Clown. 7 Why, masters, have your inftruments been in Naples, that they fpeak i' th' nofe thus? Muf. How, Sir, how?

Clown. Are thefe, I pray you, wind inftruments?
Muf. Ay, marry are they, Sir.
Clown. Oh, thereby hangs a tail.
Muf. Whereby hangs a tale, Sir?

Clown. Marry, Sir, by many a wind-inftrument that I know. But, Mafters, here's mony for you: and the General fo likes your musick, that he defires you of all loves to make no more noife with it.

Muf. Well, Sir, we will not.

Clown. If you have any mufick that may not be heard, to't again; but, as they fay, to hear mufick the General does not greatly care.

Muf. We have none fuch, Sir.

Clown. Then put up your pipes in your bag, for I'll away. Go. Vanish into air. Away. [Exeunt Muf. Gaf. Doft thou hear, mine honest friend? Clown. No, I hear not your honeft friend; I hear you.

Caf. Pr'ythee, keep up thy quillets. There's a poor piece of gold for thee. If the gentlewoman, that attends the General's wife, be ftirring, tell her, there's one Caffio entreats of her a little favour of fpeech. Wilt thou do this?

Clown. She is ftirring, Sir, if she will ftir hither. I fhall seem to notify unto her. [Exit Clown. Caf. Do, my good friend.

To him, enter Iago.

lago. You have not been abed then?

Caf. Why, no; the day had broke before we
parted.

I have made bold to fend in to your wife;
My fuit to her

Is, that he will to virtuous Desdemona
Procure me fome accefs.

Iago. I'll fend her presently;

And I'll devise a mean to draw the Moor
Out of the way, that your converfe and business
May be more free.

Caf I humbly thank you for't. I never knew A Florentine more kind and honest.

To him, enter Æmilia.

Emil. Good-morrow, good lieutenant. I am forry
For your difpleafure; but all will, fure, be well.
The General and his wife are talking of it:
And the fpeaks for you ftoutly. The Moor replies,
That he, you hurt, is of great fame in Cyprus,
And great affinity; and that in wholefome wifdom
He might not but refufe you. But he protefts, he

loves you;

Anl needs no other fuitor, but his likings, "To take the firft occafion by the front To bring you in again.

Caf. Yet I beseech you,

If you think fit, or that it may be done,
Give me advantage of fome brief difcourfe
With Desdemona alone.

Emil. Pray you, come in;

[Exit.

I will beftow you where you fhall have time
To fpeak your bofom freely.

Caf. I am much bound to you.

[Exeunt.

SCENE

SCENE II.

Enter Othello, Iago, and Gentlemen.

Oth. These letters give, Iago, to the pilót,
And by him do my duties to the senate;
That done, I will be walking on the Works.
Repair there to me.

Iago. My good Lord, I'll do't.

Oth. This fortification, gentlemen-shall we fee't?
Gent. We'll wait upon your Lordship.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.

Changes to an Apartment in the Palace.

Enter Defdemona, Caffio, and Æmilia.

Def.BE

E thou affur'd, good Caffio, I will do
All my abilities in thy behalf.

Emil. Good Madam, do. I know, it grieves my

husband

As if the caufe were his.

Def. Oh, that's an honeft fellow. Doubt not, Caffio, But I will have my Lord and you again As friendly as you were.

Caf. Moft bounteous Madam,
Whatever fhall become of Michael Caffio,
He's never any thing but your true fervant.

Def. I know't; I thank you. You do love my
Lord;

You've known him long; and, be you well affur'd,
He fhall in ftrangenefs ftand no farther off
Thank in a politick distance.

Caf, Ay, but, lady,

Cc 2

That

• That policy may either last so long,
Or feed upon fuch nice and waterish diet,
Or breed itself fo out of circumstances,
That I being abfent, and my place fupply'd,
My General will forget my love and fervice.

Def. Do not doubt that; before Æmilia here,
I give thee warrant of thy Place. Affure thee,
If I do vow a friendship, I'll perform it
To the last article. My Lord fhall never reft;
'I'll watch him tame, and talk him out of patience;
His bed fhall feem a school, his board a fhrift;

I'll intermingle every thing he does
With Caffio's fuit; therefore be merry, Caffio;
For thy follicitor fhall rather die,
Than give thy cause away..

SCENE V.

Enter Othello, and Iago, at diftance.

Emil. Madam, here comes my Lord.
Caf. Madam, I'll take my leave.
Def. Why, ftay, and hear me speak.
Caf. Madam, not now. I am very ill at ease,
Unfit for mine own purposes.
Def. Well, do your discretion.
Iago. Hah! I like not that.
Oth. What doft thou say?

That policy may either laft fo long.] He may either of himself think it politick to keep me out of office fo long, or he may be fatisfied with fuch flight reafons, or so many accidents may make him think my re-ad

[Exit Caffio.

miffion at that time improper,
that I may be quite forgotten.
I'll watch him tame,-
→] It
is faid, that the ferocity of beafts,
infuperable and irreclaimable by
any other means, is fubdued by
keeping them from fleep.

t

Jago. Nothing, my Lord; or if—I know not what.
Oth. Was not that Caffio, parted from my wife?
Iago. Caffio, my Lord? no, fure, I cannot think it,
That he would fteal away fo guilty-like,
Seeing you coming.

Oth. I believe, 'twas he.

Def. How now, my Lord?

I have been talking with a fuitor here,

A man that languishes in your displeasure.
Oth. Who is't you mean?

Def. Why, your lieutenant Caffio. Good my Lord,

If I have any grace, or power to move you,

2

* His prefent reconciliation take.

3

For if he be not one that truly loves you,
That errs in ignorance, and not in cunning,
I have no judgment in an honeft face.
I pr'ythee, call him back.

Oth. Went he hence now?
Def. I'footh, fo humbled,

That he hath left part of his grief with me,
To fuffer with him.

Good love, call him back.
Oth. Not now, fweet Defdemona; fome other time,
Def. But fhall't be shortly?

Oth. The fooner, Sweet, for you.
Def. Shall't be to-night at fupper?
Oth. Not to night.

Def. To-morrow dinner then?
Oth. I fhall not dine at home.

I meet the Captains at the citadel.

Def. Why then to-morrow night, or Tuesday morn,

His prefent reconciliation TAKE.] Caffio was to be reconciled to his General, not his General to him, therefore take cannot be right. We fhould read MAKE. WARB. To take his reconciliation, may

be to accept the fubmiffion which he makes in order to be reconciled.

3

-and not in cunning,] Cunning, for defign, or purpose, fimply. WARB.

Or

Cc 3