Chapter 7
Oth. Cassio did top her: Ask thy husband else. O, I were damn'd beneath all depth in hell: But that I did proceed vpon iust grounds To this extremity. Thy Husband knew it all. Aemil. My Husband? Oth. Thy Husband. Aemil. That she was false to Wedlocke? Oth. I, with Cassio: had she bin true, If Heauen would make me such another world, Of one entyre and perfect Chrysolite, I'ld not haue sold her for it. Aemil. My Husband? Oth. I, 'twas he that told me on her first, An honest man he is, and hates the slime That stickes on filthy deeds. Aemil. My Husband? Oth. What needs this itterance, Woman? I say, thy Husband. Aemil. Oh Mistris, Villany hath made mockes with loue: My Husband say she was false? Oth. He, Woman; I say thy Husband: Do'st vnderstand the word? My Friend, thy Husband; honest, honest Iago. Aemil. If he say so, may his pernicious Soule Rot halfe a graine a day: he lyes to'th' heart, She was too fond of her most filthy Bargaine
Oth. Hah? Aemil. Do thy worst: This deede of thine is no more worthy Heauen, Then thou was't worthy her
Oth. Peace, you were best. Aemil. Thou hast not halfe that powre to do me harm, As I haue to be hurt. Oh Gull, oh dolt, As ignorant as durt: thou hast done a deed (I care not for thy Sword) Ile make thee known, Though I lost twenty liues. Helpe, helpe, hoa, helpe: The Moore hath kill'd my Mistris. Murther, murther. Enter Montano, Gratiano, and Iago.
Mon. What is the matter? How now Generall? Aemil. Oh, are you come, Iago: you haue done well, That men must lay their Murthers on your necke
Gra. What is the matter? Aemil. Disproue this Villaine, if thou bee'st a man: He sayes, thou told'st him that his wife was false: I know thou did'st not: thou'rt not such a Villain. Speake, for my heart is full
Iago. I told him what I thought, And told no more Then what he found himselfe was apt, and true. Aemil. But did you euer tell him, She was false? Iago. I did. Aemil. You told a Lye an odious damned Lye: Vpon my Soule, a Lye; a wicked Lye. Shee false with Cassio? Did you say with Cassio? Iago. With Cassio, Mistris? Go too, charme your tongue
Emil. I will not charme my Tongue; I am bound to speake, My Mistris heere lyes murthered in her bed
All. Oh Heauens, forefend
Emil. And your reports haue set the Murder on
Othello. Nay stare not Masters, It is true indeede
Gra. 'Tis a strange Truth
Mont. O monstrous Acte
Emil. Villany, villany, villany: I thinke vpon't, I thinke: I smel't: O Villany: I thought so then: Ile kill my selfe for greefe. O villany! villany! Iago. What, are you mad? I charge you get you home
Emil. Good Gentlemen, let me haue leaue to speake: 'Tis proper I obey him; but not now: Perchance Iago, I will ne're go home
Oth. Oh, oh, oh
Emil. Nay, lay thee downe, and roare: For thou hast kill'd the sweetest innocent, That ere did lift vp eye
Oth. Oh she was fowle! I scarse did know you Vnkle, there lies your Neece, Whose breath (indeed) these hands haue newly stopp'd: I know this acte shewes horrible and grim
Gra. Poore Desdemon: I am glad thy Father's dead, Thy Match was mortall to him: and pure greefe Shore his old thred in twaine. Did he liue now, This sight would make him do a desperate turne: Yea, curse his better Angell from his side, And fall to Reprobance
Oth. 'Tis pittifull: but yet Iago knowes That she with Cassio, hath the Act of shame A thousand times committed. Cassio confest it, And she did gratifie his amorous workes With that Recognizance and pledge of Loue Which I first gaue her: I saw it in his hand: It was a Handkerchiefe, an Antique Token My Father gaue my Mother
Emil. Oh Heauen! oh heauenly Powres! Iago. Come, hold your peace
Emil. 'Twill out, 'twill out. I peace? No, I will speake as liberall as the North; Let Heauen, and Men, and Diuels, let them all, All, all, crie shame against me, yet Ile speake
Iago. Be wise, and get you home
Emil. I will not
Gra. Fye, your Sword vpon a Woman
Emil. Oh thou dull Moore, That Handkerchiefe thou speak'st of I found by Fortune, and did giue my Husband: For often, with a solemne earnestnesse, (More then indeed belong'd to such a Trifle) He begg'd of me, to steale't
Iago. Villanous Whore
Emil. She giue it Cassio? No, alas I found it, And I did giu't my Husband
Iago. Filth, thou lyest
Emil. By Heauen I do not, I do not Gentlemen: Oh murd'rous Coxcombe, what should such a Foole Do with so good a wife? Oth. Are there no stones in Heauen, But what serues for the Thunder? Precious Villaine
Gra. The woman falles: Sure he hath kill'd his Wife
Emil. I, I: oh lay me by my Mistris side
Gra. Hee's gone, but his wife's kill'd
Mon. 'Tis a notorious Villain: take you this weapon Which I haue recouer'd from the Moore: Come guard the doore without, let him not passe, But kill him rather. Ile after that same villaine, For 'tis a damned Slaue. Enter.
Oth. I am not valiant neither: But euery Punie whipster gets my Sword. But why should Honor out-liue Honesty? Let it go all. Aemil. What did thy Song boad Lady? Hearke, canst thou heare me? I will play the Swan, And dye in Musicke: Willough, Willough, Willough. Moore, she was chaste: She lou'd thee, cruell Moore, So come my Soule to blisse, as I speake true: So speaking as I thinke, alas, I dye
Oth. I haue another weapon in this Chamber, It was a Sword of Spaine, the Ice brookes temper: Oh heere it is: Vnkle I must come forth
Gra. If thou attempt it, it will cost thee deere; Thou hast no weapon, and perforce must suffer
Oth. Looke in vpon me then, and speake with me, Or naked as I am I will assault thee
Gra. What is the matter? Othel. Behold, I haue a weapon: A better neuer did it selfe sustaine Vpon a Soldiers Thigh. I haue seene the day, That with this little Arme, and this good Sword, I haue made my way through more impediments Then twenty times your stop. But (oh vaine boast) Who can controll his Fate? 'Tis not so now. Be not affraid, though you do see me weapon'd: Heere is my iournies end, heere is my butt And verie Sea-marke of my vtmost Saile. Do you go backe dismaid? 'Tis a lost feare: Man but a Rush against Othello's brest, And he retires. Where should Othello go? Now: how dost thou looke now? Oh ill-Starr'd wench, Pale as thy Smocke: when we shall meete at compt, This looke of thine will hurle my Soule from Heauen, And Fiends will snatch at it. Cold, cold, my Girle? Euen like thy Chastity. O cursed, cursed Slaue! Whip me ye Diuels, From the possession of this Heauenly sight: Blow me about in windes, roast me in Sulphure, Wash me in steepe-downe gulfes of Liquid fire. Oh Desdemon! dead Desdemon: dead. Oh, oh! Enter Lodouico, Cassio, Montano, and Iago, with Officers.
Lod. Where is this rash, and most vnfortunate man? Oth. That's he that was Othello: heere I am
Lod. Where is that Viper? Bring the Villaine forth
Oth. I look down towards his feet; but that's a Fable, If that thou bee'st a Diuell, I cannot kill thee
Lod. Wrench his Sword from him
Iago. I bleed Sir, but not kill'd
Othel. I am not sorry neither, Il'd haue thee liue: For in my sense, 'tis happinesse to die
Lod. Oh thou Othello, that was once so good, Falne in the practise of a cursed Slaue, What shall be saide to thee
Oth. Why any thing: An honourable Murderer, if you will: For nought I did in hate, but all in Honour
Lod. This wretch hath part confest his Villany: Did you and he consent in Cassio's death
Oth. I
Cas. Deere Generall, I neuer gaue you cause
Oth. I do beleeue it, and I aske your pardon: Will you, I pray, demand that demy-Diuell, Why he hath thus ensnar'd my Soule and Body
Iag. Demand me nothing: what you know, you know: From this time forth, I neuer will speake word
Lod. What? not to pray? Gra. Torments will ope your lips
Oth. Well, thou dost best
Lod. Sir, You shall vnderstand what hath befalne, (Which, as I thinke, you know not) heere is a Letter Found in the pocket of the slaine Rodorigo, And heere another, the one of them imports The death of Cassio, to be vndertooke By Rodorigo
Oth. O Villaine! Cassio. Most Heathenish, and most grosse
Lod. Now, heere's another discontented paper Found in his pocket too: and this it seemes Rodorigo meant t'haue sent this damned villaine: But that (belike) Iago in the interim Came in, and satisfi'd him
Oth. Oh thou pernitious Caitiffe; How came you (Cassio) by that Handkerchiefe That was my wiues? Cassio. I found it in my Chamber: And he himselfe confest it but euen now, That there he dropt it for a speciall purpose, Which wrought to his desire
Othel. O Foole, foole, foole! Cassio. There is besides, in Rodorigo's Letter, How he vpbraides Iago, that he made him Braue me vpon the Watch: whereon it came That I was cast: and euen but now he spake (After long seeming dead) Iago hurt him, Iago set him on
Lod. You must forsake this roome, and go with vs: Your Power, and your Command is taken off, And Cassio rules in Cyprus. For this Slaue, If there be any cunning Crueltie, That can torment him much, and hold him long, It shall be his. You shall close Prisoner rest, Till that the Nature of your fault be knowne To the Venetian State. Come, bring away
Oth. Soft you; a word or two before you goe: I haue done the State some seruice, and they know't: No more of that. I pray you in your Letters, When you shall these vnluckie deeds relate, Speake of me, as I am. Nothing extenuate, Nor set downe ought in malice. Then must you speake, Of one that lou'd not wisely, but too well: Of one, not easily Iealious, but being wrought, Perplexed in the extreame: Of one, whose hand (Like the base Iudean) threw a Pearle away Richer then all his Tribe: Of one, whose subdu'd Eyes, Albeit vn-vsed to the melting moode, Drops teares as fast as the Arabian Trees Their Medicinable gumme. Set you downe this: And say besides, that in Aleppo once, Where a malignant, and a Turbond-Turke Beate a Venetian, and traduc'd the State, I tooke by th' throat the circumcised Dogge, And smoate him, thus
Lod. Oh bloody period
Gra. All that is spoke, is marr'd
Oth. I kist thee, ere I kill'd thee: No way but this, Killing my selfe, to dye vpon a kisse.
Dyes
Cas. This did I feare, but thought he had no weapon: For he was great of heart
Lod. Oh Sparton Dogge: More fell then Anguish, Hunger, or the Sea: Looke on the Tragicke Loading of this bed: This is thy worke: The Obiect poysons Sight, Let it be hid. Gratiano, keepe the house, And seize vpon the Fortunes of the Moore, For they succeede on you. To you, Lord Gouernor, Remaines the Censure of this hellish villaine: The Time, the Place, the Torture, oh inforce it: My selfe will straight aboord, and to the State, This heauie Act, with heauie heart relate.
Exeunt.
FINIS.
The Names of the Actors.
Othello, the Moore. Brabantio, Father to Desdemona. Cassio, an Honourable Lieutenant. Iago, a Villaine. Rodorigo, a gull'd Gentleman. Duke of Venice. Senators. Montano, Gouernour of Cyprus. Gentlemen of Cyprus. Lodouico, and Gratiano, two Noble Venetians. Saylors. Clowne. Desdemona, Wife to Othello. Aemilia, Wife to Iago. Bianca, a Curtezan.