We must not think the Turk is fo unfkilful,
To leave that lateft, which concerns him first;
Neglecting an attempt of ease and gain,
To wake, and wage, a danger profitless.

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

Enter a Messenger.

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

1 Sen. Ay, fo I thought; how many, as you guefs? Me. Of thirty fail; and now they do re-stem Their backward courfe, bearing with frank appearance Their purposes toward Cyprus. Signior Montano, Your trufly and moft valiant Servitor,

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

Duke. 'Tis certain then for Cyprus: Marcus Luccicos,

Is he not here in town?

1 Sen. He's now in Florence.

[patch. Duke. Write from us, to him, poft, poft-hafte, dif. 1 Sen. Here comes Brabantio, and the valiant Moor.

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

Duke. VALIANT Othello, we muft ftraight employ

you,

Against the general enemy Ottoman.

I did not fee you; welcome, gentle fignior:

To Braban.

We lack'd your counsel, and your help to-night.
Bra. So did I yours; 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 itself.

Duke. Why? what's the matter?

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

Bra. To me ;

She is abus'd, ftolen from me, and corrupted
By spells and medicines, bought of mountebanks;
For nature fo propofterously 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 fhall yourself read in the bitter letter,

After your own fenfe; 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 fpecial mandate, for the State-affairs,
Hath hither brought.

All. We're very forry for't.

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

Bra. Nothing, but this is fo.

To Othel.

Oth. Moft potent, grave, and reverend figniors, My very noble and approv'd good mafters; 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 seven 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 caufe,
In fpeaking for myself. Yet, by your patience,
I will a round unvarnifh'd tale deliver,

Of my whole course of love; what drugs, whatcharms,
What conjuration, and what mighty magic,
(For fuch proceeding I am charg'd withal,)
I won his daughter with.

Bra. A maiden, never bold;

Of fpirit fo ftill and quiet, that her motion
Blufh'd at itfelf; and fhe, in fpight of nature,
Of years, of country, credit, every thing,
To fall in love with what fhe fear'd to look on-
It is a judgment maim'd, and most imperfect,
That will confefs, Perfection so could err
Against all rules of nature; and must be driven
To find out practices of cunning hell,.

Why this fhould be. I therefore vouch again,
That with fome mixtures powerful o'er the blood,
Or with fome dram, conjur'd to this effect,
He wrought upon her.

Duke. To vouch this, is no proof,

Without more certain and more overt teft,
Than these thin habits and poor likelyhoods
Of modern Seeming do prefer against him.
1 Sen. But, Othello, speak;

Did you by indirect and forced courfes

Subdue and poison this young maid's affections?
Or came it by request, and such fair question.
As foul to foul affordeth?

Oth. I befcech you,

Send for the lady to the Sagittary,

And let her speak of me before her father;
If do find me foul in her report,

you

The Truft, the Office, I do hold of you,
Not only take away, but let your Sentence
Even fall upon my life.

Duke. Fetch Defdemona hither.

[Exeunt two or three.

Oth.

Oth. Ancient, conduct them, you beft know the

place.
And 'till fhe come, as truly as to heav'n
I do confefs the vices of my blood,
So juftly to your grave ears I'll prefent
How I did thrive in this fair lady's love,
And fhe in mine.

Duke. Say it, Othello.

[Exit Iago.

Oth. Her father lov'd me, oft invited me;
Still question'd me the ftory of my life,
From year to year; the battles, fieges, fortunes,
That I have past.

I ran it through, e'en from my boyish days,
To th' very moment that he bad me tell it :
Wherein I spoke of moft difaftrous chances,
Of moving accidents by flood and field;

Of hair-breadth spaces in th' imminent deadly breach;
Of being taken by the infolent foe,

And fold to flavery; of my redemption thence,
And with it, all my travel's history:

Wherein of antres vaft, and deserts idle,

[heav'n, Rough quarries, rocks, and hills, whofe heads touch *It was my hent to speak; fuch was the process; And of the Canibals that each other cat,

The Anthropophagi; and men whofe heads.
Do grow beneath their fhoulders.

Would Desdemona ferioufly incline;

All these to hear

But fill the houfe-affairs would draw her thence,
Which ever as fhe could with hafte difpatch,
She'd come again, and with a greedy ear
Devour up my difcourfe; which I observing,
Took once a pliant hour, and found good means.
To draw from her a prayer of erneft heart,
That I would all my pilgrimage dilate;
Whereof by parcels the had fomething heard,
But not diftinctively. I did consent,
And often did beguile her of her tears,

It was my hint to speak ;] This implies it as done by a Trap laid for her: But the old Quarto reads hent, i, e. ufe, cuftom.

When

When I did speak of some distressful firoke
That my youth fuffer'd. My ftory being done,
She gave me for my pains a world of fighs:
She fwore, in faith,'twas ftrange, 'twas paffing ftrange,
'Twas pitiful, 'twas wondrous pitiful-

She wifh'd, fhe had not heard it;

yet fhe wish'd,

That heav'n had made her fuch a man:
thank'd me,

And bad me, if I had a friend that lov'd her,
I fhould but teach him how to tell my ftory,
And that would woo her. On this hint I spake,
She lov'd me for the dangers I had paft,
And I lov'd her, that fhe did pity them:
This only is the witchcraft I have us'd.
Here comes the lady, let her witness it.

fhe

Duke.

Enter Desdemona, Iago, and Attendants.
Think, this tale would win my daughter too--

Take up this mangled matter at the best.
Men do their broken weapons rather ufe,
Than their bare hands.

Bra. I pray you, hear her speak;

If fhe confefs that he was half the wooer,
Deftruction on my head, if my bad blame
Light on the man! come hither, gentle miftress,
Do you perceive in all this noble company,
Where you muft owe obediance?

Def. My noble father,

I do perceive here a divided duty;

Το you I'm bound for life and education:

My life and education both do learn me

How to respect you. You're the lord of duty;

I'm hitherto your daughter. But here's my husband; And fo much duty as my mother fhew'd

To you, preferring you before her father;

So