Macb. Time, thou anticipat'st' my dread exploits :

The flighty

Unless the deeds never is o'ertook,
go with it: From this moment,
The very firstlings of my heart shall be
The firstlings of my hand. And even now
To crown my thoughts with acts, be it thought
and done :

The castle of Macduff I will surprise;
Seize upon Fife; give to the edge o'the sword
His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls
That trace his line. No boasting like a fool;
This deed I'll do, before this purpose cool:
But no more sights!-Where are these gentlemen?
Come, bring me where they are. [Exeunt.

SCENE II.-Fife. A room in Macduff's castle.
Enter Lady Macduff, her Son, and Rosse.

L. Macd. What had he done, to make him fly the land?

Rosse. You must have patience, madam. L. Macd. He had none: His flight was madness: When our actions do not, Our fears do make us traitors.3

Rosse.

You know not,
Whether it was his wisdom, or his fear.
L. Macd. Wisdom! to leave his wife, to leave
his babes,

His mansion, and his titles, in a place
From whence himself does fly? He loves us not;
He wants the natural touch 4 for the poor wren,
The most diminutive of birds, will fight,
Her young ones in her nest, against the owl.
All is the fear, and nothing is the love;
As little is the wisdom, where the flight
So runs against all reason.

Rosse.

My dearest coz', I pray you, school yourself: But, for your husband, He is noble, wise, judicious, and best knows

The fits o'the season. I dare not speak much further:

But cruel are the times, when we are traitors,

L. Macd. Yes, he is dead; how wilt thou do for a father?

Son. Nay, how will you do for a husband? L. Macd. Why, I can buy me twenty at any market.

Son. Then you'll buy 'em to sell again.
L. Macd. Thou speak'st with all thy wit; and
yet, i'faith,
With wit enough for thee.

Son. Was my father a traitor, mother?
L. Macd. Ay, that he was.

Son. What is a traitor?

L. Macd. Why, one that swears and lies.
Son. And be all traitors, that do so?

L. Macd. Every one that does so, is a traitor, and must be hanged.

Son. And must they all be hang'd, that swear and lie?

L. Macd. Every one.

Son. Who must hang them?

L. Macd. Why, the honest men.

Son. Then the liars and swearers are fools: for there are liars and swearers enough to beat the honest men, and hang up them.

L. Macd. Now, God help thee, poor monkey! But how wilt thou do for a father?"

Son. If he were dead, you'd weep for him: if you would not, it were a good sign that I should quickly have a new father.

L. Macd. Poor prattler! how thou talk'st!
Enter a Messenger.

Mess. Bless you, fair dame! I am not to you known,

Though in your state of honour I am perfect.
I doubt, some danger does approach you nearly:
If you will take a homely man's advice,
Be not found here; hence, with your little ones.
To fright you thus, methinks, I am too savage;
To do worse to you, were fell cruelty,
Which is too nigh your person. Heaven preserve
you!

I dare abide no longer.

L. Macd.

[Exit Messenger. Whither should I fly?

I have done no harm. But I remember now

From what we fear, yet know not what we fear; But float upon a wild and violent sea,

Each way, and move.-I take my leave of you: Shall not be long but I'll be here again :

Things at the worst will cease, or else climb upward

To what they were before.-My pretty cousin,
Bless upon you!

L. Macd. Father'd he is, and yet he's fatherless.
Rosse. I am so much a fool, should I stay longer,
It would be my disgrace, and your discomfort:
I take my leave at once.
[Exit Rosse.
L. Macd.
Sirrah,5 your father's dead;
And what will you do now? How will you live?
Son. As birds do, mother.
L. Macd. What, with worms and flies?
Son. With what I get, I mean; and so do they.
L. Macd. Poor bird! thou'dst never fear the net,
nor lime,

The pit-fall, nor the gin.

Son. Why should I, mother? Poor birds they are not set for.

My father is not dead, for all your saying.

(1) Preventest, by taking away the opportunity. (2) Follow.

(3) i. e. Our flight is considered as evidence of

our treason.

Is often laudable: to do good, sometime,
Accounted dangerous folly: Why then, alas!

Do I put up that womanly defence,

To say I have done no harm?What are these faces?

(5) Sirrah was not in our author's time a term of reproach.

(6) I am perfectly acquainted with your rank.

Mal. Well; more anon.-Comes the king forth, I pray you?

Doct. Ay, sir: there are a crew of wretched souls,
That stay his cure their malady convinces2
The great assay of art; but, at his touch,
Such sanctity hath heaven given his hand,
They presently amend.
Mal.
I thank you, doctor. [Ex Doct.
Macd. What is the disease he means?
Mal.
'Tis call'd the evil:
A most miraculous work in this good king;
Which often since my here-remain in England,
I have seen him do. How he solicits heaven,
Himself best knows but strangely-visited people,
All swoln and ulcerous, pitiful to the eye,
The mere despair of surgery, he cures;
Hanging a golden stamps about their necks,
Put on with holy prayers: and 'tis spoken,
To the succeeding royalty he leaves

The healing benediction. With this strange virtue,
He hath a heavenly gift of prophecy;
And sundry blessings hang about his throne,
That speak him full of grace.

Macd. Stands Scotland where it did? Rosse. Alas, poor country;| Almost afraid to know itself! It cannot Be call'd our mother, but our grave: where nothing, But who knows nothing, is once seen to smile; Where sighs, and groans, and shrieks that rent the air,

Are made, not mark'd: where violent sorrow seems A modern ecstasy 4 the dead man's knell

Is there scarce ask'd, for who; and good men's lives

Expire before the flowers in their caps,
Dying, or ere they sicken.

Macd.

Too nice, and yet too true!

O, relation

(1) Over-hasty credulity. (2) Overpowers, subdues. (3) The coin called an angel.

Well too.

Macd. The tyrant has not batter'd at their peace? Rosse. No; they were well at peace, when I did leave them.

Macd. Be not a niggard of your speech; How goes it?

Rosse. When I came hither to transport the tidings,

Which I have heavily borne, there ran a rumour
Of many worthy fellows that were out;
Which was to my belief witness'd the rather,
For that I saw the tyrant's power a-foot :
Now is the time of help; your eye in Scotland
Would create soldiers, make our women fight,
To doff's their dire distresses.

Mal.
Be it their comfort,
We are coming thither: gracious England hath
Lent us good Siward, and ten thousand men;
An older, and a better soldier, none,
That Christendom gives out.

Rosse. 'Would I could answer This comfort with the like! But I have words, That would be howl'd out in the desert air, Where hearing should not latch them. Macd.

What concern they? The general cause? or is it a fee-grief,? Due to some single breast?

Rosse.

No mind, that's honest, But in it shares some wo; though the main part Pertains to you alone. Macd.

If it be mine,

Savagely slaughter'd to relate the manner,
Were, on the quarrys of these murder'd deer,
To add the death of you.

Mal.
Merciful heaven!—
What, man! ne'er pull your hat upon your brows;
Give sorrow words: the grief, that does not speak,
Whispers the o'er-fraught heart, and bids it break.
Macd. My children too?
Rosse.

That could be found.
Macd.
My wife kill'd too?

Rosse. Mal.

Wife, children, servants, all

And I must be from thence! I have said.

Be comforted: Let's make us med'cines of our great revenge, To cure this deadly grief.

Macd. He has no children.-All my pretty ones?
Did you say, all?-O, hell-kite!-AIL!'
What, all my pretty chickens, and their dam,
At one fell swoop?

Mal. Dispute it like a man.
Macd.

But I must also feel it as a man:

I shall do so;

eyes,

may;

ACT V.

Gentlewoman.

you

Gent. That, sir, which I will not report after her. Doct. You may, to me; and tis most meet should. Gent. Neither to you, nor any one, having no witness to confirm my speech.

Enter Lady Macbeth, with a taper. Lo you, here she comes! This is her very guise; and, upon my life, fast asleep Observe her; stand close. Doct How came she by that light? Gent. Why, it stood by her: she has light by her continually; 'tis her command.

Doct. You see, her eyes are open.
Gent. Ay, but their sense is shut.

Doct. What is it she does now? Look, how she rubs her hands.

Gent. It is an accustomed action with her, to seem thus washing her hands; I have known her continue in this a quarter of an hour.

Lady M. Yet here's a spot.

Doct. Hark, she speaks: I will set down what comes from her, to satisfy my remembrance the more strongly.

Lady M. Out, damned spot! out, I say!-One; Two; Why, then 'tis time to do't:-Hell is murky!2 (1) All

pause. (2) Dark. (3) Confounded.

Act T

||-Fie, my lord, fie! a soldier, and afear'd? What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account?-Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him? Doc Do you mark that?

Lady M. The thane of Fife had a wife; Where clean ?-No more o'that, my lord, no more o'that: is she now?-What, will these hands ne'er be you ma all with this starting.

Doc Go to, go to; you have known what you

should not.

sure of that: Heaven knows what she has known. Gent She has spoke what she should not, I am

Lady M. Here's the smell of the blood still: all the pe fumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh! oh! oh!

Doc. What a sigh is there! The heart is sorely charged.

Gen. I would not have such a heart in my bosom,for the dignity of the whole body. Doct. Well, well, well,

Gen! 'Pray God, it be, sir.

Doct. This disease is beyond my practice: Yet have known those which have walked in their sleep, who have died holily in their beds.

Lady M. Wash your hands, put on your nightgown; look not so pale:-I tell you yet again, Banquo's buried; he cannot come out of his grave. Doc Even so?

the gate. Come, come, come, come, give me your
Lady M. To bed, to bed; there's knocking at
hand; What's done, cannot be undone: To be,
to bed, to bed.
Doc Will she go now to bed?
[Exit Lady Macbeth
Gen Directly.

Doc. Foul whisperings are abroad: Unnatura.
Do breed unnatural troubles: Infected minds
deeds
To ther deaf pillows will discharge their secrets.
More needs she the divine, than the physician.-
God, God, forgive us all! Look after her;
And still keep eyes upon her :-So, good night:
Remove from her the means of all annoyance,
My mind she has mated,3 and amaz'd my sight:
I think, but dare not speak.
Gent.

Good night, good doctor. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-The country near Dunsinane. Enter, with drum and colours, Menteth, Cathness, Angus, Lenox, and Soldiers.

Ment. The English power is near, led on by

Malcolm,

brother?

Now does he feel

(5) Unbearded.

His pester'd senses to recoil, and start, When all that is within him does condemn Itself, for being there?

Cath.

Well, march we on,
To give obedience where 'tis truly ow'd:
Meet we the medicin' of the sickly weal;
And with him pour we, in our country's purge,
Each drop of us.

Len.
Or so much as it needs,
To dew the sovereign flower, and drown the weeds.
Make we our march towards Birnam.

[Exeunt, marching. SCENE III-Dunsinane. A room in the castle. Enter Macbeth, Doctor, and attendants. Macb. Bring me no more reports; let them fly all;

Till Birnam wood remove to Dunsinane,
I cannot taint with fear. What's the boy Malcolm?
Was he not born of woman? The spirits that know
All mortal consequents, pronounc'd me thus:
Fear not, Macbeth; no man, that's born of woman,
Shall e'er have power on thee.- -Then fly, false
thanes,

and mingle with the English epicures:
The mind I sway by, and the heart I bear,
Shall never sagg2 with doubt, nor shake with fear.
Enter a Servant.

The devil damn thee black, thou cream-fac'd loon;3
Where got'st thou that goose-look?
Serv. There is ten thousand-
Mach.

Geese, villain?
Serv.
Soldiers, sir.
Macb. Go, prick thy face, and over-red thy fear,
Thou lily-liver'd boy. What soldiers, patch ?4
Death of thy soul! those linen cheeks of thine
Are counsellors to fear. What soldiers, whey-face?
Serv. The English force, so please you.
Macb. Take thy face hence.-Seyton!-I am
sick at heart,

When I behold-Seyton, I say!-This push
Will cheer me ever, or disseat me now.
I have liv'd long enough: my way of life
Is fall'n into the sear, the yellow leaf:
And that which should accompany old age,
As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends,
I must not look to have; but, in their stead,
Curses, not loud, but deep, mouth-honour, breath,
Which the poor heart would fain deny, but dare not.
Seyton!

Enter Seyton.

:

Mach. Throw physic to the dogs, I'll none of it.— Come, put mine armour on; give me my staff:Seyton, send out.-Doctor, the thanes fly from me:-Come, sir, despatch :-If thou could'st, doctor, cast The water of my land, find her disease, And purge it to a sound and pristine health, That should applaud again.-Puli't off, I say.I would applaud thee to the very echo, What rhubarb, senna, or what purgative drug, Would scour these English hence?-Hearest thou

Bring it after me.

I will not be afraid of death and bane, Till Birnam forest come to Dunsinane. [Exit. Doct. Were I from Dunsinane away and clear, Profit again should hardly draw me here. [Exit. SCENE IV-Country near Dunsinane: A wood in view. Enter, with drum and colours, Malcolm, Old Siward and his Son, Macduff, Menteth, Cathness, Angus, Lenox, Rosse, and Soldiers, marching.

Mal. Cousins, I hope, the days are near at hand That chambers will be safe. Ment. We doubt it nothing. Sio. What wood is this before us? Ment.

The wood of Birnam.

Mal. Let every soldier hew him down a bough, And bear't before him; thereby shall we shadow The numbers of our host, and make discovery Err in report of us.

Sold. It shall be done. Siw. We learn no other, but the confident tyrant Keeps still in Dunsinane, and will endure Our setting down befor't. 'Tis his main hope: For where there is advantage to be given, Both more and less? have given him the revolt; And none serve with him but constrained things, Whose hearts are absent too.

Mal.

Macd. Let our just censures Attend the true event, and put we on Industrious soldiership.

Sey What is your gracious pleasure?
Macb
What news more?
Sey. All is confirm'd, my lord, which was
ported.

Macb. I'll fight, till from my bones my flesh be hack'd.

[Exeunt, marching. SCENE V-Dunsinane. Within the castle. Enter, with drums and colours, Macbeth, Seyton, and Soldiers.

Macb. Hang out our banners on the outward walls;