With Caffio's fuit: therefore be merry, Caffio

For thy folicitor fhall rather die,

Than give thy caufe away.

SCENE IV. Enter Othello and Iago, at diftance.

Emil. Madam, here comes my Lord.

Caf. Madam, I'll take my leave.

Def. Why, ftay and hear me fpeak.

Caf. Madam, not now; I'm very ill at ease,

Unfit for mine own purposes.

Def. Well, do your difcretion.

Iago. Ha! I like not that.

Oth. What doft thou fay?

[Exit Caffio.

Lago. Nothing, my Lord; or if I know not what. Oth. Was not that Caffio parted from my wife?

Iago. Caffio, my Lord ?—no, fure, I cannot think it, That he would steal away fo guilty-like,

Seeing you coming.

Oth. I believe 'twas he.

Def. How now, my Lord?

I have been talking with a fuitor here,
A man that languifles in your difpleasure.

Oth. Who is't you mean?

Def. Why, your Lieutenant Caffio. Good my Lord, If I have any grace, or power to move you,

His prefent reconciliation take.

For if he be not one that truly loves you,
That errs in ignorance, and not in cunning,
I have no judgment in an honest face.

I pr'ythee call him back.

Oth. Went he hence now?
Def. I, footh, fo humbled,

That he hath left part of his grief with me,

To fuffer with him. Good love, call him back.

Oth Not now, fweet Defdemona; fome other time, Def. But fhall't be shortly?

Oth. The fooner, fweet, for you.

Def. Shall't be to-night at fupper?
Oth. Not to night.

Def. Tomorrow dinner then?
Oth. I fhall not dine at home:

I meet the captains at the citadel.

Def. Why then to-morrow night, or Tuesday morn, Or Tuesday noon, or night, or Wednesday morn,

I pr'ythee, name the time; but let it not

Exceed three days; in faith, he's penitent :-
And yet his trefpafs, in our common reafon,
(Save that, they fay, the wars must make examples:
Out of their best), is not almost a fault

T'incur a private check. When thall he come ?
Tell me, Othello. I wonder in my soul,

What you would ask me, that I would deny,
Or stand so mutt'ring on? What? Michael Caffio!-
That came a wooing with you, and many a time,
When I have spoke of you difpraisingly,

Hath ta'en your part, to have fo much to do

To bring him in? trust me, I could do much

Oth. Pr'ythee, no more; let him come when he will, I will deny thee nothing.

Def. Why, this is not a boon :

'Tis as I fhould intreat you wear your cloaths,

Or feed on nourishing meats, or keep you warm ;
Or fue to you, to do peculiar profit

To your own perfon. Nay, when I have fuit,
Wherein I mean to touch your love indeed,
It fhall be full of poize and difficulty,
And fearful to be granted:

Oth. I will deny thee nothing.

Whereon I do befeech thee, grant me this,
To leave me but a little to myself,

Def. Shall I deny you? no: farewel, my Lord.
Oth. Farewel, my Desdemona, I'll come strait.
Def. Emilia, come: be as your fancies teach you;
Whate'er you be, I am obedient.

[Exeunt SCENE V. Manent Othello and Iago.

Oth." Excellent wretch !Perdition catch my foul,, "But I do love thee; and when I love thee not,

"Chaos is come again."

Iago. My noble Lord,

Oth What doft thou fay, Iago?

Iago. Did Michael Caffio, when you woo'd my Lady,, Know. of your love?

Oth. He did from firft to laft: why doft thou ask? Iago. But for a fatisfaction of my thought, No further harm.

Oth. Why of thy thought, Iago?

Iago. I did not think he'd been acquainted with it. Oth. Oh, yes, and went between us very oft.

Iago. Indeed!

Oth. Indeed! ay, indeed. Difcern'ft thou aught in Is he not honeft ?

Iago. Honest, my Lord?

Oth. Honelt? ay honest,

Iago. My Lord, for aught I know.
Oth. What doft thou think?

Iago. Think, my Lord !

[that?

Oth. Think, my Lord! why, by heav'n, thou echo'st As if there were fome monster in thy thought,

[me;

Too hideous to be fhewn. Thou doft mean fomething :

1 heard thee fay but now, thou likt not that,-
When Caffio left my wife. What didft not like?
And when I told thee, he was of my counfel,

In my whole courfe of wooing; thou cry't, Indeed!
And didst contract and purfe thy brow together,
As if thou then had'ft fhut up in thy brain
Some horrible conceit. If thou doft love me,
Shew me thy thought.

Iago. My Lord, you know I love you.

Oth. I think thou doft :

"And for I know thou art full of love and honefty, "And weigh'lt thy words before thou giv'ft them breath,, "Therefore thefe ftops of thine fright me the more : "For fuch things, in a falfe difloyal knave,

"Are tricks of custom; but, in a man that's just, They're cold dilations working from the heart,, That paffion cannot rule.

Iago. For Michael Caffio,

I dare be fworn, I think, that he is honest.
Oth. I think so too.

Iago. Men thould be what they seem;

Or, thofe that be not, 'would they might feem knaves I
Oth. Certain, men should be what they feem.

Iago Why, then I think Caffio's an honest man.
Qth. Nay, yet there's more in this;

I pray thee fpeak to me as to thy thinkings,

As thou doft ruminate; and give thy worst of thoughts.

The worst of words.

Iago. Good my Lord, pardon me.

Tho' I am bound to every act of duty,

I am not bound to that all flaves are free to ;
Utter my thoughts!-Why, fay, they're vile and falfe;
As where's that's palace, whereinto foul things
Sometimes intrude not? who has a breast so pure,
But fome uncleanly apprehenfions

Keep leets and law-days, and in feffions fit
With meditations lawful?

Oth. Thou doft conspire against thy friend, lago,
If thou but think'it him wrong'd, and mak'it his ear
A ftranger to thy thoughts.

Lago. I do befeech you,

Think I, perchance, am vicious in my guess,
(As, I confefs, it is my nature's plague
To ipy into abute; and oft my jealousy
Shapes faults that are not); I întreat you then,
From one that fo imperfectly conjects,

Your wisdom would not build yourself a trouble
Out of my scattering and unfure obfervance:
It were not for your quiet, nor your good,
Nor for my manhood, honefty, and wifdom,
To let you know my thoughts.

Oth. What doft thou mean?

Iago. Good name in man and woman, dear my Lord, Is the immediate jewel of their fouls.

Who fteals my purse, steals trash; 'tis fomething, nothing;

'Twas mine, 'tis his; and has been slave to thousands: But he that filches from me my good name,

Robs me of that which not enriches him,

And makes me poor indeed.'

Oth. I'll know thy thoughts

Iago. You cannot, if my heart were in your hand;

Nor thall not, whil'ft 'tis in my custody.

Oth. Ha!

lago. Oh, beware, my Lord, cf jealoufy;

It is a green-ey'd monster, which doth mock
The meat it feeds on. That cuckold lives in bliss,

Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger;
But, oh, what damned minutes tells he o'er,

Who doats, yet doubts; fufpe&s, yet strongly loves!
Oth. O mifery !

Iago. Poor and content, is rich and rich enough;
But riches endlefs, is as poor as winter,

To him that ever fears he fhall be poor.

Good heaven! the fouls of all my tribe defend
From jealousy!

Oth. Why? why is this?"

Think'st thou I'd make a life of jealousy?
To follow ftill the changes of the moon

With fresh fufpicions? No; to be once in doubt,
Is once to be refolv'd. Exchange me for a goat,
When I fhall turn the bufinefs of my foul

To fuch exfuffolate and blown surmises,

Matching thy inference *. 'Tis not to make me jea-

lous,

To fay, my wife is fair, feeds well, loves company,
Is free of fpeech, fings, plays, and dances well;
Where virtue is, these make more virtuous.
Nor from mine own weak merits will I draw
The smallest fear, or doubt of her revolt;
For fhe had eyes, and chofe me.
No, lago,
I'll fee, before I doubt; when I doubt, prove,
And on the proof, there is no more but this,
Away at once with love or jealousy.

Iago. I'm glad of this; for now I fhall have reafon: To thew the love and duty that I bear you

With franker fpirit. Therefore, as I'm bound,

Receive it from me.

I fpeak not yet of proof,
Look to your wife, obferve her well with Caffio;
Wear your eye, thus; not jealous, nor fecure;
I would not have your free and noble nature
Out of felf-bounty + be abus'd; look to't.

I know our country-difpofition well;

In Venice they do let heav'n fee the pranks

They dare not thew their husbands; their best confcienee Is not to leave't undone, but keep't unknown.

Oth. Doft thou fay fo!

-inference, for defcription, account, † felf bounty, for inherent gencrofity.