby hangs a tale. Curt. Let's ha't, good Grumio. Gru. Lend thine ear. Curt. Here. Gru. There. [Strikes him. Curt. This is to feel a tale, not to hear a tale. Gru. And therefore 'tis call'd a fenfible tale: and this cuff was but to knock at your ear, and befeech liftening. Now I begin: Imprimis, we came down a foul hill, my mafter 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 hadft thou not "crofs'd me, thou fhould't have heard how her horfe ‚“ - fell, and the under her horse: thou should't have heard "in how miry a place, how he was bemoil'd, how "he left her with the horfe upon her, how he beat me "because her horfe ftumbled, how fhe waded through "the dirt to pluck him off me; how he fwore, how "The pray'd that never pray'd before; how I cry'd; "how the horfes ran away; how her bridle was burst; "how I loft my crupper; with many things of worthy memory, which now fhall die in oblivion, and thou "return unexperienc'd to thy grave." Curt. By this reckoning he is more fhrew than the. Gru. Ay, and that thou and the proudeft of you all fhall find when he comes home. But what talk I of this call forth Nathaniel, Jofeph, Nicholas, Philip, Waiter, Sugarfop, and the reft; let their heads be fleekly comb'd, their blue coats brufh'd, and their garters of an indifferent knit; let them curt'fy with their left legs, and not prefume to touch a hair of my mafter's horfe-tail, till they kifs their hands. Are they all ready? Curt. They are. Gru. Call them forth. Curt. Do you hear, ho? you must meet my master to countenance my mistress. Gru. Why, the hath a face of her own. Curt. Who knows not that? Gru. Thou, it feems, that call'ft for company to countenance her. Curt. I call them forth to credit her. Enter four or five ferving-men. Gru. Why, fhe comes to borrow nothing of them. Nat. Welcome home, Grumio. Phil. How now, Grumio? Jof. What, Grumio! Nich. Fellow Grumio! Nath. How now, old lad. Gru. "Welcome, you; how now, you; what, you; fellow, you; and thus much for greeting." Now, my fpruce companions, is all ready, and all things neat? Nat. All things are ready; how near is our mafter? Gru. E'en at hand, alighted by this; and therefore be not-cock's paffion, filence! I hear my mafter. SCENE II. Enter Petruchio and Kate. Pet. Where be thefe knaves? what, no man at door, to hold my ftirrup, nor to take my horfe? Where is Nathaniel, Gregory, Philip? All Serv. Here, here, Sir; here, Sir. Pet. Here, Sir, here, Sir, here, Sir, here, Sir? What! no attendance? no regard? no duty? [drudge, Gru. Here, Sir, as foolish as I was before. Pet. You peafant fwain, you (whorefon, malt-horse Did not I 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' th' heel; There was no link to colour Peter's hat; And Walter's dagger was not come from fheathing: There were none fine, but Adam, Ralph, and Gregory; Yet as they are, here are they come to meet you. [Exeunt Servants. Where is the life that late I led? Enter Servants with fupper. [Singing. Why, when, I fay? nay, good sweet Kate, be merry. It was the friar of orders gray, Out, out, you rogue! you pluck my foot awry. [Sings. [Strikes him. Be merry, Kate: fome water, here; what, hoa! Enter one with water. Where's my fpaniel Troilus? firrah, get you hence, One, Kate, that you must kiss, and be acquainted with. let it fall? Cath. Patience, I pray you, 'twas a fault unwilling. Pet. A whorefon, beatle-headed, flap-ear'd knave: Come, Kate, fit down; I know you have a ftomach Will you give thanks, fweet Kate, or elfe fhall I? What's this, mutton? I Serv. Yes. Pet. Who brought it? Serv. I. Pet. 'Tis burnt, and fo is all the meat: [Throws the meat, &c. about the stage. You heedlefs jolt heads, and unmanner'd slaves! What, do you grumble? I'll be with you ftraight. Pet. I tell thee, Kate, 'twas burnt and dry'd away, And I exprefsly am forbid to touch it : For it ingenders choler, planteth anger; And better 'twere that both of us did faft, Since, of ourselves, ourfelves are choleric, Than feed it with fuch over-roafted flesh. Be patient, for to-morrow 't shall be mended, And for this night we'll faft for company. Come, I will bring thee to thy bridal chamber. [Exeunt Nath. Peter, didst ever see the like? Enter Curtis, a fervant. Curt. In her chamber, making a fermon of conti nency to her, And rails, and fwears, and rates; that fhe, poor foul, SCENE III. [Exeunt. Enter Petruchio. Pet. Thus have I politicly begun my reign, VOL. II. Ff لا Ay; and, amid this hurly, I'll pretend, SCENE IV. [Exit. Before Baptifta's house. Enter Tranio and Hortenfio. Tra. Is't poffible, friend Licio, that Bianca. I tell you, Sir, fhe bears me fair in hand. Enter Bianca and Lucentio. Luc. Now, Miftrefs, profit you in what you read? Bian. What, Master, read you? firft refolve me that. Luc. I read that I profefs, the art of love. heart. Bian. And may you prove, Sir, mafter of your art! Luc. While you, fweet dear, prove miftrefs of my [They retire backward. Hor. Quick proceeders! marry! now, tell me, I pray, you that durft fwear that your miftrefs Bianca lov'd none in the world fo well as Lucentio. Tra. Defpightful love, unconftant womankind! I tell thee, Licio, this is wonderful. Hor. Miftake no more, I am not Licio, Nor a musician, as I feem to be; But one that scorn to live in this disguife Of Tra. Signior Hortenfio, I have often heard And fince mine eyes are witness of her lightness, |