SCENE II. Padua. Before BAPTISTA'S house. The Taming of the Shrew  Shakespeare homepage  |  Taming of the Shrew  | Act 4, Scene 2 

 Previous scene  |  Next scene  SCENE II. Padua. Before BAPTISTA'S house. 

 Enter TRANIO and HORTENSIO  TRANIO  Is't possible, friend Licio, that Mistress Bianca 

 Doth fancy any other but Lucentio? 

 I tell you, sir, she bears me fair in hand. 

 HORTENSIO  Sir, to satisfy you in what I have said, 

 Stand by and mark the manner of his teaching. 



 Enter BIANCA and LUCENTIO  LUCENTIO  Now, mistress, profit you in what you read? 

 BIANCA  What, master, read you? first resolve me that. 

 LUCENTIO  I read that I profess, the Art to Love. 

 BIANCA  And may you prove, sir, master of your art! 

 LUCENTIO  While you, sweet dear, prove mistress of my heart! 

 HORTENSIO  Quick proceeders, marry! Now, tell me, I pray, 

 You that durst swear at your mistress Bianca 

 Loved none in the world so well as Lucentio. 

 TRANIO  O despiteful love! unconstant womankind! 

 I tell thee, Licio, this is wonderful. 

 HORTENSIO  Mistake no more: I am not Licio, 

 Nor a musician, as I seem to be; 

 But one that scorn to live in this disguise, 

 For such a one as leaves a gentleman, 

 And makes a god of such a cullion: 

 Know, sir, that I am call'd Hortensio. 

 TRANIO  Signior Hortensio, I have often heard 

 Of your entire affection to Bianca; 

 And since mine eyes are witness of her lightness, 

 I will with you, if you be so contented, 

 Forswear Bianca and her love for ever. 

 HORTENSIO  See, how they kiss and court! Signior Lucentio, 

 Here is my hand, and here I firmly vow 

 Never to woo her no more, but do forswear her, 

 As one unworthy all the former favours 

 That I have fondly flatter'd her withal. 

 TRANIO  And here I take the unfeigned oath, 

 Never to marry with her though she would entreat: 

 Fie on her! see, how beastly she doth court him! 

 HORTENSIO  Would all the world but he had quite forsworn! 

 For me, that I may surely keep mine oath, 

 I will be married to a wealthy widow, 

 Ere three days pass, which hath as long loved me 

 As I have loved this proud disdainful haggard. 

 And so farewell, Signior Lucentio. 

 Kindness in women, not their beauteous looks, 

 Shall win my love: and so I take my leave, 

 In resolution as I swore before. 



 Exit  TRANIO  Mistress Bianca, bless you with such grace 

 As 'longeth to a lover's blessed case! 

 Nay, I have ta'en you napping, gentle love, 

 And have forsworn you with Hortensio. 

 BIANCA  Tranio, you jest: but have you both forsworn me? 

 TRANIO  Mistress, we have. 

 LUCENTIO  Then we are rid of Licio. 

 TRANIO  I' faith, he'll have a lusty widow now, 

 That shall be wood and wedded in a day. 

 BIANCA  God give him joy! 

 TRANIO  Ay, and he'll tame her. 

 BIANCA  He says so, Tranio. 

 TRANIO  Faith, he is gone unto the taming-school. 

 BIANCA  The taming-school! what, is there such a place? 

 TRANIO  Ay, mistress, and Petruchio is the master; 

 That teacheth tricks eleven and twenty long, 

 To tame a shrew and charm her chattering tongue. 



 Enter BIONDELLO  BIONDELLO  O master, master, I have watch'd so long 

 That I am dog-weary: but at last I spied 

 An ancient angel coming down the hill, 

 Will serve the turn. 

 TRANIO  What is he, Biondello? 

 BIONDELLO  Master, a mercatante, or a pedant, 

 I know not what; but format in apparel, 

 In gait and countenance surely like a father. 

 LUCENTIO  And what of him, Tranio? 

 TRANIO  If he be credulous and trust my tale, 

 I'll make him glad to seem Vincentio, 

 And give assurance to Baptista Minola, 

 As if he were the right Vincentio 

 Take in your love, and then let me alone. 



 Exeunt LUCENTIO and BIANCA 

 Enter a Pedant  Pedant  God save you, sir! 

 TRANIO  And you, sir! you are welcome. 

 Travel you far on, or are you at the farthest? 

 Pedant  Sir, at the farthest for a week or two: 

 But then up farther, and as for as Rome; 

 And so to Tripoli, if God lend me life. 

 TRANIO  What countryman, I pray? 

 Pedant  Of Mantua. 

 TRANIO  Of Mantua, sir? marry, God forbid! 

 And come to Padua, careless of your life? 

 Pedant  My life, sir! how, I pray? for that goes hard. 

 TRANIO  'Tis death for any one in Mantua 

 To come to Padua. Know you not the cause? 

 Your ships are stay'd at Venice, and the duke, 

 For private quarrel 'twixt your duke and him, 

 Hath publish'd and proclaim'd it openly: 

 'Tis, marvel, but that you are but newly come, 

 You might have heard it else proclaim'd about. 

 Pedant  Alas! sir, it is worse for me than so; 

 For I have bills for money by exchange 

 From Florence and must here deliver them. 

 TRANIO  Well, sir, to do you courtesy, 

 This will I do, and this I will advise you: 

 First, tell me, have you ever been at Pisa? 

 Pedant  Ay, sir, in Pisa have I often been, 

 Pisa renowned for grave citizens. 

 TRANIO  Among them know you one Vincentio? 

 Pedant  I know him not, but I have heard of him; 

 A merchant of incomparable wealth. 

 TRANIO  He is my father, sir; and, sooth to say, 

 In countenance somewhat doth resemble you. 

 BIONDELLO  [Aside]  As much as an apple doth an oyster, 

 and all one. 

 TRANIO  To save your life in this extremity, 

 This favour will I do you for his sake; 

 And think it not the worst of an your fortunes 

 That you are like to Sir Vincentio. 

 His name and credit shall you undertake, 

 And in my house you shall be friendly lodged: 

 Look that you take upon you as you should; 

 You understand me, sir: so shall you stay 

 Till you have done your business in the city: 

 If this be courtesy, sir, accept of it. 

 Pedant  O sir, I do; and will repute you ever 

 The patron of my life and liberty. 

 TRANIO  Then go with me to make the matter good. 

 This, by the way, I let you understand; 

 my father is here look'd for every day, 

 To pass assurance of a dower in marriage 

 'Twixt me and one Baptista's daughter here: 

 In all these circumstances I'll instruct you: 

 Go with me to clothe you as becomes you. 



 Exeunt  Shakespeare homepage  |  Taming of the Shrew  | Act 4, Scene 2 

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