er into
a meek and manageable wife. And truly none was so fit to set about
this herculean labour as Petruchio, whose spirit was as high as
Katherine's, and he was a witty and most happy-tempered humourist, and
withal so wise, and of such a true judgment, that he well knew how
to feign a passionate and furious deportment, when his spirits were
so calm that he himself could have laughed merrily at his own angry
feigning, for his natural temper was careless and easy; the boisterous
airs he assumed when he became the husband of Katherine being but
in sport, or, more properly speaking, affected by his excellent
discernment, as the only means to overcome in her own way the
passionate ways of the furious Katherine.

A courting then Petruchio went to Katherine the shrew, and first of
all he applied to Baptista, her father, for leave to woo his _gentle
daughter_ Katherine, as Petruchio called her, saying archly, that
having heard of her bashful modesty and mild behaviour, he had
come from Verona to solicit her love. Her father, though he wished
her married, was forced to confess Katherine would ill answer this
character, it being soon apparent of what manner of gentleness she
was composed, for her music-master rushed into the room to complain
that the gentle Katherine, his pupil, had broken his head with her
lute, for presuming to find fault with her performance; which, when
Petruchio heard, he said, "It is a brave wench; I love her more than
ever, and long to have some chat with her;" and hurrying the old
gentleman for a positive answer, he said, "My business is in haste,
signior Baptista, I cannot come every day to woo. You knew my father.
He is dead, and has left me heir to all his lands and goods. Then tell
me, if I get your daughter's love, what dowry you will give with her."
Baptista thought his manner was somewhat blunt for a lover; but being
glad to get Katherine married, he answered that he would give her
twenty thousand crowns for her dowry, and half his estate at his
death: so this odd match was quickly agreed on, and Baptista went to
apprise his shrewish daughter of her lover's addresses, and sent her
in to Petruchio to listen to his suit.

In the mean time Petruchio was settling with himself the mode of
courtship he should pursue: and he said, "I will woo her with some
spirit when she comes. If she rails at me, why then I will tell her
she sings as sweetly as a nightingale; and if she frowns, I will say
she looks