O, thou bale weed, why art fo lovely fair?
Thou fmell'ft fo fweet that the fenfe akes at thee.
'Would, thou hadft 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 ?oh, thou public commoner!
I should make very forges of my cheeks,
That would to cynders burn up modefty,

Did but I fpeak thy deeds. What, what committed?
Heav'n ftops the nofe at it, and the moon winks;
The bawdy wind, that kiffes all it meets,

Is hufh'd within the hallow mine of earth,
And will not hear't. What committed?-Impudent
Strumpet!

Def. By heav'n, you do me wrong.
Oth. Are not you a firumpet?
Def. No, as I am a chriftian.

If to preferve this Vessel for my lord
From any other, foul, unlawful, Touch,
Be not to be a ftrumpet, 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-

SCENE

You, Miftrefs,

Enter Emilia.

X.

That have the office oppofite to St. Peter,

And keep the gate of hell; You! you! ay, you!

We have done our course, there's money for your

I

pains ;

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.

བ་ ་

Emil. Good madam, what's the matter with my

lord? X

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 anfwer have I none,
But what should 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!

[Exit. Def. 'Tis meet I should be used fo, very meet : How have I been behav'd, that he might ftick The fmall'ft opinion of my least misuse?

SCENE

Iago. WHA

XI.

Enter Iago and Emilia.

HAT is your pleasure, Madam? how 4. 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..

Iago. What's the matter, lady?

Emil. Alas, Iago, my lord hath so bewhor'd her, Thrown fuch defpight and heavy terms upon her, That true hearts cannot bear it.

Def. Am I that name, Iago?

lago. What name, fair lady?

Def. Such, as, fhe faid, my lord did fay I was. Emil. He call'd her whore; a beggar in his drink, Could not have laid fuch terms upon his callet. Iago. Why did he so?

T5

Dej.

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

lago. Befhrew him for't! how comes this trick upon him?

Def. Nay, heav'n doth know.

Emil. I will be hang'd, if some eternal villain, Some bufy and infinuating rogue,

Some cogging, cozening flave, to get fome office, Has not devis'd this flander; I'll be hang'd elfe, Iago. Fie, there is no fuch man; it is impoffible. Def. If any fuch there be, heav'n pardon him! Emil. A halter pardon him, and hell gnaw his bones ?

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

What place? what time? what form? what likelyhood?

The Moor's abus'd by fome moft villanous knave,
Some base notorious knave, some scurvy fellow.
Oh heav'n, that fuch companions thou'dst unfold,
And put in
in every honeft hand a whip,

To lafh the rafcal naked through the world,

Ev'n from the eaft to th' weft!

Iago. Speak within door.

Emil. Oh fie, upon them! fome fuch 'fquire he

was,

That turn'd your wit the feamy fide without;
And made you to fufpect me with the Moor.
Iago. You are a fool; go to.

Def. Alas, Iago,

What shall 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 discourse, 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 shake 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 mass of vanity could make me.
lago. I pray you, be content; 'tis but his humour;
The bufinefs of the State do's him offence,
And he does chide with you.

Def. If 'twere no other,

Iago. It is but fo, I warrant.

[Trumpets.

Hark, how these inftruments fummon to fupper!

The meffenger of Venice ftays the meat;

Go in, and weep not; all things fhall be well.

[Exeunt Defdemona and Emelia.

SCENE

Enter Rodorigo, to Iago.

How now, Rodorigo?

XII.

Rod. I do not find, that thou deal'ft juftly with me,
Iago. What in the contrary?

Rod. Every day thou doft'ft me with fome device, Lago; and rather, as it feems to me now, keep'ft from me all conveniency, than fuppleft me with the leaft advantage of hope. I will, indeed, no longer endure it. Nor am I yet perfuaded to put up in peace what already I have foolishly fuffer'd.

Iago. Will you hear me, Rodorigo?

Rod. Faith, I have heard too much; and your words and performances are no kin together.

T 6

Iago.

Iago. You charge me moft unjustly.

Rod. With nought but truth: I have wafted myfelf out of my means. The jewels you have had from me, to deliver to Defdemona, would half have corrupted a Votarift. You have told me, fhe hath re ́ceiv'd them, and return'd me expectations and comforts of fudden refpect and acquittance; but I find

none.

Iago. Well, go to; very

well.

Rod. Very well, go to; I cannot go to, man, nor 'tis not very well; nay, I think, it is fcurvy, and begin to find my felf fob'd in it.

Iago. Very well,

Rod. I tell you, 'tis not very well.

I will make myfelf known to Defdemona: If the will return me my jewels, I will give over my fuit, and repent my unlawful folicitation: if not, affure yourself, I will feek fatisfaction of you.

Iago. You have faid now

Rod. Ay, and faid nothing, but what, I protest, intendment of doing.

Iago. Why, now, I fee, there's mettle in thee; and even from this infant do I build on thee a better opinion than ever before. Give me thy hand, Rodorigo, thou haft taken againft me a moft juft exception; but, I proteft, I have dealt most directly in thy affair.

Rod. It hath not appear'd.

lago. I grant, indeed, it hath not appear'd; and your fufpicion is not without wit and judgment. But, Rodorigo, if thou haft That in thee indeed, which I have greater reafon to believe now than ever, (I mean, fuppofe, courage, and valour) this night thew it. If thou the next night following enjoy not Desdemona, take me from this world with treachery, and devife engines for my life.

Rod. Well; what is it? is it within reafon and compass?