Def. Tis meete I should be vfde fo, very well; How haue I bin behau'd, that he might sticke The smallest opinion, on my greatest abuse +.

Enter Iago, and Emillia.

lag. What is your pleasure madam

How ift with you?

Def. I cannot tell thofe that doe teach young babes

Doe it with gentle meanes, and eafie taskes,

He might ha chid me fo, for in good faith,

I am a child at § chiding.

Jag. What is the matter lady?

Em. Alas lago, my lord hath fo bewhor'd her, Throwne fuch defpite, and heauy termes vpon her, As true hearts cannot beare.

Def. Am I that name Iago?

lag. What name faire lady?

Def. Such as fhe fayes my lord did say I was?
Em. He call'd her whore: a begger in his drinke,
Could not haue layed fuch tearmes vpon his callet.
lag. Why did he fo?

Def. I doe not know, I am fure I am none fuch.
Iag. Doe not weepe, doe not weepe: alas the day.
Em. Has fhe forfooke so many noble matches,

Her father, and her country, all her friends,

To be cald whore? would it not make one weepe?

Def. It is my wretched fortune.

Iag. Befhrew him for it; how comes this tricke vpon him?

Def. Nay, heauen doth know.

Em. I will be hang'd, if fome eternall villaine,

Some bufie and infinuating rogue,

Some cogging, coufening flaue, to get fome office,
Haue not deuifde this flander, I'le be hang'd elfe.

Iag. Fie, there is no fuch man, it is impoffible,

+ leaf mifufe. $10

and.

Def.

y?

Def. If any fuch there be, heauen pardon him.
Em. A halter pardon him, and hell gnaw his bones:
Why should he call her whore? who keepes her company
What place, what time, what forme, what likelihood?
The Moore's abus'd by fome outragious knaue:
Some base notorious knaue, fome fcuruy fellow,
O heauen, that fuch companions thou'dft vnfold,
And put in euery honest hand a whip,

To lafh the rafcall naked through the world,
Euen from the east to the west.

Lag. Speake within dores.

Em. O fie vpon him; fome fuch fquire he was,
That turnd your wit, the feamy fide without,
And made you to fufpect me with the Moore.
lag. You are a foole, goe to.

Def. O good Iago.

What fhall I doe to win my lord againe?

Good friend goe to him, for by this light of heauen,

I know not how I loft him. †

lag. I pray you be content, tis but his humour, The bufineffe of the ftate does him offence,

And he does chide with you.

* are.

Here I kneele

If ere my will did trefpaffe 'gainft bis loue,
Either in difcourfe, or thought, or actuall deed
Or that mine eyes, mine eares, or any fence
Delighted them in any
other forme;
Or that I doe not yet, and cuer did,

And ever will (though he do fake me off
To beggerly diuorcement, lous bim deerely :
Comfort forfweare me; unkindneJe may do much,
And bis unkindness may defeat my life,
But neuer taint my loue, I cannot say whore,
It dotb abborre me, now I fpeake the word,
To do the alt, that might th' addition earne,
Not the worlds masse of vanity could make me,

Dej.

Def. If t'were no other.

lag. Tis but fo, I warrant you,

Harke how these inftruments fummon you to fupper,

And the great meffengers of Venice stay,

Goe in, and weepe not, all things shall be well.

How now Roderigo?

Enter Roderigo.

Exit women,

Rod. I doe not finde that thou dealft iuftly with me.
lag. What in the contrary?

Rod. Euery day, thou dofftst me, with some deuise Iago;
And rather, as it feemes to me, thou keepeft from me,
All conueniency, then suppliest me, with the least
Aduantage of hope: I will indeed no longer indure it,
Nor am I yet perfwaded to put vp in peace, what already
I haue foolishly fufferd.

Jag. Will you heare me Roderigo?

Rod. Faith & I haue heard too much, for your words, And performance are no kin together.

lag. You charge me moft vniuftly.

Rod. I haue wafted my felfe out of meanes: the iewels you haue had from me, to deliuer to Defdemona, would halfe haue corrupted a votarift: you haue told me he has receiu'd em, and return'd mee expectation, and comforts, of fuddaine refpect, and acquittance +, but I finde none.

Iag. Well, goe to, very good.

Rod. Very well, goe to, I cannot goe to man, it is not very well, by this hand **, I fay tis very fcuruy, and begin to finde my felfe fopt in it.

lag. Very well.

Rod. I fay it is not very well: I will make my felfe knowne to Desdemona, if she will returne me my iewels, I will giue

ouer my fuite, and repent my vnlawfull follicitation, if not, affure your felfe I'le feeke fatisfaction of you.

Jag. You haue faid now.

Rod. I, and I haue faid nothing, but what I protest entendment of doing.

lag. Why now I fee there's mettle in thee, and euen from this time doe build on thee, a better opinion then euer before, giue me thy hand Roderigo: thou haft taken against me a most iuft conception, but yet I protest, I haue delt most directly in thy affaires †.

Rod. It hath not appeared.

lag. I grant indeed it hath not appear'd, and your sufpition is not without wit and iudgement: but Roderigo, if thou hast that within thee indeed, which I haue greater reafon to beleeue now, then euer, I meane purpose, courage, and valour, this night fhew it, if thou the next night following enioyeft not Desdemona, take mee from this world with treachery, and deuife engines for my life.

Rod. Well, is it within reafon and compasse?

lag. Sir, there is especiall command come from Venice, To depute Caffio in Othello's place.

Rod. Is that true? why then Othello and Defdemona

Returne againe to Venice.

Jag. O no, he goes into Mauritania, and takes away with

him

The faire Desdemona, vnleffe his abode be linger'd

Here by fome accident, wherein none can be fo

Determinate, as the remouing of Caffio.

Rod. How doe you meane remouing of him?

lag. Why, by making him vncapable of Othello's place, Knocking out his braines.

Rod. And that you would haue me to doe.

Iag. I, and if you dare doe your felfe a profit, and right,

hee fups to night with a harlot ‡, and thither will I goe to

him; he knowes not yet of his honourable fortune: if you will watch his going thence, which I will fashion to fall out betweene twelue and one, you may take him at your pleasure: I will be neere to fecond your attempt, and hee shall fall betweene vs: come, stand not amaz'd at it, but goe along with mee, I will fhew you fuch a neceffity in his death, that you fhall thinke your felfe bound to put it on him. It is now high fupper time, and the night growes to waft: about it.

Enter Othello, Defdemona, Lodouico, Emillia, and at

tendants.

Rod. I will heare further reason for this.

lag. And you fhall be fatisfied.

Ex. Iag, and Rod.

Lod. I do befeech you fir, trouble your felfe no further. Oth O pardon me, it fhall doe me good to walke.

Lod. Madame, good night, I humbly thanke your ladiship. Def. Your honour is most welcome.

Oth. Will you walke fir:-O Defdemona:

Def. My lord.

Oth. Get you to bed, o'the inftant I will be return'd, forthwith, difpatch your attendant there,-looke it be done.

Def. I will my lord.

Exeunt.

Em. How goes it now? he lookes gentler then he did.

Def. He faies he will returne incontinent :

He hath commanded me to goe to bed,

And bad me to dismisse you.

Em. Difmiffe me?

Def. It was his bidding, therefore good Emillia,

Giue me my nightly wearing, and adiue,

We must not now displease him.

Em. It would you had neuer feene him.

Def. So would not I, my loue doth fo approue him,