# Meaning/origin of "Bless the mark"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-origin-of-bless-the-mark/343279>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 6, 2006, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-origin-of-bless-the-mark/343279 "2006-02-06T19:31:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
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**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2006, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-origin-of-bless-the-mark/343279/1 "2006-02-06T19:31:56Z")

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From Shakespeare’s _Othello,_ Act I, Scene 1:

> [@](#):
>
> IAGO: Despise me  
> If I do not. Three Great-ones of the Cittie,  
> (In personall suite to make me his Lieutenant)  
> Off-capt to him: and by the faith of man  
> I know my price, I am worth no worsse a place.  
> But he (as louing his owne pride, and purposes)  
> Euades them, with a bumbast Circumstance,  
> Horribly stufft with Epithites of warre,  
> Non-suites my Mediators. For certes, saies he,  
> I haue already chose my Officer. And what was he?  
> For-sooth, a great Arithmatician,  
> One Michaell Cassio, a Florentine,  
> (A Fellow almost damn’d in a faire Wife)  
> That neuer set a Squadron in the Field,  
> Nor the deuision of a Battaile knowes  
> More then a Spinster. Vnlesse the Bookish Theoricke:  
> Wherein the Tongued Consuls can propose  
> As Masterly as he. Meere pratle (without practise)  
> Is all his Souldiership. But he (Sir) had th’ election;  
> And I (of whom his eies had seene the proofe  
> At Rhodes, at Ciprus, and on others grounds  
> Christen’d, and Heathen) must be be-leed, and calm’d  
> By Debitor, and Creditor. This Counter-caster,  
> He (in good time) must his Lieutenant be,  
> And I (blesse the marke) his Mooreships Auntient

Most of the above is explained in marginal notes in printed editions of the play, e.g., the Folger Shakespeare Library’s. But I’ve never seen any explanation for “Blesse the mark,” which is interpolated as if it were a typical interjection of Shakespeare’s day. What does it mean? Where does it come from? Does “mark” mean a unit of currency, or something else?

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**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2006, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-origin-of-bless-the-mark/343279/2 "2006-02-06T19:54:26Z")

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It’s originally an archery term.

When a particularly good shot was made on a range, the archer (or an enthusiastic observer) would cry “Bless the mark!” or “Save the mark!” to keep other archers from hitting the target. (Or an enthusiastic observer springing forward for a closer look at just how great a shot it was.)

Later it was used mainly for irony, when someone clearly couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn.

In this example, it’s even further abstracted – Iago’s ejaculation just indicates that he isn’t well-pleased with the situation. Sort of like, “I wouldn’t have it any other way!”