SCENE I. Padua. Before LUCENTIO'S house. The Taming of the Shrew  Shakespeare homepage  |  Taming of the Shrew  | Act 5, Scene 1 

 Previous scene  |  Next scene  SCENE I. Padua. Before LUCENTIO'S house. 

 GREMIO discovered. Enter behind BIONDELLO, LUCENTIO, and BIANCA  BIONDELLO  Softly and swiftly, sir; for the priest is ready. 

 LUCENTIO  I fly, Biondello: but they may chance to need thee 

 at home; therefore leave us. 

 BIONDELLO  Nay, faith, I'll see the church o' your back; and 

 then come back to my master's as soon as I can. 



 Exeunt LUCENTIO, BIANCA, and BIONDELLO  GREMIO  I marvel Cambio comes not all this while. 



 Enter PETRUCHIO, KATHARINA, VINCENTIO, GRUMIO, with Attendants  PETRUCHIO  Sir, here's the door, this is Lucentio's house: 

 My father's bears more toward the market-place; 

 Thither must I, and here I leave you, sir. 

 VINCENTIO  You shall not choose but drink before you go: 

 I think I shall command your welcome here, 

 And, by all likelihood, some cheer is toward. 



 Knocks  GREMIO  They're busy within; you were best knock louder. 



 Pedant looks out of the window  Pedant  What's he that knocks as he would beat down the gate? 

 VINCENTIO  Is Signior Lucentio within, sir? 

 Pedant  He's within, sir, but not to be spoken withal. 

 VINCENTIO  What if a man bring him a hundred pound or two, to 

 make merry withal? 

 Pedant  Keep your hundred pounds to yourself: he shall 

 need none, so long as I live. 

 PETRUCHIO  Nay, I told you your son was well beloved in Padua. 

 Do you hear, sir? To leave frivolous circumstances, 

 I pray you, tell Signior Lucentio that his father is 

 come from Pisa, and is here at the door to speak with him. 

 Pedant  Thou liest: his father is come from Padua and here 

 looking out at the window. 

 VINCENTIO  Art thou his father? 

 Pedant  Ay, sir; so his mother says, if I may believe her. 

 PETRUCHIO  [To VINCENTIO]  Why, how now, gentleman! why, this 

 is flat knavery, to take upon you another man's name. 

 Pedant  Lay hands on the villain: I believe a' means to 

 cozen somebody in this city under my countenance. 



 Re-enter BIONDELLO  BIONDELLO  I have seen them in the church together: God send 

 'em good shipping! But who is here? mine old 

 master Vincentio! now we are undone and brought to nothing. 

 VINCENTIO  [Seeing BIONDELLO] 

 Come hither, crack-hemp. 

 BIONDELLO  Hope I may choose, sir. 

 VINCENTIO  Come hither, you rogue. What, have you forgot me? 

 BIONDELLO  Forgot you! no, sir: I could not forget you, for I 

 never saw you before in all my life. 

 VINCENTIO  What, you notorious villain, didst thou never see 

 thy master's father, Vincentio? 

 BIONDELLO  What, my old worshipful old master? yes, marry, sir: 

 see where he looks out of the window. 

 VINCENTIO  Is't so, indeed. 



 Beats BIONDELLO  BIONDELLO  Help, help, help! here's a madman will murder me. 



 Exit  Pedant  Help, son! help, Signior Baptista! 



 Exit from above  PETRUCHIO  Prithee, Kate, let's stand aside and see the end of 

 this controversy. 



 They retire 

 Re-enter Pedant below; TRANIO, BAPTISTA, and Servants  TRANIO  Sir, what are you that offer to beat my servant? 

 VINCENTIO  What am I, sir! nay, what are you, sir? O immortal 

 gods! O fine villain! A silken doublet! a velvet 

 hose! a scarlet cloak! and a copatain hat! O, I 

 am undone! I am undone! while I play the good 

 husband at home, my son and my servant spend all at 

 the university. 

 TRANIO  How now! what's the matter? 

 BAPTISTA  What, is the man lunatic? 

 TRANIO  Sir, you seem a sober ancient gentleman by your 

 habit, but your words show you a madman. Why, sir, 

 what 'cerns it you if I wear pearl and gold? I 

 thank my good father, I am able to maintain it. 

 VINCENTIO  Thy father! O villain! he is a sailmaker in Bergamo. 

 BAPTISTA  You mistake, sir, you mistake, sir. Pray, what do 

 you think is his name? 

 VINCENTIO  His name! as if I knew not his name: I have brought 

 him up ever since he was three years old, and his 

 name is Tranio. 

 Pedant  Away, away, mad ass! his name is Lucentio and he is 

 mine only son, and heir to the lands of me, Signior Vincentio. 

 VINCENTIO  Lucentio! O, he hath murdered his master! Lay hold 

 on him, I charge you, in the duke's name. O, my 

 son, my son! Tell me, thou villain, where is my son Lucentio? 

 TRANIO  Call forth an officer. 



 Enter one with an Officer  Carry this mad knave to the gaol. Father Baptista, 

 I charge you see that he be forthcoming. 

 VINCENTIO  Carry me to the gaol! 

 GREMIO  Stay, officer: he shall not go to prison. 

 BAPTISTA  Talk not, Signior Gremio: I say he shall go to prison. 

 GREMIO  Take heed, Signior Baptista, lest you be 

 cony-catched in this business: I dare swear this 

 is the right Vincentio. 

 Pedant  Swear, if thou darest. 

 GREMIO  Nay, I dare not swear it. 

 TRANIO  Then thou wert best say that I am not Lucentio. 

 GREMIO  Yes, I know thee to be Signior Lucentio. 

 BAPTISTA  Away with the dotard! to the gaol with him! 

 VINCENTIO  Thus strangers may be hailed and abused: O 

 monstrous villain! 



 Re-enter BIONDELLO, with LUCENTIO and BIANCA  BIONDELLO  O! we are spoiled and--yonder he is: deny him, 

 forswear him, or else we are all undone. 

 LUCENTIO  [Kneeling]  Pardon, sweet father. 

 VINCENTIO  Lives my sweet son? 



 Exeunt BIONDELLO, TRANIO, and Pedant, as fast as may be  BIANCA  Pardon, dear father. 

 BAPTISTA  How hast thou offended? 

 Where is Lucentio? 

 LUCENTIO  Here's Lucentio, 

 Right son to the right Vincentio; 

 That have by marriage made thy daughter mine, 

 While counterfeit supposes bleared thine eyne. 

 GREMIO  Here's packing, with a witness to deceive us all! 

 VINCENTIO  Where is that damned villain Tranio, 

 That faced and braved me in this matter so? 

 BAPTISTA  Why, tell me, is not this my Cambio? 

 BIANCA  Cambio is changed into Lucentio. 

 LUCENTIO  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, myself enforced him to; 

 Then pardon him, sweet father, for my sake. 

 VINCENTIO  I'll slit the villain's nose, that would have sent 

 me to the gaol. 

 BAPTISTA  But do you hear, sir? have you married my daughter 

 without asking my good will? 

 VINCENTIO  Fear not, Baptista; we will content you, go to: but 

 I will in, to be revenged for this villany. 



 Exit  BAPTISTA  And I, to sound the depth of this knavery. 



 Exit  LUCENTIO  Look not pale, Bianca; thy father will not frown. 



 Exeunt LUCENTIO and BIANCA  GREMIO  My cake is dough; but I'll in among the rest, 

 Out of hope of all, but my share of the feast. 



 Exit  KATHARINA  Husband, let's follow, to see the end of this ado. 

 PETRUCHIO  First kiss me, Kate, and we will. 

 KATHARINA  What, in the midst of the street? 

 PETRUCHIO  What, art thou ashamed of me? 

 KATHARINA  No, sir, God forbid; but ashamed to kiss. 

 PETRUCHIO  Why, then let's home again. Come, sirrah, let's away. 

 KATHARINA  Nay, I will give thee a kiss: now pray thee, love, stay. 

 PETRUCHIO  Is not this well? Come, my sweet Kate: 

 Better once than never, for never too late. 



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