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.

2 Sen.
But though they jump not on a just account,
(As in these cases, where they aim reports*,
'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.

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,

So

That, as it more concerns the Turk than Rhodes,
he with more facile question bear it,
For that it stands not in such warlike brace,

may

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.

s 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!

Ser.

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 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 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.

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,

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.

Bra.
A maiden never bold;
Of spirit so still and quiet, that her motion
Blush'd at herself; and she,-in spite of nature,
Of years, of country, credit, every thing,-

To fall in love with what she fear'd to look on?
It is a judgment maim'd1, and most imperfect,
That will confess perfection so could err
Against all rules of nature; and must be driven
To find out practices of cunning hell,

Why this should be. I, therefore, vouch again,
That with some mixtures powerful o'er the blood,
Or with some dram conjur'd to this effect,

He wrought upon her.

Duke.
To vouch this is no proof:
Without more certain and more overt test,
These are thin habits, and poor likelihoods

Of modern seeming, you prefer against him.

3 Till now, some nine moons wasted,] We adopt here the punctuation of the quarto, 1622, and of the folio, 1623, merely as a guide to what may be the true mode of reading the passage.

4 It is a judgment MAIM'D,] The folio has main'd, by an error of the press. 5 you prefer against him.] Our reading of this speech is that of the quarto, 1630, and not of the folio, 1623, where it is strangely made part of what Brabantio says, and where the second line is thus misprinted :

"Without more wider and more orer test."

The only change we make in the reading of the quarto 1630 is "seeming" for seemings. The quarto, 1622, supports the quarto, 1630, excepting that it misprints "vouch" youth. The folio, 1632, corrects the blunder of the folio, 1623, in assigning the speech to Brabantio.

VOL. VII.

L 1