After a storm; quaff'd 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 seem'd to ask him sops as he was drinking.
This done, he took the bride about the neck
And kiss'd 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.

Re-enter PETRUCHIO, KATHARINA, BIANCA, BAPTISTA, HORTENSIO, GRUMIO, and Train. Pet. Gentlemen and friends, I thank you for your pains :

I know you think to dine with me to-day,
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.
Bap. Is 't possible you will away to-night?
Pet. I must away to-day, 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.

Tra. Let us entreat you stay till after dinner.

175. Wine and cakes dipped in it (sops) were taken in the church at Elizabethan weddings immediately after the service.

177. hungerly, scantily.

180

190

200

180. The kiss was also a part of the marriage ceremonial.

Pet. It may not be.

Gre.

Pet. It cannot be.

Kath.

Pet. I am content.

Kath.

Let me entreat you.

Let me entreat you.

Are you content to stay?

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

Kath. Now, if you love me, stay.

Pet.

Grumio, my horse.

Gru. Ay, sir, they be ready: the oats have eaten the horses.

Kath. Nay, then,

Do what thou canst, I will not go to-day;
No, nor to-morrow, 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.

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

Kath. I will be angry: what hast thou to do?
Father, be quiet: he shall stay my leisure.

Gre. Ay, marry, sir, now it begins to work.
Kath. Gentlemen, forward to the bridal dinner :

I see a woman may be made a fool,

If she had not a spirit to resist.

Pet. 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:

210

220

213. green, fresh, new, with ironical sub-allusion to Petruchio's pair of candle-cases.'

But for my bonny Kate, she must with me.

Nay, look not big, nor stamp, nor stare, nor fret; 230

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 any thing;
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, Katharina, and Grumio. Bap. Nay, let them go, a couple of quiet ones. Gre. Went they not quickly, I should die with laughing.

Tra. Of all mad matches never was the like. Luc. Mistress, what's your opinion of your sister?

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

Gre. I warrant him, Petruchio is Kated.

Bap. 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.

Tra. Shall sweet Bianca practise how to bride
it ?

Bap. She shall, Lucentio.

let's go.

236. he, man.

248. wants, are wanting.

Come, gentlemen,
[Exeunt.

240

250

250. junkets, dainties, sweet

meats.

SCENE I.

ACT IV.

PETRUCHIO'S country house.

Enter GRUMIO.

Gru. Fie, fie on all tired jades, on all mad masters, and all foul ways! Was ever man so beaten? was ever man so rayed? was ever man so weary? I am sent before to make a fire, and they are coming after to warm them. Now, were not I a little pot and soon hot, my very lips might freeze to my teeth, my tongue to the roof of my mouth, my heart in my belly, ere I should come by a fire to thaw me: but I, with blowing the fire, shall warm myself; for, considering the so weather, a taller man than I will take cold. Holla, ho! Curtis.

Enter CURTIS.

Curt. Who is it that calls so coldly?

Gru. A piece of ice: if thou doubt it, thou mayst slide from my shoulder to my heel with no greater a run but my head and my neck. A fire, good Curtis.

Curt. Is my master and his wife coming, Grumio?

Gru. Oh, ay, Curtis, ay: and therefore fire, 20 fire; cast on no water.

Curt. Is she so hot a shrew as she's reported?
Gru. She was, good Curtis, before this frost:

3. rayed, soiled.

II. taller, stouter.

21. Alluding to the popular

refrain:

Scotland burneth, Scotland burneth.
Fire, fire, fire, fire:
Cast on some more water.

but, thou knowest, winter tames man, woman and beast; for it hath tamed my old master and my new mistress and myself, fellow Curtis.

Curt. Away, you three-inch fool! I am no beast.

But

Gru. Am I but three inches? why, thy horn is a foot; and so long am I at the least. wilt thou make a fire, or shall I complain on thee to our mistress, whose hand, she being now at hand, thou shalt soon feel, to thy cold comfort, for being slow in thy hot office?

Curt. I prithee, good Grumio, tell me, how goes the world?

Gru. A cold world, Curtis, in every office but thine; and therefore fire: do thy duty, and have thy duty; for my master and mistress are almost frozen to death.

Curt. There's fire ready; and therefore, good Grumio, the news.

Gru. Why, 'Jack, boy! ho! boy!' and as much news as will thaw.

Curt. Come, you are so full of cony-catching!

Gru. Why, therefore fire; for I have caught extreme cold. Where's the cook? is supper ready, the house trimmed, rushes strewed, cobwebs swept; the serving-men in their new fustian, their white stockings, and every officer his wedding-garment on? Be the jacks fair within, the jills fair without, the carpets laid, and every thing in order?

Curt. All ready; and therefore, I pray thee,

30

40

50

51. jacks, drinking-vessels of leather.

52. jills, drinking-vessels of metal.

52. carpets, table-covers.