And he grows angry. Now, whether he kill Caffia, Or Caffio him, or each do kill the other, He calls me to a reftitution large Of gold and jewels, that I bob'd from him, It must not be.If Caffio do remain, That makes me ugly; and, befides, the Moor Enter Caffio. Rod. I know his gate; 'tis he: villain, thou dyeft. [He runs at Caffio, and wounds him. Caf. That Thruft had been mine enemy indeed, But that my coat is better than thou know'ft: I will make proof of thine. [Fight. Iago cuts Caffio behind in the Leg, and exit. [Then Rodorigo and Caffio fail. Rod. Oh, I am flain. Caf. I'm maim'd for ever; help, hoa! murther, mur ther! believe, an Experiment that never was communicated even to the Royal Society. The leaft Frication, on the contrary, would not only rub him out. of all Senfe, but out of Life into the Bargain. The old Quarto's have it, Quat: a Word, which, I confess, I am absolutely a Stranger to. I have ventur❜d to conjecture, I've rubb'd this young Knot, &c. The Knar, or Knot, is a fmall Bird, plentiful with us, in Lincolnfhire and Lancashire; which took its Name, as Camden fays, from its being a delicious Morfel with King Canute, who was likewise called Knout. This Bird, being once taken, as Gefner tells us, is above all others tame and tractable. In this refpe&t it forts with Roderigo's Character, an easy, manageable, Cully. Oth. It is even so. Caf. Oh, help, ho! light! a furgeon!-- - From off my heart, those charms, thine eyes, are blotted: Thy bed, luft-ftain'd, fhall with luft's blood be spotted. [Exit Othello. Enter Lodovico and Gratiano, at a diftance. Caf. What, ho! no watch? no paffage? murther, murther! Gra. 'Tis fome mifchance; the voice is very direful. Caf. Oh help! Lod. Hark! Rod. Oh wretched villain! Lod. Two or three groans. It is a heavy night; Rod. No body come? then shall I bleed to death. Gra. Here's one comes in his fhirt with light and weapons. lago. Who's there? whose noise is this, that cries out murther Lod. We do not know. Iago. Do not you hear a cry? Caf. Here, here: for heav'n's fake, help me. Jago. What's the matter? Gra. This is Othello's Ancient, as I take it. Lod. The fame, indeed, a very valiant fellow. Iago. What are you here, that cry fo grievously? Caf. Iago? oh I'm fpoil'd, undone by villains! Give me fome help. Iago. Oh me, lieutenant! what villains have done this? Caf. I think, that one of them is hereabout; And cannot make away. Iago. Oh treacherous villains! What are you there? come in, and give fome help.. [To Lod. and Gra. [Iago ftabs him. Jago. Oh murth'rous flave! oh villain! Rod. Oh damn'd Iago! oh inhuman dog! Iago. Kill men i'th' dark where be thefe bloody thieves? How filent is this town? ho, murther! murther! What may you be? are you of good or evil? Lod. As you fhall prove us, praise us. Iago. Signior Lodovice? Lod. He, Sir. Iago. I cry you mercy! here's Caffio, hurt by villains. Gra. Caffio? Iago. How is't, brother? Caf. My leg is cut in two. lago. Marry, heav'n forbid! Light, gentlemen, I'll bind it with my fhirt. Enter Bianca. Bian. What is the matter, hoa, who is't that cry'd? Bian. Oh my dear Caffio, My fweet Caffio, oh Caffio, Caffio, Caffio. lago. O notable ftrumpet! Cao, may you fufpect Who they fhould be, that have thus mangled you? Caf. No. Gra. I'm forry to find you thus: I have been to seek you. Iago. Lend me a garter. So-Oh for a chair Bian. Alas, he faints. Oh Caffio, Caffio, Caffio! To be a party in this Injury. Patience a while, good Caffio; come, come: Alas, Alas, my friend, and my dear countryman Iago. Even he, Sir: did you know him? Iago. Signior Gratiano? I cry your gentle pardon: Gra. I am glad to see you. Jago. How do you, Caffio? oh, a chair, a chair. Iago. He, he, 'tis he: oh, that's well faid, the chair. Some good man bear him carefully from hence; I'll fetch the General's furgeon. For you, mistress, Save you your labour. He that lies flain here, Caffio, Was my dear friend, What malice was between you? Caf. None in the world; nor do I know the man. Iago. What, look you pale? oh, bear him out o th air. Stay you, good gentlemen. Look you pale, miftrefs? Will fpeak, though tongues were out of use. Enter Emilia. Emil. Alas, what is the matter? What is the matter, husband? Iago. Caffio hath there been fet on in the dark By Rodorigo, and fellows that are 'fcap'd: He's almoft flain, and Rodorigo dead. Emil. Alas, good gentleman! alas, good Caffio! Iago. This is the fruit of whoring Emilia, Go know of Caffio where he fupt to night. What, do you shake at that? Pray, Bian. He fupt at my house, but I therefore fhake not. Iago. Oh, did he fo? I charge you go with me. As Emil. Oh fie upon thee, ftrumpet! Bian. I am no ftrumpet, but of life as honeft you that thus abuse me. Emil. As I? fie upon thee! Iago. Kind gentlemen, let's fee poor Caffio drest. And tell my lord and lady what hath hap'd: [Exeunt, Iago following: SCENE, a Bed-chamber: Defdemona is difcovered afleep in her bed. Oth. Enter Othello, with a Light and a Seword. T is the cause, it is the caufe, my foul; Let me not name it to you, you chaft Stars! [Lays down the faword. Yet fhe muft die; elfe fhe'll betray more men. Put out the light, and, then, put out the light; (29) If (29) Put out the light, and then put out the light.] The Players have many times inconfiderately committed an Abfurdity here, in making Othello put out the Candle; which, 'tis evident, never was the Poet's Intention. Desdemona is discover'd in her Bed, in the dark; and Othello enters the Chamber with a single Taper. If there were any 'other Lights burning in the Room, where would be the Drift of putting out his? If there were no others, and that he puts his out, how abfurd is it for Defdemona in the Dark to talk of his Eyes rowling, and his gnawing his nether Lip? This, I conceive, to have been the Poet's Meaning. Othello, ftruck in part with Remorse at the Murther he's going to do, thinks it beft to do it in the Dark; this compunction of Nature, in the hurry and perturbation of Thought, and those Remains of Tenderness still combating in |