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 't was she?-O, she deceives 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, would 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, hoa!
And raise some special officers of night.-

On, good Roderigo. I will deserve your pains. [Ex.

SCENE II.--The same.

Another Strcet.

Enter OTHELLO, IAGO, and Attendants with torches. Iago. Though in the trade of war I have slain men, Yet do I hold it very stuff o' the conscience,

а

Stuff-matter, material. The stuff of the conscience is the very substance of the conscience.

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

I had thought to have yerk'd him here under the ribs. Oth. 'T is 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 you, sir,
Are you fast married? Be assur'd of this,
That the magnifico is much belov'd,

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. "T is 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,b 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

a Siege. A siege royal was a throne, an elevated seat. b Unbonneted. Theobald says, to speak unbonneted is to speak with the cap off, which is directly opposed to the poet's meaning. Mr. Fuseli suggested an ingenious explanation, that as at Venice the cap or bonnet constituted an important distinc tion, so the demerits of Othello_might speak for themselves without any extrinsic honours. Demerits is used in the sense of merits; mereo and demereo being synonymous in Latin.

e Johnson explains unhoused-free from domestic cares. It appears to us that Othello simply uses unhoused for unmarried. The husband is the head or band of the house-the unmarried is the unhouse-banded-the unhoused.

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

yond?

Enter CASSIO, at a distance, and certain Officers with

torches.

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

Oth.

Not I: I must be found;

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.

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

Oth.

The duke does greet you, general;

What is the matter, think you?

Cas. Something from Cyprus, as I may divine:
It is a business of some heat. The galleys
Have sent a dozen sequent messengers
This very night, at one another's heels;
And many of the consuls,a 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.

"T is well I am found by you.

Cas.

[Exit.

Ancient, what makes he here? Iago. 'Faith, he to-night hath boarded a land carack;b If it prove lawful prize he 's made for ever

a Consuls. In the first scene we have "the tongued consuls;" doubtless the senators are meant in both passages.

b Carack. A vessel of heavy burden.

Iago. Marry, to-Come, captain, will you go?
Oth.
Have with you.
Cas. Here comes another troop to seek for you.

Enter BRABANTIO, RODERIGO, and Officers with torches.

Iago. It is Brabantio :—general, be advis'd; He comes to bad intent.

Oth.

Rod. Signior, it is the Moor.

Bra.

Hola! stand there!

Down with him, thief! [They draw on both sides.

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 magic were not bound,)
Whether a maid so tender, fair, and happy,
So opposite to marriage, that she shunn'd
The wealthy curled dearlinga 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 't is not gross in sense,
That thou hast practis'd on her with foul charms;

a Dearling, the old Saxon word in a plural sense.

To fear. Brabantio calls Othello a thing to terrify, not to delight.

Abus'd her delicate youth with drugs, or minerals,
That weaken motion :-I'll have it disputed on;
"T is 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.

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.

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

Bra.

T is true, most worthy signior,

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 't were their own:
For if such actions may have passage free,
Bond-slaves and pagans shall our statesmen be.

[Ex.

SCENE III.-The same. A Council Chamber.

The DUKE, and Senators, sitting; Officers attending.
Duke. There is no composition in these news,
That gives them credit.