Was never call'd to bear my part, Or fhew the glory of our art? And, which is worfe, all you have done Meet me i' the morning; thither he Your veffels, and your fpells, provide, Great bufinefs must be wrought ere noon: There hangs a vaporous drop profound ' ; He fhall fpurn fate, fcorn death, and bear S CE N E How it did grieve Macbeth! did he not straight, Lord. The fon of Duncan, From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth, To wake Northumberland, and warlike Siward; Give to our tables meat, fleep to our nights; [Mufic and a fong. Free 3 from our feasts and banquets bloody knives; VI. Enter Lenox, and another Lord. Len. Sent he to Macduff? Lod. He did: and with an abfolute, "Sir, not I," Len. My former fpeeches have but hit your Was pitied of Macbeth :-marry, he was dead :- Len. And that well might Advife him to a caution, to hold what distance Lord. I'll fend my prayers with him. [Exeunt. 1 Meaning, a drop that has deep, or hidden qualities. 2 i. e. magic arts. 3 i. e. deliver or exempt our feafts from bloody knives, &c. 4 Odd numbers are used in all enchantments and magical operations, even numbers being always reckoned inaufpicious. 5 Meaning, perhaps, fome imp, or familiar fpirit, Eye Eye of newt, and toe of frog, All. Doubie, double toil and trouble; 3 Witch. Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf; All. Double, double toil and trouble; Five, burn; and, cauldron, bubble. z Witch. Cool it with a baboon's blood, Then the charm is firm and good. Enter Hecate, and other three Witcher. And now about the cauldron fing, Inchanting all that you put in. 2 Witch. By the pricking of my thumbs, Enter Macbeth. 1 Witch. Four in fow's blood, that hath eaten Her nine farrow; greafe, that's fweaten From the murderer's gibbet, throw Into the flame. All. Come, high, or low; Thyfelf, and office, deftly 9 fhow. [Thunder 1ft Apparition, an armed head. Mach. Tell me, thou unknown power, 1 Witch. He knows thy thought; Hear his fpcech, but fay thou nought. [Macduff; ipp. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macheth! beware Beware the thane of Fife.-Difmifs me :-Enough. [Defends. Mach. What-e'er thou art, for thy good cau tion, thanks; Thou haft harp'd 10 my fears aright:-But one word more [another, I Witch. He will not be commanded: Here's More potent than the firft. [Thunder. ad ipparition, a bloody child. App. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth '—— Macb. Had I three ears, I'd hear thee. ffcorn App. Be bloody, bold, and refolute : laugh to The power of man; for none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth. [Defends Mach. Then live Macduf; What need I fear But yet I'll make affurance double fure, [of thee? And take a bond of fate: thou shalt not live; That I may tell pale-hearted fear, it lies, And fleep in fpite of thunder.-What is this, [Thunder. 3d Apparition, a child crowned, with a tree in bis band. That rifes like the iffue of a king; And wears upon his baby brow the round All. Liften, but tpeak not to 't. App. Be lion-mettled, proud; and take no care Who chafes, who frets, or where confpirers are: Mach. How now, you fecret, black, and mid-Macbeth fhall never vanquish'd be, until What is't you do? night hags All. A deed without a name. Macb. I conjure you, by that which you profefs, (Howe'er you come to know it) answer me : Though you untie the winds, and let them fight Againft the churches; though the yefty waves Confound and fwallow navigation up; [down; Though bladed corn be lodg'd, and trees blown Though caftles topple 7 on their warders' heads; Though palaces, and pyramids, do flope Their heads to their foundations; though the treaOf nature's germins tumble all together, Even 'till deftruction ficken, anfwer me To what I ak you. 1 Witch. Speak. 2 Witch. Demand. 3 Witch. We'll answer. [fure Great Birnam wood to high Dunfinane hill Shall come against him. [Defcends. Mach. That will never be : Who can imprefs the forett; bid the tree [good! Unfix his earth-bound rect? fweet bodements! Rebellious head, riie never, till the wood Of Birnam rife, and our high-plac'd Macbeth Shall live the leafe of nature, pay his breath To time, and mortal custom.-Yet my heart Throbs to know one thing; Tell me, (if your art Can tell fo much) fhall Banquo's iffue ever Reign in this kingdom? All. Seek to know no more. Macb. I will be fatisfy'd: deny me this, And an eternal curfe fall on you! let me know :Why finks that cauldron ? and what noife is this? [Hautboys. That is, the flow-worm. 2 i. e. the fwallow, the throat. 3 Ravin'd means glutted with prey. 4 Sliver'd is a conimon word in the north, and implies, to cut a piece, or flice. si. e. entrails. 6. c. forming, or frothy waves. 7 i. e. tumble. 8 Germins are feeds which have begun to fprout. 9 i. e. adroitly, dextrously. 10 To harp. is to touch on a paffion as a harper touches a firing. alludes to the make or figure of the crown, 11 This ४ 1 Witch. Shew! 2 Witch. Shew! 3 Witch. Shew! His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate fouls All. Shew his eyes, and grieve his heart; Come like thadows, fo depart. [Ajhew of eight Kings, and Banquo; the laft with a glafs in his hand, [down! Another yet?-A feventh ?—I'll fee no more :- I Witch. Ay, fir, all this is fo:-But why Come, fifters, cheer we up his fprights, I'll charm the air to give a found, While you perform your antique round: [Mufick. That trace him in his line. No boatting like a fool; But no more fights !--Where are thefe gentlemen? [Exeunt. Enter Macduff's wife, ber fin, and Roffe. L. Macd. What had he done, to make him fly the land? Refe. You must have patience, madam. L. Maed. He had none: His flight was mad.efs: When our actions do not, Refe. You know not, Whether it was his wifdom, or his fear. L. Macd. Wildom! to leave his wife, to leave His manfion, and his titles, in a place As little is the wifdom, where the flight Roffe. My deareft coz, [The witches dance and vanish.I pray you, fchool yourself: But for your husband, Mach. Where are they? Gone?Let this He is roble, wife, judicious, and best knows The fits o' the feafon 10. I dare not speak much further: But cruel are the times, when we are traitors, mour 12 From what we fear, yet know not what we fear; Each way, and move.-I take my leave of you : L. Mard. Father'd he is, and yet he's fatherlefs. L. Macd. Sirrah, your father's dead; L. Maed. What, with worms and flies? 1 i. e. does blind me; alluding to the antient practice of deftroying the fight, by holding a piece of hot or burning iron before the eye, which dried up its humidity. 2 i. e. the diffolution of nature. 3 Warburton fays, this was intended as a compliment to king James the firft, who first united the two islands and the three kingdoms under one head; whofe houfe too was faid to be defcended from Banquo. 4 Blood-bulter'd means one whofe blood hath iffued out at many wounds, as flour of corn pailes through the holes of a fieve. Shakipcare ufed it to infinuate the barbarity of Banquo's murderers, who covered him with wounds. si. e. for ever. 6 i. e. thou preventeft. 7 i. e. the thing first thought or done. i. e. follow him. 9 Meaning, natural fenubility, or affection. 10 i. e. the convuifioms or viclent diforders of the times. II. c. we think our feives innocent, the government thinks us traitors; therefore we are ignorant of ourselves. 12 To hold rumour fignifics to Believe rumour. Son. Son. Why fhould I, mother? Poor birds they] My father is not dead, for all your faying. [father? market. Son. Then you'll buy 'em to fell again. SCEN England. E III. Enter Malcolm, and Macduff. Mal. Let us feck out fome defolate fhade, and L. Macd. Thou speak'ft with all thy wit; and Weep our fad bofoms empty. yet, i' faith, With wit enough for thee. Son. Was my father a traitor, mother? Son. What is a traiter? L. Maid. Why, one that fwears and lies. L. Macd. Every one that does fo, is a traitor, and must be hang'd. Son. And must they all be hang'd, that fwear and lie? L. Mard. Every one. Son. Who muft hang them? L. Mard. Why, the honeft men. Mard. Let us rather [there New widows howl; new orphans cry; new for Mal. What I believe I'll wail; What know, believe; and, what I can redress, As I fhall find the time to friend 4, I will. What you have fpoke, it may be fo, perchance. This tyrant, whofe fole name blifters our tongues, Was once thought honeft; you have lov'd him well; He hath not touch'd you yet. I am young; but fomething [dom You may deferve of him through me: and witL. Mocd. Now God help thee, poor monkey'|To offer up a weak, poor innocent lamb, But how wilt thou do for a father? Sex. Then the liars and fwearers are fools: for there are liars and fwearers enough to beat the honeft men, and hang up them. Sen. If he were dead, you'd weep for him: if you would not, it were a good fgn that I fhould quickly have a new father. L. Mard. Poor prattler! how thou talk'st! Mef. Blefs you, fair dame! I am not to you Though in your itate of honour I am perfect1. Be not found here; hence with your little ones. L. Macd. Whither should I fly? Enter Mu derers. [faces? -What are thefe L. Macd. I hope, in no place fo unfanctified, Where fuch as thou may'ft find him. Mur. He's a traitor. Son. Thou lyit, thou fhag-ear'd villain. Young fry of treachery? That is, though I am perfectly acquainted with your rank. 2 i. e. not to acquaint you with, or give you warning of, your danger. 3 i. e. protect from utter deftru&tion the privileges of our birthright. 41. c. to befriend. 5 Without previous provifion, without due preparation. 6 Mr. Pope fays affear'd is a law term for confirm'd. Mr. Tollet propofes to read, "The title is affer'd," and cxplains the pallage thus: "Poor country, wear thou thy wrongs, the title to them is legally fettled by inife who had the final judication of it. Afferers had the power of confirming or moderating fines and amercements." There There would be hands uplifted in my right; Macd. What should he be ? Mal. It is myfelf I mean: in whom I know All the particulars of vice fo grafted, That, when they fhall be open'd, black Macbeth Will feem as pure as fnow; and the poor state Efteem him as a lamb, being compar'd With my confineless harms. Macd. Not in the legions Of horrid hell, can come a devil more damın'd, Mal. I grant him bloody, Mard. Boundless intemperance In nature is a tyranny: it hath been The untimely emptying of the happy throne, And fall of many kings. But fear not yet To take upon you what is yours: you may Convey your pleafures in a spacious plenty, And yet feem cold, the time you may fo hood-wink. We have willing dames enough; there cannot be That vulture in you to devour fo many As will to greatnefs dedicate themselves, Finding it fo inclin'd. Mul. With this, there grows, In my moft ill-compos'd affection, fuch Mard. This avarice Sticks deeper; grows with more pernicious root Mal. But I have none; the king-becoming graces, In the divifion of each feveral crime, No, not to live.-O nation miferable, By his own interdiction stands accurs'd, Mal. Macduff, this noble paffion, Is thine, and my poor country's, to command: That is, paffionate, violent, hafty. 2 i. e. plenty. The Revifal conceives the fenfe of the paffage to be this: And may the fuccefs of that goodness, which is about to exert itself in my behalf, be fuch as may be equal to the juftice of my quarrel. powers, fubdues. 5 i. e. over Himfelf |