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, upon his aid
To wake Northumberland and warlike Siward;
That by 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.

Lennox.

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 time
That clogs me with this answer.'

And that well might

Lennox.
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.

I'll send my prayers with him!

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40

[Exeunt.

SCENE I. A Cavern.

ACT IV.

In the Middle, a Boiling Cauldron.

Thunder. Enter the three Witches.

First Witch. Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd.
Second Witch. Thrice and once the hedge-pig whin'd.
Third Witch. Harpier cries, 't is time, 't is time.

First Witch. Round about the cauldron go;

In the poison'd entrails throw.

Toad, that under cold 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.

G

ΙΟ

Second 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 howlet'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.

Third 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 chaudron,

For the ingredients of our cauldron.

All. Double, double toil and trouble;

Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

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

Enter HECATE.

Hecate. O, well done! I commend your pains;

And every one shall share i' the gains :

And now about the cauldron sing,

Like elves and fairies in a ring,

Enchanting all that you put in.

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40

[Music and a song: Black spirits,' etc. Hecate retires.

Second Witch. By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes.

Open, locks,

Whoever knocks!

Enter MACBETH.

Macbeth. How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags! What is 't you do?

All.

A deed without a name.

Macbeth. I conjure you, by that which you profess, Howe'er you come to know it, answer me :

Though you untie the winds and let them fight

Against the churches; though the yesty waves

Confound and swallow navigation up;

Though bladed corn be lodg'd and trees blown down;
Though castles topple on their warders' heads;

Though palaces and pyramids do slope

Their heads to their foundations; though the treasure
Of nature's germens tumble all together,

Even till destruction sicken; answer me

To what I ask you.

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60

First Witch. Say, if thou 'dst rather hear it from our mouths,

Or from our masters.

Macbeth.

Call 'em; let me see 'em.

First Witch. Pour in sow's blood, that hath eaten

Her nine farrow; grease that's sweaten

From the murtherer's gibbet throw

Thunder. First Apparition: an armed Head. Macbeth. Tell me, thou unknown power,—

First Witch.

He knows thy thought:

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Hear his speech, but say thou nought.
First Apparition. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! beware
Macduff;

Beware the thane of Fife. Dismiss me enough. [Descends.
Macbeth. Whate'er thou art, for thy good caution thanks;
Thou hast harp'd my fear aright: but one word more,—
First Witch. He will not be commanded: here's another,
More potent than the first.

Thunder. Second Apparition: a bloody Child.

Second Apparition. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!
Macbeth. Had I three ears, I'd hear thee.

Second Apparition. Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh

to scorn

The power of man, for none of woman born

Shall harm Macbeth.

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[Descends.

Macbeth. Then live, Macduff: what need I fear of thee?

But yet I'll make assurance double sure,

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.

Thunder. Third Apparition: a Child crowned, with a tree

in his hand.

What is this,

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 to 't.

Third Apparition. Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are:

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