The Taming of the Shrew | Page 3

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THE TAMING OF THE SHREW
by William Shakespeare

Dramatis Personae
Persons in the Induction A LORD CHRISTOPHER SLY, a tinker
HOSTESS PAGE PLAYERS HUNTSMEN SERVANTS
BAPTISTA MINOLA, a rich eman of Padua VINCENTIO, an old
gentleman of Pisa LUCENTIO, son to Vincentio; in love with Bianca
PETRUCHIO, a gentleman of Verona; suitor to Katherina
Suitors to Bianca GREMIO HORTENSIO
Servants to Lucentio TRANIO BIONDELLO
Servants to Petruchio GRUMIO CURTIS
PEDANT, set up to personate Vincentio
Daughters to Baptista KATHERINA, the shrew BIANCA
WIDOW
Tailor, Haberdasher, and Servants attending on Baptista and Petruchio

SCENE: Sometimes in Padua, and sometimes in PETRUCHIO'S house
in the country.

INDUCTION.
SCENE I. Before an alehouse on a heath.
[Enter HOSTESS and SLY.]
SLY. I'll pheeze you, in faith.
HOSTESS. A pair of stocks, you rogue!
SLY. Y'are a baggage; the Slys are no rogues; look in the chronicles:
we came in with Richard Conqueror. Therefore, paucas pallabris; let
the world slide. Sessa!
HOSTESS. You will not pay for the glasses you have burst?
SLY. No, not a denier. Go by, Saint Jeronimy, go to thy cold bed and
warm thee.
HOSTESS. I know my remedy; I must go fetch the third-borough.
[Exit.]
SLY. Third, or fourth, or fifth borough, I'll answer him by law. I'll not
budge an inch, boy: let him come, and kindly.
[Lies down on the ground, and falls asleep.]
[Horns winded. Enter a LORD from hunting, with Huntsmen and
Servants.]
LORD. Huntsman, I charge thee, tender well my hounds; Brach
Merriman, the poor cur, is emboss'd, And couple Clowder with the
deep-mouth'd brach. Saw'st thou not, boy, how Silver made it good At
the hedge-corner, in the coldest fault? I would not lose the dog for
twenty pound.
FIRST HUNTSMAN. Why, Bellman is as good as he, my lord; He
cried upon it at the merest loss, And twice to-day pick'd out the dullest
scent; Trust me, I take him for the better dog.
LORD. Thou art a fool: if Echo were as fleet, I would esteem him
worth a dozen such. But sup them well, and look unto them all;
To-morrow I intend to hunt again.
FIRST HUNTSMAN. I will, my lord.
LORD. [ Sees Sly.] What's here? One dead, or drunk? See, doth he
breathe?
SECOND HUNTSMAN. He breathes, my lord. Were he not warm'd
with ale, This were a bed but cold to sleep so soundly.
LORD. O monstrous beast! how like a swine he lies! Grim death, how
foul and loathsome is thine image! Sirs,