Take it, and do't, and leave me for this time.
Bian. Leave you? wherefore?

Caf. I do attend here on the General,
And think it no addition, nor my with,
To have him fee me woman'd.

Bran. Why, I pray you?

Caf. Not that I love you not.

Bian. But that you do not love me;
I pray you, bring me on the way a little;
And fay, if I fhall see you foon at night?
Caf.'Tis but a little way that I can bring you,
For I attend here. But I'll fee you foon.

Bian. 'Tis very good; I must be circumitanc'd. [Exe

A CT IV.

SCENE, a Court before the Palace.
Enter Othello, and Iago.

ILL you

IAGO.

think fo?

WILL
Oth. Think fo, Iago?

Iago. What, to kifs in private ?

Oth. An unauthoriz'd kifs ?

Iago. Or to be naked with her friend in bed,

An hour or more, not meaning any harm?

Oth. Naked in bed, Iago, and not mean harm-?

It is hypocrify against the Devil:

They that mean virtuoufly, and yet do fo,

The Devil their virtue tempts, and they tempt heav'n. Iago. If they do nothing, 'tis a venial flip:

But if I give my wife a handkerchief

Oth. What then?

Iago. Why then, 'tis hers, my Lord; and, being hers, may, I think, beftow't on any man.

She

Oth.

Oth. She is protectrefs of her honour too;

May the give that ?

Lago. Her honour is an effence that's not feen, They have it very oft, that have it not

But for the handkerchief

Oth. By heav'n, I would most gladly have forgot it;
Thou faid'ft-oh, it comes o'er my memory,
As doth the raven o'er th' infected house,

Boding to ill,he had my handkerchief."
Iago. Ay, what of that?

Oib. That's not fo good now.

Lago. What if I faid, I'd feen him do you wrong?
Or heard him fay, (as knaves be fuch abroad, (25)
Who having by their own importunate fuit,
Or voluntary dotage of fome mistress,

Convinc'd or fuppled them, they cannot chufe
But they must blab.)

Oth. Hath he faid any thing?

Iago. He hath, My Lord; but be you well affur'd, No more than he'll unfwear.

Oth. What hath he faid?

Iago. Why, that he did-I know not what he did

Oth. What? what?

Jago. Lie

Oth. With her?

Iago. With her; on her

(25) -as Knaves be fuch abroad,

Who having by their own importunate Suit,
Or voluntary Dotage of fome Miftrefs,
Convinc'd or fupplied them, cannot chufe

But they muft blab.] I cannot understand the vulgar Reading, which poflefles the Copies. My Emendation makes the Senfe of the Paffage eafy and intelligible that there are fome fuch long-tongu'd Knaves in the world, who, if they thro' the Force of Importunity exfort a Favour from their Miftrefs, or if thro' ber own Fondress they make her pliant to their Defires, cannot help boasting of their Succefs. To convince, here, is not, as in the common Acceptation, to make fenfible of the Truth of any thing by Reasons and Arguments; but to overcome, get the better of, &c.

Oth.

:

Oth. Lie with her! lie on her! lie with her that's` fulfome handkerchief-confeffions-handkerchiefhandkerchief-to confefs, and be hang'd for his labourFirst, to be hang'd, and then-to confefs! I tremble at it-Nature would not inveft herself in fuch fhadowing without fome inftruction. It is not words, that fhake me thus pifb-nofes, ears, and lips-is't poffible! confefs!-handkerchief! oh devil [Falls in a trance. Iago. Work on,

My medicine, work! thus credulous fools are caught; And many worthy and chafte dames ev'n thus,

All guiltless, meet reproach. What hoa! my Lord! My Lord, I fay, Othello,

T

Enter Caffio.

How now, Cafio?

Caf. What's the matter?

Jago. My Lord is fell into an Epilepfy, This is the fecond fit; he had one yesterday. Caf. Rub him about the temples.

Iago. No, forbear,

The lethargy must have his quiet courfe;
If not he foams at mouth, and by and by
Breaks out to favage madness: look, he firs.
Do you withdraw yourfelf a little while,

He will recover ftraight; when he is gone,

I would on great occafion fpeak with you. [Exit Caffio. How is it, General? have you not hurt your head? Oth. Doft thou mock me?

Iago. I mock you not, by heav'n;

Would you would bear your fortunes like a man.
Oth. A horned man's a monfter, and a beast.
Iago. There's many a beaft, then, in a populous city,
And many a civil monster.

Oth. Did he confefs it?

lago. Good, Sir, be a man:

Think, every bearded fellow, that's but yok'd,

May draw with you. Millions are now alive,

That nightly lie in thofe unproper beds,

Which they dare fwear peculiar. Your cafe is better,
Oh, 'tis the spight of hell, the fiend's arch-mock,
To lip a wanton in a fecure couch;

And to fuppofe her chafte. No, let me know,
And knowing what I am, I know what the fhall be.
Oth. Oh, thou art wife; 'tis certain.

Iago. Stand you awhile apart,
Confine yourself but in a patient lift.

Whilft you were here, o'er-whelmed with your grief,
(A paffion most unfuiting fuch a man.)
Cafio came hither. I fhifted him away,
And laid good 'icufes on your ecstacy;

Bade him anon return, and herc fpeak with me;
The which he promis'd. Do but encave yourfelf,
And mark the fleers, the gibes, and notable scorns,
That dwell in every region of his face.
For I will make him tell the tale ancw;
Where, how, how oft, how long ago, and when,
He hath, and is again to cope your wife.
1 fay, but mark his gefture. Marry, patience;
Or I fhall fay, you are all in all in fpleen,
And nothing of a man.

Oth. Doft thou hear, Iago?

I will be found most cunning in my

But, doft thou hear, moft bloody?

Iago. That's not amifs ;

patience;

But yet keep time in all. Will you withdraw?

[Othello withdraws.

Now will I queftion Cafio of Bianca,

A housewife, that, by felling her defires,

Buys herself bread and cloth. It is a creature,
That doats on Caffio; as 'tis the ftrumpet's plague
To beguile many, and be beguil'd by one;
He, when he hears of her, cannot refrain
From the excess of laughter.Here he comes-
Enter Caffio..

As he shall fmile, Othello fhall go mad;
And his unbookish jealousy must conftrue

Poor Caffio's fmiles, geftures, and light behaviour,

Quite in the wrong. How do you now,

Lieutenant?

Caf. The worfer, that you give me the addition, Whofe want even kills me.

Iago. Ply Defdemona well, and you are fure on't:
Now, if this fute lay in Bianca's power,

How quickly fhould you speed?
Caf. Alas, poor caitiff!

Oth. Look, how he laughs already.

[Speaking lover.

[Afide.

Iago. I never knew a woman love man fo."

Caf. Alas, poor rogue, I think, indeed, she loves me. Oth. Now he denies it faintly, and laughs out. [Afide. Iago. Do you hear, Caffio?

Oth. Now he importunes him

To tell it o'er: go to, well faid, well faid.

[Afide.

Iego. She gives it out, that you fhall marry her.

Do you intend it?

Caf. Ha, ha, ha!

Oth. Do you triumph, Roman? do you triumph?

[Afides Caf. I marry her!What? a cuftomer? pry'thee, bear fome charity to my wit, do not think it lo unwholfome. Ha, ha, ha!

Oth. So, fo: they laugh that win.

[Afide.

Iago. Why, the cry goes that you fhall marry her. Caf. Pry'thee, fay true.

Iago. I am a very villain elfe.

Oth. Have you fcor'd me? well.

[Afide.

Caf. This is the monkey's own giving out: he is perfuaded, I will marry her, out of her own love and flattery, not out of my promife.

Oth. Iago beckons me: now he begins the ftory. [Afide. Caf. She was here even now: fhe haunts me in every place. I was the other day talking on the fea-bank with certain Venetians, and thither comes the bauble, and falls me thus about my neck.

Oth. Crying, "Oh dear Caffio, as it were:" his gefture imports it.

[Afide. Caf. So hangs, and lolls, and weeps upon me, fo hakes, and pulls me. Ha, ha, ha!

Oth