The Taming of the Shrew: Act 5, Scene 1
Enter BIONDELLO, LUCENTIO, and
out before: on the forestage. —Old Gremio has commissioned young Cambio to be his emissary of love to Bianca, so he is looking about for Cambio, while behind him, out of his sight, Lucentio, still disguised as Cambio, is running away to church with Bianca.
BIANCA; GREMIO is out before.
BIONDELLO
1 Softly and swiftly, sir; for the priest is ready.
LUCENTIO
2 I fly, Biondello: but they may chance to need thee 3 at home; therefore leave us. BIONDELLO
4. I'll see the church o' your back: I'll see the church over you; i.e., I'll see you into the church.
4 Nay, faith, I'll see the church o' your back; and 5 then come back to my master's as soon
Gremio
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The Taming of the Shrew Costume Portraits
6 as I can. [Exeunt LUCENTIO, BIANCA,
and BIONDELLO.]
GREMIO
7 I marvel Cambio comes not all this while. Enter PETRUCHIO, KATE, VINCENTIO,
GRUMIO, with Attendants.
PETRUCHIO
8 Sir, here's the door, this is Lucentio's house:9. father's: i.e., father-in-law's, Baptista's. bears: lies.
9 My father's bears more toward the market-place; 10 Thither must I, and here I leave you, sir. VINCENTIO
11 You shall not choose but drink before you go: 12 I think I shall command your welcome here,13. cheer is toward: entertainment is in preparation.
13 And, by all likelihood, some cheer is toward. Knock.
GREMIO
14 They're busy within; you were best knock 15 louder.window: i.e., probably the gallery to the rear, over the stage.
PEDANT looks out of the window.
Pedant
16 What's he that knocks as he would 17 beat down the gate? VINCENTIO
18 Is Signior Lucentio within, sir? Pedant
19 He's within, sir, but not to be spoken 20 withal. VINCENTIO
a hundred pound or two: —Vincentio is quite rich. In Shakespeare's time a middling English farm could be rented for £100 a year. Also, Shakespeare seems to have forgotten that this is all supposed to happen in Padua, where the standard unit of currency probably would be the florin, not the pound.
21 What if a man bring him a hundred pound or two, to 22 make merry withal? Pedant
23 Keep your hundred pounds to yourself: he shall 24 need none, so long as I live. PETRUCHIO
25 Nay, I told you your son was well beloved in Padua.26. circumstances: matters.
26 Do you hear, sir? To leave frivolous circumstances, 27 I pray you, tell Signior Lucentio that his father is 28 come from Pisa, and is here at the door 29 to speak with him. Pedant
30 Thou liest: his father is come from Padua and here 31 looking out at the window. VINCENTIO
32 Art thou his father? Pedant
so his mother says: The idea that a wife could very well lie about the paternity of her child was a standard guy joke of the time.
33 Ay, sir; so his mother says, if I may believe 34 her. PETRUCHIO [To VINCENTIO.]
35 Why, how now, gentleman! Why, 36. flat: downright.
36 this is flat knavery, to take upon you 37 another man's name. Pedant
38 Lay hands on the villain: I believe 39. a' means to cozen: he intends to cheat.
39 a' means to cozen somebody in this 40. under my countenance: in my person.
40 city under my countenance. Enter BIONDELLO.
BIONDELLO
41 I have seen them in the church 42-43. good shipping: bon voyage, fair sailing.
42 together: God send 'em good 43 shipping! But who is here? mine 44 old master Vincentio! now we 45. undone: ruined.
45 are undone and brought to nothing. VINCENTIO [Seeing BIONDELLO.]
46. crack-hemp: gallows bird.
46 Come hither, crack-hemp.
BIONDELLO
47. Hope I may choose: i.e., You're not my boss.
47 Hope I may choose, sir.
VINCENTIO
48 Come hither, you rogue. What, have you 49 forgot me? BIONDELLO
50 Forgot you! no, sir: I could not forget you, 51 for I never saw you before in all my life. VINCENTIO
52 What, you notorious villain, didst thou never 53 see thy master's father, Vincentio? BIONDELLO
54 What, my old worshipful old master? yes, 55 marry, sir: see where he looks out of the 56 window. VINCENTIO
57 Is't so, indeed? He beats Biondello.
BIONDELLO
58 Help, help, help! here's a madman will 59 murder me. [Exit.]
Pedant
60 Help, son! help, Signior Baptista! [Exit from above.]
PETRUCHIO
61 Prithee, Kate, let's stand aside and see the 62 end of this controversy.
Enter PEDANT [below] with Servants,
BAPTISTA, TRANIO [as Lucentio].
TRANIO
63. offer: presume.
63 Sir, what are you that offer to beat my 64 servant? VINCENTIO
65 What am I, sir! nay, what are you, sir? O immortal66. fine: consummate.
66 gods! O fine villain! A silken doublet! a velvet67. copatain: high-crowned.
67 hose! a scarlet cloak! and a copatain hat! O, I68-69. good husband: careful provider, manager.
68 am undone! I am undone! while I play the good 69 husband at home, my son and my servant spend all at 70 the university. TRANIO
71 How now! what's the matter? BAPTISTA
72 What, is the man lunatic? TRANIO
73 Sir, you seem a sober ancient gentleman by your 74 habit, but your words show you a madman. Why, sir,75. 'cerns: concerns.
75 what 'cerns it you if I wear pearl and gold? I76. maintain: afford.
76 thank my good father, I am able to maintain it. VINCENTIO
77 Thy father! O villain! he is a sailmaker in 78 Bergamo. BAPTISTA
79 You mistake, sir, you mistake, sir. Pray, what do 80 you think is his name? VINCENTIO
81 His name! as if I knew not his name: I have brought 82 him up ever since he was three years old, and his 83 name is Tranio. Pedant
84 Away, away, mad ass! his name is Lucentio and he is 85 mine only son, and heir to the lands of me, 86 Signior Vincentio. VINCENTIO
87 Lucentio! O, he hath murdered his master! Lay hold 88 on him, I charge you, in the duke's name. O, my 89 son, my son! Tell me, thou villain, where is 90 my son Lucentio? TRANIO
91 Call forth an officer. [Enter one with an Officer.]
92. gaol: jail
92 Carry this mad knave to the gaol. Father Baptista,93. forthcoming: ready to appear (in court) when required.
93 I charge you see that he be forthcoming. VINCENTIO
94 Carry me to the gaol! GREMIO
95 Stay, officer: he shall not go to prison. BAPTISTA
96 Talk not, Signior Gremio: I say he shall go 97 to prison. GREMIO
98 Take heed, Signior Baptista, lest you be
99. cony-catch'd: tricked, duped.
99 cony-catched in this business: I dare swear 100 this is the right Vincentio.
Pedant
101 Swear, if thou darest. GREMIO
102 Nay, I dare not swear it. TRANIO
103. wert best: might as well.
103 Then thou wert best say that I am not104 Lucentio.
GREMIO
105 Yes, I know thee to be Signior Lucentio. BAPTISTA
106. gaol: jail
106 Away with the dotard! to the gaol with107 him! VINCENTIO
108. hal'd: hauled about, mistreated.
108 Thus strangers may be hal'd and abus'd: O109 monstrous villain! Enter BIONDELLO, LUCENTIO
and BIANCA.
BIONDELLO [To Lucentio.]
110 O! we are spoiled and—yonder he is: deny him,111 forswear him, or else we are all undone. LUCENTIO
112 Pardon, sweet father. Kneel.
VINCENTIO
112 Lives my sweet son? Exeunt Biondello, Tranio,
and Pedant, as fast as may be.
BIANCA
113 Pardon, dear father. BAPTISTA
113 How hast thou offended?114 Where is Lucentio? LUCENTIO
114 Here's Lucentio,115 Right son to the right Vincentio;116 That have by marriage made thy daughter mine,117. counterfeit supposes: false appearances. ...more blear'd thine eyne: hoodwinked you. —"Eyne" was an older plural of "eye."
117 While counterfeit supposes blear'd thine eyne. GREMIO
118. packing, with a witness: an obvious conspiracy.
118 Here's packing, with a witness, to deceive us119 all! VINCENTIO
120 Where is that damned villain Tranio,121. fac'd and braved: put on a false face and defied.
121 That fac'd and braved me in this matter so? BAPTISTA
122 Why, tell me, is not this my Cambio? BIANCA
123 Cambio is changed into Lucentio. LUCENTIO
124 Love wrought these miracles. Bianca's love125. state: social station, rank and degree.
125 Made me exchange my state with Tranio,126. countenance: appearance.
126 While he did bear my countenance in the town;127 And happily I have arrived at the last128 Unto the wished haven of my bliss.129 What Tranio did, myself enforced him to;130 Then pardon him, sweet father, for my sake. VINCENTIO
131 I'll slit the villain's nose, that would have sent132 me to the gaol.
BAPTISTA
133 But do you hear, sir? have you married my daughter134 without asking my good will? VINCENTIO
we will content you: i.e., we will make everything (concerning the dowery and such) right. go to: i.e., don't get all worked up.
135 Fear not, Baptista; we will content you, go to: but136 I will in, to be revenged for this villany.
Exit.
BAPTISTA
137 And I, to sound the depth of this knavery. Exit.
LUCENTIO
138 Look not pale, Bianca; thy father will not 139 frown. Exeunt [LUCENTIO and BIANCA].
GREMIO
140. My cake is dough: i.e., I'm out of luck. 141. Out of hope of all, but: with hope of nothing except. . .
140 My cake is dough; but I'll in among the rest,141 Out of hope of all, but my share of the feast. [Exit.]
KATHARINA
142 Husband, let's follow, to see the end of this ado. PETRUCHIO
143 First kiss me, Kate, and we will. KATHARINA
144 What, in the midst of the street?
PETRUCHIO
145 What, art thou ashamed of me? KATHARINA
146 No, sir, God forbid; but ashamed to kiss. PETRUCHIO
147 Why, then let's home again. Come, sirrah, let's away. KATHARINA
148 Nay, I will give thee a kiss: now pray thee, love, stay. PETRUCHIO
149 Is not this well? Come, my sweet Kate:
150. once: at some time. —Petruchio means "better late than never."
150 Better once than never, for never too late.
Exeunt.