Pet.
It cannot be.
Kath.
Let me entreat you.
Pet.
I am content.
Kath.
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;
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, Katherina, [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.
Neighbors 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 practice how to bride it?
Bap.
She shall, Lucentio. Come, gentlemen, let’s go.
Exeunt.
¶
[ACT IV]
[Scene I]
Enter Grumio.
Gru. Fie, fie on all tir’d jades, on all mad masters, and all foul ways! Was ever man so beaten? Was ever man so ray’d? 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 weather, a taller man than I will take cold.
