Page 1462 - Shakespeare - Vol. 1

ACT III IT

Scene I IT

Enter Lucentio, Hortensio, and Bianca.

LUCENT IO

Fiddler, forbear. You grow too forward, sir.
Have you so soon forgot the entertainment
Her sister Katherine welcom’d you withal?

HORT ENSIO

But, wrangling pedant, this is
The patroness of heavenly harmony. [5]
Then give me leave to have prerogative,
And when in music we have spent an hour,
Your lecture shall have leisure for as much.

LUCENT IO

Preposterous ass, that never read so far
To know the cause why music was ordain’d! [10]
Was it not to refresh the mind of man
After his studies or his usual pain?
Then give me leave to read philosophy,
And while I pause serve in your harmony.

HORT ENSIO

Sirrah, I will not bear these braves of thine. [15]

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. [20]
And, to cut off all strife, here sit we down.