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Iago. Marry, to-Come, captain, will you go?

Oth.

Have with you.

Cas. Here comes another troop to seek for you.
Iago. It is Brabantio.-General, be advis'd:

He comes to bad intent.

Enter BRABANTIO, RODERIGO, and Officers, with torches and

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Iago. You, Roderigo! come, sir, I am for you.

Oth. Keep up your bright swords, for the dew will rust

them.

Good signior, you shall more command with years,

Than with your weapons.

Bra. Oh, thou foul thief! where hast thou stow'd my daughter?

Damn'd as thou art, thou hast enchanted her;

For I'll refer me to all things of sense,

If she in chains of magic were not bound',
Whether a maid so tender, fair, and happy,
So opposite to marriage, that she shunn'd
The wealthy curled darlings' of our nation,
Would ever have, to incur a general mock,
Run from her guardage to the sooty bosom
Of such a thing as thou; to fear, not to delight.
Judge me the world, if 'tis not gross in sense',
That thou hast practis'd on her with foul charms;
Abus'd her delicate youth with drugs, or minerals,
That weaken motion".-I'll have 't disputed on;

5 If she in chains of magic were not bound,] This line is only in the folio, and in the 4to, 1630.

The wealthy curled DARLINGS] So both the 4tos, and, doubtless, rightly: the folio has dearling, in the singular.

7 Judge me the world, if 'tis not gross in sense,] This and the five following lines are in the folio and in the 4to, 1630, but not in the 4to, 1622.

8 That WEAKEN motion.] Sir T. Hanmer, in opposition to the folio and 4to, 1630, substituted waken for "weaken." The sense of the old reading seems perfectly intelligible, and Theobald's suggestion of "weaken notion" would be preferable, if any change were required.

'Tis probable, and palpable to thinking.
I, therefore, apprehend, and do attach thee,
For an abuser of the world, a practiser
Of arts inhibited, and out of warrant.-
Lay hold upon him! if he do resist,
Subdue him at his peril.

Oth.

Hold your hands!

Both you of my inclining, and the rest:

Were it my cue to fight, I should have known it
Without a prompter.-Where will you that I go
To answer this your charge?

Bra.

To prison; till fit time

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

Oth.

What if I do obey?

How may the duke be therewith satisfied,
Whose messengers are here about my side,
Upon some present business of the state,
To bear me to him?

Off.

'Tis true, most worthy signior:

The duke's in council, and your noble self,
I am sure, is sent 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 such actions may have passage free,
Bond-slaves and pagans shall our statesmen be.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.

The Same. A Council-Chamber.

The DUKE, and Senators, sitting at a table; Officers attending.

Duke. There is no composition in these news,

That gives them credit.

1 Sen.

Indeed, they are disproportion'd:

My letters say, a hundred and seven galleys.
Duke. And mine, a hundred and forty.

And mine, two hundred :

2 Sen. But though they jump not on a just account, (As in these cases, with the same reports, 'Tis oft with difference") yet do they all confirm A Turkish fleet, and bearing up to Cyprus.

Duke. Nay, it is possible enough to judgment. I do not so secure me in the error,

But the main article I do

In fearful sense.

approve

Sailor. [Within.] What ho! what ho! what ho!

Enter an Officer, with a Sailor.

Off. A messenger from the galleys.

Duke.

Now, the business?

Sail. The Turkish preparation makes for Rhodes:
So was I bid report here to the state,
By signior Angelo'.

Duke. How say you by this change?
1 Sen.

By no assay of reason: 'tis a pageant,

This cannot be,

To keep us in false gaze. When we consider
The 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 stands not in such warlike brace 2,

But altogether lacks th' abilities

That Rhodes is dress'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 ease and gain,
To wake, and wage, a danger profitless.

9 (As in these cases, WITH THE SAME reports,

'Tis oft with difference)] This reading is derived from the corr. fo. 1632, the clear meaning being, that even when reports of such occurrences are mainly the same, it is often with difference. The 4to, 1622, has "where they aym'd reports," and the folio, 1623, "where the ayme reports;" but it appears highly probable that the passage was misheard, as well as misprinted, and that the true text is what we have adopted. No one old copy agrees with another, and all are more or less obscure.

By signior Angelo.] These words are in the folio, and in the 4to, 1630; but not in the 4to, 1622.

2 For that it stands not in such warlike brace.] This and the six next lines are only in the folio, and in the 4to, 1630.

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

Enter a Messenger.

Mess. The Ottomites, reverend and gracious, Steering with due course toward the isle of Rhodes, Have there injointed them with an after fleet.

3

1 Sen. Ay, so I thought.-How many, as you guess?
Mess. Of thirty sail; and now do they re-stem
Their backward course, bearing, with frank appearance,
Their purposes toward Cyprus.-Signior Montano,
Your trusty and most valiant servitor,

With his free duty recommends you thus,

And prays you to believe him.

Duke. 'Tis certain then for Cyprus.

Marcus Luccicos, is not he in town?

1 Sen. He's now in Florence.

Duke. Write from us to him; post, post-haste dispatch. 1 Sen. Here comes Brabantio, and the valiant Moor.

Enter BRABANTIO, OTHELLO, IAGO, RODERIGO, and Officers. Duke. Valiant Othello, we must straight employ you Against the general enemy Ottoman.

I did not see you; welcome, gentle signior; [To BRABANTIO. We lack'd your counsel and your help to-night.

Bra. So did I your's. Good your grace, pardon me;
Neither my place, nor aught I heard of business,

Hath rais'd me from my bed; nor doth the general care
Take hold of me, for my particular grief
Is of so flood-gate and o'er-bearing nature,
That it engluts and swallows other sorrows,
And it is still itself.

Duke.

Why, what's the matter? Bra. My daughter! Oh, my daughter!

3 Have there injointed THEM] The 4to, 1622, has not "them," and it does not seem absolutely required by the sense, and is detrimental to the verse; but as it is found in the 4to, 1630, as well as in the folio, we insert it. The next line is omitted in the 4to, 1622, but is found in the other early copies.

And prays you to BELIEVE him.] In our former impression we mentioned the suggestion of the Rev. H. Barry that we should read "And prays you to relieve him." Mr. Singer adopts the change, as if it were his own; but we, as formerly, adhere to the old copies, mentioning in a note the proposed emendation. No change is here found in the corr. fo. 1632. Lower down we follow the folio and 4to, 1630, instead of the line "Write from us; wish him post, post-haste despatch," as it stands in the 4to, 1622.

Sen.

Bra.

Dead?

She is abus'd, stol'n from me, and corrupted

Ay, to me;

By spells and medicines bought of mountebanks;
For nature so preposterously to err,

(Being not deficient, blind, or lame of sense')
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 shall yourself read in the bitter letter,

6

After your own sense; yea, though our proper son

Stood in your action.

Bra.

Humbly I thank your grace.

Here is the man, this Moor; whom now, it seems,

Your special mandate, for the state affairs,

Hath hither brought.

Duke and Sen.

We are very sorry for it.

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

Bra. Nothing, but this is so.

[TO OTHELLO.

Oth. Most 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 bless'd with the set phrase of peace';
For since these arms of mine had seven years' pith,
Till now, some nine moons wasted, they have us'd
Their dearest action in the tented field;
And little of this great world can I speak,
More than pertains to feats of broil and battle;
And, therefore, little shall I grace my cause,

5 (Being not deficient, blind, or lame of sense)] This parenthesis is wanting in the 4to, 1622, only.

After YOUR Own sense;] So the folio, 1623: the 4tos, "After its own sense," which we formerly approved, but now willingly admit the force of the reasoning of the Rev. Mr. Dyce (" Remarks," p. 234) upon the point.

7 - the SET phrase of peace ;] So the two 4tos: the folio for "set" has soft, in all probability, but not necessarily, a corruption.

8 Till now, some nine moons wasted,] We adopt here the punctuation of the 4to, 1622, and of the folio, 1623, as a guide to what is the true mode of reading the passage, which has been rather unreasonably disputed.

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