Iago. I'll fpend her presently;

And I'll devife a mean to draw the Moor

May be more free.

Out of the way, that your converse and business

[Exit.

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

To him, enter Emilia.

Emil. Good-morrow, good lieutenant, I am forty For your difpleafure; but all will, fure, be well. The General and his wife are talking of it:

And the fpeaks for you floutly. The Moor replies, That he, you hurt, is of great fame in Cyprus.

And great affinity; and that in wisdom

He might not but refufe you.

loves you;

But he protests, he

And needs no other fuitor, but his likings,
To bring you in again.

Caf. Yet I befeech you,

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

Emil. Pray you, come in;

I will beftow you where you fhall have time
To speak your bofom freely.
Caf. I'm much bound to you.

SCEN

[Exeunt.

E II.

Enter Othello, Iago, and Gentlemen.

Oth. THESE letters give, Iago, to the pilot,
THE

And by him do my duties to the Senate; That done, I will be walking on the Works; Repair there to me.

Iago. My good lord, I'll do't.

Oth. This fortification, gentlemen, fhall we fee't? Gent. We'll wait upon your lordship. [Exeunt.

SCENE

Changes to an Apartment in the Palace.
Enter Defdemona, Caffio, and Emilia.

Def. B All my abilities in thy behalf.

E thou affur'd, good Caffio, I will do

Emil. Good Madam, do: I know, it grieves my husband

As if the cause were his.

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

Caf. Moft bounteous Madam,
Whatever shall 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 ftrangeness ftand no farther off
Than in a politic diftance.

Caf. Ay, but, lady,

That policy may either last so long,
Or feed upon fuch nice and waterish diet,
Or breed itself fo out of circumstances,
That I being abfent, and my place supply'd,
My General will forget my love and fervice.

Def. Do not doubt that; before Æmilia here,
I give thee warrant of thy Place. Affure thee,
If I do vow a friendship, I'll perform it

To the laft article. My lord fhall never reft;
I'll watch him tame, and talk him out of patience;
His bed fhall feem a school, his board a fhrift;
I'll intermingle every thing he does

With Caffio's fuit: therefore be merry, Caffio;
For thy folicitor shall rather die,

Than give thy cause away.

SCENE

Enter Othello, and Iago, at diftance.

Emil. M Caf. Madam, I'll take my leave.

ADAM, here comes my lord.

Def. Why, ftay, and hear me speak.
Caf. Madam, not now; I'm very ill at ease,
Unfit for mine own purposes.

Def. Well, do your defcretion.
lago. Hah! I like not that.

Oth. What doft thou fay?

[Exit Caffio.

Iago. 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 fteal 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 languishes in your displeasure.
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 make.

For if he be not one that truly loves you,
That errs in ignorance, and not in cunning,
I have no judgment in an honeft 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, Sweet, for you.
Def. Shall't be to-night at fupper?
Oth. Not to-night.

Def.

Def. To-morrow 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 reason,
(Save that, they fay, the wars must make examples
Out of their beft,) is not almost a fault

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

What you would afk me, that I would deny,
Or ftand fo mutt'ring on? what? Michael Caffio!-
That came a wooing with you, and many a time,
When I have spoke of you difpraifingly,

Hath ta'en your part, to have fo much to do
To bring him in? truft 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 entreat you wear your cloths, 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 befcech thee, grant me this,
To leave me but a little to myself.

Def. Shall I deny you? no: farewel, my lord.
Oth. Farewel, my Defdemona, I'll come ftrait.

Def. Emilia, come; be, as your fancies teach you: Whate'er am obedient. [Exeunt.

be

I

you 'Tis as I fhould entreat you wear your Gloves, ] We should read

Cloths.

Warb. SCENE

Oth. EXCELLENT Wretch ! Perdition catch my

But I do love thee; and when I love thee not,

Chaos is come again.

Iago. My noble lord,

Oth. What doft thou fay, lago?

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

Oth. He did, from first to last: why doft thou ask? Iago. But for a fatisfaction of my thought, No farther harm.

Oth. Why of thy thought, Iago?

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

Oth. Indeed! ay, indeed. Difcern'st thou aught in that?

Is he not honeft?

Iago. Honeft, my lord?

Oth. Honeft? ay, honeft.

Iago. My lord, for aught I know..

Oth. What doeft thou think?

Iago. Think, my lord!

Oth. Think, my lord! why, by heav'n, thou echo'ft me;

As if there were fome monster in thy thought,

Too hideous to be fhewn. Thou doft mean fomething:

I heard thee fay but now, thou lik'dft 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'dft, indeed?
And didft contract and purfe thy brow together,
As if thou then hadft fhut up in thy barin
S

VOL. IX.

Some