Caf. I will ask him for my place again; he fhall tell me I am a drunkard! had I as many mouths as Hydra, fuch an anfwer would ftop them all. To be now a fenfible man, by and by a fool, and prefently a beast! Every inordinate cup is unbless'd, and

the ingredient is a devil.

Iago. Come, come, good wine is a good familiar creature, if it be well us'd: exclaim no more against it. And, good Lieutenant, I think you think I love you. Caf. I have well approv'd it, Sir. I drunk!

lago. You, or any man living, may be drunk at fome time, man. I tell you what you fhall do. Our General's wife is now the General. I may fay fo in this refpect; for that he hath devoted and given up himself to the contemplation, mark, and denotement of her parts and graces. Confefs yourself freely to her: importune her help, to put you in your place again. She is of fo free, fo kind, fo apt, fo bleffed a difpofition, fhe holds it a vice in her goodness not to do more than fhe is requested. This broken joint between you and her husband, intreat her to fplinter. And, my fortunes against any lay worth naming, this crack of your love fhall grow stronger than it was before.

Caf. You advife me well.

Iago. I proteft, in the fincerity of love, and honest kindness,

Caf. I think it freely; and betimes in the morning I will befeech the virtuous Desdemona to undertake for me: I am defperate of my fortunes, if they check me here.

Iago. You are in the right. Good night, Lieutenant,

I mult to the watch.

Caf. Good night, honeft Iago.

SCENE XIV.

[Exit Caffio.

Manet lago.

Iago. And what's he then that fays I play the villain? When this advice is free I give, and honest, Likely to thinking, and indeed the course To win the Moor again. For 'tis most easy Th' inclining Defdemona to fubdue In any honeft fuit; fhe's fram'd as fruitful As the free elements: and then for her

To win the Moor, were't to renounce his baptifm,
All feals and fymbols of redeemed fin;

His foul is fo infetter'd to her love,

That he may make, unnrake, do what fhe lift,
Even as her appetite fhall play the god
With his weak function. Am I then a villain,
To counfel Caffio to this parallel course,
Directly to his good? Divinity of hell!
When devils will their blackeft fins put on,
They do fuggeft, at first with heav'nly shews,
As I do now.
-For while this honeft fool

Plies Defdemona to repair his fortune,
And fhe for him pleads ftrongly to the Moor;
I'll pour this peftilence + into his ear,
That the repeals him for her body's luft:
And by how much the ftrives to do him good,
She fhall undo her credit with the Moor.
So will I turn her virtue into pitch;

And out of her own goodness make the net,

That fhall enmesh ‡ them all. How now, Rodorigo!

SCENE XV.

Enter Rodorigo..

Rod. I do follow here in the chafe, not like a hound that hunts, but one that fills up the cry. My money is almost spent; I have been to-night exceedingly well cudgelled; and I think the iffue will be, I fhall have fo much experience for my pains; and fo with no money at all, and a little more wit, return again to Venice.

Iago. How poor are they that have not patience? What wound did ever heal but by degrees? Thou know't we work by wit, and not by witchcraft; And wit depends on dilatory time.

Does't not go well? Caffio hath beaten thee,

And thou by that small hurt hast cashier'd Caffio.
Tho' other things grow fair against the fun,
Yet fruits that bloffom first will first be ripe:
Content thyself a while. In troth, 'tis morning:
Pleaíure and action make the hours feem fhort.

* parallel, for even; because parallel lines run even and equi

difiant.

+ peftilence, for poifon.

A metaphor from taking birds in meshes.

Retire thee; go where thou art billeted;

Away, I fay; thou fhalt know more hereafter :

Nay, get thee gone.

Two things are to be done;

[Exit Rodorigo.

My wife must move for Caffio to her miftrefs:
I'll fet her on :-

My felf, the while, to draw the Moor apart,
And bring him jump, when he may Caffio find
Soliciting his wife,. -ay, that's the way:
Dull not, Device, by coldness and delay.

[Exit.

A C T III.

SCENE I.

Before Othello's palace.

Enter Caffio, with musicians.

Caf. Afters, play here, I will content your pains,
MA
Something that's brief; and bid, good mor-
row, General.

[Mufic plays, and enter Clown from the house. Clown. Why, masters, have your inftruments been in Naples, that they speak i' th' nose thus ?

Muf. How, Sir, how?

Clown. Are thefe, I pray you, wind-inftruments ? Muf. Ay, marry, are they, Sir.

Clown. Oh, thereby hangs a tail.

Muf. Whereby hangs a tale, Sir?

Clown, Marry, Sir, by many a wind-inftrument that I know. But, masters, here's money for you: and the General fo likes your mufic, that he defires you for love's fake to make no more noife with it.

Muf. Weil, Sir, we will not.

Clown. If you have any

mufic that may not be heard, to't again but, as they fay, to hear mufic the General

does not greatly care.

Muf. We have none fuch, Sir.

Clown. Then put up your pipes in your bag, and hie away. Go, vanith into air, away. [Exeunt Muficians. Caf. Dolt thou hear, mine honeft friend?

Clown. No, I hear not your honest friend; I hear you.

Caf. Pr'ythee, keep up thy quillets, there's a poor piece of gold for thee: if the gentlewoman that attends the General's wife be ftirring, tell her there's one Caffio intreats of her a little favour of fpeech. Wilt thou do this?

Clown, She is stirring, Sir; if she will ftir hither, I fhall feem to notify unto her. [Exit Clown.

Caf. Do, my good friend.

To him, Enter Iago.

In happy time, Iago.

lago. You have not been a bed then?

Caf. Why, no; the day had broke before we parted. I have made bold to fend in to your wife ;

My fuit is, that the will to Desdemona
Procure me fome accefs.

Iago I'll fend her presently;

And I'll devife a mean to draw the Moor

Out of the way, that your converse and business
May be more free.

Caf. I humbly thank you for't. I never knew
A Florentine more kind and honest.

To him, enter Æmilia.

[Exit.

Emil. Good morrow, good Lieutenant, I am forry For your displeasure; but all will fure be well.

The General and his wife are talking of it:
And the speaks for you toutly. The Moor replies,
That he you hurt is of great fame in Cyprus,

And great affinity; and that in wifdom

He might not but refuse you. But he protests he loves And needs no other fuitor, but his likings,

To bring you in again.

Caf. Yet I beseech you,

If you think fit, or that it may be done,
Give me advantage of fome brief discourse
With Desdemona alone.

Emil. Pray you, come in;

I will beftow you where you fhall have time

[you;

To speak your bofom freely.

Caf. I'm much bound to you.

[Exeunt,

SCENE II. Enter Othello, Iago, and Gentlemen.

Oth. These letters give, Iago, to the pilot,

And by him do my duties to the fenate;

That done, I will be walking on the works,
Repair there to me.

lago. My good Lord, I'll do't.

Oth. This fortification, Gentlemen, fhall we fee't?

Gent. We'll wait upon your Lordship.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III. Changes to an apartment in the palace. Enter Defdemona, Caffio, and Æmilia.

Def. Be thou affur'd, good Caffio, I will do A my abilities in thy behalf.

:

Emil. Good Madam, do I know it grieves my As if the cause were his.

[husband, Def. Oh, that's an honeft fellow; doubt not, Caffio, But I will have my Lord and you again As friendly as you were.

Cafe Moft bounteous Madam,

Whatever fhall become of Michael Caffio,

He's never any thing but your true fervant,

Def. I know't, I thank you; you do love my Lord, You've known him long ; and, be you well affur'd, He fhall in ftrangenefs ftand no farther off

Than in a politic distance.

Caf. Ay, but, Lady,

That policy may either laft fo long,

Or feed upon fuch nice and waterith diet,
Or breed itself fo out of circumstances,
That I being abfent, and my place fupply'd,
My general will forget my love and fervice.

Def. Do not doubt that; before Emilia here,
I give thee warrant of thy place. Affure thee,
If I do vow a friend fhip, I'll perform it

To the last article. My Lord fhall never rest;
I'll watch him tame, and talk him out of patience;
His bed fball feem a fchool, his board a fhrift ;
I'll intermingle every thing he does