Hatn this extent no more.

Rude am I in my speech,

And little bless'd with the set phrase of peace;
For since these arms of mine had seven years' pith,
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 with.

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'd, and most imperfect,
That will confess-perfection so could err
Against all rules of nature.

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; Othello, speak ;→→

Did you by indirect and forc'd courses

Subdue and poison this young maid's affections;

Or came it by request, and such fair question

As soul to soul affordeth?

Oth.

I do beseech you,

Send for the lady to the Sagittary,

And let her speak of me before her father:

If you

do find me foul in her report,

The trust, the office, I do hold of you,

Not only take away, but let your sentence

Even fall upon my life.

Duke.

Fetch Desdemona hither.

Oth. Ancient, conduct them: you best know the place.[Exeunt IAGO, and Attendants

And, till she come, as truly as to heaven

I do confess the vices of my blood,
So justly to your grave ears I'll present
How I did thrive in this fair lady's love,
And she in mine.

Duke. Say it, Othello.

Oth. Her father lov'd me; oft invited me; Still questioned me the story of my life,

From year to year; the battles, sieges, fortunes,
That I have pass'd.

I ran it through, even from my boyish days,
To the very moment that he bade me tell it.
Wherein I spoke of most disastrous chances,
Of moving accidents, by flood and field;

Of hair-breadth scapes i' the imminent deadly breach;
Of being taken by the insolent foe,

And sold to slavery; of my redemption thence,

And portance in my travel's history:

Wherein of antres vast, and deserts wild,

Rough quarries, rocks, and hills whose heads touch heaven,

It was my hint to speak, such was the process;

And of the Cannibals that each other eat,

The Anthropophagi, and men whose heads

Do grew beneath their shoulders. These things to hear,
Would Desdemona seriously incline:

But still the house affairs would draw her thence ;
Which ever as she could with haste dispatch,
She'd come again, and with a greedy ear
Devour up my discourse: Which I observing,
Took once a pliant hour; and found good means
To draw from her a prayer of earnest heart,
That I would all my pilgrimage dilate,
Whereof by parcels she had something heard,
But not intentively: I did consent;
And often did beguile her of her tears,
When I did speak of some distressful stroke,

That my youth suffer'd. My story being done,

She gave me for my pains a world of sighs:

She swore,-In faith, 'twas strange, 'twas passing strange

'Twas pitiful, 'twas wondrous pitiful :

She wish'd, she had not heard it; yet she wish'd

That heaven had made her such a man: she thank'd me;

And bade me, if I had a friend that lov'd her,

I should but teach him how to tell my story,

And that would woo her. Upon this hint, I spake ⚫
She lov'd me for the dangers I had pass'd;

And I lov'd her, that she did pity them.

This only is the witchcraft I have us'd;

Here comes the lady, let her witness it.

Enter DESDEMONA, IAGO, and Attendants.

Duke. I think, this tale would win my daughter too. Good Brabantio,

Take up this mangled matter at the best:

Men do their broken weapons rather use,
Than their bare hands.

Bra.

I pray you, hear her speak ;

If she confess, that she was half the wooer.

Destruction on my head, if my bad blame

Light on the man!-Come hither, gentle mistress;
Do you perceive in all this noble company,
Where most you we obedience?

Des.

I do perceive here a divided duty:

My noble father,

To you, I am bound for life, and education;
My life, and education, both do learn me

How to respect you; you are the lord of duty,

I am hitherto your daughter: But here's my husband;
And so much duty as my mother show'd

To you, preferring you before her father,

So much I challenge that I may profess
Due to the Moor, my lord.

Bra. Heaven be with you!-I have done :—
Come hither, Moor:

I here do give thee that with all my heart,

Which, but thou hast already, with all my heart,

I would keep from thee. I have done, my lord.
Proceed to the affairs of state.

Duke. The Turk with a most mighty preparation makes for Cy prus -Othello, the fortitude of the place is best known to you: you must therefore be content to slubber the gloss of your new fortunes with this more stubborn and boisterous expedition.

Oth. The tyrant custom, most grave senators,

Hath made the flinty and steel couch of war

My thrice-driven bed of down: I do agnize
A natural and prompt alacrity,

I find in hardness; and do undertake
These present wars against the Ottomites.
Most humbly therefore bending to your state,
I crave fit disposition for my wife;
Due reference of place, and exhibition ;
With such accommodation, and besort,
As levels with her breeding.

Duke.

Be't at her father's.

Bra.

If you please,

I'll not have it so.

Oth. Nor I.
Des.
Nor I; I would not there reside,
To put my father in impatient thoughts,
By being in his eye. Most gracious duke,
To my unfolding lend a prosperous ear;
And let me find a charter in your voice,
To assist my simpleness.

Duke. What would you, Desdemona ?

Des. That I did love the Moor to live with him,
My downright violence and scorn of fortunes
May trumpet to the world: my heart's subdued

Even to the very quality of my lord:
I saw Othello's visage in his mind;
And to his honors, and his valiant parts,
Did I my soul and fortunes consecrate,
So that, dear lords, if I be left behind,
A moth of peace, and he go to the war,
I shall a heavy interim support

By his dear absence: Let me go with him.

Oth. Your voices, lords :-'beseech you, et her will Ilave a free way.

Duke. Be it as you shall privately determine, Either for her stay, or going: the affair cries-haste, And speed must answer it; you must hence to-night. Des. To-night, my lord?

Duke.

Oth.

This night.

With all my heart.

Duke. At nine i' the morning here we'll meet again.
Othello, leave some officer behind,

And he shall our commission bring to you;
With such things else of quality and respect,

As doth import you.

Oth.

Please your grace, my ancient;

A man he is of honesty, and trust:

To his conveyance I assign my wife,

With what else needful your good grace shall think
To be sent after me.

Duke.

Let it be so.

Good night to every one.-And, noble signior,
If virtue no delighted beauty lack,

Your son-in-law is far more fair than black.

[TO BRABANTIO.

Bra. Look to her, Moor: have a quick eye to see;

She has deceiv'd her father, and may thee.

[Exeunt DUKE, Senators, Officers, &c.

Oth. My life upon her faith.-Honest Iago,
My Desdemona must I leave to thee;
I pr'ythee, let thy wife attend on her;
And bring them after in the best advantage.—
Come, Desdemona, I have but an hour
Of love, of worldly matters and direction,
To spend with thee: we must obey the time.

[Exeunt OTHELLO, and DESDEMONA

ACT II.

SCENE I.-A Sea-port Town in Cyprus.

Desdemona, escorted by Iago, has proceeded to Cyprus, where she is anxiously await ag the arrival of Othello from his victorious expedition against the Ottomites. Cassio the Moor's lieutenant, has just landed at Cyprus.

Enter CASSIO, and MONTANO.

Cas. Thanks to the valiant of this warlike isle
That so approve the Moor; O, let the heavens,
Give him defence against the elements,

For I have lost him on a dangerous sea!
Mon. Is he well shipp'd?

Cas. His bark is stoutly timber'd, and his pilot
Of very expert and approv'd allowance;
Therefore my hopes, not surfeited to death,
Stand in bold cure.

[Within.]

Cas. What noise?

A sail, a sail, a sail !

Enter a Gentleman.

Gent. The town is empty; on the brow o' the sea Stand ranks of people, and they cry—a sail.

Cas. My hopes do shape him for the governor. Gent. They do discharge their shot of courtesy. Our friends at least.

Cas.

I pray you, sir, go forth,

And give us truth who 'tis that is arriv'd.

Gent. I shall.

Mon. But, good lieutenant, is your general wiv'd?
Cas. Most fortunately: he hath achiev'd a maid

That paragons description, and wild fame ;

One that excels the quirks of blazoning pens,

And in the essential vesture of creation,

[Guns heard

Does bear all excellency.-How now ? who has put in?

Re-enter Gentleman.

Gent. 'Tis one Iago, ancient to the general.

Cas. He has made most favorable and happy speed: Tempests themselves, high seas, and howling winds, The gutter'd rocks, and congregated sands,—

Traitors ensteep'd to clog the guiltless keel,

As having sense of beauty, do omit

Their mortal natures, letting go safely by

The divine Desdemona.

Cas. She that I spake of, our great captain's captain, Left in the conduct of the bold Iago;

O, behold,

[Exit

Enter DESDEMONA, EMILIA, IAGO, RODERIGO, and Attendants.

The riches of the ship is come on shore!

Hail to thee, lady! and the grace of heaven,

Before, behind thee, and on every hand,

Enwheel thee round!

Des.

I thank you, valiant Cassio.

What tidings can you tell me of my lord?