Padua. Before Baptista's House.
 Enter BAPTISTA, GREMIO, TRANIO as Lucentio, KATHERINA, BIANCA,
 LUCENTIO as Cambio, and SERVANTS.

Baptista	[To TRANIO.] Signor Lucentio, this is the 'pointed day
	That Katherine and Petruchio should be married,
	And yet we hear not of our son-in-law.
	What will be said? What mockery will it be
	To want the bridegroom when the priest attends
	To speak the ceremonial rites of marriage!
	What says Lucentio to this shame of ours?

Katherina	No shame but mine. I must, forsooth, be forced
	To give my hand, opposed against my heart,
	Unto a madbrain rudesby, full of spleen,
	Who wooed in haste and means to wed at leisure.
	I told you, I, he was a frantic fool,
	Hiding his bitter jests in blunt behaviour;
	And to be noted for a merry man
	He'll woo a thousand, 'point the day of marriage,
	Make friends, invite, and proclaim the banns,
	Yet never means to wed where he hath wooed.
	Now must the world point at poor Katherine
	And say 'Lo, there is mad Petruchio's wife,
	If it would please him come and marry her'.

Tranio	Patience, good Katherine, and Baptista too.
	Upon my life, Petruchio means but well,
	Whatever fortune stays him from his word.
	Though he be blunt, I know him passing wise;
	Though he be merry, yet withal he's honest.

Katherina	Would Katherine had never seen him though!
														[Exit weeping,
										followed by BIANCA and OTHERS.

Baptista	Go, girl; I cannot blame thee now to weep,
	For such an injury would vex a saint,
	Much more a shrew of thy impatient humour.

                             Enter BIONDELLO.

Biondello	Master, master, news! And such old news as you never heard 
	of!

Baptista	Is it new and old too? How may that be?

Biondello	Why, is it not news to hear of Petruchio's coming?

Baptista	Is he come?

Biondello	Why, no, sir.

Baptista	What then?

Biondello	He is coming.

Baptista	When will he be here?

Biondello	When he stands where I am and sees you there.

Tranio	But say, what to thine old news?

Biondello	Why, Petruchio is coming in a new hat and an old jerkin; a 
	pair of old breeches thrice turned; a pair of boots that 
	have been candle-cases, one buckled, another laced; an old 
	rusty sword ta'en out of the town armoury, with a broken 
	hilt, and chapeless; with two broken points; his horse 
	hipped with an old mothy saddle and stirrups of no kindred, 
	besides, possessed with the glanders and like to mose in the 
	chine, troubled with the lampas, infected with the fashions, 
	full of windgalls, sped with spavins, rayed with the 
	yellows, past cure of the fives, stark spoiled with the 
	staggers, begnawn with the bots, swayed in the back and 
	shoulder-shotten, near-legged before, and with a half-
	cheeked bit and a headstall of sheep's leather, which, being 
	restrained to keep him from stumbling, hath been often burst 
	and now repaired with knots; one girth six times pieced, and 
	a woman's crupper of velure, which hath two letters for her 
	name fairly set down in studs, and here and there pieced 
	with packthread.

Baptista	Who comes with him?

Biondello	O sir, his lackey, for all the world caparisoned like the 
	horse: with a linen stock on one leg and a kersey boot-hose 
	on the other, gartered with a red and blue list; an old hat, 
	and the humour of forty fancies pricked in't for a feather; 
	a monster, a very monster in apparel, and not like a 
	Christian footboy or a gentleman's lackey.

Tranio	'Tis some odd humour pricks him to this fashion.
	Yet often times he goes but mean-apparelled.

Baptista	I am glad he's come, howsoe'er he comes.

Biondello	Why, sir, he comes not.

Baptista	Didst thou not say he comes?

Biondello	Who? That Petruchio came?

Baptista	Ay, that Petruchio came.

Biondello	No, sir; I say his horse comes, with him on his back.

Baptista	Why, that's all one.

Biondello				Nay, by Saint Jamy,
				I hold you a penny,
				A horse and a man
				Is more than one,
				And yet not many.

                       Enter PETRUCHIO and GRUMIO.

Petruchio	Come, where be these gallants? Who's at home?

Baptista	You are welcome, sir.

Petruchio						And yet I come not well.

Baptista	And yet you halt not.

Tranio							Not so well apparelled
	As I wish you were.

Petruchio	Were it not better I should rush in thus?
	But where is Kate? Where is my lovely bride?
	How does my father? Gentles, methinks you frown;
	And wherefore gaze this goodly company
	As if they saw some wondrous monument,
	Some comet, or unusual prodigy?

Baptista	Why, sir, you know this is your wedding-day.
	First were we sad, fearing you would not come,
	Now sadder that you come so unprovided.
	Fie! Doff this habit, shame to your estate,
	An eyesore to our solemn festival!

Tranio	And tell us what occasion of import
	Hath all so long detained you from your wife,
	And sent you hither so unlike yourself.

Petruchio	Tedious it were to tell, and harsh to hear;
	Sufficeth I am come to keep my word,
	Though in some part enforcd to digress,
	Which, at more leisure, I will so excuse
	As you shall well be satisfied withal.
	But where is Kate? I stay too long from her.
	The morning wears, 'tis time we were at church.

Tranio	See not your bride in these unreverent robes.
	Go to my chamber, put on clothes of mine.

Petruchio	Not I, believe me; thus I'll visit her.

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

Petruchio	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 bride,
	And seal the title with a lovely kiss.
										 [Exeunt PETRUCHIO and GRUMIO.

Tranio	He hath some meaning in his mad attire.
	We will persuade him, be it possible,
	To put on better ere he go to church.

Baptista	I'll after him, and see the event of this.
													[Exeunt BAPTISTA, GREMIO,
												BIONDELLO, and ATTENDANTS.

Tranio	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 promisd.
	So shall you quietly enjoy your hope,
	And marry sweet Bianca with consent.

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

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

                             Re-enter GREMIO.

	Signor Gremio, came you from the church?

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

Tranio	And is the bride and bridegroom coming home?

Gremio	A bridegroom, say you? 'Tis a groom indeed,
	A grumbling groom, and that the girl shall find.

Tranio	Curster than she? Why, 'tis impossible.

Gremio	Why, he's a devil, a devil, a very fiend.

Tranio	Why, she's a devil, a devil, the devil's dam.

Gremio	Tut! She's a lamb, a dove, a fool to him.
	I'll tell you, Sir Lucentio, when the priest
	Should ask if Katherine 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 stooped again to take it up,
	The madbrained 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.'

Tranio	What said the wench when he rose up again?

Gremio	Trembled and shook; forwhy he stamped 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
	After a storm; quaffed 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 seemed to ask him sops as he was drinking.
	This done, he took the bride about the neck,
	And kissed 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.
														[Music plays.

         Enter PETRUCHIO, KATHERINA, BIANCA, BAPTISTA, HORTENSIO,
                            GRUMIO and OTHERS.

Petruchio	Gentlemen and friends, I thank you for your pains.
	I know you think to dine with me today,
	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.

Baptista	Is't possible you will away tonight?

Petruchio	I must away today, 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.

Tranio	Let us entreat you stay till after dinner.

Petruchio	It may not be.

Gremio					Let me entreat you.

Petruchio	It cannot be.

Katherina					Let me entreat you.

Petruchio	I am content.

Katherina					Are you content to stay?

Petruchio	I am content you shall entreat me stay;
	But yet not stay, entreat me how you can.

Katherina	Now if you love me, stay.

Petruchio								Grumio, my horse!

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

Katherina	Nay then,
	Do what thou canst, I will not go today;
	No, nor tomorrow: - not till I please myself.
	The door is open, sir, there lies your way;
	You may be jogging whiles your boots are green;
	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.

Petruchio	O Kate, content thee; prithee be not angry.

Katherina	I will be angry. What hast thou to do?
	Father, be quiet; he shall stay my leisure.

Gremio	Ay, marry, sir, now it begins to work.

Katherina	Gentlemen, forward to the bridal dinner.
	I see a woman may be made a fool
	If she had not a spirit to resist.

Petruchio	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 chattels; she is my house,
	My household stuff, my field, my barn,
	My horse, my ox, my ass, my anything;
	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.
						[Exeunt PETRUCHIO, KATHERINA, and GRUMIO.

Baptista	Nay, let them go. A couple of quiet ones!

Gremio	Went they not quickly I should die with laughing.

Tranio	Of all mad matches never was the like.

Lucentio	Mistress, what's your opinion of your sister?

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

Gremio	I warrant him, Petruchio is Kated.

Baptista	Neighbours and friends, though bride and bridegroom wants
	For to supply the places at the table,
	You know there wants no junkets at the feast.
	Lucentio, you shall supply the bridegroom's place,
	And let Bianca take her sister's room.

Tranio	Shall sweet Bianca practise how to bride it?

Baptista	She shall, Lucentio. Come, gentlemen, let's go.
														[Exeunt.
