Was never call'd to bear my part, Or shew the glory of our art? And, which is worse, all you have done Meet me i' the morning; thither he Your vessels, and your spells, provide, Great business must be wrought ere noon: There hangs a vaporous drop profound'; Is mortals' chiefest enemy. [Music and a song. [Singing within. Come away, come away, &c. How did it grieve Macheth! did he not straight, In pious rage, the two delinquents tear, That were the slaves of drink, and thralls of sleep? Was not that nobly done? Ay, and wisely too; 5 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 10 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? 15 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 [gone 20 Takes from his high respect : Thither Macduff is To pray the holy king, upon his aid To wake Northumberland, and warlike Siward: 25 Give to our tables meat, sleep to our nights; A Witch. Come, let's make haste, she'll soon be 30 back again. SCENE VI. Enter Lenox, and another Lord. [Exeunt.) Len. My former speeches have but hit your Len. Sent he to Macduff? Lord. He did: and with an absolute, "Sir, not I," Which can interpret further: only, Isay,[thoughts, 35" That clogs me with this answer." Duncan 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. I'll send my prayers with him. [Exeunt, 'Meaning, a drop that has deep or hidden qualities. 2 i. e. magic arts. 'i. e. deliver or exempt our feasts from bloody knives, &c. Odd numbers are used in all enchantments and magical operations, even numbers being always reckoned inauspicious. ! Meaning perhaps some imp, or familiar spirit. Eye Eve of newt, and toe of frog, All Double, double toil and trouble; 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 tyger's chaudron", 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. Enter Hecate, and other three Witches. Her. Oh, 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, Inchanting all that you put in. Musick and a song, 3 Witch. By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes:Open, locks, whoever knocks. Enter Macbeth. Mach. How now, you secret, black, and mid-| What is't you do? [night hags? 6 25 [Descends. Macb. What-e'er thou art, for thy good cau tion, thanks; 10 Thou hast harp'd my fears aright:-But one word more [another, [Thunder. 1 Witch. He will not be commanded: Here's More potent than the first. 2d Apparition, a bloody child. App. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!Macb. Had I three ears, I'd hear thee. [scor App. Be bloody, bold, and resolute: laugh to The power of man; for none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth. [Descends. Macb. Then live, Macduff: What need I fear 30 But yet I'll make assurance double sure, [of 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. 35 3d Apparition, a child crowned, with a tree in 40 45 Ab. A deed without a name. 1 Witch. Speak. 2 Witch. Demand. 3 Witch. We'll answer. iThat is, the slow-worm. [sure 55 Who can impress the forest; bid the tree [good! All. Seek to know no more. Mach. I will be satisfy'd: deny me this, And an eternal curse fall on you! let me know:Why sinks that cauldron? and what noise is this? 601 [Hautboys. 2 i. e. the swallow, the throat. 3 Ravin'd means glutted with prey. 4 Sliver'd is a common word in the north, and implies to cut a piece or slice. i. e. foaming, or frothy waves. 'i. e. adroitly, dextrously. * i. e. entrails. 7i. e. tumble. Germins are seeds which have begun to sprout 10 To harp, is to touch on a passion as a harper touches a string. "This alludes to the make or figure of the crown, 1 1 Witch. Shew! 2 Witch. Shew! 3 Witch. Shew! All. Shew his eyes, and grieve his heart; Come like shadows, so depart. [A shew of eight Kings, and Banquo; the last with a glass in his hand. [down! 5 Macb. Thou art too like the spirit of Banquo; Thy crown does sear mine eye-balls:--And thy air, Thou other gold-bound brow, is like the first:A third is like the former: Filthy hags! [eyes! Why do you show me this?-A fourth-Start, 10 What! will the line stretch out to the crack of doom?? Another yet?-A seventh ?--I'll see no more:-- [Musick. [The witches dance and vanish. Macb. Where are they? Gone?Let this pernicious hour Stand aye' accursed in the calendar !— Enter Lenox. Len. What's your grace's will? Mach. Came they not by you? 15 His flight was madness: When our actions do not, 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 20 From whence himself does fly? Ile loves us not; Rosse. My dearest coz, I pray you, school yourself: But for your husband, He is noble, wise, judicious, and best knows 30 The fits o' the season". I dare not speak anuch further: But cruel are the times, when we are traitors, And do not know ourselves"; when we hold ru mour12 35 From what we fear, yet know not what we fear; But float upon a wild and violent sea, Mach. Infected be the air whereon they ride; And damn'd all those that trust them!-I did hear 40 The galloping of horse: Who was't came by? Len. Is two or three, my lord, that bring Mach. Fled to England? Each way, and move. I take my leave of you: L. Macd. Father'd he is, and yet he's fatherless. The firstlings of my hand. And even now [done: 50 Seize upon Fife; give to the edge o' the sword 4 L. Macd. Sirrah, your father's dead; L. Macd. What, with worms and flies? i. e. does blind me: alluding to the ancient practice of destroying the sight, by holding a piece of hot or burning iron before the eye, which dried up its humidity. i. e. the dissolution of nature. 3 Warburton says, this was intended as a compliment to King James the first, who united the two islands and the three kingdoms under one head; whose house too was said to be descended from Banquo. Blood-bolter'd means one whose blood hath issued out at many wounds, as flour of corn passes through the holes of a sieve. Shakspeare used it to insinuate the barbarity of Banquo's murderers, who covered him with wounds. 'i. e. for ever. * i. e. thou preventest. 'i. e. the thing first thought or done. i. e. following him. Meaning, natural sensibility, or affection. 10 the convulsions or violent disorders of the times. i. e. we think ourselves innocent, the government thinks us traitors; therefore we are ignorant of ourselves. To hold rumour signifies to believe rumour. Son. 11 12 Son. Why should I, mother? Poor birds they My father is not dead, for all your saying. [father? Son. Then you'll buy 'em to sell again. With wit enough for thee. Son. Was my father a traitor, mother? Son. What is a traitor? L. Macd. Why, one that swears and lies. 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. Hold fast the mortal sword; and, like good men, Bestride our down-faln birthdom': Each new [rows New widows howl; new orphans cry; new sor15 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! Mes. Bless you, fair dame! I am not to you Though in your state of honour I am perfect'. L. Macd. Whither should I ily? [laces? 35 What you have spoke, it may be so, perchance. Macd. I am not treacherous. [don; A good and virtuous nature may recoil, Macd. I have lost my hopes. Mal. Perchance, even there, where I did find 40 Why in that rawness' left you wife, and child, Let not my jealousies be your dishononrs, To say, I have done no harm?--What are these 50 Mur. Where is your husband? 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. Young fry of treachery? Macd. Bleed, bleed, poor country! His title is affear'd-Fare thee well, lord: Mal. Be not offended: 55I speak not as in absolute fear of you. I think, our country sinks beneath the yoke: 6 1 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. 3i. e. protect from utter destruction the privileges of our birth-right. i. e. to befriend. 5 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." There would be hands uplifted in my right; 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. 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.-O, 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 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 Maed. Boundless intemperance Mal. With this, there grows, Macd. This avarice Sticks deeper; grows with more pernicious root Mal. But I have none: the king-becoming graces, In the division of each several crime, 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 point', was setting forth: Now we'll together: And the chance, of goodness, Be like our warranted quarrel! Why are you 145 silent? [once, 50 Macd. Such welcome and unwelcome things at "Tis hard to reconcile. Enter a Doctor. Mal. Well; more anon.--Comes the king forth, pray you? Doct. Ay, sir: there are a crew of wretched souls, Mal. I thank you, doctor. Macd. What's the disease he means? [Exit. A most miraculous work in this good king; 60 Which often, since my here-reniain in England, 'I have seen him do. How he solicits heaven, That is, passionate, violent, hasty. 2 i. e. plenty.. 'i. e. ready at a time. 4 The author 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 |