William Shakespeare: The Taming of the Shrew

1. INDUCTION. SCENE I. Before an alehouse on a heath.

[Enter HOSTESS and SLY.]

SLY.
I'll pheeze you, in faith.

HOSTESS.
A pair of stocks, you rogue!

SLY.
Y'are a baggage; the Slys are no rogues; look in the
chronicles: we came in with Richard Conqueror. Therefore, paucas
pallabris; let the world slide. Sessa!

HOSTESS.
You will not pay for the glasses you have burst?

SLY.
No, not a denier. Go by, Saint Jeronimy, go to thy cold bed
and warm thee.

HOSTESS.
I know my remedy; I must go fetch the third-borough.

[Exit.]

SLY.
Third, or fourth, or fifth borough, I'll answer him by law.
I'll not budge an inch, boy: let him come, and kindly.

[Lies down on the ground, and falls asleep.]

[Horns winded. Enter a LORD from hunting, with Huntsmen and
Servants.]

LORD.
Huntsman, I charge thee, tender well my hounds;
Brach Merriman, the poor cur, is emboss'd,
And couple Clowder with the deep-mouth'd brach.
Saw'st thou not, boy, how Silver made it good
At the hedge-corner, in the coldest fault?
I would not lose the dog for twenty pound.

FIRST HUNTSMAN.
Why, Bellman is as good as he, my lord;
He cried upon it at the merest loss,
And twice to-day pick'd out the dullest scent;
Trust me, I take him for the better dog.

LORD.
Thou art a fool: if Echo were as fleet,
I would esteem him worth a dozen such.
But sup them well, and look unto them all;
To-morrow I intend to hunt again.

FIRST HUNTSMAN.
I will, my lord.

LORD.
[ Sees Sly.] What's here? One dead, or drunk?
See, doth he breathe?