Speeches (Lines) for Bianca in "The Taming of the Shrew"

Katherina. A pretty peat! it is best
Put finger in the eye, an she knew why.

Bianca. Sister, content you in my discontent.
Sir, to your pleasure humbly I subscribe;
My books and instruments shall be my company,
On them to look, and practise by myself.

Hortensio. The motion's good indeed, and be it so.
Petruchio, I shall be your ben venuto. Exeunt

Bianca. Good sister, wrong me not, nor wrong yourself,
To make a bondmaid and a slave of me-
That I disdain; but for these other gawds,
Unbind my hands, I'll pull them off myself,
Yea, all my raiment, to my petticoat;
Or what you will command me will I do,
So well I know my duty to my elders.

Katherina. Of all thy suitors here I charge thee tell
Whom thou lov'st best. See thou dissemble not.

Bianca. Believe me, sister, of all the men alive
I never yet beheld that special face
Which I could fancy more than any other.

Katherina. Minion, thou liest. Is't not Hortensio?

Bianca. If you affect him, sister, here I swear
I'll plead for you myself but you shall have him.

Katherina. O then, belike, you fancy riches more:
You will have Gremio to keep you fair.

Bianca. Is it for him you do envy me so?
Nay, then you jest; and now I well perceive
You have but jested with me all this while.
I prithee, sister Kate, untie my hands.

Hortensio. Sirrah, I will not bear these braves of thine.

Bianca. Why, gentlemen, you do me double wrong
To strive for that which resteth in my choice.
I am no breeching scholar in the schools,
I'll not be tied to hours nor 'pointed times,
But learn my lessons as I please myself.
And to cut off all strife: here sit we down;
Take you your instrument, play you the whiles!
His lecture will be done ere you have tun'd.

Lucentio. That will be never- tune your instrument.

Bianca. Where left we last?

Lucentio. Here, madam:
'Hic ibat Simois, hic est Sigeia tellus,
Hic steterat Priami regia celsa senis.'

Bianca. Construe them.

Hortensio. Madam, my instrument's in tune.

Bianca. Let's hear. O fie! the treble jars.

Lucentio. Spit in the hole, man, and tune again.

Bianca. Now let me see if I can construe it: 'Hic ibat Simois' I
know you not- 'hic est Sigeia tellus' I trust you not- 'Hic
steterat Priami' take heed he hear us not- 'regia' presume not-
'celsa senis' despair not.

Hortensio. The bass is right; 'tis the base knave that jars.
[Aside] How fiery and forward our pedant is!
Now, for my life, the knave doth court my love.
Pedascule, I'll watch you better yet.

Bianca. In time I may believe, yet I mistrust.

Lucentio. Mistrust it not- for sure, AEacides
Was Ajax, call'd so from his grandfather.

Bianca. I must believe my master; else, I promise you,
I should be arguing still upon that doubt;
But let it rest. Now, Licio, to you.
Good master, take it not unkindly, pray,
That I have been thus pleasant with you both.

Hortensio. Madam, before you touch the instrument
To learn the order of my fingering,
I must begin with rudiments of art,
To teach you gamut in a briefer sort,
More pleasant, pithy, and effectual,
Than hath been taught by any of my trade;
And there it is in writing fairly drawn.

Bianca. Why, I am past my gamut long ago.

Hortensio. Yet read the gamut of Hortensio.

Bianca. [Reads]
'"Gamut" I am, the ground of all accord-
"A re" to plead Hortensio's passion-
"B mi" Bianca, take him for thy lord-
"C fa ut" that loves with all affection-
"D sol re" one clef, two notes have I-
"E la mi" show pity or I die.'
Call you this gamut? Tut, I like it not!
Old fashions please me best; I am not so nice
To change true rules for odd inventions.

Servant. Mistress, your father prays you leave your books
And help to dress your sister's chamber up.
You know to-morrow is the wedding-day.

Bianca. Farewell, sweet masters, both; I must be gone.

Lucentio. Mistress, what's your opinion of your sister?

Bianca. That, being mad herself, she's madly mated.

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!

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. I' faith, he'll have a lusty widow now,
That shall be woo'd 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?

Vincentio. Lives my sweet son?

Bianca. Pardon, dear father.

Baptista Minola. Why, tell me, is not this my Cambio?

Bianca. Cambio is chang'd into Lucentio.

Gremio. Believe me, sir, they butt together well.

Bianca. Head and butt! An hasty-witted body
Would say your head and butt were head and horn.

Vincentio. Ay, mistress bride, hath that awakened you?

Bianca. Ay, but not frighted me; therefore I'll sleep again.

Petruchio. Nay, that you shall not; since you have begun,
Have at you for a bitter jest or two.

Bianca. Am I your bird? I mean to shift my bush,
And then pursue me as you draw your bow.
You are welcome all.

Widow. Lord, let me never have a cause to sigh
Till I be brought to such a silly pass!

Bianca. Fie! what a foolish duty call you this?

Lucentio. I would your duty were as foolish too;
The wisdom of your duty, fair Bianca,
Hath cost me a hundred crowns since supper-time!

Bianca. The more fool you for laying on my duty.