Def. Upon my knee, what doth your fpeec I understand a fury in your words,

But not your words.

[import?

Def. Your wife, my Lord; your true and loyal wife. Oth. Come, fwear it; damn thyfelf; left, being like one

Of Heaven, the devils themfelves fhould fear to feize thee.

Therefore be double-damned; fwear thou art honest.
Def. Heaven doth truly know it.
Oth. Heaven truly knows
That thou art falfe as hell.

Def. To whom, my Lord?
With whom? how am I falfe?d-

Oth. Ah, Defdemona! away, away, away.
Def. Alas, the heavy day! why do you weep?
Am I the motive of thefe tears, my Lord?!
If, haply, you my father do fufpect

An inftrument of this your calling back,

Lay not your blame on me; if you have loft him, Why, I have loft him too.

Oth. Had it pleafed Heaven

To try me with affliction, had he rained
All kind of fores and fhames on my bare head,
Steeped me in poverty to the very lips,
Given to captivity me and my hopes;

I fhould have found in fome place of my foul
A drop of patience. But alas, to make me
A fixed figure for the hand of Scorn
To point his flow and moving finger at
Yet could I bear that too, well, very well.
But there, where I have garnered up my heart,.
Where either I must live, or bear no life,
The fountain from the which my current runs,
Or elfe dries up; to be difcarded thence;

Or keep it as a ciftern, for foul toads

To knot and gender in: Turn thy complexion there, (47)

Patience, thou young and rofe-liped cherubin;
Ay, there, look grim as hell.

Def. I hope, my noble Lord efteems me honest.
Oth. Oh, ay, as fummer flies are in the fhambles,
That quicken even with blowing. Oh thou weed!
Who art fo lovely fair, and smellest so sweet,
That the fenfe akes at thee------

'Would thou hadst ne'er been born!

Def. Alas, what ignorant fin have I committed? Oth. Was this fair paper, this moft goodly book Made to write whore upon? what, what committed? Committed?-ho, thou public commoner !

I fhould make very forges of my cheeks,
That would to cinders burn up modefty,

[ted?

Did I but speak thy deeds. What, what commitHeaven ftops the nose at it, and the moon winks The bawdy wind, that kifles all it meets,

Is hushed within the hollow mine of earth, And will not hear't. What committed?-Impu dent ftrumpet!

1

Def. By Heaven you do me wrong.
Oth. Are not you a ftrumpet ?

(47) -Turn thy complexion there,

Patience, thou young and rof-ip'd cherubin;

I here look grim as hell.] The Poet makes an apo ftrophe to Patience as a goddefs; and is fuppofed to make Othello bid her turn her complexion and cherubin's looks, because he looks as grim as hell upon the occafion. :: But f am perfuaded, the text has been all along flightly corrupted, by miftaking in the laft verfe for the pronoun of the first perfon: whereas, in our Author's days, it likewife stood for the adverb of affirming. As I have reformed the text, a proper contraft is restored; and Patience is urged not only to turn her complexion, to drop the rofy looks of a cherub, but to put on the grim affect of a fiend.

Def. No, as I am a Christian.
If to preferve this veffel for my Lord
From any other, foul, unlawful touch,
Be not to be a trumpet, I am none.
Oth. What, not a whore?
Def. No, as I fhall be faved.
Oth. Is't poffible?

Def. Oh, Heav'n forgive us!
Oth. I cry you mercy, then.

I took you for that cunning whore of Venice,
That married with Othello------

You, miftrefs,

Enter EMILIA.

That have the office oppofite to St Peter,

And keep the gate of hell; you! you! ay, you! We have done our courfe, there's money for your

pains,

I pray you turn the key, and keep our counfel..

[Exit. Emil Alas, what does this gentleman conceive? How do you, Madam? how do you, my good Lady? Def. "Faith, half afleep.

Emil. Good Madam, what's the matter with my Lord?

Def. With whom?

Emil. Why, with my Lord, Madam?

Def. Who is thy Lord?

Emil. He that is yours, fweet Lady.

Def. I have none; do not talk to me, Æmilia.

I cannot weep; nor answer have I none,

I

But what fhould go by water. Pray, to-night
Lay on my bed my wedding-fheets, remember;
And call thy husband hither.

Emil. Here's a change indeed!

i [Exit. Def. 'Tis meet I fhould be used fo, very meet:

How have I been behaved, that he might flick
The finallest opinion of my least misuse!

Enter IAGO and ÆMILIA.

Iago. What is your pleasure, Madam? how is't with you?

Def. I cannot tell; thofe, that do teach your babes, Do it with gentle means, and eafy tasks;

He might have chid me fo: for, in good faith,
I am a child to chiding,

Jago. What's the matter, Lady?

Emil. Alas, lago, my Lord hath fo bewhored her, Thrown fuch delpight and heavy terms upon her, That true hearts cannot bear it.

Def. Am I that name, lago?

lago. What name, fair Lady?.

Def. Such as the faid, my Lord did fay I was. Emil. He called her whore; a beggar in his drink Could not have laid fuch terms upon his callet. Iago. Why did he fo?

<

Def. I do not know; I'm fure I am none fuch. Iago. Do not weep, do not weep; alas, the day! Emil. Hath fhe forfook fo many noble matches, Her father, and her country, and her friends, To be called whore? would it not make one weep? Def. It is my wretched fortune.

Iago. Bethrew him for't! how comes this trick upon him!

Def. Nay, Heaven doth know.

Emil. I will be hanged, if fome eternal villain, Some bufy and infinuating rogue,

Some cogging, cozening flave, to get fome office, Has not devised this flander: I'll be hanged elfe. lago. Fy, there is no fuch man; it is impoffible. Def. If any fuch there be, Heaven pardon him! Emil. A halter pardon him, and hell gnaw his

bones!

Why fhould he call her whore? who keeps her company?

What place? what time? what form? what likelihood?

The Moor's abused by some most villainous knave,
Some base notorious knave, fome fcurvy fellow.
Oh Heaven, that fuch companions thou'dft unfold,
And put in every honest hand a whip,

To lafh the rafcal naked through the world,
Even from the east to th' weft!

Iago. Speak within door.

Emil. Oh fy upon them! Some fuch 'fquire he

was,

That turned your wit the feamy fide without; And made you to fufpect me with the Moor. lago. You are a fool; go to.

Def. Alas, Iago,

What fhall I do to win my Lord again?

Good friend, go to him; by this light of Heav'n, I know not how I loft him. Here I kneel;

[Kneeling. If e'er my will did trespass 'gainst his love, Or in difcourfe, or thought, or actual deed; Or that mine eyes, mine ears, or any sense, Delighted them on any other form;

Or that I do not yet, and ever did,

And ever will, though he do fhake me off
To beggarly divorcement, love him dearly,
Comfort forfwear me ! Unkindness may do much;
And his unkindness may defeat my life,
But never taint my love. I can't say, whore ;
It does abhor me, now I fpeak the word:
To do the act, that might th' addition earn,
Not the world's mafs of vanity could make me...
lago. I pray you, be content; 'tis but his humour;
The bufinefs of the State does him offence,