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Dramatis Personae
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/ Home / Library / Complete Shakespeare / The Taming of the Shrew / Act V Scene I
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The Taming of the Shrew: Act 5 Scene 1
Scene I Padua. Before LUCENTIO'S house.
- [GREMIO discovered. Enter behind BIONDELLO,
- LUCENTIO, and BIANCA]
- BIONDELLO
- Softly and swiftly, sir; for the priest is ready.
- LUCENTIO
- I fly, Biondello: but they may chance to need thee
- at home; therefore leave us.
- BIONDELLO
- Nay, faith, I'll see the church o' your back; and
- then come back to my master's as soon as I can.
- [Exeunt LUCENTIO, BIANCA, and BIONDELLO]
- GREMIO
- I marvel Cambio comes not all this while.
- [Enter PETRUCHIO, KATHARINA, VINCENTIO, GRUMIO,
- with Attendants]
- PETRUCHIO
- Sir, here's the door, this is Lucentio's house:
- My father's bears more toward the market-place;
- Thither must I, and here I leave you, sir.
- VINCENTIO
- You shall not choose but drink before you go:
- I think I shall command your welcome here,
- And, by all likelihood, some cheer is toward.
- [Knocks]
- GREMIO
- They're busy within; you were best knock louder.
- [Pedant looks out of the window]
- PEDANT
- What's he that knocks as he would beat down the gate?
- VINCENTIO
- Is Signior Lucentio within, sir?
- PEDANT
- He's within, sir, but not to be spoken withal.
- VINCENTIO
- What if a man bring him a hundred pound or two, to
- make merry withal?
- PEDANT
- Keep your hundred pounds to yourself: he shall
- need none, so long as I live.
- PETRUCHIO
- Nay, I told you your son was well beloved in Padua.
- Do you hear, sir? To leave frivolous circumstances,
- I pray you, tell Signior Lucentio that his father is
- come from Pisa, and is here at the door to speak with him.
- PEDANT
- Thou liest: his father is come from Padua and here
- looking out at the window.
- VINCENTIO
- Art thou his father?
- PEDANT
- Ay, sir; so his mother says, if I may believe her.
- PETRUCHIO
- [To VINCENTIO] Why, how now, gentleman! why, this
- is flat knavery, to take upon you another man's name.
- PEDANT
- Lay hands on the villain: I believe a' means to
- cozen somebody in this city under my countenance.
- [Re-enter BIONDELLO]
- BIONDELLO
- I have seen them in the church together: God send
- 'em good shipping! But who is here? mine old
- master Vincentio! now we are undone and brought to nothing.
- VINCENTIO
- [Seeing BIONDELLO]
- Come hither, crack-hemp.
- BIONDELLO
- Hope I may choose, sir.
- VINCENTIO
- Come hither, you rogue. What, have you forgot me?
- BIONDELLO
- Forgot you! no, sir: I could not forget you, for I
- never saw you before in all my life.
- VINCENTIO
- What, you notorious villain, didst thou never see
- thy master's father, Vincentio?
- BIONDELLO
- What, my old worshipful old master? yes, marry, sir:
- see where he looks out of the window.
- VINCENTIO
- Is't so, indeed.
- [Beats BIONDELLO]
- BIONDELLO
- Help, help, help! here's a madman will murder me.
- [Exit]
- PEDANT
- Help, son! help, Signior Baptista!
- [Exit from above]
- PETRUCHIO
- Prithee, Kate, let's stand aside and see the end of
- this controversy.
- [They retire]
- [Re-enter Pedant below; TRANIO, BAPTISTA, and Servants]
- TRANIO
- Sir, what are you that offer to beat my servant?
- VINCENTIO
- What am I, sir! nay, what are you, sir? O immortal
- gods! O fine villain! A silken doublet! a velvet
- hose! a scarlet cloak! and a copatain hat! O, I
- am undone! I am undone! while I play the good
- husband at home, my son and my servant spend all at
- the university.
- TRANIO
- How now! what's the matter?
- BAPTISTA
- What, is the man lunatic?
- TRANIO
- Sir, you seem a sober ancient gentleman by your
- habit, but your words show you a madman. Why, sir,
- what 'cerns it you if I wear pearl and gold? I
- thank my good father, I am able to maintain it.
- VINCENTIO
- Thy father! O villain! he is a sailmaker in Bergamo.
- BAPTISTA
- You mistake, sir, you mistake, sir. Pray, what do
- you think is his name?
- VINCENTIO
- His name! as if I knew not his name: I have brought
- him up ever since he was three years old, and his
- name is Tranio.
- PEDANT
- Away, away, mad ass! his name is Lucentio and he is
- mine only son, and heir to the lands of me, Signior Vincentio.
- VINCENTIO
- Lucentio! O, he hath murdered his master! Lay hold
- on him, I charge you, in the duke's name. O, my
- son, my son! Tell me, thou villain, where is my son Lucentio?
- TRANIO
- Call forth an officer.
- [Enter one with an Officer]
- Carry this mad knave to the gaol. Father Baptista,
- I charge you see that he be forthcoming.
- VINCENTIO
- Carry me to the gaol!
- GREMIO
- Stay, officer: he shall not go to prison.
- BAPTISTA
- Talk not, Signior Gremio: I say he shall go to prison.
- GREMIO
- Take heed, Signior Baptista, lest you be
- cony-catched in this business: I dare swear this
- is the right Vincentio.
- PEDANT
- Swear, if thou darest.
- GREMIO
- Nay, I dare not swear it.
- TRANIO
- Then thou wert best say that I am not Lucentio.
- GREMIO
- Yes, I know thee to be Signior Lucentio.
- BAPTISTA
- Away with the dotard! to the gaol with him!
- VINCENTIO
- Thus strangers may be hailed and abused: O
- monstrous villain!
- [Re-enter BIONDELLO, with LUCENTIO and BIANCA]
- BIONDELLO
- O! we are spoiled and--yonder he is: deny him,
- forswear him, or else we are all undone.
- LUCENTIO
- [Kneeling] Pardon, sweet father.
- VINCENTIO
- Lives my sweet son?
- [Exeunt BIONDELLO, TRANIO, and Pedant, as fast
- as may be]
- BIANCA
- Pardon, dear father.
- BAPTISTA
- How hast thou offended?
- Where is Lucentio?
- LUCENTIO
- Here's Lucentio,
- Right son to the right Vincentio;
- That have by marriage made thy daughter mine,
- While counterfeit supposes bleared thine eyne.
- GREMIO
- Here's packing, with a witness to deceive us all!
- VINCENTIO
- Where is that damned villain Tranio,
- That faced and braved me in this matter so?
- BAPTISTA
- Why, tell me, is not this my Cambio?
- BIANCA
- Cambio is changed into Lucentio.
- LUCENTIO
- Love wrought these miracles. Bianca's love
- Made me exchange my state with Tranio,
- While he did bear my countenance in the town;
- And happily I have arrived at the last
- Unto the wished haven of my bliss.
- What Tranio did, myself enforced him to;
- Then pardon him, sweet father, for my sake.
- VINCENTIO
- I'll slit the villain's nose, that would have sent
- me to the gaol.
- BAPTISTA
- But do you hear, sir? have you married my daughter
- without asking my good will?
- VINCENTIO
- Fear not, Baptista; we will content you, go to: but
- I will in, to be revenged for this villany.
- [Exit]
- BAPTISTA
- And I, to sound the depth of this knavery.
- [Exit]
- LUCENTIO
- Look not pale, Bianca; thy father will not frown.
- [Exeunt LUCENTIO and BIANCA]
- GREMIO
- My cake is dough; but I'll in among the rest,
- Out of hope of all, but my share of the feast.
- [Exit]
- KATHARINA
- Husband, let's follow, to see the end of this ado.
- PETRUCHIO
- First kiss me, Kate, and we will.
- KATHARINA
- What, in the midst of the street?
- PETRUCHIO
- What, art thou ashamed of me?
- KATHARINA
- No, sir, God forbid; but ashamed to kiss.
- PETRUCHIO
- Why, then let's home again. Come, sirrah, let's away.
- KATHARINA
- Nay, I will give thee a kiss: now pray thee, love, stay.
- PETRUCHIO
- Is not this well? Come, my sweet Kate:
- Better once than never, for never too late.
- [Exeunt]
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