LUCENTIO

Tranio, since for the great desire I had To see fair Padua, nursery of Arts, I, am arrived for fruitful Lombardy, The pleasant garden of great Italy, And by my father's love and leave am armed With his good will, and thy good company. My trusty servant well approved in all, Here let us breath, and haply institute A course of Learning, and ingenious studies. Pisa renowned for graven Citizens Gave me my being, and my father first A Merchant of great Traffic through the world: Vincentio's come of the Bentiuolij, Ʋ icentio's son, brought up in Florence, It shall become to serve all Hope's conceived To deck his fortune with his virtuous deeds: And therefore Tranio, for the time I study, Virtue and that partly of Philosophy Will I apply, that treats of happiness, By verve specially to be achieved. Tell me thy mind, for I have Pisa left, And am to Padua come, as he that leaves A shallow plash, to plunge him in the deep, And with satiety seeks to quench his thirst. Gramercy Tranio, well dost thou advise, If Biondello thou Wertenberg come ashore, We could at once put us in readiness, And take a Lodging fit to entertain Such friends (as time) in Padua shall beget. But stay a while, what company is this? Hark Tranio, thou mayest hear Minerva speak. O Tranio till I found it to be true, I never thought it possible or likely. But see, while idly I stood looking on, I found the effect of love in idleness, And now in plainness do confess to thee That art to me as secret and as deer As Anna to the Queen of Carthage was: Tranio I burn, I pine, I perish Tranio, If I atchueieue not this young modest girl: Counsel me Tranio, for I know thou canst: Assist me Tranio, for I know thou wilt. Gramercy Lad: Go forward, this contents, The rest will comfort, for thy counsels found. O yes, I saw sweet beauty in her face, Such as the daughter of Agenor had, That made great Jove to humble him to her hand, When with his knees he kissed the Cretan strand. Tranio, I saw her coral lips to move, And with her breath she did perfume the air, Sacred and sweet was all I saw in her. Ah Tranio, what a cruel Father's he: But art thou not advised, he took some care To get her cunning Schoolmasters to instruct her. I have it Tranio. Tell me thine first. It is: May it be done? Basta, content thee: for I have it full. We have not yet been seen in any house, Nor can we be distinguished by our faces, For man or master: then it follows thus; Thou shalt be master, Tranio in my stead: Keep house, and port, and servants as I should, I will some other be, some Florentine, Some Neapolitan, or meaner man of Pisa. It's hatched, and shall be so: Tranio at once Uncase thee: take my Conlord hat and cloak, When Biondello comes, he waits on thee, But I will charm him first to keep his tongue. Tranio be so, because Lucentio loves, And let me be a slave, achieve that maid, Whose sudden sighed hath thraled my wounded eye. Here comes the rogue. Sirrah, where have you been? Sirrah come hither, it's no time to jest, And therefore frame your manners to the time Your fellow Tranio here to save my life, Puts my apparel, and my countenance on, And I for my escape have put on his: For in a quarrel since I came ashore, I killed a man, and fear I was descried: Wait you on him, I charge you, as becomes: While I make way from hence to save my life: You understand me? And not a jot of Tranio in your mouth, Tranio is changed into Lucentio. Tranio let's go: One thing more rests, that thy self execute, To make one among these wooers: if thou ask me why, Suffi ceth: my reasons are both good and weighty. What ere I read to her, I'll plead for you, As for my patron, stand you so assured, As firmly as your self were still in place, Yea and perhaps with more successful words Then you; unless you were a scholar sir, Well begun Tranio. Give him head, I know he'll prove a Jade. Fiddler forbear you grow too forward Sir, Have you so soon forgotten the entertainment Her sister Katherine welcomed you withal. Preposterous Ass that never read so far, To know the cause why music was ordained: Was it not to refresh the mind of man After his studies, or his usual pain? Then give me leave to read Philosophy And while I pause, serve in your harmony. That will be never, tune your instrument, Here Madam: Hic Ibat Simois, hic est sigeria telus, hic steterat Priami regia Celsa senis. Hic Ibat, as I told you before Simois, I am Lucentio, hic est, son unto Vincentio of Pisa, Sigeria tellus, disguised thus to get your love, hic steterat, and that Lucentio that comes a wooing Priami, is my man Tranio, regia, bearing my port, celsa senis that we might beguile the old Pantalowne. Spit in the hold man, and tune again. All but the base. How fiery and forward our pedant is, Now for my life the knave does court my love, Pedascule, I'll watch you better yet: In time I may believe yet I mistrust. Are you so formal sir, well I must wait And watch withal, for but I be deceived, Our fine Musician grows amorous. Faith Mistress then I have no cause to stay. Were it not that my fellow schoolmaster Does watch Bianca's steps so narrowly: It good methinks to steal our marriage, Which once performed, let all the world say no, I'll keep mine own despite of all the world. Mistress, what's your opinion of your sister? Sir, to satisfy you in what I have said, Stand by, and mark the manner of his teaching. While you sweet deer prove Mistress of my heart. Then we are rid of Lisio. And what of him Tranio? What sayest thou Biondello. Biondello, what of that? I pray thee moralise them. And what of him? And then. And what of all this. Hearest thou Biondello. I may and will if she be so contented: She will be pleased, then wherefore should I doubt: Hap what hap may, I'll roundly go about her: It shall go hard if Cambio go without her. Exit. I fly Biondello; but they may chance to need thee at home therefore leave us. Exit. Pardon sweet father. Kneel. Here's Lucentio right son to the right Ʋ incentio, That have by marriage made thy daughter mine, While counterfeit supposes bleared thine eine. Love wrought these miracles. Bianca's love Made me exchange my state with Tranio, While he did bear my countenance in the Town, And happily I have arrived at the last Unto the wished haven of my bliss: What Tranio did, my self inforced him to: Then pardon him sweet Father for my sake. Look not pale Bianca, thy father will not frown. At last though long, our jarring notes agree, And time it is when raging war is come, To smile at escapes and perils overblown: My fair Bianca bid my father welcome, While I with self same kindness welcome thine: Brother Petruchio, sister Katerina, And thou Hortensio with thy loving Widow: Feast with the best, and welcome to my house, My banquet is to close our stomachs up After our great good cheer: pray you fit down, For now we fit to chat as well as eat. I thank thee for that gird good Tranio. Twenty crowns. A hundred then. That will I. Go Biondello, bid your Mistress come to me. I'll have no halves: I'll bear it all my self. How now, what news? Here is a wonder, if you talk of a wonder. I would your duty were as foolish too: The wisdom of your duty fair Bianca, Hath cost me five hundred crowns since supper time, Well go thy ways old Lad for thou shalt have't. But a harsh hearing, when women are froward, It's a wonder by your leave, she will tamed so. But in the others silence do I see, Maids mild behaviour and sobriety. Peace Tranio.