My Wife must move for Caffio to her mistress:
I'll fet her on :-

My felf, the while, to draw the Moor apart,
And bring him jump, when he may Caffio find
Solliciting his Wife,ay, that's the way:
Dull not, Device, by coldnefs and delay.

[Exit.

SCENE, before Othello's Palace.

Enter Caffio, with Muficians.

CASSIO.

CASTERS, play here, I will content your

MA pains,

Something that's brief; and bid, good morrow,
General.

[Mufick plays; and enter Clown from the Houft. Clown. Why, mafters, have your inftruments been in Naples, that they fpeak i'th' nofe thus ?

Muf. How, Sir, how?

Clown. Are thefe, I pray you, wind-instruments. ?
Muf. Ay, marry are they, Sir.

Clown. Oh, thereby hangs a tail.

I'll fet her on to draw the Moor apart.] Mr. Pope has falfified the Text, because it wanted a little Help: fo that, in the first place, we don't see what were the two things to be done: and, then, it was lago, not his Wife, that was to draw the Moor apart. The old Books read ;

-Two things are to be done;

My Wife must move for Caffio to her Mistress,

I'll fet her on my felf, a while, to draw the Moor apart. This unreasonable long Alexandrine was certainly a Blunder of the Editors: a flight Tranfpofition and Change will regulate it, as the Poet intended,

Muf.

Muf. Whereby hangs a tale, Sir?

for

Clown. Marry, Sir, by many a wind-inftrument that I know. But, Masters, here's mony for you: and the General fo likes your mufick, that he defires you love's fake 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.

Caf. Doft thou hear, mine honeft 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 Caffo entreats of her a little favour of speech. Wilt thou do this?

Clown. She is ftirring, Sir; if she will ftir hither, I fhall feem to notifie unto her. [Exit Clown.

Caf. Do, my good friend,

To him, enter Iago.

In happy time, Iago.

Iago. You have not been a-bed then?

Caf. Why, no; the day had broke, before we parted. I have made bold to fend in to your wife;

My fuit is, that she will to Defdemona

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 converse and business
May be more free.

[Exit.

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

To him, enter Æmilia.

Emil. Good morrow, good lieutenant, I am forry For your displeasure; but all will, fure, be well.

The

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 wisdom

He might not but refufe you. But he protefts, he loves

you;

And needs no other fuitor, but his likings,

To bring you in again.

Caf. Yet I befeech 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 ;

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

Caf. I'm much bound to you.

Enter Othello, Iago, and Gentlemen.

Oth. Thefe letters give, lago, to the pilot,
And by him do my duties to the Senate;
That done, I will be walking on the Works s
Repair there to me.

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

[Exeunt

Oth. This fortification, gentlemen, fhall we fee't?

Gent. We'll wait upon your lordship.

[Exeunt.

SCENE changes to an Apartment in the Palace,

Enter Defdemona, Caffio," and Emilia.

DeB All my abilities in thy behalf.

E thou affur'd, good Caffio, I will do

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

As if the cause 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 shall become of Michael Caffio,

He's

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 ftrangeness stand no farther off
Than in a politick distance.

Caf. Ay, but, lady,

That policy may either laft fo long,
Or feed upon fuch nice and waterifh diet,
Or breed it felf 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 laft article. My lord fhall never reft;
I'll watch him tame, and talk him out of patience; 2
His bed shall seem a fchool, 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.

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'm very ill at ease,

Unfit for mine own purposes.

Def. Well, do your difcretion.

Iago. Hah! I like not that.

Oth. What doft thou say?

[Exit Caffio.

Iago. Nothing, my lord; or ifI 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 difpleasure.

Qth.

Oth. Who is't you mean?

Def. Why, your lieutenant Caffio. Good my lord,
If I have any grace, or power to move you,
His prefent reconciliation take.

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?

you.

Oth. The fooner, Sweet, for
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,
Or Tuesday noon, or night, or Wednesday morn,
I pr'ythee, name the time; but let it not
Exceed three days; in faith, he's penitent:
And yet his trefpafs, in our common reason,
(Save that, they fay, the wars must make examples
Out of their beft,) is not almost a fault

T'incur a private check. When shall he come?
Tell me, Othello. I wonder in my foul,
What you would ask me, that I would deny,
Or ftand fo mutt'ring on? what? Michael Caffio!
That came a wooing with you, and many a time,
When I have fpoke of you difpraisingly,
Hath ta'en your part, to have fo much to do
To bring him in ? trust me, I could do much-
Oth. Pr'ythee, no more; let him come when he will,
I will deny thee nothing.

Def. Why, this is not a boon:

'Tis as I fhould entreat you wear your res,
Or feed on nourishing meats, or keer varm;