Act 4 — Scene I. Petruchio's country house.

Gru. Fie, fie on all tired jades, on all mad masters, and all foul ways! Was ever man so beaten? was ever man so rayed? was ever man so weary? I am sent before to make a fire, and they are coming after to warm them. 5 Now, were not I a little pot, and soon hot, my very lips might freeze to my teeth, my tongue to the roof of my mouth, my heart in my belly, ere I should come by a fire to thaw me: but I, with blowing the fire, shall warm myself; for, considering the weather, a taller man than I will 10 take cold. Holla, ho! Curtis! Enter Curtis. Curt. Who is that calls so coldly? Gru. A piece of ice: if thou doubt it, thou mayst slide from my shoulder to my heel with no greater a run but my head and my neck. A fire, good Curtis. 15 Curt. Is my master and his wife coming, Grumio? Gru. O, ay, Curtis, ay: and therefore fire, fire; cast on no water. Curt. Is she so hot a shrew as she's reported? Gru. She was, good Curtis, before this frost: but, thou 20 knowest, winter tames man, woman, and beast; for it hath tamed my old master, and my new mistress, and myself, fellow Curtis. Curt. Away, you three-inch fool! I am no beast. Gru. Am I but three inches? why, thy horn is a foot; 25 and so long am I at the least. But wilt thou make a fire, or shall I complain on thee to our mistress, whose hand, she being now at hand, thou shalt soon feel, to thy cold comfort, for being slow in thy hot office? 30 Curt. I prithee, good Grumio, tell me, how goes the world? Gru. A cold world, Curtis, in every office but thine; and therefore fire: do thy duty, and have thy duty; for my master and mistress are almost frozen to death. Curt. There's fire ready; and therefore, good Grumio, 35 the news. Gru. Why, 'Jack, boy! ho! boy!' and as much news as thou wilt. Curt. Come, you are so full of cony-catching! Gru. Why, therefore fire; for I have caught extreme 40 cold. Where's the cook? is supper ready, the house trimmed, rushes strewed, cobwebs swept; the serving-men in their new fustian, their white stockings, and every officer his wedding-garment on? Be the jacks fair within, the jills fair without, the carpets laid, and every thing in order? 45 Curt. All ready; and therefore, I pray thee, news. Gru. First, know, my horse is tired; my master and mistress fallen out. Curt. How? Gru. Out of their saddles into the dirt; and thereby 50 hangs a tale. Curt. Let's ha't, good Grumio. Gru. Lend thine ear. Curt. Here. Gru. There. [Strikes him. 55 Curt. This is to feel a tale, not to hear a tale. Gru. And therefore 'tis called a sensible tale: and this cuff was but to knock at your ear, and beseech listening. Now I begin: Imprimis, we came down a foul hill, my master riding behind my mistress,— 60 Curt. Both of one horse? Gru. What's that to thee? Curt. Why, a horse. Gru. Tell thou the tale: but hadst thou not crossed me, thou shouldst have heard how her horse fell and she 65 under her horse; thou shouldst have heard in how miry a place, how she was bemoiled, how he left her with the horse upon her, how he beat me because her horse stumbled, how she waded through the dirt to pluck him off me, how he swore, how she prayed, that never prayed before, how I 70 cried, how the horses ran away, how her bridle was burst, how I lost my crupper, with many things of worthy memory, which now shall die in oblivion and thou return unexperienced to thy grave. Curt. By this reckoning he is more shrew than she. 75 Gru. Ay; and that thou and the proudest of you all shall find when he comes home. But what talk I of this? Call forth Nathaniel, Joseph, Nicholas, Philip, Walter, Sugarsop and the rest: let their heads be sleekly combed, their blue coats brushed and their garters of an indifferent 80 knit: let them curtsy with their left legs and not presume to touch a hair of my master's horse-tail till they kiss their hands. Are they all ready? Curt. They are. Gru. Call them forth. 85 Curt. Do you hear, ho? you must meet my master to countenance my mistress! Gru. Why, she hath a face of her own. Curt. Who knows not that? Gru. Thou, it seems, that calls for company to countenance 90 her. Curt. I call them forth to credit her. Gru. Why, she comes to borrow nothing of them. Enter four or five serving-men. Nath. Welcome home, Grumio! Phil. How now, Grumio! 95 Jos. What, Grumio! Nich. Fellow Grumio! Nath. How now, old lad? Gru. Welcome, you;—how now, you;—what, you;—fellow, you;—and thus much for greeting. Now, my spruce 100 companions, is all ready, and all things neat? Nath. All things is ready. How near is our master? Gru. E'en at hand, alighted by this; and therefore be not—Cock's passion, silence! I hear my master. Enter Petruchio and Katharina. Pet. Where be these knaves? What, no man at door 105 To hold my stirrup nor to take my horse! Where is Nathaniel, Gregory, Philip? All Serv. Here, here, sir; here, sir. Pet. Here, sir! here, sir! here, sir! here, sir! You logger-headed and unpolish'd grooms! 110 What, no attendance? no regard? no duty? Where is the foolish knave I sent before? Gru. Here, sir; as foolish as I was before. Pet. You peasant swain! you whoreson malt-horse drudge! Did I not bid thee meet me in the park, 115 And bring along these rascal knaves with thee? Gru. Nathaniel's coat, sir, was not fully made, And Gabriel's pumps were all unpink'd i' the heel; There was no link to colour Peter's hat, And Walter's dagger was not come from sheathing: 120 There were none fine but Adam, Ralph, and Gregory; The rest were ragged, old, and beggarly; Yet, as they are, here are they come to meet you. Pet. Go, rascals, go, and fetch my supper in. [Exeunt Servants. [Singing] Where is the life that late I led— 125 Where are those—Sit down, Kate, and welcome.— Soud, soud, soud, soud! Re-enter Servants with supper. Why, when, I say? Nay, good sweet Kate, be merry. Off with my boots, you rogues! you villains, when? [Sings. It was the friar of orders grey, 130 As he forth walked on his way:— Out, you rogue! you pluck my foot awry: Take that, and mend the plucking off the other. [Strikes him. Be merry, Kate. Some water, here; what, ho! Where's my spaniel Troilus? Sirrah, get you hence, 135 And bid my cousin Ferdinand come hither: One, Kate, that you must kiss, and be acquainted with. Where are my slippers? Shall I have some water? Enter one with water. Come, Kate, and wash, and welcome heartily. You whoreson villain! will you let it fall? [Strikes him. 140 Kath. Patience, I pray you; 'twas a fault unwilling. Pet. A whoreson beetle-headed, flap-ear'd knave! Come, Kate, sit down; I know you have a stomach. Will you give thanks, sweet Kate; or else shall I? What's this? mutton? First Serv. Ay. Pet. Who brought it? Peter. I. 145 Pet. 'Tis burnt; and so is all the meat. What dogs are these! Where is the rascal cook? How durst you, villains, bring it from the dresser, And serve it thus to me that love it not? There, take it to you, trenchers, cups, and all: [Throws the meat, &c. about the stage. 150 You heedless joltheads and unmanner'd slaves! What, do you grumble? I'll be with you straight. Kath. I pray you, husband, be not so disquiet: The meat was well, if you were so contented. Pet. I tell thee, Kate, 'twas burnt and dried away; 155 And I expressly am forbid to touch it, For it engenders choler, planteth anger; And better 'twere that both of us did fast, Since, of ourselves, ourselves are choleric, Than feed it with such over-roasted flesh. 160 Be patient; to-morrow't shall be mended, And, for this night, we'll fast for company: Come, I will bring thee to thy bridal chamber. [Exeunt. Re-enter Servants severally. Nath. Peter, didst ever see the like? Peter. He kills her in her own humour. Re-enter Curtis. 165 Gru. Where is he? Curt. In her chamber, making a sermon of continency to her; And rails, and swears, and rates, that she, poor soul, Knows not which way to stand, to look, to speak, 170 And sits as one new-risen from a dream. Away, away! for he is coming hither. [Exeunt. Re-enter Petruchio. Pet. Thus have I politicly begun my reign, And 'tis my hope to end successfully. My falcon now is sharp and passing empty; 175 And till she stoop she must not be full-gorged, For then she never looks upon her lure. Another way I have to man my haggard, To make her come and know her keeper's call, That is, to watch her, as we watch these kites 180 That bate and beat and will not be obedient. She eat no meat to-day, nor none shall eat; Last night she slept not, nor to-night she shall not; As with the meat, some undeserved fault I'll find about the making of the bed; 185 And here I'll fling the pillow, there the bolster, This way the coverlet, another way the sheets: Ay, and amid this hurly I intend That all is done in reverend care of her; And in conclusion she shall watch all night: 190 And if she chance to nod I'll rail and brawl And with the clamour keep her still awake. This is a way to kill a wife with kindness; And thus I'll curb her mad and headstrong humour. He that knows better how to tame a shrew, 195 Now let him speak: 'tis charity to show. [Exit.