DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

A Lord, before whom the Play is fuppos'd to be play'd.
CHRISTOPHER SIY, a drunken Tinker.

Hoftefs.

Page, Players, Huntsmen, and other Servants attending on the Lord.

The Perfons of the Play itself are,

BAPTISTA, Father to CATHARINA and BIANCA, very rich.

VINCENTIO, an old Gentleman of Pifa.

LUCENTIO, Son to VINCENTIO, in love with BIANCA.

PETRUCHIO, a Gentleman of Verona, a fuitor to CATHARINA. GREMIO,

HORTENSIO,} Pretenders to BIANCA.

TRANIO, } Servants to LUCENTIO,

BIONDELLO,

GRUMIO, Servant to. PETRUCHIO.

PEDANT, an old fellow fet up to perfonate VINCENTIO.

CATHARINA, the Shrew.

BIANCA, her Sifter.

Widow.

Tailor, Haberdashers, with Servants attending on BAPTISTA

and PETRUCHIO.

SCENE, fometimes in Padua, and fometimes in PETRUCHIO'S Houfe in the Country.

THE

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW.

I

INDUCTIO N.

SCENE I.

Enter Hoftefs, and Sly.

SLY.

'LL pheeze you, in faith.

Hoft. A pair of stocks, you rogue!

Sly. Y'are a baggage; the Slies are no rogues: look in the chronicles; we came in with Richard Conqueror : therefore, paucus palabris, let the world flide: Seffa. Hoft. You will not pay for the glaffes you have burst? Sly. No, not a denier: 'go by, Jeronymo, go to thy cold bed, and warm thee.

Hoft. I know my remedy; I must go fetch the thirdborough. [Exit. Sly. Third, or fourth, or fifth borough, I'll answer him by law: I'll not budge an inch, boy; let him come, and kindly.

[falls afleep.

Wind borns. Enter a Lord from hunting, with a train.

Lord. Huntsman, I charge thee, tender well my hounds; Leech Merriman, the poor cur is embofs'd;

And couple Clowder with the deepmouth'd brach.

Saw'st thou not, boy, how Silver made it good

He means to fay, pocas palabras.

Go by, Jeronymo, was a kind of by-word in the author's days, as appears by it's being used in the fame manner by Ben. Jonfon, Beaumont and Fletcher, and other writers near that time. It arofe first from a paffage in an old play call'd Hieronymo or The Spanish Tragedy.

Ii 2

At

At the hedge-corner in the coldest fault?

I would not lofe the dog for twenty pound.

Hun. Why, Belman is as good as he, my lord;
He cried upon it at the merest loss,

And twice to-day pick'd out the dullest scent:
Trust me, I take him for the better dog.

Lord. Thou art a fool; if Eccho were as fleet,

I would efteem him worth a dozen fuch.

But sup them well, and look unto them all;
To-morrow I intend to hunt again.

Hun. I will, my lord.

Lord. What's here? one dead, or drunk? fee, doth he breathe? 2 Hun. He breathes, my lord. Were he not warm'd with ale,

This were a bed but cold, to fleep fo foundly.

Lord. O monftrous beaft! how like a fwine he lies!
Grim death, how foul and loathsome is thine image!
Sirs, I will practise on this drunken man.
What think you, if he were convey'd to bed,
Wrap'd in fweet cloths; rings put upon his fingers;
A moft delicious banquet by his bed,

And brave attendants near him when he wakes;
Would not the beggar then forget himself?

1 Hun. Believe me, lord, I think, he cannot choose.
2 Hun. It would seem strange unto him when he wak’d.
Lord. Even as a flatt'ring dream, or worthless fancy.
Then take him up, and manage well the jeft:

Carry him gently to my faireft chamber,

And hang it round with all my wanton pictures;
Balm his foul head with warm diftilled waters,
And burn fweet wood to make the lodging fweet;
Procure me mufick ready when he wakes,
To make a dulcet and a heav'nly found;
And if he chance to speak, be ready straight,
And with a low fubmiffive reverence,
Say, what is it your honour will command?
Let one attend him with a filver bafon

Full

Full of rosewater, and beftrew'd with flowers;
Another bear the ewer; a third a diaper;

And fay, will't please your lordship cool your hands?
Some one be ready with a coftly fuit,

And ask him what apparel he will wear;
Another tell him of his hounds and horfes,
And that his lady mourns at his disease ;
Perfuade him that he hath been lunatick :
And when he fays he's poor, fay that he dreams,
For he is nothing but a mighty lord:

This do, and do it kindly, gentle firs:

It will be paftime paffing excellent,

If it be husbanded with modefty.

1 Hun. My lord, I warrant you we'll play our part, As he shall think, by our true diligence,

He is no less than what we fay he is.

Lord. Take him up gently, and to bed with him;

And each one to his office when he wakes.

[found Trumpets.

Sirrah, go, see what trumpet 'tis that founds. [Sly is carried of.

Belike, fome noble gentleman that means,

Travelling fome journey, to repofe him here.

Now, fellows, you are welcome.

Play. We thank your honour.

Lord. Do you intend to stay with me to-night?
2 Play. So please your lordship to accept our duty.
Lord. With all my heart. This fellow I remember,