Part 5

Gre. What's that I pray? Hor. Marrie sir to get a husband for her Sister

Gre. A husband: a diuell

Hor. I say a husband

Gre. I say, a diuell: Think'st thou Hortensio, though her father be verie rich, any man is so verie a foole to be married to hell? Hor. Tush Gremio: though it passe your patience & mine to endure her lowd alarums, why man there bee good fellowes in the world, and a man could light on them, would take her with all faults, and mony enough

Gre. I cannot tell: but I had as lief take her dowrie with this condition; To be whipt at the hie crosse euerie morning

Hor. Faith (as you say) there's small choise in rotten apples: but come, since this bar in law makes vs friends, it shall be so farre forth friendly maintain'd, till by helping Baptistas eldest daughter to a husband, wee set his yongest free for a husband, and then haue too't afresh: Sweet Bianca, happy man be his dole: hee that runnes fastest, gets the Ring: How say you signior Gremio? Grem. I am agreed, and would I had giuen him the best horse in Padua to begin his woing that would thoroughly woe her, wed her, and bed her, and ridde the house of her. Come on.

Exeunt. ambo. Manet Tranio and Lucentio

Tra. I pray sir tel me, is it possible That loue should of a sodaine take such hold

Luc. Oh Tranio, till I found it to be true, I neuer thought it possible or likely. But see, while idely I stood looking on, I found the effect of Loue in idlenesse, And now in plainnesse do confesse to thee That art to me as secret and as deere As Anna to the Queene of Carthage was: Tranio I burne, I pine, I perish Tranio, If I atchieue not this yong modest gyrle: Counsaile me Tranio, for I know thou canst: Assist me Tranio, for I know thou wilt

Tra. Master, it is no time to chide you now, Affection is not rated from the heart: If loue haue touch'd you, naught remaines but so, Redime te captam quam queas minimo

Luc. Gramercies Lad: Go forward, this contents, The rest wil comfort, for thy counsels sound

Tra. Master, you look'd so longly on the maide, Perhaps you mark'd not what's the pith of all

Luc. Oh yes, I saw sweet beautie in her face, Such as the daughter of Agenor had, That made great Ioue to humble him to her hand, When with his knees he kist the Cretan strond

Tra. Saw you no more? Mark'd you not how hir sister Began to scold, and raise vp such a storme, That mortal eares might hardly indure the din

Luc. Tranio, I saw her corrall lips to moue, And with her breath she did perfume the ayre, Sacred and sweet was all I saw in her

Tra. Nay, then 'tis time to stirre him fro his trance: I pray awake sir: if you loue the Maide, Bend thoughts and wits to atcheeue her. Thus it stands: Her elder sister is so curst and shrew'd, That til the Father rid his hands of her, Master, your Loue must liue a maide at home, And therefore has he closely meu'd her vp, Because she will not be annoy'd with suters

Luc. Ah Tranio, what a cruell Fathers he: But art thou not aduis'd, he tooke some care To get her cunning Schoolemasters to instruct her

Tra. I marry am I sir, and now 'tis plotted

Luc. I haue it Tranio

Tra. Master, for my hand, Both our inuentions meet and iumpe in one

Luc. Tell me thine first

Tra. You will be schoole-master, And vndertake the teaching of the maid: That's your deuice

Luc. It is: May it be done? Tra. Not possible: for who shall beare your part, And be in Padua heere Vincentio's sonne, Keepe house, and ply his booke, welcome his friends, Visit his Countrimen, and banquet them? Luc. Basta, content thee: for I haue it full. We haue not yet bin seene in any house, Nor can we be distinguish'd by our faces, For man or master: then it followes thus; Thou shalt be master, Tranio in my sted: Keepe house, and port, and seruants, as I should, I will some other be, some Florentine, Some Neapolitan, or meaner man of Pisa. 'Tis hatch'd, and shall be so: Tranio at once Vncase thee: take my Coulord hat and cloake, When Biondello comes, he waites on thee, But I will charme him first to keepe his tongue

Tra. So had you neede: In breefe Sir, sith it your pleasure is, And I am tyed to be obedient, For so your father charg'd me at our parting: Be seruiceable to my sonne (quoth he) Although I thinke 'twas in another sense, I am content to bee Lucentio, Because so well I loue Lucentio

Luc. Tranio be so, because Lucentio loues, And let me be a slaue, t' atchieue that maide, Whose sodaine sight hath thral'd my wounded eye. Enter Biondello.

Heere comes the rogue. Sirra, where haue you bin? Bion. Where haue I beene? Nay how now, where are you? Maister, ha's my fellow Tranio stolne your cloathes, or you stolne his, or both? Pray what's the newes? Luc. Sirra come hither, 'tis no time to iest, And therefore frame your manners to the time Your fellow Tranio heere to saue my life, Puts my apparrell, and my count'nance on, And I for my escape haue put on his: For in a quarrell since I came a-shore, I kil'd a man, and feare I was descried: Waite you on him, I charge you, as becomes: While I make way from hence to saue my life: You vnderstand me? Bion. I sir, ne're a whit

Luc. And not a iot of Tranio in your mouth, Tranio is chang'd into Lucentio

Bion. The better for him, would I were so too