Bra.

Why? wherefore ask you this? Iago. 'Zounds! sir, you're robb'd; for shame, put

on your gown;

Your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul;
Even now, now, very now, an old black ram
Is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise!
Awake the snorting citizens with the bell,
Or else the devil will make a grandsire of you.
Arise, I say.

Bra.

What! have you lost your wits? Rod. Most reverend signior, do you know my voice?

Bra. Not I; what are you?

The worser welcome :

Rod. My name is Roderigo.
Bra.
I have charg'd thee not to haunt about my doors:
In honest plainness thou hast heard me say

My daughter is not for thee; and now, in madness,
Being full of supper and distempering draughts,

Upon malicious knavery dost thou come

To start my quiet.

Rod. Sir, sir, sir!

Bra.

But thou must needs be sure

My spirit and my place have in them power

To make this bitter to thee.

Rod.

Patience, good sir.

Bra. What tell'st thou me of robbing? this is Venice; My house is not a grange.

Rod.
Most grave Brabantio,
In simple and pure soul I come to you.

Iago. 'Zounds! sir; you are one of those that will not serve God if the devil bid you. Because we come to do you service and you think we are ruffians, you'll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse; you 'll have your nephews neigh to you; you'll have coursers for cousins and gennets for germans.

Bra. What profane wretch art thou?

Iago. I am one, sir, that comes to tell you your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs.

Bra. Thou art a villain.

Iago.

You are a senator.

Bra. This thou shalt answer; I know thee, Roderigo. Rod. Sir, I will answer any thing. But I beseech you, If 't be your pleasure and most wise consent, As partly I find it is, that your fair daughter, At this odd-even and dull watch o' the night, Transported with no worse nor better guard But with a knave of common hire, a gondolier, To the gross clasps of a lascivious Moor,If this be known to you, and your allowance, We then have done you bold and saucy wrongs; But if you know not this, my manners tell me We have your wrong rebuke. Do not believe

That, from the sense of all civility,

I thus would play and trifle with your reverence :
Your daughter, if you have not given her leave,
I say again, hath made a gross revolt ;
Tying her duty, beauty, wit, and fortunes

In an extravagant and wheeling stranger

Of here and every where. Straight satisfy yourself:
If she be in her chamber or your house,

Let loose on me the justice of the state
For thus deluding you.

Bra.

Strike on the tinder, ho!

Give me a taper! call up all my people!
This accident is not unlike my dream;
Belief of it oppresses me already.

Light, I say! light!

Exit from above.
Farewell; for I must leave you :

Iago.
It seems not meet nor wholesome to my place
To be produc'd, as if I stay I shall,

Against the Moor; for I do know the state,

However this may gall him with some check,

Cannot with safety cast him; for he's embark'd
With such loud reason to the Cyprus wars,

Which even now stand in act, that, for their souls,
Another of his fathom they have none,
To lead their business; in which regard,
Though I do hate him as I do hell-pains,
Yet, for necessity of present life,

I must show out a flag and sign of love,
Which is indeed but sign.

him,

That you shall surely find

Lead to the Sagittary the raised search;
And there will I be with him.

So, farewell.

Enter BRABANTIO and Servants with torches.

Exit.

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! 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. Is 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; Get weapons, ho!

I may command at most.

And raise some special officers of night.

On, good Roderigo; I'll deserve your pains.

Exeunt.

SCENE II.-Another Street.

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 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 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. '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 yond?

Iago. These 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.

Enter CASSIO and certain Officers with torches.

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,

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

divine.

Oth. What is the matter, think you? Cas. Something from Cyprus, as I may 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, 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.

'Tis well I am found by you.

I will but spend a word here in the house,

And go with you.

Cas.

Exit.

Ancient, what makes he here?

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