Iago. If they do nothing, 'tis a venial flip: But if I give my wife a handkerchief

Oth. What then?

lago. Why then, 'tis hers, my Lord; and, being hers, She may, I think, beflow't on any man.

Oth. She is protectress of her honour too;

May the give that?

lago. Her honour is an effence that's not feen, They have it very oft, that have it not:

But for the handkerchief

Oth. By heav'n, I would moft gladly have forgot it ; Thou faid'ft

-oh, it comes o'er my memory,

As doth the raven o'er th' infected house,

Boding to ill, he had my handkerchief. lago. Ay, what of that?

Orh. That's not fo good now.

Iago. What if I faid, I'd feen him do you wrong? Or heard him fay, (as knaves be fuch abroad, (44)? Who having by their own importunate fuit,

Or voluntary dotage of fome mistress,

Convinc'd or fuppled them, they cannot chufe
But they must blab)

(44)

-as knaves be fuck abroad,,

Who having by their own importunate fuit,
Or voluntary dotage of fome mift efs,

Convinced or fupplied them, cannot chufe

Oth

But they must blab.] I alter'd this, as I have now reform'd the text, in the Appendix to my SHAKESPEARE Reftor'd. I cannot understand the vulgar reading, which poffeffes the copies. My emen. dation makes the fenfe of the paffage eafy and intelligible: that there are fome fuch long-tongued knaves in the world, who, if they thro the force of importunity extort a favour from their mistress, or if thro ber own fondness they make her pliant to their defires, cannot help boafting of their fuccefs. To convince, here, is not, as in the common acceptation, to make fenfible of the truth of any thing by, reafons and arguments; but to overcome, get the better of, &c.. So, in Macbeth;

Oth. Hath he faid any thing?"

Iago. He hath, My Lord; but be you well affur'd, No more than he'll unfwear.

Oth. What hath he said ?

Iago. Why, that he did-I know not what he didOth. What? what?

Iago. Lie

Oh. With her?

lago. With her; on her

what you will

Oth. Lie with her! lie on her! lie with her! that's fulfome handkerchief-confeffions-handkerchiefhandherchief-to confefs, and be hang'd for his labourFirst, to be hang'd, and then-to confefs!-I tremble at it-Nature would not invest herself in fuch fhadowing without fome inftruction. It is not words, that shake me thus-pifh-nofes, ears, and lips-is't poffible !confefs!—handkerchief!-oh devil— [Falls in a trance. Iago. Work on,

My medicine, work! thus credulous fools are caught;
And many worthy and chafte dames ev'n thus,
All guiltlefs, meet reproach. What hoa! my Lord!
My Lord, I fay, Othello,-

How now, Caffio?

Enter Caffio.

Caf. What's the matter?

And, fo, in Cymbeline ;

Your Italy contains none fo accomplish'd a courtier to convince the honour of my mistress.

To fupple, (a verb form'd from the adjective) 'tis well known, fignifies, to make pliant and flexible and is, particularly, a term in Surgery, when any part fwoln and ftiff is, by fomentations, &c. reduced, and made foft and pliable. I find the word used in our Author's time, in the fenfe that I here make it bear.

Shall have a feeling.

Fit.

Bro.

The nerves.

And you, mas broker,

-So it fupple, Sir,

Staple of News.

Spanish Curate.

He's monstrous vex'd, and mufty at my chefs-play, But this fhall fupple him, when he has read it. Cypr. Thought and affection cannot be controll'd. Phil. Yet may't be bent and fuppled with extreams...

Dumb Knight.

Tago. My Lord is fell into an Epilepfy,
This is the fecond fit; he had one yesterday.
Caf. Rub him about the temples.
lago. No, forbear,

The lethargy must have his quiet courfe ;
If not he foams at mouth, and by and by .
Breaks out to favage madness: look, he stirs.
Do you withdraw yourself a little while,

He will recover ftraight; when he is gone,

I would on great occafion speak with you. [Exit Caffio. How is it, General ? have you not hurt your head? Oth. Doft thou mock me?

Lago. I mock you not, by heav'n;

Would

you would bear your

fortunes like a man.

Oth. A horned man's a monster, and a beast.

Iago. There's many a beaft, then, in a populous city, And many a civil monster.

Oth. Did he confefs it?

Iago. Good Sir, be a man:

Think, every bearded fellow, that's but yok'd,

May draw with you.

Millions are now alive,

That nightly lie in thofe unproper beds,

Which they dare fwear peculiar. Your cafe is better,
Oh, 'tis the fpight of hell, the fiend's arch-mock,
To lip a wanton in a fecure couch;

And to fuppofe her chafte.

No, let me know,

And knowing what I am, I know what she shall be.

Oth. Oh, thou art wife; 'tis certain.

lago. Stand you awhile apart,

Confine yourself but in a patient lift.

Whilft you were here, o'erwhelmed with your grief,
(A paffion moft unfuiting fuch a man,)
Caffio came hither. I fhifted him away,
And laid good 'fcuses on your ecstacy;

Bade him anon return, and here speak with me;
The which he promis'd. Do but encave yourself,
And mark the fleers, the gibes, and notable fcorns,
That dwell in every region of his face.
For I will make him tell the tale anew;
Where, how, how oft, how long ago, and when,

He

He hath, and is again to cope your wife.

I fay, but mark his gefture.

Marry, patience;
Or I fhall fay, you are all in all in spleen,
And nothing of a man.

Oth. Doft thou hear, lago?

I will be found moft cunning in my patience;
But, doft thou hear, most bloody?

lago. That's not amifs;

But yet keep time in all. Will you withdraw?

Now will I question Caffio of Bianca,

[Othello withdraws.

A housewife, that, by felling her defires,

Buys herself bread and cloth. It is a creature,
That doats on Caffio; as 'tis the ftrumpet's plague
To beguile many, and be beguil'd by one;
He, when he hears of her, cannot refrain
From the excess of laughter.-

Enter Caffio.

7

Here he comes

As he fhall fmile, Othello fhall go mad;
And his unbookish jealousy must conftrue

Poor Caffic's fimiles, geftures, and light behaviour,"
Quite in this wrong. How do you now, Lieutenant?
Cof. The worfer, that you give me the addition,
Whose want even kills me.

Iago. Ply Desdemona well, and you are fure on't:

Now, if this fute lay in Bianca's power,

How quickly fhould you speed?
Cof. Alas, poor caitiff!

Oth. Look, how he laughs already.

[Speaking lower.

Afide.

Iage. I never knew a woman love man fo.

Caf. Alas, poor rogue, I think, indeed, she loves me.

Oth. Now he denies it faintly, and laughs out. [Afide.

Iago Do you hear, Caffio?

Oth. Now he importunes him.

To tell it o'er: go to, well faid, well faid.

Iago. She gives it out, that you shall marry her.

Do you intend it?

Caf. Ha, ha, ha!

Afide.

Oth

Q. Do you triumph, Roman? do you triumph?

[Afide

Caf. I marry her!-What? a cuftomer? pry'thee, bear fome charity to my wit, do not think it fo unwholfome. Ha, ha, ha!

Oth. So, fo; they laugh that win.
Iago. Why, the cry goes that you
Caf. Pry'thee, fay true.

lago. I am a very villain elfe.

Oth. Have you fcor'd me! well.

[Afide.

fhall marry her.

[Afide.

Caf. This is the monkey's own giving out: the is perfuaded, I will marry her, out of her own love and flattery, not out of my promife.

Oth. Jag beckons me; now he begins the ftory. [Afide. Caf. She was here even now: fhe haunts me in every placé. I was the other day talking on the fea-bank with certain Venetians, and thither comes the bauble, and falls me thus about my neck

Oth. Crying, "Oh dear Cafo, as it were:" his gefture imports it.

[Afide. Caf. So hangs, and lolls, and weeps upon me, fo fhakes, and pulls me.

Ha, ha, ha!

Oth. Now he tells, how the pluckt him to my chamber: oh I fee that nofe of yours, but not that dog I fhall throw it to.

Caf. Well, I muft leave her company.

Lago. Before me! look, where fhe comes.

Enter Bianca.

[Ande.

Caf. 'Tis fuch another fitchew: marry, a perfum'd one:-What do you mean by this haunting of me ?

Bian. Let the devil and his dam haunt you! what did you mean by that fame handkerchief, you gave me even now? I was a fine fool to take it: I must take out the work? A likely piece of work, that you should find it in your chamber, and know not who left it there. This is fome minxe's token, and I must take out the work? there-give it your hobby-horfe: wherefoever you had it, I'll take out no work on't.

Caf