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 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 my Father in impatient thoughts By being in his eye. Most Gracious Duke, To my vnfolding, lend your prosperous eare, And let me finde a Charter in your voice T' assist my simplenesse

Duke. What would you Desdemona? Des. That I loue the Moore, to liue with him, My downe-right violence, and storme of Fortunes, May trumpet to the world. My heart's subdu'd Euen to the very quality of my Lord; I saw Othello's visage in his mind, And to his Honours and his valiant parts, Did I my soule and Fortunes consecrate. So that (deere Lords) if I be left behind A Moth of Peace, and he go to the Warre, The Rites for why I loue him, are bereft me: And I a heauie interim shall support By his deere absence. Let me go with him

William Shakespeare
Classic Literature Library

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