Oth. Honest? I, Honest
Iago. My Lord, for ought I know
Oth. What do"st thou thinke?
Iago. Thinke, my Lord?
Oth. Thinke, my Lord? Alas, thou ecchos"t me; As if there were some Monster in thy thought Too hideous to be shewne. Thou dost mean somthing: I heard thee say euen now, thou lik"st not that, When Ca.s.sio left my wife. What didd"st not like?
And when I told thee, he was of my Counsaile, Of my whole course of wooing; thou cried"st, Indeede?
And didd"st contract, and purse thy brow together, As if thou then hadd"st shut vp in thy Braine Some horrible Conceite. If thou do"st loue me, Shew me thy thought
Iago. My Lord, you know I loue you
Oth. I thinke thou do"st: And for I know thou"rt full of Loue, and Honestie, And weigh"st thy words before thou giu"st them breath, Therefore these stops of thine, fright me the more: For such things in a false disloyall Knaue Are trickes of Custome: but in a man that"s iust, They"re close dilations, working from the heart, That Pa.s.sion cannot rule
Iago. For Michael Ca.s.sio, I dare be sworne, I thinke that he is honest
Oth. I thinke so too
Iago. Men should be what they seeme, Or those that be not, would they might seeme none
Oth. Certaine, men should be what they seeme
Iago. Why then I thinke Ca.s.sio"s an honest man
Oth. Nay, yet there"s more in this?
I prythee speake to me, as to thy thinkings, As thou dost ruminate, and giue thy worst of thoughts The worst of words
Iago. Good my Lord pardon me, Though I am bound to euery Acte of dutie, I am not bound to that: All Slaues are free: Vtter my Thoughts? Why say, they are vild, and falce?
As where"s that Palace, whereinto foule things Sometimes intrude not? Who ha"s that breast so pure, Wherein vncleanly Apprehensions Keepe Leetes, and Law-dayes, and in Sessions sit With meditations lawfull?
Oth. Thou do"st conspire against thy Friend (Iago) If thou but think"st him wrong"d, and mak"st his eare A stranger to thy Thoughts
Iago. I do beseech you, Though I perchance am vicious in my guesse (As I confesse it is my Natures plague To spy into Abuses, and of my iealousie Shapes faults that are not) that your wisedome From one, that so imperfectly conceits, Would take no notice, nor build your selfe a trouble Out of his scattering, and vnsure obseruance: It were not for your quiet, nor your good, Nor for my Manhood, Honesty, and Wisedome, To let you know my thoughts
Oth. What dost thou meane?
Iago. Good name in Man, & woman (deere my Lord) Is the immediate Iewell of their Soules; Who steales my purse, steales trash: "Tis something, nothing; "Twas mine, "tis his, and has bin slaue to thousands: But he that filches from me my good Name, Robs me of that, which not enriches him, And makes me poore indeed
Oth. Ile know thy Thoughts
Iago. You cannot, if my heart were in your hand, Nor shall not, whil"st "tis in my custodie
Oth. Ha?
Iago. Oh, beware my Lord, of iealousie, It is the greene-ey"d Monster, which doth mocke The meate it feeds on. That Cuckold liues in blisse, Who certaine of his Fate, loues not his wronger: But oh, what d.a.m.ned minutes tels he ore, Who dotes, yet doubts: Suspects, yet soundly loues?
Oth. O miserie
Iago. Poore, and Content, is rich, and rich enough, But Riches finelesse, is as poore as Winter, To him that euer feares he shall be poore: Good Heauen, the Soules of all my Tribe defend From Iealousie
Oth. Why? why is this?
Think"st thou, I"ld make a Life of Iealousie; To follow still the changes of the Moone With fresh suspitions? No: to be once in doubt, Is to be resolu"d: Exchange me for a Goat, When I shall turne the businesse of my Soule To such exufflicate, and blow"d Surmises, Matching thy inference. "Tis not to make me Iealious, To say my wife is faire, feeds well, loues company, Is free of Speech, Sings, Playes, and Dances: Where Vertue is, these are more vertuous.
Nor from mine owne weake merites, will I draw The smallest feare, or doubt of her reuolt, For she had eyes, and chose me. No Iago, Ile see before I doubt; when I doubt, proue; And on the proofe, there is no more but this, Away at once with Loue, or Iealousie
Ia. I am glad of this: For now I shall haue reason To shew the Loue and Duty that I beare you With franker spirit. Therefore (as I am bound) Receiue it from me. I speake not yet of proofe: Looke to your wife, obserue her well with Ca.s.sio, Weare your eyes, thus: not Iealious, nor Secure: I would not haue your free, and n.o.ble Nature, Out of selfe-Bounty, be abus"d: Looke too"t: I know our Country disposition well: In Venice, they do let Heauen see the prankes They dare not shew their Husbands.
Their best Conscience, Is not to leaue"t vndone, but kept vnknowne
Oth. Dost thou say so?
Iago. She did deceiue her Father, marrying you, And when she seem"d to shake, and feare your lookes, She lou"d them most
Oth. And so she did
Iago. Why go too then: Shee that so young could giue out such a Seeming To seele her Fathers eyes vp, close as Oake, He thought "twas Witchcraft.
But I am much too blame: I humbly do beseech you of your pardon For too much louing you
Oth. I am bound to thee for euer
Iago. I see this hath a little dash"d your Spirits: Oth. Not a iot, not a iot
Iago. Trust me, I feare it has: I hope you will consider what is spoke Comes from your Loue.
But I do see y"are moou"d: I am to pray you, not to straine my speech To grosser issues, nor to larger reach, Then to Suspition
Oth. I will not
Iago. Should you do so (my Lord) My speech should fall into such vilde successe, Which my Thoughts aym"d not.
Ca.s.sio"s my worthy Friend: My Lord, I see y"are mou"d
Oth. No, not much mou"d: I do not thinke but Desdemona"s honest
Iago. Long liue she so; And long liue you to thinke so
Oth. And yet how Nature erring from it selfe
Iago. I, there"s the point: As (to be bold with you) Not to affect many proposed Matches Of her owne Clime, Complexion, and Degree, Whereto we see in all things, Nature tends: Foh, one may smel in such, a will most ranke, Foule disproportions, Thoughts vnnaturall.
But (pardon me) I do not in position Distinctly speake of her, though I may feare Her will, recoyling to her better iudgement, May fal to match you with her Country formes, And happily repent
Oth. Farewell, farewell: If more thou dost perceiue, let me know more: Set on thy wife to obserue.
Leaue me Iago
Iago. My Lord, I take my leaue
Othel. Why did I marry?
This honest Creature (doubtlesse) Sees, and knowes more, much more then he vnfolds
Iago. My Lord, I would I might intreat your Honor To scan this thing no farther: Leaue it to time, Although "tis fit that Ca.s.sio haue his Place; For sure he filles it vp with great Ability; Yet if you please, to him off a-while: You shall by that perceiue him, and his meanes: Note if your Lady straine his Entertainment With any strong, or vehement importunitie, Much will be seene in that: In the meane time, Let me be thought too busie in my feares, (As worthy cause I haue to feare I am) And hold her free, I do beseech your Honor
Oth. Feare not my gouernment
Iago. I once more take my leaue.
Enter.
Oth. This Fellow"s of exceeding honesty, And knowes all Quant.i.ties with a learn"d Spirit Of humane dealings. If I do proue her Haggard, Though that her Iesses were my deere heart-strings, I"ld whistle her off, and let her downe the winde To prey at Fortune. Haply, for I am blacke, And haue not those soft parts of Conuersation That Chamberers haue: Or for I am declin"d Into the vale of yeares (yet that"s not much) Shee"s gone. I am abus"d, and my releefe Must be to loath her. Oh Curse of Marriage!
That we can call these delicate Creatures ours, And not their Appet.i.tes? I had rather be a Toad, And liue vpon the vapour of a Dungeon, Then keepe a corner in the thing I loue For others vses. Yet "tis the plague to Great-ones, Prerogatiu"d are they lesse then the Base, "Tis destiny vnshunnable, like death: Euen then, this forked plague is Fated to vs, When we do quicken. Looke where she comes: Enter Desdemona and aemilia.