For the sea's worth. But, look! what lights come Were it my cue to fight, I should have known it

OF VENICE

Of. '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 Sea. Indeed, they are disproportion'd; My letters say, a hundred and seven gallies. Dake. And mine, a hundred and forty. 2 Sen. And mine two hundred : But though they jump not on a just account, (As in these cases, where the aim 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 judg

ment;

I do not so secure me in the error,
But the main article I do approve,

In fearful sense.

, OTHELLO, IAGO, RODERICO
and Officers.

Duke. Valiant Othello, we must straight em-
ploy 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
[ness,
me;
Neither my place, nor aught I heard of busi
Hath rais'd me from my bed; nor doth the ge-
neral care

Take hold on me; for my particular grief
Is of so flood-gate and o'erbearing nature,
That it engluts and swallows other sorrows,
And it is still itself.

Duke. Why, what's the matter?
Bra. My daughter! O my daughter!
Sen. Dead?

Bra. Ay, to me;

She is abus'd, stolen from me, and corrupted
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 pro-
ceeding,

Hath thus beguil'd your daughter of herself,
And you of her, the bloody book of law

Sailor. [Within.] What ho! what ho! what You shall yourself read in the bitter letter,

ho!

Enter an OFFICER, with a SAILOR.

Of. A messenger from the gallies.
Duke. Now? the business?

Sailor. 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. This cannot be,

By no assay of reason; 'tis pageant,

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 be with more facile question bear it,
For that it stands not in such warlike brace, §
But altogether lacks the 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,
Te wake; and wage a danger profitless.

After your own sense; yea, though our proper

Stood in your action. †

Bra. Humbly I thank your grace.

Here is the man, this Moor; whom now it

Bra. Nothing but this is so.

Oth. Most potent, grave, and reverend sig

niors,

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'
[us'd
pith,

Till now some nine moons wasted, they have
Their dearest action in the tented field;

Duke. Nay, in all confidence, he's not for And little of this great world can I speak,

Rhodes.

Of. 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.
1 Sea. Ay, so I thought:-How many as you
guess?

Mess. Of thirty sail : and now do they restem Their backward course, bearing with frank ap(tano,

pearance

Their purposes toward Cyprus.-Signior Mon-
Your trusty and most valiant servitor,
With his free duty recommends you thus,
And prays you to believe him.

Dake. Tis certain then for Cyprus.

Marcus Lucchesé, is he not in town?.

1 Sen. He's now in Florence.

More than pertains to feats of broil and battle;
And therefore little shall I grace my cause,
In speaking for myself: Yet, by your gracious
patience,

I will a round unvarnish'd tale deliver
Of my whole course of love; what drugs, what
charms,

What conjuration, and what mighty magic,
(For such proceeding I am charg'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 she,-in spite of na

ture,

Of years, of country, credit, every thing.-
To fall in love with what she fear'd to look on?
It is a judgment maim'd and most imperfect,
That will confess-perfection so could could err
Against all rules of nature; and must be driven
To find out practices of cunning hell,

Duke. Write from us; wish him post-post-Why this should be. I therefore vouch again,

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

Bra. I pray you, hear her speak; affec-If she confess that she was half the wooer, Destruction on my head, if my bad blame Light on the man!-Come hither, gentle mistress;

These sentences, to sugar, or to gall,

Being strong on both sides, are equivocal:
But words are words; I never yet did hear,
That the bruis'd heart was pierced through the
ear. t

I humbly beseech you, proceed to the affairs of pass-state.

With such accommodation and besort,
As levels with her breeding.

Duke. If you please,

Be't at her father's.

Bra. I'll not have it so.

Oth. Nor I.

Des. Nor I; I would not there reside,
To put my father in impatient thoughts,
By being in his eye. Most gracious duke,
To my unfolding lend a gracious ear;
And let me find a charter in your voice,
To assist my simpleness.

Duke. What would you, Desdemona ?

Des. That I did love the Moor to live with
him,

My downright violence and storm of fortunes
May trumpet to the world; my heart's
dued

Even to the very quality of my lord:
I saw Othello's visage in his mind;
And to his honours, and bis valiant parts,
Did I my soul and fortunes consecrate.
So that, dear lords, if I be left behind,
A moth of peace, and he go to the war,

worldly matters, and direction,
To spend with thee, we must obey the time.
[Exeunt OTHELLO and DESDEMONA.

Rod. Iago.

Iago. What say'st thou, noble heart?
Rod. What will I do, thinkest thou?
Iago. Why, go to bed, and sleep.
Rod. I will incontinently drown myself.
Iago. Well, if thou dost, I shall never love
thee after it. Why, thou silly gentleman!

Rod. It is silliness to live, when to live is a
torment: and then have we a prescription to
die, when death is our physician.

jugo. O villainous! I have looked upon the world for four times seven years; and since I could distinguish between a benefit and an insub-jury, I never found a man that knew how to love himself. Ere I would say, I would drown myself for the love of a Guinea-hen, † I would change my humanity with a baboon."

The rights for which I love him, are bereft me,
And I a heavy interim shall support

By his dear absence: Let me go with him.
Oth. Your voices, lords:-'beseech you,
ber will

Have a free way.

Rod. What should I do? I confess it is my shame to be so foud; but it is not in virtue to amend it.

Iago. Virtue? a fig! 'tis in ourselves, that we are thus, or thus. Our bodies are our gardens; to the which our wills are gardeners: so that if we will plant nettles, or sow lettuce; set let hyssop, and weed up thyme: supply it with one gender of herbs, or distract it with many; either to have it steril with idleness, or manured with industry; why, the power and corrigible authority of this lies in our wills. If the balance of our lives had not one scale of reason to poise another of sensuality, the blood and baseness of our natures would conduct us to most preposterous couclusions: But we have reason to cool our raging motions, our carnal stings, our unbitted lusts: whereof I take this, that you call-love, to be a sect, or scion.

Vouch with me, heaven; I therefore beg it not
To please the palate of my appetite;
Nor to comply with heat, the young affects,
In my distinct and proper satisfaction;
But to be free and bounteous to her mind :
And heaven defend your good souls, that you
think

I will your serious and great business scant,
For she is with me: No, when light-wing'd
toys

of feather'd Cupid seel § with wanton dulness
My speculative and active instruments,
That my disports corrupt and taint my business,
Let housewives make a skillet of my helm, ¶
And all indigu and base adversities
Make bead against my estimation !

Duke. Be it as you shall privately determine, Either for her stay or going: the affair cries, haste,

And speed must answer it: you must hence to-night.

Des. To-night, my lord?

Duke. This night.

Oth. With all my heart.

Rod. It cannot be.

Iago. It is merely a lust of the blood, and a Come, be a man; permission of the wi!!. Drown thyself? drown cats and blind puppies. I have professed me thy friend, and I confess me knit to thy deserving with cables of perdurable toughness; I could never better stead Put money in thy purse; folthee than now. in thy low these wars; defeat thy favour with an usurped beard; I say, put money It cannot be, that Desdemona should purse. long continue her love to the Moor,-put money in thy purse ;-nor he his to her: it was a violent commencement, and thou shalt see an answerable sequestration ;-put but money

Duke. At nine i'the morning here we'll meet in thy purse.-These Moors are changeable in

again.

Othello, leave some officer behind,

And be shall our cominission bring to you;
With such things else of quality and respect,
As doth import you.

Oth. Please your grace, my ancient; A man he is of honesty and trust:

[think
shall

To bis conveyance I assign my wife,
With what else needful your good grace
To be seul after me.
Duke. Let it be so.-
Good night to every one.-And, noble Signior,
[To BRABANTIO.
If virtue no delighted beauty lack,
Your son-in-law is far more fair than black,
1 Sen. Adieu, brave Moor! use Desdemona

well.

Bra. Look to her, Moor; have a quick eye to

see;

She has deceiv'd her fatber, and may thee.

Ereunt DUKE, SENATORS, OFFICERS, &c.
Oth. My life upon her faith.-Honest lago,
My Desdemona must I leave to thee;
1 pr'yther, let thy wife attend on her;
And bring them after in the best advantage.-
Come, Desdemona; I have but an hour

• Quality means profession; i. e. the life of a soldier.
+ Forbet
A smail kettle.

✰ Because.

6 Blind. Helmet.

their wills;-fill thy purse with money: the food that to him now is as luscious as locusts, shall be to him shortly as bitter as coloquintida. She must change for youth: when she is sated with his body, she will find the error of her choice. She must have change, she must: therefore put money in thy purse.-If thou wilt needs damn thyself, do it a more delicate way than drowning. Make all the money thou canst: If sanctimony and a frail vow, betwist an erring ¶ barbarian and a supersubtle Venetian, be not too hard for my wits, aud all the tribe of hell, thou shalt enjoy her; therefore make money. A pox of drowning thyself! it is clean out of the way: seek thou rather to be hanged in compassing thy joy, than to be drowned and go without her.

Rod. Wilt thou be fast to my hopes, If I depend on the issue?

of me;-Go, make Iago. Thou art sure money :-I have told thee often, and I re-tell thee again and again, I hate the Moor: My cause is hearted: thine hath no less reason: Let us be conjunctive in our revenge against him: if thou canst cuckold him, thou dost thy

The cant term for a prostitute. A sect is what the gardeners call a 1. c. Alter your effernate visage, by Waudtring.

2 E

If I would tiine expend with such a snipe,
But for my sport and profit. I hate the Moor;
And it is thought abroad, that 'twixt iny sheets
He has done my office: I know not if't be true;
But 1, for mere suspicion in that kind,
Will do, as if for surety. He holds me well;
The better shall my purpose work on him.
Cassio's a proper man: Let me see now;
To get his place, and to plume up my will;
Α double knavery,-How ? how?-Let

see :

me

Enter MONTANO and Two GENTLEMEN. Mon. What from the cape can you discern at sea ?

1 Gent. Nothing at all: it is a high-wrought

Blood;

I cannot, 'twixt the heaven and the main,
Descry a sail.

Mon. Methinks, the wind hath spoke aloud at
land:

A fuller blast ne'er shook our battlements:
If it hath ruffian'd so upon the sea,
What ribs of oak, when mountains melt on them,
Can hold the mortise? what shall we hear of
this?

2 Gent. A segregation of the Turkish fleet:
For do but stand upon the foaming shore,
The chiding billow seems to pelt the clouds;
The wind-shak'd surge, with high and mon-
strous main,

Seems to cast water on the burning bear $
And quench the guards of the ever-fixed pole :
I never did like molestation view

On th' enchafed flood.

Mon. If that the Turkish fleet

Mon. How! is this true ?

3 Gent. The ship is here put in, A Veronesé; Michael Cassio, Lieutenant to the warlike Moor, Othello, Is come on shore: the Moor himself's at sea, And is in full commission here for Cyprus. Mon. I am glad on't; 'tis a worthy governor. 3 Gent. But this same Cassio, though he speak of comfort,

Touching the Turkish loss, yet he looks sadly, Aud prays the Moor be safe; for they were parted

With foul and violent tempest.

Mon. 'Pray heaven he be;

For I have serv'd him, and the man commands
Like a full soldier. Let's to the sea-side, ho!
As well to see the vessel that's come in,
As throw out our eyes for brave Othello;
Even till we make the main, and the aerial blue,
An indistinct regard.

3 Gent. Come, let's do so;
For every minute is expectancy
Of more arrivance.

Cas. I pray you, Sir, go forth,
And give us truth who 'tis that is arriv❜d.
2 Gent. I shall.

(Exit.

Mon. But, good lieutenant, is your general wiv'd?

Cas. Most unfortunately: he hath achiev'd a
maid

That paragons description and wild fame :
One that excels the quirks of blazoning pens,
And in the essential vesture of creation,
Does bear all excellency.-How now? who has
put in ?

Re-enter second GENTLEMAN.

2 Gent. 'Tis one lago, ancient to the general. Gas. He has had most favourable and happy speed:

Tempests themselves, high seas, and howling
winds,

The gutter'd rocks, and congregated sands,-
Traitors ensteep'd to clog the guiltless keel,-
As having sense of beauty, do omit
Their mortal natures, letting go safely by

Be not inshelter'd and embay'd, they are The divine Desdemona.

drown'd;

It is impossible they bear it out.

Enter a third GENTLEMAN.

3 Gent. News, lords! our wars are done; The desperate tempest hath so bang'd the Turks, That their designment halts: A noble ship of

Venice

Hath seen a grievous wreck and sufferance
On most part of their fleet.