Othello - The Original Classic Edition. Shakespeare William

To fall in Loue, with what she fear'd to looke on; It is a iudgement main'd, and most imperfect. That will confesse Perfection so could erre Against all rules of Nature, and must be driuen To find out practises of cunning hell

       Why this should be. I therefore vouch againe,

       That with some Mixtures, powrefull o're the blood, Or with some Dram, (coniur'd to this effect)

       He wrought vpon her.

       To vouch this, is no proofe,

       Without more wider, and more ouer Test

       Then these thin habits, and poore likely-hoods

       Of moderne seeming, do prefer against him

       Sen. But Othello, speake,

       Did you, by indirect, and forced courses

       Subdue, and poyson this yong Maides affections?

       Or came it by request, and such faire question

       As soule, to soule affordeth?

       Othel. I do beseech you,

       Send for the Lady to the Sagitary,

       And let her speake of me before her Father;

       If you do finde me foule, in her report, The Trust, the Office, I do hold of you, Not onely take away, but let your Sentence Euen fall vpon my life

       Duke. Fetch Desdemona hither

       Othe. Aunciant, conduct them: You best know the place.

       And tell she come, as truely as to heauen, I do confesse the vices of my blood,

       So iustly to your Graue eares, Ile present How I did thriue in this faire Ladies loue, And she in mine

       Duke. Say it Othello

       Othe. Her Father lou'd me, oft inuited me: Still question'd me the Storie of my life,

       From yeare to yeare: the Battaile, Sieges, Fortune, That I haue past.

       I ran it through, euen from my boyish daies, Toth' very moment that he bad me tell it.

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       Wherein I spoke of most disastrous chances: Of mouing Accidents by Flood and Field,

       Of haire-breadth scapes i'th' imminent deadly breach; Of being taken by the Insolent Foe,

       And sold to slauery. Of my redemption thence, And portance in my Trauellours historie. Wherein of Antars vast, and Desarts idle,

       Rough Quarries, Rocks, Hills, whose head touch heauen, It was my hint to speake. Such was my Processe,

       And of the Canibals that each others eate, The Antropophague, and men whose heads

       Grew beneath their shoulders. These things to heare, Would Desdemona seriously incline:

       But still the house Affaires would draw her hence: Which euer as she could with haste dispatch, She'l'd come againe, and with a greedie eare Deuoure vp my discourse. Which I obseruing,

       Tooke once a pliant houre, and found good meanes

       To draw from her a prayer of earnest heart, That I would all my Pilgrimage dilate,

       Whereof by parcels she had something heard, But not instinctiuely: I did consent,

       And often did beguile her of her teares,

       When I did speake of some distressefull stroke That my youth suffer'd: My Storie being done, She gaue me for my paines a world of kisses:

       She swore in faith 'twas strange: 'twas passing strange,

       'Twas pittifull: 'twas wondrous pittifull.

       She wish'd she had not heard it, yet she wish'd

       That Heauen had made her such a man. She thank'd me, And bad me, if I had a Friend that lou'd her,

       I should but teach him how to tell my Story,

       And that would wooe her. Vpon this hint I spake, She lou'd me for the dangers I had past,

       And I lou'd her, that she did pitty them. This onely is the witch-craft I haue vs'd. Here comes the Ladie: Let her witnesse it. Enter Desdemona, Iago, Attendants.

       Duke. I thinke this tale would win my Daughter too, Good Brabantio, take vp this mangled matter at the best: Men do their broken Weapons rather vse,

       Then their bare hands

       Bra. I pray you heare her speake?

       If she confesse that she was halfe the wooer, Destruction on my head, if my bad blame Light on the man. Come hither gentle Mistris, Do you perceiue in all this Noble Companie, Where most you owe obedience?

       Des. My Noble Father,

       I do perceiue heere a diuided dutie.

       To you I am bound for life, and education: My life and education both do learne me,

       How to respect you. You are the Lord of duty,

       I am hitherto your Daughter. But heere's my Husband; And so much dutie, as my Mother shew'd

       To you, preferring you before her Father: So much I challenge, that I may professe

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       Due to the Moore my Lord

       Bra. God be with you: I haue done.

       Please it your Grace, on to the State Affaires; I had rather to adopt a Child, then get it. Come hither Moore;

       I here do giue thee that with all my heart, Which but thou hast already, with all my heart

       I would keepe from thee. For your sake (Iewell) I am glad at soule, I haue no other Child,

       For thy escape would teach me Tirranie

       To hang clogges on them. I haue done my Lord

       Duke. Let me speake like your selfe: And lay a Sentence,

       Which as a grise, or step may helpe these Louers. When remedies are past, the griefes are ended

       By seeing the worst, which late on hopes depended. To mourne a Mischeefe that is past and gon,

       Is the next way to draw new mischiefe on.

       What cannot be preseru'd, when Fortune takes: Patience, her Iniury a mock'ry makes.

       The rob'd that smiles, steales something from the Thiefe, He robs himselfe, that spends a bootelesse griefe

       Bra. So let the Turke of Cyprus vs beguile, We loose it not so long as we can smile:

       He beares the Sentence well, that nothing beares, But the free comfort which from thence he heares. But he beares both the Sentence, and the sorrow, That to pay griefe, must of poore Patience borrow. These Sentences, to Sugar, or to Gall,

       Being strong on both sides, are Equiuocall. But words are words, I neuer yet did heare:

       That the bruized heart was pierc'd through the eares.

       I humbly beseech you proceed to th' Affaires of State

       Duke. The Turke with a most mighty Preparation makes for Cyprus: Othello, the Fortitude of the place is best knowne to you. And though we haue there a Substitute of most allowed sufficiencie; yet opinion, a more soueraigne Mistris of Effects, throwes a more safer voice on you: you must therefore be content to slubber the glosse of your new Fortunes, with this more stubborne, and boystrous expedition

       Othe. The Tirant Custome, most Graue Senators,

       Hath made the flinty and Steele Coach of Warre

       My thrice-driuen bed of Downe. I do agnize

       A Naturall and prompt Alacratie,

       I finde in hardnesse: and do vndertake

       This present Warres against the Ottamites. Most humbly therefore bending to your State, I craue fit disposition for my Wife,

       Due reference of Place, and Exhibition, With such Accomodation and besort

       As leuels with her breeding Duke. Why at her Fathers? Bra. I will not haue it so Othe. Nor I

       Des. Nor would I there recide,

       To put