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“since this bar in law makes us friends”
Wordplay
Act 1,
Scene 1
Lines 132-136

An explanation of Hortensio’s wordplay, “bar in law,” in Act 1, Scene 1 of myShakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew.

Hortensio

Faith, as you say, there's small choice in rotten    
apples. But come, since this bar in law makes us friends,
it shall be so far forth friendly maintained till by helping     
Baptista's eldest daughter to a husband we set his youngest
free for a husband, and then have to't afresh. Sweet     

Baptista’s legal control of his daughters is “barring” them from making Baptista their father-in-law.