The Taming of the Shrew

father’s he!
But art thou not advised, he took some care
To get her cunning schoolmasters to instruct her? Tranio Ay, marry, am I, sir; and now ’tis plotted. Lucentio I have it, Tranio. Tranio

Master, for my hand,
Both our inventions meet and jump in one.

Lucentio Tell me thine first. Tranio

You will be schoolmaster
And undertake the teaching of the maid:
That’s your device.

Lucentio It is: may it be done? Tranio

Not possible; for who shall bear your part,
And be in Padua here Vincentio’s son,
Keep house and ply his book, welcome his friends,
Visit his countrymen and banquet them?

Lucentio

Basta; content thee, for I have it full.
We have not yet been seen in any house,
Nor can we be distinguish’d by our faces
For man or master; then it follows thus;
Thou shalt be master, Tranio, in my stead,
Keep house and port and servants, as I should:
I will some other be, some Florentine,
Some Neapolitan, or meaner man of Pisa.
’Tis hatch’d and shall be so: Tranio, at once
Uncase thee; take my colour’d hat and cloak:
When Biondello comes, he waits on thee;
But I will charm him first to keep his tongue.

Tranio

So had you need.
In brief, sir, sith it your pleasure is,
And I am tied to be obedient;
For so your father charged me at our parting,
“Be serviceable to my son,” quoth he,
Although I think ’twas in another sense;
I am content to be Lucentio,
Because so well I love Lucentio.

Lucentio

Tranio, be so, because Lucentio loves:
And let me be a slave, to achieve that maid
Whose sudden sight hath thrall’d my wounded eye.
Here comes the rogue.

Enter Biondello. Sirrah, where have you been? Biondello Where have I been! Nay, how now! where are you? Master, has my fellow Tranio stolen your clothes? Or you stolen his? or both? pray, what’s the news? Lucentio

Sirrah, come hither: ’tis no time to jest,
And therefore frame your manners to the time.
Your fellow Tranio here, to save my life,
Puts my apparel and my countenance on,
And I for my escape have put on his;
For in a quarrel since I came ashore
I kill’d a man and fear I was descried:
Wait you on him, I charge you, as becomes,
While I make way from hence to save my life:
You understand me?

Biondello I, sir! ne’er a whit. Lucentio

And not a jot of Tranio in your mouth:
Tranio is changed into Lucentio.

Biondello The better for him: would I were so too! Tranio

So could I, faith, boy, to have the next wish after,
That Lucentio indeed had Baptista’s youngest daughter.
But, sirrah, not for my sake, but your master’s, I advise
You use your manners discreetly in all kind of companies:
When I am alone, why, then I am Tranio;
But in all places else your master Lucentio.

Lucentio Tranio, let’s go: one thing more rests, that thyself execute, to make one among these wooers: if thou ask me why, sufficeth, my reasons are both good and weighty. Exeunt. The presenters above speak. First Servant My lord, you nod; you do not mind the play. Sly Yes, by Saint Anne, do I. A good matter, surely: comes there any more of it? Page My lord, ’tis but begun. Sly ’Tis a very excellent piece of work, madam lady: would ’twere done! They sit and mark.

Scene II

Padua. Before Hortensio’s house.

	Enter Petruchio and his man Grumio.
Petruchio	Verona, for a while I take my leave, To see my friends in Padua, but of all My best beloved and approved friend, Hortensio; and I trow this is his house. Here, sirrah Grumio; knock, I say.
Grumio	Knock, sir! whom should I knock? is there man has rebused your worship?
Petruchio	Villain, I say, knock me here soundly.
Grumio	Knock you here, sir! why, sir, what am I, sir, that I should knock you here, sir?
Petruchio	Villain, I say, knock me at this gate And rap me well, or I’ll knock your knave’s pate.
Grumio	My master is grown quarrelsome. I should knock you first, And then I know after who comes by the worst.
Petruchio	Will it not be? Faith, sirrah, an you’ll not knock, I’ll ring it; I’ll try how you can sol, fa, and sing it. He wrings him by the ears.
Grumio	Help, masters, help! my master is mad.
Petruchio	Now, knock when I bid you, sirrah villain!
	Enter Hortensio.
Hortensio	How now! what’s the matter? My old friend Grumio! and my good friend Petruchio! How do you all at Verona?
Petruchio	Signior Hortensio, come you to part the fray? “Con tutto il cuore, ben trovato,” may I say.
Hortensio	“Alla nostra casa ben venuto, molto honorato signormio Petruchio.” Rise, Grumio, rise: we will compound this quarrel.
Grumio	Nay, ’tis no matter, sir, what he ’leges in Latin. If this be not a lawful case for me to leave hisservice, look you, sir, he bid me knock him and rap him soundly, sir: well, was it fit for a servant to use his master so, being perhaps, for aught I see, two and thirty, a pip out? Whom would to God I had well knock’d at first, Then had not Grumio come by the worst.
Petruchio	A senseless villain! Good Hortensio, I bade the rascal knock upon your gate And could not get him for my heart to do it.
Grumio	Knock at the gate! O heavens! Spake you not these words plain, “Sirrah, knock me here, rap me here, knock me well, and knock me soundly”? And come you now with, “knocking at the gate”?
Petruchio	Sirrah, be gone, or talk not, I advise you.
Hortensio	Petruchio, patience; I am Grumio’s pledge: Why, this’s a heavy chance ’twixt him and you, Your ancient, trusty, pleasant servant Grumio. And tell me now, sweet friend, what happy gale Blows you to Padua here from old Verona?
Petruchio	Such wind as scatters young men through the world To seek their fortunes farther than at home Where small experience grows. But in a few, Signior Hortensio, thus it stands with me: Antonio, my father, is deceased; And I have thrust myself into this maze, Haply to wive and thrive as best I may: Crowns in my purse I have and goods at home, And so am come abroad to see the