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▾ Duke and Senators, fet at a table with lights and attendants.

t

Duke. There is no compofition in thefe news,

That gives them credit.

1 Sen. Indeed they are difproportioned;

My letters say, a hundred and seven gallies.
Duke. And mine, a hundred and forty.

2 Sen. And mine, two hundred;

But though they jump not on a just account,

u

As in these cafes where they waim reports,

"Tis oft with difference; yet do they all confirm A Turkish fleet, and bearing up to Cyprus.

Duke. Nay, it is poffible enough to judgment:
I do not fo fecure me in the error,

But the main article I do approve
In fearful fenfe,

a Sailor within.] What ho! what ho! what ho!

q In the fo's and R. this is Scene III. r Before Duke the qu's infert Enter. The fo's and R. read, Enter duke, fenators and officers, omitting fet at a table, &c.

s Firft f. There's, &c.

The 2d q. reads bis for thefe; the

fo's and R. this.

u The fo's, R. H. W. and C, read the for they.

w The 1ft q. aym'd for aim.

x P. and H. omit do.

y Qu's, to for in.

z The 1ft q. reads articles.
a T.W. and J. read failors.

C 3

Enter

Enter Sailor,

Offi. A meffenger from the b Gallies,

Duke, Now-what's the bufinefs?

Sail, The Turkish preparation makes for Rhodes,

So was I bid, report here to the ftate,

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Duke. How fay you by this change?

1 Sen. This cannot be,

By no aflay of reafon, 'Tis a pageant,
To keep us in falfe gaze! when we confider
'Th' importancy of Cyprus to the Turk,
And let ourselves again but understand,

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That as it more concerns the Turk than Rhodes,
So may he with more facile queftion bear it;
For that it ftands not in fuch warlike brace,

But altogether lacks th' abilities

That Rhodes is dreft in. If we make ↳ thought of this,

We must not think the Turk is fo unskilful,

To leave that latest which concerns him first ;

Neglecting an attempt of ease and gain,

To wake and wage a danger profitlefs.

Duke. Nay, in all confidence he's not for Rhades,
Offi, Here is more news,

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Enter a Messenger.

Melf. The Ottomites, Reverend and Gracious,

Steering with due courfe toward the ifle of Rhodes,
Have there injointed them with an after-fleet-

1

" 1 Sen. Ay, fo I thought; how many, as you guess?
Meff. Of thirty fail; and now they do ° reftem
Their backward course, bearing with frank appearance
Their purposes toward Cyprus. Signior Montano,
Your trufty and moft valiant Servitor,

With his free duty recommends you thus,
And prays you to believe him.

Duke. 'Tis certain then for Cyprus.

t

Marcus Luccicos, is not he in town?

I Sen. He's now in Florence.

W

Duke. Write from us to him, poft, poft-hafte, difpatch.

1 Sen. Here comes Brabantio, and the * valiant Moor.

k R. omits all.

So the ad q. and rft and 2d fo's,

1 So all before R. who reads injoin'd; and C; the 1ft q. reads, is not bere in

follow'd by all but J. and C.

m The 1ft q. omits them.

n This fpeech not in ift q.
• First q. referine; 28, reflerne.

P Qu's, towards.

q C. this for bis.

7. tells us that Mr. Thomas Clark of Lincoln's Inn reads relieve for believe. s C. reads Lucchese.

town; the 3d and 4th fo's, R. P. and H. is be not in town? T. W. and J. is be not bere in town.

u The 1ft q. and C. Write from utg. wish bim poft, &c.

w P. and H. omit poff.

x The three laft fo's and R. omit valiant,

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SCENE VIII.

To them, Enter Brabantio, Othello, Caffio, Iago, Roderigo, and officers.

Duke. Valiant Othello, we muft ftraight employ you, Against the general enemy Ottoman.

I did not fee you; welcome, gentle Signior, [To Brabant. We lack'd your counfel, and your help to-night.

yours.

2

Bra. So did I
Good your Grace, pardon me;
Neither my place, nor aught I heard of business,

a

Hath rais'd me from my bed; nor doth the general ⚫ caro

b

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Take hold on me, for my particular grief

Is of fo flood-gate and o'er-bearing nature,

That it ingluts and swallows other forrows,

e

And yet is ftill itself.

Duke. Why, what's the matter?

Bra, My daughter! oh, my daughter!
Sen. Dead?—

Bra. f Ay, to me;

She is abus'd, ftoln from me, and corrupted

9 Firft q. lacke.

z The ift f. had blunder'd mor into bor, which the other fo's alter to for.

a So all before P. who omits care; followed by all but J. and C.

b Before bold the 1ft q. inferts any,

c Qu's, of for on.

d The 1ft q. griefes.

e All before R. read it for yet; fo does C.

f So all before P. who omits, Aji followed by the reft, except C.

& By

By spells and medicines, bought of mountebanks;

For nature fo prepofterously to err,

Being 1 not deficient, blind,

or lame of fenfe,

'Sans witchcraft could not

Duke. Who-e'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,

n

" After your own fenfe; " yea, though our proper fon Stood in your action.

Bra. Humbly I thank your Grace.

Here is the man, this Moor, whom now it seems,
Your fpecial mandate for the state-affairs

Hath hither brought.

All. We are very forry for 't.

Duke, What in your own part can you say to this?

[P To Othello.

Rymer has ridiculed this circum- se diamandano vulgarmente amatorie, flance as unbecoming (both for its weakness and superstition) the gravity of the accufer, and dignity of the tribunal: But his criticism only exposes his own ignorance. The circumftance was not only exactly in character, but urged with the greatest addrefs, as the thing chiefly to be infifted on. For,' by the Venetian law, the giving lovepotions was very criminal, as ShakeSpeare well understood. Thus the law, De i maleficii et berbarie, cap. 17. of the Code, intitled, Della promiffion del maleficto. Statuimo etiamdio, che-fe alcun bomo, femina barra fatto maleficii, i quali

o veramente alcuni altri maleficii, che alcun bomo o femina se bavesson in odio, fia fruftra et bollado, et che bara confegliado patifca fimile pena. And therefore in the preceding scene, Brabantis calls them, Arts inhibited and out of warrant. W.

h This line is omitted in ift q.
The 2d q. omits not.
k 7. reads nor for or.
1 Firft q. Saunce.

m C. adds be after not.

n The qu's, After its own fenfe, &c.
• The ift q. and P. omit yea.
tq.

P This direction first put in by T.

Bra.

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