Enter, below, BRABANTIO, and Servants with Torches.

Bra. It is too true an evil: gone she is: And what's to come of my despised time, Is nought but bitterness.-Now, Roderigo, Where didst thou see her?-O, unhappy girl!— With the Moor, say'st thou ?-Who would be a father?— How didst thou know 'twas she?-O, thou deceiv'st me Past thought! What said she to you?-Get more tapers; Raise all my kindred.-Are they married think you? Rod. Truly, I think, they are.

Bra. O heaven!-How got she out!-O treason of the blood!

Fathers, from hence trust not your daughters' minds
By what you see them act.-Are there not charms,
By which the property of youth and maidhood
May be abus'd? Have you not read, Roderigo,
Of some such thing?

Rod.

Yes, sir; I have indeed.

Bra. Call up my brother.-O, that you had had her!— Some one way, some another.-Do you know

Where we may apprehend her and the Moor?

Rod. I think, I can discover him; if you please

To get good guard, and go along with me.

Bra. Pray you, lead on. At every house I'll call ;
I may command at most;-Get weapons, ho!
And raise some special officers of night.—
On, good Roderigo:-I'll deserve your pains.

SCENE II.

The same.

Another Street.

Enter OTHELLO, IAGO, and Attendants.

[Exeunt.

Iago. Though in the trade of war I have slain men, Yet do I hold it very stuff o'the conscience,

abused?] i. e. Infatuated, and made subject to illusions and false imaginations. JOHNSON.

g

-stuff o'the conscience,] This expression to common readers appears harsh. Stuff of the conscience is, substance or essence of the conscience. Stuff is a word of great force in the Tentonick languages. The elements are called in Dutch, hoefd stoffen, or head stuffs.-JOHNSON.

To do no contriv'd murder; I lack iniquity
Sometimes, to do me service: Nine or ten times

I had thought to have yerk'd him here under the ribs.
Oth. "Tis better as it is.

Iago.

Nay, but he prated,

And spoke such scurvy and provoking terms
Against your honour,

That, with the little godliness I have,

I did full hard forbear him. But, I pray, sir,
Are you fast married? for, be sure of this,-
That the magnifico' is much beloved;
And hath, in his effect, a voice potential
As double as the duke's; he will divorce you;
Or put upon you what restraint and grievance
The law (with all his might, to enforce it on,)
Will give him cable.

Oth.

Let him do his spite:
My services, which I have done the signiory,
Shall out-tongue his complaints. 'Tis yet to know,
(Which, when I know that boasting is an honour,
I shall promulgate,) I fetch my life and being
From men of royal siege; and my demerits"
May speak, unbonneted," to as proud a fortune
As this that I have reach'd: For know, Iago,
But that I love the gentle Desdemona,

I would not my unhoused free condition
Put into circumscription and confine

For the sea's worth. But, look! what lights come yonder?

j the magnifico-] "The chief men of Venice are by a peculiar name called magnifici, i. e. magnificoes."-TOLLETT.

k -a voice potential

As double as the duke's;] Potential is powerful; double is strong.

men of royal siege ;] Men who have sat upon royal thrones. Siege is used for seat by other authors.-STEEVENS.

demerits] The word has the same meaning in our author, and many others of that age, as merits. Mereo and demereo had the same meaning

in the Roman language.-STEEVens.

n May speak, unbonneted,] Mr. Fuseli (and who is better acquainted with the sense and spirit of our author?) explains this contested passage as follows: "I am his equal or superior in rank; and were it not so, such are my merits, that, unbonneted, without the addition of patrician or senatorial dignity, they may speak to as proud a fortune, &c. At Venice the bonnet, as well as the toge, is a badge of aristocratic honours to this day."-STEEVENS.

unhoused-] Free from domestick cares. A thought natural to an ad

venturer.-JOHNSON.

Enter CASSIO, at a distance, and certain Officers with

Torches.

Iago. These are the raised father, and his friends: You were best go in.

My parts, my title, and my perfect soul,

Shall manifest me rightly. Is it they?
Iago. By Janus, I think no.

Oth. The servants of the duke, and my lieutenant.
The goodness of the night upon you, friends!

What is the news?

Cas.

The duke does greet you, general;

What is the matter, think you?

And he requires your haste-post-haste appearance,
Even on the instant.

may divine;

Oth.
Cas. Something from Cyprus, as I
It is a business of some heat: the gallies
Have sent a dozen sequent messengers
This very night, at one another's heels;
And many of the consuls," rais'd, and met,

Are at the duke's already: You have been hotly call'd for;
When, being not at your lodging to be found,

The senate hath sent about three several quests,¶

To search you out.

Oth.
I will but spend a word here in the house,

And go with you.

"Tis well I am found by you.

[Exit.

Ancient, what makes he here?

Cas.

Iago. 'Faith, he to-night hath boarded a land carack ;'

If it prove lawful prize, he's made for ever.

Cas. I do not understand.

Iago.

Cas.

He's married.

To who?

Re-enter OTHello.

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

quests,] On this occasion, searches.-STEEVENS.

r

carack;] A ship of grea tbulk, and commonly of great value; per

haps what we now call a galleon.-JOHNSON.

Oth.

Have with you.

Cas. Here comes another troop to seek for you.

Enter BRABANTIO, RODERIGO, and Officers of night, with Torches and Weapons.

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

He comes to bad intent.

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. O 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 magick 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 waken motion:*-I'll have it 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.

t

u

X

be advis'd;] That is, be cool; be cautious; be discreet.
curled-]i. e. Elegantly and ostentatiously dressed.-JOHNSON.
to fear,] i. e. To terrify.

waken motion :-]i. e. Excite desires.

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 bring 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.

SCENE III.

[Exeunt.

The Duke and Senators, sitting at a Table; Officers

attending.

Duke. There is no composition in the news,

That gives them credit.

1 Sen.

Indeed, they are disproportion'd; My letters say, a hundred and seven gallies. Duke. And mine a hundred and forty.

y Bond-slaves and pagans,] i. e. If this Moor is now suffered to escape with impunity, it will be such an encouragement to his black countrymen, that we may expect to see all the first offices of our state filled up by the pagans and bond-slaves of Africa.-STEEVENS.

composition-] For consistency, concordancy.