Content thyself a while. By the mass, 'tis morning; Pleasure, and action, make the hours seem short.Retire thee: go where thou art billeted:

Away, I say, thou shalt know more hereafter:

Nay, get thee gone. [Exit Rod.] Two things are to be done,

My wife must move for Cassio to her mistress;

I'll set her on ;

Myself, the while, to draw the Moor apart,
And bring him jump3 when he may Cassio find
Soliciting his wife: - Ay, that's the way;
Dull not device by coldness and delay.

[Exit.

Cas. Masters, play here, I will content your pains. Something that's brief; and bid-good-morrow, ge

neral.4

Enter Clown.

[Musick.

Clo. Why, masters, have your instruments been at Naples, that they speak i'the nose thus?

31

1 Mus. How, sir, how!

Clo. Are these, I pray you, called wind instruments

· bring him jump-] i. e. just at the time when.

and bid-good-morrow, general.] It is the usual practice of the waits, or nocturnal minstrels, in several towns in the north of England, after playing a tune or two, to cry, "Good-morrow, maister Such-a-one, good-morrow, dame," adding the hour, and state of the weather. It should seem to have prevailed at Stratford-uponAvon. They formerly used hautboys, which are the wind-instruments here meant.

RITSON.

1 Mus. Ay, marry, are they, sir. Clo. O, thereby hangs a tail.

1 Mus. Whereby hangs a tail, sir?

Clo. Marry, sir, by many a wind instrument that I know. But, masters, here's money for you: and the general so likes your musick, that he desires you, of all loves, to make no more noise with it.

1 Mus. Well, sir, we will not.

Clo. If you have any musick that may not be heard, to't again: but, as they say, to hear musick, the general does not greatly care.

1 Mus. We have none such, sir.

Clo. Then put up your pipes in your bag, for I'll away: Go; vanish into air; away. [Exeunt Musicians. Cas. Dost thou hear, my honest friend?

Clo. No, I hear not your honest friend; I hear you. Cas. 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 stirring, tell her, there's one Cassio entreats her a little favour of speech: Wilt thou do this?

Clo. She is stirring, sir; if she will stir hither, I shall seem to notify unto her.

[Exit.

Enter IAGO.

Cas. Do, good my friend.

In happy time, Iago.

Iago. You have not been a-bed then?

Cas. Why, no; the day had broke

Before we parted. I have made bold, Iago,
To send in to your wife: My suit to her
Is, that she will to virtuous Desdemona
Procure me some access.

Iago.

And I'll devise a mean to draw the Moor

I'll send her to you presently;

[Exit.

Out of the way, that your converse and business
May be more free.

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

Enter EMILIA.

Emil. Good morrow, good lieutenant: I am sorry For your displeasure ; but all will soon be well. The general, and his wife, are talking of it; And she speaks for you stoutly: The Moor replies, That he, you hurt, is of great fame in Cyprus, And great affinity; and that, in wholesome wisdom, He might not but refuse you: but, he protests, he loves you;

And needs no other suitor, but his likings,

To take the saf'st occasion by the front,

To bring you in again.

Cas.

If

you

Yet, I beseech you,

think fit, or that it may be done,

Give me advantage of some brief discourse

With Desdemona alone.

Enter OTHELLO, IAGO, and Gentlemen.

Oth. These letters give, Iago, to the pilot; And, by him, do my duties to the state: That done, I will be walking on the works, Repair there to me.

For your displeasure;] i. e. the displeasure you have incurred from Othello.

Iago.

Well, my good lord, I'll do't."

Oth. This fortification, gentlemen, shall we see't? Gent. We'll wait upon your lordship.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.

Before the Castle.

Enter DESDEMONA, CASSIO, and EMILIA.

Des. Be thou assur'd, good Cassio, I will do

All my abilities in thy behalf.

Emil. Good madam, do; I know, it grieves my husband,

As if the case were his.

Des. O, that's an honest fellow. Do not doubt,

Cassio,

But I will have my lord and you again

As friendly as you were.

Cas.

Bounteous madam,

Whatever shall become of Michael Cassio,

He's never any thing but your true servant.

Des. O, sir, I thank you: You do love my lord: You have known him long; and be you well assur'd, He shall in strangeness stand no further off

Than in a politick distance.

Cas.

Ay, but, lady,

That policy may either last so long,
Or feed upon such nice and waterish diet,
Or breed itself so out of circumstance,
That, I being absent, and my place supplied,
My general will forget my love and service.

Des. Do not doubt that; before Emilia here,
I give thee warrant of thy place: assure thee,
If I do vow a friendship, I'll perform it
To the last article: my lord shall never rest;

I'll watch him tame, and talk him out of patience;
His bed shall seem a school, his board a shrift;

I'll intermingle every thing he does

With Cassio's suit: Therefore be merry, Cassio;
For thy solicitor shall rather die,

Than give thy cause away.

Why, stay,

ill at ease,

Well, well,

[Exit CASSIO.

And hear me speak.

Cas. Madam, not now; I am very

Unfit for mine own purposes.

Des.

Do your discretion.

Iago.

Ha! I like not that.

Oth. What dost thou say?

Iago. Nothing, my lord: or if I know not what. Oth. Was not that Cassio, parted from my wife? Iago. Cassio, my lord? No, sure, I cannot think it, That he would steal away so guilty-like,

Seeing you coming.

Oth.

Des. How now, my

I do believe 'twas he.

lord?

I have been talking with a suitor here,

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

Des. Why, your lieutenant Cassio. Good my lord,
If I have any grace, or power to move you,
His present reconciliation take;7

6 I'll watch him tame,] Hawks and other birds are tamed by keeping them from sleep, to which management Shakspeare alludes. 7 His present reconciliation take,] To take his reconciliation, may be to accept the submission which he makes in order to be reconciled.