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1 Mur. Stand to't.

Ban. It will be rain to-night.

1 Mur. Let it come down. [assaults Banquo. Ban. O, treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, Thou may'st revenge. O slave! [fly; [dics; Fleance and Servant escape. 3 Mur. Who did strike out the light? 1 Mur. Was't not the way?

3 Mur. There's but one down; the son is fled. 2 Mur. We have lost best half of our affair. 1 Mur. Well, let's away, and say how much is done.

[exeunt.

SCENE IV. A ROOM OF STATE IN THE PALACE.

A banquet prepared. Enter Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Rosse, Lenox, Lords, and Attendants. Macb. You know your own degrees, sit down; And last, the hearty welcome.

[at first

Lords. Thanks to your majesty.
Macb. Ourself will mingle with society,
And play the humble host.

Our hostess keeps her state; but, in best time,
We will require her welcome.

[friends; Lady M. Pronounce it for me, sir, to all our For my heart speaks, they are welcome.

Enter first Murderer, to the door. Macb. See, they encounter thee with their hearts' thanks:

Both sides are even. Here I'll sit i'the midst : Be large in mirth; anon, we'll drink a measure The table round.-There's blood upon thy face. Mur. 'Tis Banquo's then.

Macb. 'Tis better thee without, than he within. Is he despatch'd?

[him.

Mur. My lord, his throat is cut; that I did for Macb. Thou art the best o'the cut-throats; yet he's good,

That did the like for Fleance: if thou didst it, Thou art the nonpareil.

Mur. Most royal sir, Fleance is 'scap'd.

[perfect;

Macb. Then comes my fit again: I had else been Whole as the marble, founded as the rock;" As broad, and general, as the casing air: But now, I am cabin'd, cribb'd, confin'd, bound in To saucy doubts and fears. But Banquo's safe? Mur. Ay, my good lord: safe in a ditch he bides, With twenty trenched gashes on his head; The least a death to nature,

Macb. Thanks for that:

There the grown serpent lies; the worm, that's fled,
Hath nature that in time will venom breed,
No teeth for the present.-Get thee gone; to-

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Lays blame upon his promise. Please it your
To grace us with your royal company? [highness
Macb. The table's full.

Len. Here's a place reserv'd, sir.
Macb. Where?

Len. Here, my lord. What is't that moves your
Mucb. Which of you have done this? [highness?
Lords. What, my good lord?

Macb. Thou canst not say, I did it: never shake Thy gory locks at me.

Rosse. Gentlemen, rise; his highness is not well.
Lady M. Sit, worthy friends:-my lord is

often thus, [seat; And hath been from his youth: pray you, keep The fit is momentary: upon a thought He will again be well: If much you note him, You shall offend him, and extend his passion; Feed, and regard him not. Are you a man?

Macb. Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on that Which might appal the devil.

Lady M. O proper stuff!

This is the very painting of your fear:
This is the air-drawn dagger, which, you said,
Led you to Duncan. O, these flaws and starts
(Impostors to true fear) would well become
A woman's story, at a winter's fire,
Authoriz'd by her grandam.
Why do you make such faces!
You look but on a stool.
Macb. Pr'ythee, sce there! behold! look! lo!
how say you?-

Shame itself! When all's done,

Why, what care I? If thou canst nod, speak too.
If charnel-houses, and our graves, must send
Those that we bury, back, our monuments
Shall be the maws of kites. [ghost disappears.
Lady M. What! quite unmann'd in folly!
Macb. If I stand here, I saw him.
Lady M, Fye, for shame!

Macb. Blood hath been shed ere now, i'the olden Ere human statute purg'd the gentle weal; [time, Ay, and since too, murders have been perform'd Too terrible for the ear: the times have been, That, when the brains were out, the man would And there an end; but now, they rise again, [die, With twenty mortal murders on their crowns, And push us from our stools. This is more strange Than such a murder is!

Lady M. My worthy lord, Your noble friends do lack you.

Macb. I do forget:

Do not muse at me, my most worthy friends;
I have a strange infirmity, which is nothing [all;
To those that know me. Come, love and health to

Then I'll sit down:-Give me some wine, fill Returning were as tedious as go o'er:

full:

I drink to the general joy of the whole table,

Ghost rises.

And to our dear friend Banquo, whom we miss ;
Would he were here! to all, and him, we thirst.
And all to all.

Lords. Our duties, and the pledge.

Macb. Avaunt! and quit my sight! Let the earth
hide thee!

Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold;
Thou hast no speculation in those eyes
Which thou dost glare with!

Lady M. Think of this, good peers,
But as a thing of custom: 'tis no other;
Only it spoils the pleasure of the time.

Macb. What man dare, I dare:
Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear,
The arm'd rhinoceros, or the Hyrcan tiger,
Take any shape but that, and my firm nerves
Shall never tremble. Or, be alive again,
And dare me to the desert with thy sword;
If trembling I inhibit thee, protest me
The baby of a girl. Hence, horrible shadow!
[ghost disappears.
Unreal mockery, hence!-Why, so;-being gone,
I am a man again.-Pray you, sit still.
Lady M. You have displac'd the mirth, broke
With most admir'd disorder. [the good meeting
Macb. Can such things be,

And overcome us like a summer's cloud,
Without our special wonder? You make me strange
Even to the disposition that I owe,

When now I think you can behold such sights,
And keep the natural ruby of your cheeks,
When mine are blanch'd with fear.

Rosse. What sights, my lord?

Strange things I have in head, that will to hand
Which must be acted, cre they may be scann'd.
Lady M. You lack the season of all natures
sleep.
[self-abuse
Macb. Come, we'll to sleep. My strange and
Is the initiate fear, that wants hard use:-
We are yet but young in deed.

SCENE V. THE HEATH.

[exeunt.

Thunder. Enter Hecate, meeting the three Witches. 1 Witch. Why, how now, Hecate? you look

angerly.

Hec. Have I not reason, beldams, as you are,
Saucy, and overbold? How did you dare
To trade and traffic with Macbeth,
In riddles and affairs of death;
And I, the mistress of your charms,
The close contriver of all harms,
Was never called to bear my part,
Or show the glory of our art?
And, which is worse, all you have done
Hath been but for a wayward son,
Spiteful, and wrathful; who, as others do,
Loves for his own ends, not for you.

But make amends now. Get you gone,
And at the pit of Acheron

Meet me i'the morning; thither he
Will come to know his destiny.
Your vessels, and your spells, provide,
Your charms, and every thing beside:
I am for the air; this night I'll spend
Unto a dismal, fatal end.
Great business must be wrought ere noon:
Upon the corner of the moon'
There hangs a vaporous drop profound;
I'll catch it ere it come to ground:
And that, distill'd by magic slights,

Lady M. I pray you, speak not; he grows worse Shall raise such artificial sprights,

and worse;

Question enrages him: at once, good night:

Stand not upon the order of your going,

But go at once.

Len. Good night, and better health

Attend his majesty!

Lady M. A kind good night to all!
[exeunt Lords and Attendants.
Macb. It will have blood; they say, blood will
have blood:
[speak;
Stones have been known to move, and trees to
Augurs, and understood relations, have [forth
By magot-pies, and choughs, and rooks, brought
The secret'st man of blood.-What is the night?
Lady M. Almost at odds with morning, which
is which.
[person,
Macb. How say'st thou, that Macduff denies his
At our great bidding?

Lady M. Did you send to him, sir?
Macb. I hear it by the way; but I will send :
There's not one of them, but in his house
I keep a servant fee'd. I will to-morrow
(Betimes I will,) unto the weird sisters:
More shall they speak; for now I am bent to know,
By the worst means, the worst: for mine own good,
All causes shall give way; I am in blood
Stept in so far, that, should I wade no more,

As, by the strength of their illusion,
Shall draw him on to his confusion:
He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear
His hopes 'bove wisdom, grace, and fear:
And you all know, security
Is mortals' chiefest enemy.

Song. [within.] Come away, come away, &c.
Hark, I am call'd; my little spirit, see,
Sits in a foggy cloud, and stays for me.

[exit.

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That were the slaves of drink, and thralls of sleep!
Was not that nobly done? Ay, and wisely too;
For 'twould have anger'd any heart alive,
To hear the men deny it. So that, I say,
He has borne all things well: and I do think,
That, had he Duncan's sons under his key, [find
(As, an't please heaven, he shall not,) they should
What 'twere to kill a father; so should Fleance.
But, peace! for, from broad words, and 'cause he
His presence at the tyrant's feast, I hear, [fail'd
Macduff lives in disgrace. Sir, can you tell
Where he bestows himself?

Lord. The son of Duncan,

From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth,
Lives in the English court; and is receiv'd
Of the most pious Edward with such grace,
That the malevolence of fortune nothing
Takes from his high respect. Thither Macduff
Is gone to pray the holy king, on his aid
To wake Northumberland, and warlike Siward:
That by the help of these (with Him above

To ratify the work,) we may again
Give to our tables meat, sleep to our nights;
Free from our feasts and banquets bloody knives;
Do faithful homage, and receive free honours,
All which we pine for now: and this report
Hath so exasperate the king, that he
Prepares for some attempt of war.
Len. Sent he to Macduff?

Lord. He did: and with an absolute, Sir, not I,
The cloudy messenger turns me his back.
And hums; as who should say, You'll rue the
That clogs me with this answer.
[time

Len. And that well might

Advise him to a caution, to hold what distance
His wisdom can provide. Some holy angel
Fly to the court of England, and unfold
His message ere he come; that a swift blessing
May soon return to this our suffering country,
Under a hand accurs'd!

Lord. My prayers with him!

ACT IV.

SCENE 1. A DARK CAVE. IN THE MIDDLE, A
CAULDRON, BOILING.

Thunder. Enter three Witches.

1 Witch. Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd. 2 Witch. Thrice; and once the hedge-pig whin'd. 3 Witch. Harper cries:-'Tis time, 'tis time. 1 Witch. Round about the cauldron go; In the poison'd entrails throw,— Toad, that under coldest stone Days and nights has thirty-one Swelter'd venom sleeping got, Boil thou first i'the charmed pot!

All. Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire, burn; and, cauldron, bubble.

2 Witch. Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the cauldron boil and bake:
Eye of newt, and toe of frog,
Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting,
Lizard's leg, and owlet's wing,
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth, boil and bubble.

All. Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire, burn; and, cauldron, bubble.

3 Witch. Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf;
Witches' mummy; maw, and gulf,
Of the ravin'd salt-sea shark;
Root of hemlock, digg'd i'the dark;
Liver of blaspheming Jew;
Gall of goat, and slips of yew,
Sliver'd in the moon's eclipse;
Nose of Turk, and Tartar's lips;
Finger of birth-strangled babe,
Ditch-deliver'd by a drab,
Make the gruel thick and slab:
Add thereto a tiger's chawdron,
For the ingredients of our cauldron.

All. Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire, burn; and, cauldron, bubble.

2 Witch. Cool it with a baboon's blood, Then the charm is firm and good.

[excunt.

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That two-fold balls and treble sceptres carry: M
Horrible sight!-Ay, now, I see, 'tis true;
For the blood-bolter'd Banquo smiles upon me,
And points at them for his.-What, is this so?
1 Witch. Ay, sir, all this is so.-But why
Stands Macbeth thus amazedly?—
Come, sisters, cheer we up his sprights,
And show the best of our delights;
I'll charm the air to give a sound,
While you perform your antique round:
That this great king may kindly say,
Our duties did his welcome pay.

Thunder. An Apparition of an armed head rises. | Which shows me many more; and some I see, Macb. Tell me, thou unknown power,Witch. He knows thy thought; Hear his speech, but say thou nought. [Macduff! App. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! beware Beware the thane of Fife.--Dismiss me.---Enough. [descends. Macb. Whate'er thou art, for thy good caution, thanks; [more. Thou hast harp'd my fear aright.-But one word 1 Witch. He will not be commanded: here's More potent than the first. (another, Thunder. An Apparition of a bloody child rises. App. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Macb. Had I three ears, I'd hear thee. App. Be bloody, bold,

And resolute: laugh to scorn the power of man,
For none of woman born shall harm Macbeth.

[descends.

Mac. Then live, Macduff; what need I fear of
But yet I'll make assurance double sure, [thee?
And take a bond of fate: thou shalt not live;
That I may tell pale-hearted Fear, it lies,
And sleep in spite of thunder.What is this,
Thunder. An Apparition of a child crowned, with
a tree in his hand, rises.

That rises, like the issue of a king;
And wears upon his baby brow the round
And top of sovereignty?

All. Listen, but speak not.

App. Be lion-mettled, proud; and take no care
Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are:
Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be, until
Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill
Shall come against him.

Macb. That will never be.

[descends.

Who can impress the forest; bid the tree
Unfix his earth-bound root? Sweet bodements!
Rebellious head, rise never, till the wood [good!
Of Birnam rise, and our high-plac'd Macbeth
Shall live the lease 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 so much,) shall Banquo's issue ever
Reign in this kingdom?

All. Seek to know no more.
Macb. I will be satisfied: deny me this,
And an eternal curse fall on you! Let me know:-
Why sinks that cauldron? and what noise is this?
[hautboys.
1 Witch. Show! 2 Witch. Show! 3 Witch. Show!
All. Show his eyes, and grieve his heart!
Come like shadows, so depart.
Eight kings appear, and pass over the stage in order;
the last with a glass in his hand: Banquo following.
Macb. Thou art too like the spirit of Banquo;
down!

Thy crown does sear mine eye-balls: and thy hair,
Thou other gold-bound brow, is like the first:
A third is like the former:-Filthy hags!
Why do you show me this!-A fourth!-Start,
eyes!
[doom?
What! will the line stretch out to the crack of
Another yet?-A seventh?-I'll see no more
And yet the eighth appears, who bears a glass,

[Music; the Witches dance, and vanish. Macb. Where are they? Gone?-Let this perniStand aye accursed in the calendar! [cious hour Come in without there!

Enter Lenox.

Len. What's your grace's will?
Macb. Saw you the weird sisters?
Len. No, my lord.

Macb. Came they not by you?
Len. No, indeed, my lord.

Macb. Infected be the air whereon they ride;
And damn'd, all those that trust them!—I did hear
The galloping of horse: who was't came by?

Len. 'Tis two or three, my lord, that bring you Macduff is fled to England. [word,

Macb. Fled to England?

Len. Ay, my good lord.

Macb. Time, thou anticipat'st my dread exploits.
The flighty purpose never is o'ertook,
Unless the deed 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
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.

[done

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
Rosse. You must have patience, madam. [land?
L. Macd. He had none;

His flight was madness: when cur actions do not,
Our fears do, make us traitors.
Rosse. You know not,

Whether it was his wisdom, or his fear. [babes,
L. Macd. Wisdom! to leave his wife, to leave his
His mansion, and his titles, in a place
From whence himself doth fly? he loves us not;
He wants the natural touch: 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 fur er:

But cruel are the times, when we are traitors,
And do not know ourselves; when we hold rumour
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,
Blessing 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, 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 The pit-fall, nor the gin. [nor lime, Son. Why should I, mother? Poor birds they are not set for.

My father is not dead, for all your saying.m L. Macd. Yes, he is dead; how wilt thou do for a father?!

7130

Son. Nay, how will you do for a husband?
L. Macd. Why I can buy me twenty at any
Son. Then you'll buy 'em to sell again. {market.
L. Macd. Thou speak'st with all thy wit; and
With wit enough for thee.
[yet, i'faith,

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.

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Son. And must they all be hang'd, that swear L. Macd. Every one.

Son. Who must hang them?

[and lie?

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.

1

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,

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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
I dare abide no longer.
[exit Messenger.
L. Macd. Whither should I fly?
I have done no harm. But I remember now
I am in this earthly world; where, to do harm,
Is often laudable; to do good, sometime,

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Hold fast the mortal sword; and, like good men,
Bestride our downfall'n birthdom: each new inorn,
New widows howl; new orphans cry; new sorrows
Strike heaven on the face, that it resounds
As if it felt with Scotland, and yell'd out
Like syllable of dolour.

Mal. What I believe, I'll wail;
What know, believe; and what I can redress,
As I shall find the time to friend, I will.
What you have spoke, it may be so, perchance,
This tyrant, whose sole name blisters our tongue,
Was once thought honest: you have lov'd him well;
He hath not touch'd you yet. I am young, but
something

You may deserve of him through me; and wisdom
To offer up a weak, poor, innocent lamb,
To appease an angry god.

Macd. I am not treacherous.
Mal. But Macbeth is.

A good and virtuous nature may recoil,
In an imperial charge. But, crave your pardon;
That which you are, my thoughts cannot transpose:
Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell:
Though all things foul would wear the brows of
Yet grace must still look so.
[grace,

Macd. I have lost my hopes.

[my doubts.

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