I would not haue your free and noble nature,
Out of felfe-bounty be abus'd, looke to't:
I know our countrey difpofition well,

In Venice they doe let God + fee the prankes

They dare + fhew their husbands: their beft confcience, Is not to leaue vndone, but keepe | vnknowne.

Oth. Doeft thou fay fo.

lag. She did deceiuc her father marrying you; And when she feem'd to shake and feare your lookes, She lou'd them most.

Oth. And fo fhe did.

Iag. Why go too then,

She that fo young, could giue out fuch a feeming,,

To feale her fathers eyes vp, close as oake,

He thought twas witchcraft: but I am much too blame, I humbly doe beseech you of your pardon,

For too much louing you.

Oth. I am bound to thee for euer.

Jag. I fee this hath a little dasht your spirits.

Oth. Not a iot, not a iot.

Iag. Ifaith § I feare it has.

I hope you will confider what is fpoke,

Comes from my loue: but I doe fee you are moou'd,

I am to pray you, not to ftraine my speech,

To grofer iffues, nor to larger reach,

Then to fufpition.

Oth. I will not.

Iag. Should you doe fo my lord,

My fpeech fhould fall into fuch vile fucceffe,

As my thoughts aime not at: Caffio's my trufty friend:

My lord, I fee you are moou'd.

Oth. No, not much moou'd,

I doe not thinke but Defdemonas honest.

+ Heaven. VOL. IV.

† dare not.

leav't. krepe't. § Trust me.

A a

lag. Long liue fhe fo, and long liue you to thinke fo. Oth. And yet how nature erring from it felfe.

Iag. I, there's the point: as to be bold with you,
Not to affect many proposed matches,

Of her owne clime, complexion, and degree,
Whereto we see in all things, nature tends;
Fie we may fmell in fuch a will, most ranke
Foule difproportion: thoughts vnnaturall.
But pardon me: I doe not in pofition,
Deftinctly speake of her, tho I may feare
Her will recoyling to her better iudgement,
May fall to match you with her country formes,
And happily repent.

Oth. Farewell, if more

Thou doeft perceiue, let me know more, fet on
Thy wife to obferue: leaue me Iago.

lag. My lord I take my leaue.

Oth. Why did I marry? this honeft creature doubtleffe
Sees and knowes more, much more then he vnfoulds.
*My lord, I would I might intreate your honour,

lag. To fcan this thing no further, leaue it to time,
Tho it be fitt, that Caffio haue his place,
For fure he fills it vp with great ability:
Yet if you please to hold him off a while,
You shall by that perceiue him and his meanes;
Note if your lady ftraine her entertainement,
With any strong or vehement importunity,
Much will be feene in that, in the meane time,
Let me be thought too bufie in my feares,
As worthy cause I haue, to feare I am;

And hold her free, I doe befeech your honour.
Oth. Feare not my gouernement.

lag. I once more take my leaue.

Exit.

• lag.

And the tis fit.

Oth

Oth. This fellowe's of exceeding honesty,
And knowes all qualities, with a learned spirit
Of humaine dealing: if I doe prooue her haggard,
Tho that her ieffes were my deare heart ftrings,
I'de whistle her off, and let her downe * the wind,
To prey at fortune. Happily, for I am blacke,
And haue not those soft parts of conuerfation,
That chamberers haue, or for I am declind
Into the valt of yeares; yet that's not much,
Shee's gone, I am abus'd, and my releife
Must be to lothe her: O curfe of marriage,
That we can call these delicate creatures ours,
And not their appetites: I had rather be a toade,
And liue vpon the vapor in a dungeon,

Then keepe a corner in a thing I loue,

For others vses: yet tis the plague of great ones,
Prerogatiu'd are they leffe then the base,
Tis defteny, vnfhunnable, like death:
Euen then this forked plague is fated to vs,
When we doe quicken: Desdemona comes,
If the be falfe, O then heauen mocks it felfe,
I'le not beleeue it.

Enter Defdemona and Emillia.

Defd. How now my deare Othello?

Your dinner, and the generous ilander

By you inuited, doe attend your prefence.

Oth. I am to blame.

Def. Why is your speech so faint? are you not well?
Oth. I haue à paine vpon my forehead here.

Def. Faith that's with watching, t'will away againe; Let me but bind your head ‡, within this houre

Oth. Your napkin is too little:

Let it alone, come I'le goe in with you.
Def. I am very sorry that you are not well.
Em. I am glad I haue found this napkin,

Ex. Oth. and Defd.

This was her firft remembrance from the Moore;
My wayward hufband, hath a hundred times
Wooed me to steale it, but fhe fo loues the token,
For he coniur'd her, the fhould euer keepe it,
That she referues it euer more about her,

To kisse, and talke to; I'le ha the worke taine † out,
And giu't lago: what hee'll doe with it,

Heauen knowes, not I,

I nothing know, but for his fantasie.

Enter Iago.

Jag. How now, what doe you here alone?
Em. Doe not you chide, I haue a thing for you.
lag. A thing for me, it is a common thing.

Em. Ha?

Jag. To haue a foolish thing §.

Em. O, is that all? what will you giue me now,

For that fame handkercher * ?

Iag. What handkercher *?

Em. What handkercher *?

Why that the Moore first gaue to Desdemona,

That which so often you did bid me steale.

lag. Ha'ft ftole it from her?

Em. No faith, fhe let it drop by negligence,
And to the aduantage, I being here, took't ‡ vp:
Looke here it is.

lag. A good wench, giue it me.

Em. What will you doe with it, that you haue bin So earnest to haue me filch it?

lag. Why what's that to you?

Em. If it be not for fome purpose of import, Giue mee't againe, poore lady, fhee'll run mad, When she shall lacke it.

lag. Be not you knowne + on't, I haue vfe for it-go leaue me ;

I will in Caffio's lodging lofe this napkin,
And let him finde it: trifles light as ayre,
Are to the iealous, confirmations strong

As proofes of holy writ, this may doe fomething ‡,
Dangerous conceits are in their natures poisons,
Which at the first are scarce found to distast.

But with a little art §, vpon the blood,

Ent. Othello.

Burne like the mindes of fulphure: I did fay fo:
Looke where he comes, not poppy, nor mandragora,
Nor all the droufie firrops of the world,

Shall euer medicine thee to that fweete sleepe,
Which thou owedft yesterday.

Oth. Ha, ha, false to me, to me?

lag. Why how now generall? no more of that.

Exit Em.

Oth. Auant, be gone, thou haft fet me on the racke,

I sweare, tis better to be much abus'd,

Then but to know ** a little.

lag. How now my lord?

Oth. What fenfe had I of her ftolne houres of luft:

I faw't not, thought it not, it harm'd not me,
I flept the next night well, was free, and merry;

I found not Caffio's kiffes on her lips,