Some horrible conceit, if thou doft love me,
Shew me thy thought.

lago. My lord, you know, I love you.

Oth. I think thou doeft:

And for I know, thou art full of love and honesty, And weigh'st thy words before thou giv'ft them breath,

Therefore these ftops of thine fright me the more.
For fuch things, in a false disloyal knave,
Are tricks of cuftom; but, in a man that's juft,
They're cold dilations working from the heart,
That paffion cannot rule.

Iago. For Michael Caffio,

I dare be fworn, I think, that he is honeft.
Oth. I think so too.

Iago. Men fhould be what they feem.

Or, those that be not, 'would they might seem knaves!
Oth. Certain, men fhould be what they feem.
lago. Why, then, I think, Caffio's an honest man.
Oth. Nay, yet there's more in this;

Ι pray thee, fpeak to me as to thy thinkings,
As thou doft ruminate; and give thy worft of thoughts
The worst of words.

Iago. Good my lord, pardon me.

Tho' I am bound to every act of duty,

I am not bound to that, all flaves are free to ; Utter my thoughts !— Why, fay, they're vile and false;

As where's that Palace, whereinto foul things
Sometimes intrude not? who has a breaft fo pure,
But fome uncleanly apprehenfions

Keep leets and law-days, and in feffions fit.
With meditations lawful?

Oth. Thou doft confpire against thy friend, Iago, If thou but think'ft him wrong'd, andmak'ft his ear A ftranger to thy thoughts.

Iago. I do befeech you,

Think I, perchance, am vicious in my guess,

(As,

(As, I confefs, it is my nature's plague
To spy into abufe; and oft my jealousy
Shapes faults that are not;) I intreat you then,
From one that fo imperfectly conje&s,

Your wisdom would not build yourself a trouble
Out of my scattering and unfure obfervance :
It were not for your quiet, nor your good,
Nor for my manhood, honefty, and wisdom,
To let you know my thoughts.

Oth. What doft thou mean?

lago. Good name in man and woman, lord,

Is the immediate jewel of their fouls.

dear

my

Who fteals my purse, fteals trash; 'tis fomething,

nothing;

'Twas mine, 'tis his; and has been flave to thou

fands;

But he, that filches from me my good name,

Robs me of That, which not enriches him,
And makes me poor indeed.

Oth. I'll know thy thoughts

Iago. You cannot, if my heart were in Nor fhall not, whilft 'tis in my cuftody. Oth. Ha!

your

hand;

Iago. Oh, beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is a green-ey'd monfter, which doth moc The meat it feeds on. That cuckold lives in blifs, Who, certain of his fate, lovės not his wronger; But, oh, what damned minutes tells he o'er,

Who dotes, yet doubts; fufpects, yet strongly loves! Oth. O mifery!

Iago. Poor, and content, is rich, and rich enough; But riches endlefs, is as poor as winter,

To him that ever fears he fhall be poor.

Good heaven! the fouls of all my tribe defend
From jealousy!

Oth. Why? why is this?

Think'ft thou, I'd make a life of jealoufy?

To follow ftill the changes of the moon.

With fresh fufpicions? No; to be once in doubt, Is once to be refolv'd. Exchange me for a goat, When I shall turn the business of my foul

To fuch exfuffolate and blown furmises,

Matching thy inference. 'Tis not to make me jealous,
To fay, my wife is fair, feeds well, loves company,
Is free of fpeech, fings, plays, and dances well;
Where virtue is, these make more virtuous.
Nor from mine own weak merits will I draw
The smallest fear, or doubt of her revolt;
For she had eyes, and chofe me.
I'll fee, before I doubt; when I doubt, prove;
And, on the proof, there is no more but this,
Away at once with love, or jealousy

No, Iago,

Iago. I'm glad of this; for now I fhall have reason To fhew the love and duty that I bear you With franker fpirit. Therefore, as I'm bound, Receive it from me. I fpeak not yet of proof. Look to your wife, obferve her well with Caffio; Wear your eye, thus: not jealous, nor fecure; I would not have your free and noble nature Out of felf-bounty be abus'd; look to't.

I know our country difpofition well;

In Venice they do let heav'n fee the pranks,

They dare not fhew their husbands; their best conscience

Is not to leave't undone, but keep't unknown.
Oth. Doft thou say so?

Iago. She did deceive her father, marrying you; And when the feem'd to shake, and fear your looks, She lov'd them moft.

Oth. And fo fhe did.

Iago. Go to then;

She, that, so young, could give out fuch a Seeming To feal her father's eyes up, close as oak

He thought, 'twas witchcraft-but I'm much to

blame :

I humbly

I humbly do befeech you of your pardon,
For too much loving you.

Oth. I'm bound to you for ever.

Iago. I fee, this hath a little dafh'd your fpirits. Oth. Not a jot, not a jot.

Iago. Truft me, I fear, it has ;

I hope, you will confider, what is fpoke
Comes from my love. But I do fee, you're mov'd-
I am to pray you, not to ftrain my speech
To groffer iffues, nor to larger reach,

Than to fufpicion.

Oth. I will not.

Iago. Should you
you do fo, my lord,

My fpeech would fall into fuch vile Success,
Which my thoughts aim not at. Caffio's my worthy

friend.

My lord, I fee, you're mov'd

Oth. No, not much mov'd

I do not think, but Defdemona's honeft.

Iago. Long live fhe fo! and long live you to think fo!
Oth. And yet, how nature erring from itself-
Iago. Ay, there's the point;as (to be bold
with you)

Not to affect many propofed matches

Of her own clime, complexion and degree,
Whereto we fee in all things Nature tends:
Foh! one may fmell, in fuch, a will moft rank,
Foul disproportions, thoughts unnatural.
But, pardon me, I do not in position
Diftinctly speak of her; tho' I may fear,
Her will, recoiling to her better judgment,
May fall to match you with her country forms,
And, haply, fo repent.

Oth. Farewel, farewel;

If more thou doft perceive, let me know more:
Set on thy wife t'observe. Leave me, lago.

Iago. My lord, I take my leave.

Oth. Why did I marry?

S 3

[Going.

This

This honeft creature, doubtless,

Sees and knows more, much more, then he unfolds. lago. My lord, I would, I might entreat your Honour

To fcan this thing no farther; leave it to time:
Altho' 'tis fit that Caffio have his place,
For, fure, he fills it up with great ability;
Yet if you please to hold him off a while,
You fhall by that perceive him, and his means;
Note, if your lady ftrain his entertainment
With any ftrong, or vehement importunity;
Much will be seen in That. In the mean time,
Let me be thought too bufy in my fears,
(As worthy caufe I have to fear, I am;)
And hold her free, I do befeech your Honour.
Oth. Fear not my government.
Iago. I once more take my leave.

SCENE VI.

Manet Othello.

[Exit.

Oth. THIS fellow's of exceeding honefty,
And knows all qualities, with a learned spirit,
Of human dealings. If I prove her haggard,
Tho' that her jeffes were my dear heart-ftrings,
I'd whiftle her off, and let her down the wind
To prey at fortune. Haply, for I'm black,
And have not thofe foft parts of converfation
That chamberers have; or, for I am declin'd
Into the vale of years,-yet that's not much-
She's gone, I am abus'd, and my relief

Must be to loath her. Oh the curfe of marriage!
That we can call thefe delicate creatures ours,
And not their appetites! I had rather be a toad,
And live upon the vapour of a dungeon,
Than keep a corner in the thing I love,

For others' ufe. Yet 'tis the plague of Great ones;
Prerogativ'd are they lefs than the bafe;