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

My father is not dead, for all your saying. [father?
L. Macd. Yes, he is dead: how wilt thou do for a
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 hang'd.

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.

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New widows howl; new orphans cry; new sor-
15 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,
20 As I shall find the time to friend“, I will.

Son. Then the liars and swearers are fools: for there are liars and swearers enough to beat the 25 honest men, and hang them up.

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 30 quickly have a new father.

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

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

Though in your state of honour I am perfect'.
I doubt some danger doth 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, you!
Which is too nigh your person. Heaven preserve
I dare abide no longer. [Exit Messenger

L. Mucd. Whither should I flv?
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,
Accounted dangerous folly: Why then, alas!
Do I put up that womanly defence,
To say, I have done no harin ?-
Enter Murderers.
Mur. Where is your husband?

[faces?

What you have spoke, it may be so, perchance.
This tyrant, whose sole name blisters our tongues,
Was once thought honest; you have lov'd him well;
He hath not touch'd you yet. I am young; but
something
[dom
You may deserve of him through me: and wis-
To offer up a weak, poor innocent lamb,
To appease an angry god.

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

[don;

A good and virtuous nature may recoil, In an imperial charge. But I shall crave your parThat which you are, my thoughts cannot transpose: Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell: 35 Though all things foul would wear the brows of Yet grace must still look so. [grace,

Macd. I have lost my hopes.

Mal. Perchance, even there, where I did find
my doubts.

40 Why in that rawness' left you wife, and child,
(Those precious motives, those strong knots of love)
Without leave-taking-I pray you,

Let not my jealousies be your dishonours,
But mine own safeties:-You may be rightly just,
45 Whatever I shall think.

Macd. Bleed, bleed, poor country!
Great tyranny, lay thou thy basis sure,

For goodness dares not check thee!—wear thou
thy wrongs,

-What are these 50 His title is affear'd-Fare thee well, lord:
I would not be the villain that thou think'st,
For the whole space that's within the tyrant's grasp,
And the rich East to boot.

L. Macd. I hope, in no place so unsanctified, Where such as thou may'st find him.

Mur. He's a traitor.

Son. Thou ly'st, thou shag-ear'd villain.
Mur. What, you egg?

Young fry of treachery?

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Mal. Be not offended:

55I speak not as in absolute fear of you.

I think, our country sinks beneath the yoke:

It weeps, it bleeds; and each new day a gash
Is added to their wounds: I think, withal,

That is, though I am perfectly acquainted with your rank. 2i. e. not to acquaint you with, or give you warning of, your danger. 3i. e. protect from utter destruction the privileges of our birth-right. i. e. to befriend. Without previous provision, without due preparation. "Mr. Pope says affear'd is a law term for confirm'd. Mr. Tollet proposes to read, "The title is affeer'd," and explains the passage thus: "Poor country, wear thou thy wrongs, the title to them is legally settled by those who had the final judication of it. Afeerers had the power of confirming or mode rating fines and amercements."

11

There

Act 4. Scene 3.]

MACBETH.

There would be hands uplifted in my right;
And here, from gracious England, have I offer
Of goodly thousands: But, for all this,
When I shall tread upon the tyrant's head,
Or wear it on my sword, yet my poor country
Shall have more vices than it had before;
More suffer, and more sundry ways than ever,
By him that shall succeed.

Macb. What should he be?

Mal. It is myself I mean; In whom I know
All the particulars of vice so grafted,

That, when they shall be open'd, black Macbeth
Will seem as pure as snow; and the poor state
Esteem him as a lamb, being compar'd
With my confineless harms.

Macd. Not in the legions

Of horrid hell, can come a devil more damn'd,
In evils, to top Macbeth.

Mal. I grant him bloody,
Luxurious, avaricious, false, deceitful,
Sudden', malicious, smacking of every sin
That has a name: But there's no bottom, none,
In my voluptuousness: your wives, your daughters,
Your matrons, and your maids, could not fill up
The cistern of my lust; and my desire
All continent impediments would o'er-bear,
That did oppose my will: Better Macbeth,,
Than such a one to reign.

Macd. 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 pleasures in a spacious plenty,
And yet seem cold, the time you may so hood-wink.
We have willing dames enough: there cannot be
That vulture in you to devour so many
As will to greatness dedicate themselves,
Finding it so inclin’d.

Mal. With this, there grows,
In my most ill-compos'd affection, such
A stanchless avarice, that were I king,
I should cut off the nobles for their lands;
Desire his jewels, and this other's house:
And my more-having would be as a sauce
To make me hunger more; that I should forge
Quarrels unjust against the good, and loyal,
Destroying them for wealth.

Macd. This avarice

Sticks deeper; grows with more pernicious root
Than summer-seeming lust; and it hath been
The sword of our slain kings: Yet do not fear;
Scotland hath foysons to fill up your will,
Of your mere own: All these are portable,
With other graces weigh'd.

Mal, But I have none: the king-becoming graces,
As justice, verity, temperance, stableness,
Bounty, perseverance, mercy, lowliness,
Devotion, patience, courage, fortitude,
I have no relish of them; but abound
In the division of each several crime,

5

Acting it many ways. Nay, had I power, I should
Pour the sweet milk of concord into hell,
Uproar the universal peace, confound

All unity on earth.

Macd. Oh Scotland! Scotland!

Mal. If such a one be fit to govern, speak:
I am as I have spoken.

Macd. Fit to govern!

No, not to live.-O nation miserable,
10 With an untitled tyrant bloody-scepter'd,
When shalt thou see thy wholesome days again;
Since that the truest issue of thy throne

By his own interdiction stands accurs'd,
And does blaspheme his breed?-Thy royal father
15 Was a most sainted king; the queen that bore thee,
Oftner upon her knees than on her feet,
Dy'd every day she liv'd. Fare thee well!
These evils thou repeat'st upon thyself,
Have banish'd me from Scotland.—Q, my breast,
20 Thy hope ends here!

Mal. Macduff, this noble passion,

Child of integrity, hath from my soul

Wip'd the black scruples, reconcil'd my thoughts
To thy good truth and honour. Devilish Macbeth,
25 By many of these trains, hath sought to win me
Into his power; and modest wisdom plucks me
From over-credulous haste: But God above
Deal between thee and me! for even now
I put myself to thy direction, and
30 Unspeak mine own detraction; here abjure
The taints and blames I laid upon myself,
For strangers to my nature. I am yet
Unknown to woman; never was forsworn;
Scarcely have coveted what was mine own;
At no time broke my faith; would not betray
The devil to his fellow; and delight

35

No less in truth, than life: my first false speaking
Was this upon myself: What I am truly,
Is thine, and my poor country's, to command:
40 Whither, indeed, before thy here-approach,
Old Siward, with ten thousand warlike men,
All ready at a point3, was setting forth :
Now we'll together: And the chance, of goodness,
Be like our warranted quarre!! Why are you
[once,

45

50|

silent?

Macd. Such welcome and unwelcome things at Tis hard to reconcile.

Enter a Doctor.

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 convinces
The great essay of art; but, at his touch,
Such sanctity hath heaven given his hand,
55 They presently amend.

Mal. I thank you, doctor.

Macd. What's the disease he means?
Mal. 'Tis call'd the evil :

[Exit.

A most miraculous work in this good king; 60 Which often, since my here-remain in England, 'I have seen him do. How he solicits heaven,

2 i. e. plenty. 3i. e. ready at a time.

+ The author

That is, passionate, violent, hasty. of The Revisal conceives the sense of the passage to be this: And may the success of that goodness, which is about to exert itself in my behalf, be such as may be equal to the justice of my quarrel. i. e. over-powers, subdues.

Himself

Himself best knows: but strangely visited people,|
All swoln and ulcerous, pitiul to the eye,
The mere despair of surgery, he cures;
Hanging a golden stamp 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.
Enter Rosse.

Macd. See, who comes here?

Mal. My countryman ; but yet I know him not.
Mucd. My ever-gentle cousin, welcome hither.

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Macd. It it be mine,

Keep it not from me, quickly let me have it.

Rosse. Let not your ears despise my tongue for ever, 10 Which shall possess them with the heaviest sound, That ever yet they heard.

Macd. Hum! I guess at it.
[babes,
Rosse. Your castle is surpriz'd; your wife, and
Savagely slaughter'd: to relate the manner,

Mal. I know him now: Good God, betimes re- 15 Were, on the quarry of these murder'd deer

The means that make us strangers!

Rosse. Sir, amen.

Macd. Stands Scotland where it did?

Rosse. Alas, poor country;

Almost afraid to know itself! It cannot

[move

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[goes it

Macd. Be not a niggard of your speech; How
Rosse. Whenlcame hitherto 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' their dire distresses.

Mal. Be it their comfort,
We are coming hither: 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 catch them.

20

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. Wife, children, servants, all
That could be found.

Macd. And I must be from thence!

25 My wife kill'd too?

Rosse. I have said.

Mal. Be comforted:

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

30 Macd. He has no children.—All my pretty ones?
Did you say, all?—Oh, hell-kite!--All?

135

40

What, all my pretty chickens, and their dam,
At one fell swoop*?

Mal. Dispute it like a man.
Macd. I shall do so;

But I must also feel it as a man:

[on,

I cannot but remember such things were,
That were most precious to me.-Did heaven look
And would not take their part? Sinful Macduff,
They were all struck for thee! naught that I am,
Not for their own demerits, but for mine, [now!
Fell slaughter on their souls: Heaven rest them
Mal. Be this the whetstone of your sword: let
grief

eyes,

45 Convert to anger; blunt not the heart, enrage it.
Macd. Oh, I could play the woman with mine
[ven,
And braggart with my tongue!-But, gentle hea-
Cut short all intermission; front to front,
50 Bring thou this fiend of Scotland, and myself;
Within my sword's length set him; if he'scape,
Heaven, forgive him too!

Mal. This tune goes manly.

Come, go we to the king; our power is ready;
55 Our lack is nothing but our leave: Macbeth
Is ripe for shaking, and the powers above [may;
Put on their instruments". Receive what cheer you
The night is long, that never finds the day. [Exe.

6

3 To

'Meaning the coin called an angel, the value of which was ten shillings. 2 i. e. common. doff is to do off, to put off. The folio reads latch them, and perhaps rightly, as to latch (in the North country dialect) signifies the same as to catch. "A grief that hath a single owner. Quarry is a term used both in hunting and falconry, and in both sports it means either the game that is pursued, or the game after it is killed. Swoop is the descent of a bird of prey on his game. i. e. contend with your sorrow like a man. i. e. all pause. 10 i. e. encourage us their instruments against the tyrant.

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SCENE I.

ACT V.

Enter a Doctor of Physic, and a Waiting-Gentle

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woman.

Have two nights watched with you, but can perceive no truth in your report. When was it she last walk'd?

5

Gent. Since his majesty went into the field, I have seen her rise from her bed, throw her nightgown upon her, unlock her closet, take forth paper, fold it, write upon it, read it, afterwards seal 10 it, and again return to bed; yet all this while in a most fast sleep.

Doct. A great perturbation in nature, to receive at once the benefit of sleep, and do the effects of watching. In this slumbry agitation, besides her 15 walking, and other actual performances, what, at any time, have you heard her say?

Gent. That, sir, which I will not report after her. Doct. You may, to me; and 'tis most meet you should.

Gent. Neither to you, nor any one; having no witness to confirm my speech.

20

Enter Lady Macbeth with a Taper. Lo you, here she comes! This is her very guise; and, upon my life, fast asleep. Observe her; 25 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.

Doct. Go to, go to; you have known what you should not.

Gent. She has spoke what she should not, I am sure of that: Heaven knows what she has known. Lady. Here's the smell of the blood still; alf the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh! oh! oh!

Doct. What a sigh is there? the heart is sorely charg'd.

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

Gent. Pray God, it be, sir.

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

Lady. 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. Doct. Even so ?

Lady. To bed, to bed; there's knocking at the gate. Come, come, come, come, give me your hand; What's done, cannot be undone: To bed, [Exit Lady. to bed, to bed.

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

Doct. Will she go now to bed?
Gent. Directly.

Gent. It is an accustom'd action with her, to seem thus washing her hands; I have known her 35 continue in this a quarter of an hour.

Lady. Yet here's a spot.

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

140

Lady. Out, damn'd spot! out, I say!-One; Two; Why, then 'tis time to do't;-Hell is murky1-Fie, my lord, fie! a soldier, and afraid? what need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account?-Yet who would have 45 thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?

Doct. Do you mark that?

Lady. The thane of Fife had a wife; Where is

[Exeunt.

Drum and Colours. Enter Menteth, Cathness,
Angus, Lenox, and Soldiers.

Ment. The English power is near, led on by
His uncle Siward, and the good Macduff. [Malcolm,
Revenges burn in them: for their dear causes
Would, to the bleeding, and the grim alarm,
Excite the mortified man'.
Ang. Near Birnam wood

fing.

Shall we well meet them; that way are they com-
Cath. Who knows, if Donalbain be with his

brother?

Len. For certain, sir, he is not: I have a file

she now-What, will these hands ne'er be 50 Of all the gentry; there is Siward's son,
clean?—No more o' that, my lord, no more o'
that: you mar all with this starting.

And many unrough youths, that even now
Protest their first of manhood.

1 Mr. Steevens with great acuteness observes on this passage, that Lady Macbeth is acting over in a dream the business of the murder of Duncan, and encouraging her husband as when awake; and cer tainly imagines herself here talking to Macbeth, who (she supposes) has just said, Hell is murky, (i. e. hell is a dismal place to go to in consequence of such a deed) and repeats his words in contempt of his cowardice; Hell is murky!-Fie, fie, my lord, fie! a soldier and afraid? i. e. astonished, confounded. * By the mortified man, is meant, a religious; one who has subdued his passions, is dead to the world, has abandoned it, and all the affairs of it: an Ascetic. i. e. smooth-faced, unbearded youths.

Ment.

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Ang. Now he does feel

His secret murders sticking on his hands;
Now minutely revolts upbraid his faith-breach;
Those, he commands, move only in command,
Nothing in love: now does he feel his title
Hang loose about him, like a giant's robe
Upon a dwarfish thief.

Ment. Who then shall blame

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 medecin' 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.

5

10

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15 How does your patient, doctior?

Doct. Not so sick, my lord,

As she is troubled with thick-coming fancies,
That keep her from her rest.

Macb. Cure her of that:

20 Canst thou not minister to a mind diseas'd;
Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow;
Raze out the written troubles of the brain;
And, with some sweet oblivious antidote,
Cleanse the foul bosom of that perilous stuff,
Which weighs upon the heart?

25

Enter Macbeth, Doctor, and Attendants.
Macb. Bring me no more reports; let them fly 30
Till Birnam wood remove to Dunsinane, [all;
I cannot taint with fear. What's the boy Malcolm?
Was he not born of woman? The spirits that know
All mortal consciences, have pronounc'd me thus:
Fear not, Macbeth; no man, that's born of woman, 35
Shall e'er have power upon thee.-Then fly, false
And mingle with the English epicures: [thanes,
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
Where got'st thou that goose look?

Ser. There is ten thousand

Macb. Geese, villain?

Ser. Soldiers, sir.

[loon!

Doct. Therein the patient
Must minister to himself.

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

Doct. Ay, my good lord; your royal preparation 40 Makes us hear something.

Macb. Bring it after me.

I will not be afraid of death and bane,
Till Birnam forest come to Dunsinane.

Doct. Were I from Dunsinane away and clear, 45 Profit again should hardly draw me here. [Exe. SCENE IV.

Macb. Go, prick thy face, and over-red thy fear,
Thou lilly-liver'd boy. What soldiers, patch*?
Death of thy soul! those linen cheeks of thine
Are counsellors to fear'. What soldiers whey-face: 50
Ser. 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 May 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,

4

155

60

Drum and Colours. Enter Malcolm, Siward,
Macduff, Siward's Son, Menteth, Cathness,
Angus, and Soldiers marching.

Mal. Cousins, I hope, the days are near at hand,
That chambers will be safe.

Ment. We doubt it nothing,

Siw. 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 number of our host, and make discovery
Err in report of us.

Sol. It shall be done.

Siw. We learn no other, but the confident tyrant

1i. e. physician. 2 To sag, or swag, is to sink down by its own weight, or by an overload. 'Loon signifies a base fellow. 5 i. e. fool. The meaning is, they infect others who see them with cowardice, "Sear is dry. 'To skirr signifies to scour, to ride hastily. water was the phrase in use for finding out disorders by the inspection of urine.

To cast the

Keeps

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