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Part 21

The Taming of the Shrew · William Shakespeare — chapter 21 of 30 · ~790 words · public domain

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Pet. Plucke vp thy spirits, looke cheerfully vpon me. Heere Loue, thou seest how diligent I am, To dresse thy meate my selfe, and bring it thee. I am sure sweet Kate, this kindnesse merites thankes. What, not a word? Nay then, thou lou'st it not: And all my paines is sorted to no proofe. Heere take away this dish

Kate. I pray you let it stand

Pet. The poorest seruice is repaide with thankes, And so shall mine before you touch the meate

Kate. I thanke you sir

Hor. Signior Petruchio, fie you are too blame: Come Mistris Kate, Ile beare you companie

Petr. Eate it vp all Hortensio, if thou louest mee: Much good do it vnto thy gentle heart: Kate eate apace; and now my honie Loue, Will we returne vnto thy Fathers house, And reuell it as brauely as the best, With silken coats and caps, and golden Rings, With Ruffes and Cuffes, and Fardingales, and things: With Scarfes, and Fannes, & double change of brau'ry, With Amber Bracelets, Beades, and all this knau'ry. What hast thou din'd? The Tailor staies thy leasure, To decke thy bodie with his ruffling treasure. Enter Tailor.

Come Tailor, let vs see these ornaments. Enter Haberdasher.

Lay forth the gowne. What newes with you sir? Fel. Heere is the cap your Worship did bespeake

Pet. Why this was moulded on a porrenger, A Veluet dish: Fie, fie, 'tis lewd and filthy, Why 'tis a cockle or a walnut-shell, A knacke, a toy, a tricke, a babies cap: Away with it, come let me haue a bigger

Kate. Ile haue no bigger, this doth fit the time, And Gentlewomen weare such caps as these

Pet. When you are gentle, you shall haue one too, And not till then

Hor. That will not be in hast

Kate. Why sir I trust I may haue leaue to speake, And speake I will. I am no childe, no babe, Your betters haue indur'd me say my minde, And if you cannot, best you stop your eares. My tongue will tell the anger of my heart, Or els my heart concealing it wil breake, And rather then it shall, I will be free, Euen to the vttermost as I please in words

Pet. Why thou saist true, it is paltrie cap, A custard coffen, a bauble, a silken pie, I loue thee well in that thou lik'st it not

Kate. Loue me, or loue me not, I like the cap, And it I will haue, or I will haue none

Pet. Thy gowne, why I: come Tailor let vs see't. Oh mercie God, what masking stuffe is heere? Whats this? a sleeue? 'tis like demi cannon, What, vp and downe caru'd like an apple Tart? Heers snip, and nip, and cut, and slish and slash, Like to a Censor in a barbers shoppe: Why what a deuils name Tailor cal'st thou this? Hor. I see shees like to haue neither cap nor gowne

Tai. You bid me make it orderlie and well, According to the fashion, and the time

Pet. Marrie and did: but if you be remembred, I did not bid you marre it to the time. Go hop me ouer euery kennell home, For you shall hop without my custome sir: Ile none of it; hence, make your best of it

Kate. I neuer saw a better fashion'd gowne, More queint, more pleasing, nor more commendable: Belike you meane to make a puppet of me

Pet. Why true, he meanes to make a puppet of thee

Tail. She saies your Worship meanes to make a puppet of her

Pet. Oh monstrous arrogance: Thou lyest, thou thred, thou thimble, Thou yard three quarters, halfe yard, quarter, naile, Thou Flea, thou Nit, thou winter cricket thou: Brau'd in mine owne house with a skeine of thred: Away thou Ragge, thou quantitie, thou remnant, Or I shall so be-mete thee with thy yard, As thou shalt thinke on prating whil'st thou liu'st: I tell thee I, that thou hast marr'd her gowne

Tail. Your worship is deceiu'd, the gowne is made Iust as my master had direction: Grumio gaue order how it should be done

Gru. I gaue him no order, I gaue him the stuffe

Tail. But how did you desire it should be made? Gru. Marrie sir with needle and thred

Tail. But did you not request to haue it cut? Gru. Thou hast fac'd many things

Tail. I haue

Gru. Face not mee: thou hast brau'd manie men, braue not me; I will neither bee fac'd nor brau'd. I say vnto thee, I bid thy Master cut out the gowne, but I did not bid him cut it to peeces. Ergo thou liest

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