The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare

ta’en you napping 46 , 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 Litio.
    TRANIO     I’faith, he’ll have a lusty 51 widow now,
    That shall be wooed 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 59 ,
    To tame a shrew and charm 60 her chatt’ring tongue.
    Enter Biondello
    BIONDELLO     O master, master, I have watched so long
    That I am dog-weary 62 , but at last I spied
    An ancient angel 63 coming down the hill
    Will serve the turn.
    TRANIO     What is he, Biondello?
    BIONDELLO     Master, a mercatante 66 , or a pedant,
    I know not what, but formal 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 71 Vincentio,
    And give assurance to Baptista Minola
    As if he were the right Vincentio.
    Take in your love, and then let me alone 74 .
    [
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 furthest?
    PEDANT     Sir, at the furthest for a week or two,
    But then up further, and as far as Rome,
    And so to Tripoli, if God lend me life.
    TRANIO      What countryman 81 , 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 85 .
    TRANIO     ’Tis death for anyone in Mantua
    To come to Padua. Know you not the cause?
    Your ships are stayed 88 at Venice, and the duke,
     For 89 private quarrel ’twixt your duke and him,
    Hath published 90 and proclaimed it openly.
    ’Tis marvel 91 , but that you are but newly come,
    You might have heard it else proclaimed about.
    PEDANT     Alas, sir, it is worse for me than so 93 ,
    For I have bills for money by exchange 94
    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 renownèd 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 count’nance somewhat doth resemble you.
    BIONDELLO     As much as an apple doth an oyster, and all one 106 .
    Aside
    TRANIO     To save your life in this extremity,
    This favour will I do you for his sake,
    And think it not the worst of all your fortunes
    That you are like to Sir Vincentio.
    His name and credit 111 shall you undertake,
    And in my house you shall be friendly lodged.
     Look that you take upon you as you should 113 .
    You understand me, sir. So shall you stay
    Till you have done your business in the city.
    If this be court’sy, sir, accept of it.
    PEDANT     O, sir, I do, and will repute 117 you ever
    The patron of my life and liberty.
    TRANIO     Then go with me to make the matter good 119 .
    This, by the way, I let you understand.
    My father is here looked for 121 every day,
    To pass assurance of a dower in