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- THE TAMING OF THE SHREW
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- Act 3 Scene 3
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- (Enter Lucentio as Cambio, and Tranio as Lucentio)
- l1l Tranio But, sir, to love concerneth us to add
- l2l Her fatherÆs liking, which to bring to pass,
- l3l As I before imparted to your worship,
- l4l I am to get a manùwhateÆer he be
- l5l It skills not much, weÆll fit him to our turnù
- l6l And he shall be Vincentio of Pisa,
- l7l And make assurance here in Padua
- l8l Of greater sums than I have promisΦd.
- l9l So shall you quietly enjoy your hope,
- l10l And marry sweet Bianca with consent.
- l11l Lucentio Were it not that my fellow schoolmaster
- l12l Doth watch BiancaÆs steps so narrowly,
- l13l ÆTwere good, methinks, to steal our marriage,
- l14l Which once performed, let all the world say no,
- l15l IÆll keep mine own, despite of all the world.
- l16l Tranio That by degrees we mean to look into,
- l17l And watch our vantage in this business.
- l18l WeÆll overreach the greybeard Gremio,
- l19l The narrow-prying father Minola,
- l20l The quaint musician, amorous Licio,
- l21l All for my masterÆs sake, Lucentio.
- (Enter Gremio)
- l22l Signor Gremio, came you from the church?
- l23l Gremio As willingly as eÆer I came from school.
- l24l Tranio And is the bride and bridegroom coming home?
- l25l Gremio A bridegroom, say you? ÆTis a groom indeedù
- l26l A grumbling groom, and that the girl shall find.
- l27l Tranio Curster than she? Why, Ætis impossible.
- l28l Gremio Why, heÆs a devil, a devil, a very fiend.
- l29l Tranio Why, sheÆs a devil, a devil, the devilÆs dam.
- l30l Gremio Tut, sheÆs a lamb, a dove, a fool to him.
- l31l IÆll tell you, Sir Lucentio: when the priest
- l32l Should ask if Katherine should be his wife,
- l33l ôAy, by GogÆs wounÆs,ö quoth he, and swore so loud
- l34l That all amazed the priest let fall the book,
- l35l And as he stooped again to take it up
- l36l This mad-brained bridegroom took him such a cuff
- l37l That down fell priest, and book, and book, and priest.
- l38l ôNow take them up,ö quoth he, ôif any list.ö
- l39l Tranio What said the vicar when he rose again?
- l40l Gremio Trembled and shook, forwhy he stamped and swore
- l41l As if the vicar meant to cozen him.
- l42l But after many ceremonies done
- l43l He calls for wine. ôA health,ö quoth he, as if
- l44l He had been aboard, carousing to his mates
- l45l After a storm; quaffed off the muscatel
- l46l And threw the sops all in the sextonÆs face,
- l47l Having no other reason
- l48l But that his beard grew thin and hungerly
- l49l And seemed to ask him sops as he was drinking.
- l50l This done, he took the bride about the neck
- l51l And kissed her lips with such a clamorous smack
- l52l That at the parting all the church did echo,
- l53l And I seeing this came thence for very shame,
- l54l And after me, I know, the rout is coming.
- l55l Such a mad marriage never was before.
- (Music plays)
- l56l Hark, hark, I hear the minstrels play.
- (Enter Petruccio, Katherine, Bianca, Hortensio as Licio,
- Baptista, Grumio, and others, attendants)
- l57l Petruccio Gentlemen and friends, I thank you for your pains.
- l58l I know you think to dine with me today,
- l59l And have prepared great store of wedding cheer.
- l60l But so it is my haste doth call me hence,
- l61l And therefore here I mean to take my leave.
- l62l Baptista Is Æt possible you will away tonight?
- l63l Petruccio I must away today, before night come.
- l64l Make it no wonder. If you knew my business,
- l65l You would entreat me rather go than stay.
- l66l And, honest company, I thank you all
- l67l That have beheld me give away myself
- l68l To this most patient, sweet, and virtuous wife.
- l69l Dine with my father, drink a health to me,
- l70l For I must hence; and farewell to you all.
- l71l Tranio Let us entreat you stay till after dinner.
- l72l Petruccio It may not be.
- Gremio Let me entreat you.
- l73l Petruccio It cannot be.
- Katherine Let me entreat you.
- l74l Petruccio I am content.
- Katherine Are you content to stay?
- l75l Petruccio I am content you shall entreat me stay,
- l76l But yet not stay, entreat me how you can.
- l77l Katherine Now, if you love me, stay.
- Petruccio Grumio, my horse.
- l78l Grumio Ay, sir, they be ready. The oats have eaten the
- l79l horses.
- l80l Katherine Nay, then, do what thou canst, I will not go today,
- l81l No, nor tomorrowùnot till I please myself.
- l82l The door is open, sir, there lies your way.
- l83l You may be jogging whiles your boots are green.
- l84l For me, IÆll not be gone till I please myself.
- l85l ÆTis like youÆll prove a jolly, surly groom,
- l86l That take it on you at the first so roundly.
- l87l Petruccio O Kate, content thee. Prithee, be not angry.
- l88l Katherine I will be angry. What hast thou to do?
- l89l Father, be quiet. He shall stay my leisure.
- l90l Gremio Ay, marry, sir. Now it begins to work.
- l91l Katherine Gentlemen, forward to the bridal dinner.
- l92l I see a woman may be made a fool
- l93l If she had not a spirit to resist.
- l94l Petruccio They shall go forward, Kate, at thy command.
- l95l Obey the bride, you that attend on her.
- l96l Go to the feast, revel and domineer,
- l97l Carouse full measure to her maidenhead.
- l98l Be mad and merry, or go hang yourselves.
- l99l But for my bonny Kate, she must with me.
- l100l Nay, look not big, nor stamp, nor stare, nor fret.
- l101l I will be master of what is mine own.
- l102l She is my goods, my chattels. She is my house,
- l103l My household-stuff, my field, my barn,
- l104l My horse, my ox, my ass, my anything,
- l105l And here she stands, touch her whoever dare.
- l106l IÆll bring mine action on the proudest he
- l107l That stops my way in Padua. Grumio,
- l108l Draw forth thy weapon, we are beset with thieves.
- l109l Rescue thy mistress if thou be a man.
- l110l Fear not, sweet wench. They shall not touch thee, Kate.
- l111l IÆll buckler thee against a million.
- (Exeunt Petruccio, Katherine, and Grumio)
- l112l Baptista Nay, let them goùa couple of quiet ones!
- l113l Gremio Went they not quickly I should die with laughing.
- l114l Tranio Of all mad matches never was the like.
- l115l Lucentio Mistress, whatÆs your opinion of your sister?
- l116l Bianca That being mad herself sheÆs madly mated.
- l117l Gremio I warrant him, Petruccio is Kated.
- l118l Baptista Neighbours and friends, though bride and bridegroom
- wants
- l119l For to supply the places at the table,
- l120l You know there wants no junkets at the feast.
- l121l Lucentio, you shall supply the bridegroomÆs place,
- l122l And let Bianca take her sisterÆs room.
- l123l Tranio Shall sweet Bianca practise how to bride it?
- l124l Baptista She shall, Lucentio. Come, gentlemen, letÆs go.
- (Exeunt)
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