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The Taming of the Shrew: Act 3 Scene 2

Scene II Padua. Before BAPTISTA'S house.

[Enter BAPTISTA, GREMIO, TRANIO, KATHARINA, BIANCA,

LUCENTIO, and others, attendants]

BAPTISTA

[To TRANIO] Signior Lucentio, this is the

'pointed day.

That Katharina 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?

KATHARINA

No shame but mine: I must, forsooth, be forced

To give my hand opposed against my heart

Unto a mad-brain rudesby full of spleen;

Who woo'd in haste and means to wed at leisure.

I told you, I, he was a frantic fool,

Hiding his bitter jests in blunt behavior:

And, to be noted for a merry man,

He'll woo a thousand, 'point the day of marriage,

Make feasts, invite friends, and proclaim the banns;

Yet never means to wed where he hath woo'd.

Now must the world point at poor Katharina,

And say, 'Lo, there is mad Petruchio's wife,

If it would please him come and marry her!'

TRANIO

Patience, good Katharina, 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.

KATHARINA

Would Katharina 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 very saint,

Much more a shrew of thy impatient humour.

[Enter BIONDELLO]

BIONDELLO

Master, master! news, old news, and such 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-armory, 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 lampass, infected

with the fashions, full of wingdalls, sped with

spavins, rayed with 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-chequed bit

and a head-stall of sheeps leather which, being

restrained to keep him from stumbling, hath been

often burst and now repaired with knots; one girth

six time 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 oftentimes he goes but mean-apparell'd.

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 apparell'd

As I wish you were.

PETRUCHIO

Were it 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 eye-sore to our solemn festival!

TRANIO

And tells us, what occasion of import

Hath all so long detain'd 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 enforced 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, and attendants]

TRANIO

But to her love concerneth us to add

Her father's liking: which to bring to pass,

As I before unparted 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 promised.

So shall you quietly enjoy your hope,

And marry sweet Bianca with consent.

LUCENTIO

Were it not that my fellow-school-master

Doth watch Bianca's steps so narrowly,

'Twere good, methinks, to steal our marriage;

Which once perform'd, 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 over-reach the greybeard, Gremio,

The narrow-prying father, Minola,

The quaint musician, amorous Licio;

All for my master's sake, Lucentio.

[Re-enter GREMIO]

Signior 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 Katharina 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 stoop'd again to take it up,

The mad-brain'd 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 again?

GREMIO

Trembled and shook; for why, he stamp'd 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; 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]

PETRUCHIO

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.

BAPTISTA

Is't possible you will away to-night?

PETRUCHIO

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.

TRANIO

Let us entreat you stay till after dinner.

PETRUCHIO

It may not be.

GREMIO

Let me entreat you.

PETRUCHIO

It cannot be.

KATHARINA

Let me entreat you.

PETRUCHIO

I am content.

KATHARINA

Are you content to stay?

PETRUCHIO

I am content you shall entreat me stay;

But yet not stay, entreat me how you can.

KATHARINA

Now, if you love me, stay.

PETRUCHIO

Grumio, my horse.

GRUMIO

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

KATHARINA

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.

PETRUCHIO

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

KATHARINA

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.

KATARINA

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 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]

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]