jewels, I will give over my suit, and repent my unlawful solicitation; if not, assure yourself, I will seek satisfaction of you. Iago. You have said now. Rod. Ay, and I have said nothing, but what I protest intendment of doing. Iago. Why, now I see there's mettle in thee; and even, from this instant, do build on thee a better opinion than ever before. Give me thy hand, Roderigo: Thou hast taken against me a most just exception; but, yet, I protest, I have dealt most directly in thy affair. Rod. It hath not appeared. Iago. I grant, indeed, it hath not appeared; and your suspicion is not without wit and judgment. But, Roderigo, if thou hast that within thee indeed, which I have greater reason to believe now than ever,—I mean, purpose, courage, and valour,-this night show it; if thou the next night following enjoyest not Desdemona, take me from this world with treachery, and devise engines for my life.' Rod. Well, what is it? is it within reason, and compass? Iago. Sir, there is especial commission come from Venice, to depute Cassio in Othello's place. Rod. Is that true? why, then Othello and Desdemona return again to Venice. Jago. O, no; he goes into Mauritania, and takes away with him the fair Desdemona, unless his abode be lingered here by some accident; wherein none can be so determinate, as the removing of Cassio. Rod. How do you mean-removing of him? Iago. Why, by making him uncapable of Othello's place; knocking out his brains. Rod. And that you would have me do? Iago. Ay; if you dare do yourself a profit, and a right. He sups to-night with a harlot, and thither will I go to him; he knows not yet of his honourable fortune; if devise engines-] This seems to mean, contrive racks, tortures, &c. -RITSON. you will watch his going thence, (which I will fashion to fall out between twelve and one), you may take him at your pleasure; I will be near to second your attempt, and he shall fall between us. Come, stand not amazed at it, but go along with me; I will show you such a necessity in his death, that you shall think yourself bound to put it on him. It is now high" supper-time, and the night grows to waste:" about it. Rod. I will hear further reason for this. SCENE III. Another Room in the Castle. [Exeunt. Enter OTHELLO, LODOVICO, DESDEMONA, EMILIA, and Attendants. Lod. I do beseech you, sir, trouble yourself no further. Oth. O, pardon me; 'twill do me good to walk. Lod. Madam, good night; I humbly thank your lady ship. Des. Your honour is most welcome. Oth. Des. O,-Desdemona, Will you walk, sir?— My lord? Oth. Get you to bed on the instant; I will be returned forthwith: dismiss your attendant there; look, it be done. Des. I will, my lord. [Exeunt OTHELLO, LODOVICO, and Attendants, Emil. How goes it now? he looks gentler than he did. Des. He says, he will return incontinent; He hath commanded me to go to bed, And bade me to dismiss you. Emil. Dismiss me! Des. It was his bidding; therefore, good Emilia, Give me my nightly wearing, and adieu : We must not now displease him. Emil. I would, you had never seen him! Des. So would not I; my love doth so approve him, That even his stubbornness, his checks, and frowns,Pr'ythee, unpin me,-have grace and favour in them. Emil. I have laid those sheets you bade me on the bed. Des. All's one:-Good faith! how foolish are our minds! If I do die before thee, pr'ythee, shroud me In one of those same sheets. Emil. Come, come, you talk. Des. My mother had a maid call'd-Barbara; She was in love; and he, she lov'd, prov'd mad," And did forsake her: she had a song of-willow, An old thing 'twas, but it express'd her fortune, And she died singing it: That song, to-night, Will not go from my mind; I have much to do, But to go hang my head all at one side, And sing it, like poor Barbara. Pr'ythee, despatch. Emil. Shall I go fetch your night-gown? Des. This Lodovico is a proper man. Emil. A very handsome man. Des. No, unpin me here. And he speaks well. Emil. I know a lady in Venice, who would have walked barefoot to Palestine, for a touch of his nether lip. I. Des. The poor soul' sat sighing by a sycamore tree, [Singing. Her hand on her bosom, her head on her knee, good faith!] Thus the quarto, 1622. The folio, good father. mad,] i. e. wild, inconstant. I have much to do, But to go hang my head -] I have much ado to do any thing but hang my head.-JOHNSON. The poor soul, &c.] This song, in two parts, is printed in Dr. Percy's collection of old ballads; the lines preserved differ somewhat from the copy discovered by the ingenious collector. The original ballad is the complaint, not of a woman forsaken, but of a man rejected. Some alterations were very properly made when it was accommodated to a woman.-JOHNSON. The fresh streams ran by her, and murmur'd her moans ; Sing willow, &c. Her salt tears fell from her, and soften'd the stones; Lay by these: Sing willow, willow, willow; Pr'ythee, hie thee; he'll come anon.— Sing all a green willow must be my garlánd. II. Let nobody blame him, his scorn I approve, Nay, that's not next.-Hark! who is it that knocks? Des. I call'd my love, false love; but what said he then? If I court mo women, you'll couch with mo men. So, get thee gone; good night. Mine eyes do itch; Emil. 'Tis neither here nor there. Des. I have heard it said so.-O, these men, these men! Dost thou in conscience think,-tell me, Emilia, That there be women do abuse their husbands In such gross kind? Emil. There be some such, no question. Des. Would'st thou do such a deed for all the world? Emil. Why, would not you? Des. No, by this heavenly light! Emil. Nor I neither by this heavenly light; I might do't as well i'the dark. Des. Would'st thou do such a deed for all the world? Emil. The world is a huge thing: 'Tis a great price For a small vice. Des. Good troth, I think thou would'st not. Emil. By my troth, I think I should; and undo't, when I had done. Marry, I would not do such a thing for a joint-ring; nor for measures of lawn; nor for gowns, petticoats, nor caps, nor any petty exhibition: but, for the whole world,-Why, who would not make her husband a cuckold, to make him a monarch? I should venture purgatory for't. Des. Beshrew me, if I would do such a wrong for the whole world. Emil. Why, the wrong is but a wrong i'the world; and, having the world for your labour, 'tis a wrong in your own world, and you might quickly make it right. Des. I do not think there is any such woman. Emil. Yes, a dozen; and as many To the vantage,' as would store the world they play'd for. If wives do fall: Say, that they slack their duties, Or else break out in peevish jealousies, Throwing restraint upon us; or, say, they strike us, Why, we have galls; and, though we have some grace, As husbands have. What is it that they do, I think, it doth; Is't frailty, that thus errs? It is so too: And have not we affections? passage a joint-ring;] The nature of these rings will be best explained by a in Dryden's Don Sebastian : a curious artist wrought them, With joints so close as not to be perceiv'd ; Yet are they both each other's counterpart: Her part had Juan inscrib'd, and his had Zayda. (You know these names are theirs) and, in the midst, A heart divided in two halves was plac'd. Now, if the rivets of these rings inclos'd, To the vantage,] i. e. To boot, over and above. our former having —] i. e. Our former allowance of expense. |