Ev'n on the inftant.

Oth What is the matter, think you?

Caf. Something from Cyprus, as I may divine; It is a bufinefs of fome heat. The gallies

Have fent a dozen fequent meffengers

This very night at one another's heels:
And many of the confuls rais'd and met,

Are at the Duke's already. You have been hotly call'd

When, being not at your lodging to be found,
The fenate fent above three feveral quefts,

To fearch you out.

Oth. 'Tis well I am found by you:

I will but spend a word here in the house,

And go with you.

Caf. Ancient, what makes he here?

[for,

[Exit Othello.

lago.'Faith, he to-night hath boarded a land-carrack; If it prove lawful prize, he's made for ever.

Caf. I do not understand.

lago. He's married.

Caf. To whom?

Iago. Marry to

Come, Captain, will you go?

Enter Othello,

Oth. Have with you.

Caf. Here comes another troop to seek for you.

Enter Brabantio, Rodorigo, with Officers and torches.

Iago. It is Brabantio: General, be advis'd;

He comes to bad intent.

Oth. Holla! ftand there.

Rod. Signior, it is the Moor.

Bra. Down with him, thief!

[They draw on both fides.

Jago. You, Rodorigo! come, Sir, I am for you-
Oth. Keep up your bright fwords, for the dew will

ruft 'em.

Good Signior, you shall more command with years, Than with your weapons.

Bra. O thou foul thief! where haft thou ftow'd my

daughter?

Damn'd

Damn'd as thou art, thou haft inchanted her;
For I'll refer me to all things of fenfe,
If fhe in chains of magic were not bound,
Whether a maid, fo tender, fair and happy,
So oppofite to marriage, that fhe fhunn'd
The wealthy culled darlings of our nation,
Would ever have, t'incur a general mock,
Run from her guardage to the footy bofom
Of fuch a thing as thou, to fear, not to delight?
Judge me the world, if 'tis not grofs in fenfe,
That thou haft practis'd on her with foul charms,
Abus'd her delicate youth with drugs or minerals,
That weaken notion.-I'll have't difputed on;
'Tis probable, and palpable to thinking.
I therefore apprehend and do attach thee
For an abufer of the world, a practifer
Of arts inhibited and out of warrant;
Lay hold upon them; if he do resist,
Subdue him at his peril.

Oth. Hold your hands,

Both you of my inclining, and the reft.

Were it my cue to fight, I fhould have known it

Without a prompter.

Where will you I go

To answer this your charge?

Bra. To prifon, till fit time

Of law, and course of direct feffion,
Call thee to answer.

Oth. What if I do obey?

How may the Duke be therewith fatisfied,
Whose meffengers are here about my fide,
Upon fome present business of the state,
To bring me to him?

Off. True, moft worthy Signior,

The Duke's in council; and your noble felf,
I'm fure, is fent for.

Bra. How! the Duke in council?

In this time of the night? bring him away;
Mine's not an idle cause. The Duke himself,
Or any of my brothers of the state,

Cannot but feel this wrong as 'twere their own;
For if fuch actions may have paffage free,

Bond-flaves and Pagans fhall our statesmen be. [Exeunt.

SCENE

SCENE VII. Changes to the fenate-houfe.

Duke and Senators, fet at a table with lights, and Attendants.

Duke. There is no compofition in thefe news, That gives them credit.

Sen. Indeed they're difproportion'd;

My letters fay, a hundred and feven gallies.
Duke. And mine a hundred and forty.
2 Sen. And mine two hundred.

But tho' they jump not on a just account,
(As in thefe cafes, where the aim reports,
'Tis oft with diff'rence); yet do they all confirm
A Turkish fleet, and bearing up to Cyprus.

Duke. Nay, it is poffible enough to judgment;
I do not fo fecure me in the error,

But the main article I do approve

In fearful fenfe.

[Sailor within.] What hoa! what hoa! what hoa! Enter Sailor.

Of. A meffenger from the gallies.

Duke. Now what's the bufinefs?

Sail. The Turkish preparation makes for Rhodes; So was I bid report here to the state.

Duke. How fay you by this change?

1 Sen. This cannot be,

By no affay of reason. 'Tis a pageant,

To keep us in falfe gaze; when we confider
Th' importancy of Cyprus to the Turk,

And let ourselves again but understand,

That as it more concerns the Turk than Rhodes,
So may he with more facile question bear it;
For that it ftands not in fuch warlike brace,

But altogether lacks th' abilities

That Rhodes is drefs'd in. If we make thought of this,

We must not think the Turk is so unskilful,

To leave that latest which concerns him first;

Neglecting an attempt of eafe and gain,

To wake, and wage, a danger profitless.

compofition, for confiftency, concordancy.

Duke.

Duke. Nay, in all confidence he's not for Rhodes. Of. Here is more news.

Enter a Meffenger.

Me. The Ottomites, (reverend and gracious), Steering with due courfe toward the ifle of Rhodes, Have there injoin'd them with an after-fleet

1 Sen. Ay, fo I thought; how many, as you guess?
Me Of thirty fail; and now thy do re-tem
Their backward courfe, bearing with frank appearance
Their purpofes toward Cyprus. Signior Montano,
Your trusty and most valiant fervitor,

With his free duty, recommends you thus,
And prays you to believe him.

Duke is certain then for Cyprus: Marcus LucIs he not here in town?

[cicos,

1 Sen He's now in Florence. Duke Write from us to him, poft, poft-hafte, difpatch. 1 Sen. Here comes Brabantio, and the valiant Moor.

To them, Enter Brabantio, Othello, Caffio, Iago, Rodorigo, and Officers.

Duke. Valiant Othello, we must straight employ you, Against the general enemy Ottoman.

I did not fee you; welcome, gentle Signior: [To Brab. We lack'd your coun fel and your help to-night.

Bra So did I your's; good your Grace, pardon me; Neither my place, nor ought I heard of bufinefs, Hath rais'd me from my bed; nor doth the general Take hold on me: for my particular grief Is of fo flood-gate and o'er-bearing nature, That it ingluts and fwallows other forrows, And yet is ftill itfelf.

Duke. Why what's the matter?

Bra My daughter! oh, my daughter!--
Sen. Dead?

Bra. To me;

She is abus'd, stolen from me, and corrupted'

By fpells and medicines, bought of mountebanks;
For nature fo prepofterously to crr,

(Being not deficient, blind, or lame of fenfe), Sans witchcraft could not

Duke. Whoe'er he be that in this foul proceeding Hath thus beguil'd your daughter of herself, And you of her, the bloody book of law You fhall yourfelf read in the bitter letter,

After your own fenfe; yea, though our proper fon Stood in your action.

Bra. Humbly I thank your Grace.

Here is the man, this Moor, whom now, it seems,
Your fpecial mandate, for the state-affairs,

Hath hither brought.

All. We're very forry for't.

Duke. What in your own part can you fay to this?

Bra, Nothing, but this is fo.

[To Othel,

Oth. Moft potent, grave, and reverend Signiors,
My very noble and approv'd good masters;
That I have ta'en away this old man's daughter,
It is most true; true, I have married her;
The very head and front of my offending

Hath this extent; no more. Rude am I in my speech,
And little blefs'd with the fet phrase of peace;
For fince these arms of mine had feven years' pith,
Till now, fome nine moons wafted, they have us'd
Their deareft action in the tented field;
And little of this great world can I speak,
More than pertains to feats of broils and battle
And therefore little fhall I grace my cause,
In fpeaking for myfelf. Yet, by your patience,
I will a round unvarnish'd tale deliver,

le;

Of my whole courfe of love; what drugs, what charms, What conjuration, and what mighty magic,

(For fuch proceeding I am charge'd withal),

I won his daughter with.

Bra. A maiden, never bold;

Of spirit so still and quiet, that her motion
Blush'd at herself; and the, in fpight of nature,
Of years, of country, credit, every thing,
To fall in love with what the fear'd to look on-
It is a judgment maim'd, and most imperfect,
That will confefs, perfection fo could err

Against