You from the Polack Wars, and you from England,
Are here arriv'd; give Order, that these bodies
High on a Stage be placed to the view,

And let me speak to th' yet unknowing world, Westwood
How these things came about. So fhall
So fhall you hearbid co
Of cruel, bloody, and unnatural acts;
Of accidental judgments, cafual flaughters;
Of deaths put on by cunning, and forc'd cause;
And, in this upshot, purposes miftook,

Fall'n on th' inventors heads. All this can I
Truly deliver.

Fort. Let us hafte to hear it,

And call the Noblefs to the audience.

For me, with forrow, I embrace my fortune;
I have some rights of memory in this Kingdom,
Which, now to claim my vantage doth invite me.
Hor. Of that I fhall have alfo cause to speak,
And from his mouth whose voice will draw on more: (78)
But let this fame be presently perform'd,

Even while men's minds are wild, left more mischance
On plots and errors happen.

Fort. Let four captains

Bear Hamlet, like a foldier, to the Stage;

For he was likely, had he been put on,

To have prov'd moft royally.

And for his paffage,

This is the

(78) And from his Mouth, whofe Vate will draw no more.] Reading of the old Quarto's, but certainly a mistaken one. We fay, a Man vill no more draw Breath; but that a Man's Voice will draw no more, is, I believe, an Expreffion without any Authority. I chuse to espouse the Reading of the Elder Folio.

And from his Mouth, whofe Voice will draw on more.

And this is the Poet's Meaning. Hamlet, juft before his Death, had faid;

Accordingly, Horatio here delivers that Meffage; and very juftly infers, that Hamlet's Voice will be feconded by others, and procure them in Favour of Fortinbras's Succeffion.

Dramatis Perfonæ.

DUKE of Venice.
Brabantio, a noble Venetian.

Gratiano, Brother to Brabantio.

Lodovico, Kinfman to Brabantio and Gratiano.
Othello, the Moor, General for the Venetians in Cyprus. .
Cama, bis Lieutenant General.

Lago, Standard-bearer to Othello.

Rodorigo, a foolish Gentleman, in love with Defdemona. Montano, the Moor's Predeceffor in the Government of Cyprus. Clown, Servant to the Moor.

Herald.

Desdemona, Daughter to Brabantio, and Wife to Othello. Emilia, Wife to Iago.

Bianca, Curtezan, Mistress to Caffio.

Officers, Gentlemen, Messengers, Musicians, Sailors, and Attendants.

SCENE, for the First Act, in Venice; during the rest of the Play, in Cyprus.

OTHEL

OTHELLO, (1)

The Moor of VENICE,

N

ACT I.

SCENE, a Street in VENICE.

Enter Rodorigo and Iago.

RODORI GO.

Ever tell me, I take it much unkindly,
That thou, Iago, who haft had my purfe,
As if the ftrings were thine, fhouldit know
of this.

Tago. But you'll not hear me.

If ever I did dream of fuch a matter, abhor me.

Rod. Thou told'ft me, thou didst hold him in thy hate.

(1) Othello. The Groundwork of this Play is built on a Novel of Cinthio Giraldi, (Dec. 3. Nov. 7.) who feems to have defign'd his Tale a Document to young Ladies againft difproportion'd Marriages: di non fe accompagnare con buomo, cui la Natura il cielo, & il modo della Vita dif giunge da noi: That they fhould not link themselves to fuch, against whom Nature, Providence, and a different way of Living have interpos'd a Bar. Our Poet inculcates no fuch Moral: but rather, that a Woman may fall in Love with the Virtues and fhining Qualities of a Man; and therein overlook the Difference of Complexion and Colour. Mr. Rymer has run riot against the Conduct, Manners, Sentiments, and Diction, of this Play: but in fuch a Strain, that one is mov'd rather to laugh at the

Freedom