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;
'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.

Of law, and course of direct session,

Call thee to answer.

Oth.

To prison; till fit time

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"?

The wealthy curled darlings] So both the quartos: the folio dearling, in the singular.

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

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

3 TO BEAR me to him?] “To bear" is in both the quartos: the folio, "To bring." In the first line of the speech the folio omits “I.”

Off.
The duke's in council, and your noble self,
I am sure, is sent for.

'Tis true, most worthy signior:

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.

2 Sen.
But though they jump not on a just account,
(As in these cases, where they aim reports1,
'Tis oft with difference) yet do they all confirm
A Turkish fleet, and bearing up to Cyprus.

And mine, two hundred :

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

where THEY aim reports,] So both the quartos (excepting that that of 1622 misprints "aim" aim'd), but the folio reads "the aim reports." Johnson says truly, that the sense of "they aim reports" is sufficiently easy and commodious, where men report not by certain knowledge, but by aim and conjecture. This is an instance in which the quarto, 1630, corrects both the previous impressions. Farther on both the quartos read, "Now, the business?" and not "Now, what's the business?" as in the folio.

But the main article I do approve

In fearful sense.

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 Angelo3.

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,

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.

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,

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

For that it stands not in such warlike brace,] This and the six next lines are only in the folio, and in the quarto, 1630. The latter has "Who altogether lacks," &c. for "But altogether lacks," &c.

Have there injointed them' with an after fleet.

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 yours. 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.

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

8 And prays you to BELIEVE him] The Rev. H. Barry plausibly suggests to me, that we ought to read relieve for "believe." Lower down we follow the folio and quarto, 1630, instead of the line "Write from us; wish him post, post-haste despatch," as it stands in the quarto, 1622.

9 Take hold of me ;] The quarto, 1630, "Take hold of me," and the quarto, 1622, "Take any hold of me." The folio, "Take hold on me."

Duke.

Why, what's the matter?

Bra. My daughter! O, my daughter!

Sen.

Bra.

Dead?

Ay, to me;

She is abus'd, stol'n 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 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,

After its own sense; yea, though our proper son2

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 peace3;
For since these arms of mine had seven years' pith,

1 (Being not deficient, blind, or lame of sense)] This parenthesis is wanting in the quarto, 1622.

2 After ITS Own sense; YEA, though our proper son] This is the reading of the quarto, 1630, which has "its" as in the quarto, 1622, and "yea" as in the folio. "After its own sense," is after the very sense of the "bitter letter" of the "book of law." The folio has "After your own sense."

3 the SET phrase of peace] So the two quartos: the folio for "set" has soft, in all probability a corruption.