Lady. Did you fend to him, Sir?

Macb. I hear it by the way; but I will fend. There's not a 9 Thane of them, but in his house I keep a fervant feed. I will to-morrow, Betimes I will unto the weyward fifters;

More fhall they speak; for now I'm bent to know,
By the worst means, the worft. For mine own good
All caufes fhall give way; I am in blood

Stept in fo far, that should I wade no more,
Returning were as tedious as go o'er.

Strange things I have in head, that will to hand;
Which must be acted, ere they may be scann'd.

Lady You lack the feafon of all Natures, Sleep. Macb: Come, we'll to fleep; my strange and felf

Thunder. Enter the three Witches, meeting Hecate.

I Witch.

WHY angerly

HY, how now, Hecat', you look

Hec Have I not reafon, 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 clofe contriver of all harms,

9 Thane.] Mr. Theobald.Vulg. one.

You lack the feafon of all natures, Sleep. I take the meaning to be, you want fleep, which jeajons, or gives the reli.

to all nature. Indices fomni vite condimenti.

2 The editions before The tald read, ave're yet but young indeed.

Was

Was never call'd to bear my part,
Or fhew the glory of our Art?

And, which is worse, all you have done
Hath been but for a weyward fon,

Spightful 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 veffels and your fpells provide,
Your charms and every thing befide.
I am for th' Air; this night I'll spend
Unto a difmal fatal end;

Great business must be wrought ere noon:
Upon the corner of the Moon

There hangs avap'rous drop, profound;
I'll catch it ere it come to ground;
And that diftill'd by magic + flights,
Shall raife fuch artificial fprights,
As, by the ftrength of their illufion,
Shall draw him on to his confufion.
He shall spurn fate, fcorn death, and bear
His hopes 'bove wisdom, grace and fear;
And you all know, Security

Is mortal's chiefest enemy.

[Mufic and a Song.

Hark, I am call'd; my little fpirit, fee,

Sits in the foggy cloud, and stays for me.

[Sing within. Come away, come away, &c. I Witch. Come, let's make hafte, fhe'll foon be

back again.

-vap'rous drop, profound;]

That is, a drop that has profound,
deep, or bidden qualities.

Len.

3 Enter Lenox, and another Lord.

Y former fpeeches have but hit your thoughts,

MY

Which can interpret further. Only, I fay,

Things have been ftrangely borne. The gracious

Duncan

Was pitied of Macbeth-marry, he was dead :———
And the right-valiant Banquo walk'd too late.
Whom, you may fay, if't please you, Fleance kill'd,
For Fleance fled. Men muft not walk too late.
Who cannot want the thought, how monstrous too
It was for Malcolm, and for Donalbain

To kill their gracious father? damned fact !
How did it grieve Macbeth? did he not straight
In pious rage the two delinquents tear,

That were the flaves of drink, and thralls of fleep?
Was not that nobly done? ay, wifely too;
For 'twould have anger'd any heart alive
To hear the men deny't. So that, I fay,
He has borne all things well; and I do think,
That had he Duncan's fons under his key,

3 Enter Lenox, and another Lerd.] As this tragedy, like the reft of Shakespeare's, is perhaps overstocked with perfonages, it is not eafy to affign a reafon, why a nameless character fhould be introduced here, fince nothing is faid that might not with equal propriety have been put into the mouth of any other difaffected man. I believe therefore that in

the original copy it was written with a very common form of contraction Lenox and An. for which the tranfcriber, instead of Lenox and Angus, fet down Lenox and another Lord. The author had indeed been more indebted to the tranfcriber's fidelity and diligence had he committed no errors of greater importance.

S,

As, an't please heav'n he shall not, they fhould find What 'twere to kill a father: fo fhould Fleance.

But peace! for from broad words, and 'cause he fail'd
His prefence at the tyrant's feast, I hear,

Macduff lives in difgrace. 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 fuch grace,
That the malevolence of fortune nothing
Takes from his high refpect. Thither Macduff
Is gone to pray the King upon his aid

To wake Northumberland, and warlike Siward;
That by the help of thefe, with Him above
To ratify the work, we may again

5

Give to our tables meat, fleep to our nights,
Free from our feafts and banquets bloody knives,
Do faithful homage, and receive free honours,
All which we pine for now. And this report
Hath fo exafperated their King, that he
Prepares for fome attempt of war.

Len. Sent he to Macduff?

Lord. He did; and with an abfolute, Sir, not I,

The cloudy meffenger turns me his back,

And hums; as who fhould fay, you'll rue the time, That clogs me with this answer.

Len. And that well might

Advife him to a care to hold what distance
His wisdom can provide. Some holy Angel
Fly to the Court of England, and unfold
His meffage ere he come; that a fwift Befling

4 The common editions have fons. 3 and receive free honours,] Free, for grateful. WARE. How can free be grateful? It may

Theobald corrected it.

be either honours freely beftowed, not purchafed by crimes, or honours without flavery, without dread of a tyrant.

May foon return to this our fuffering Country,
Under a hand accurs'd!

Lord. I'll fend my pray'rs with him.

A C T IV. 'SCENE I.

A dark Cave; in the middle, a great Cauldron

burning,

Thunder. Enter the three Witches.

I WITCH.

HRICE the brinded cat hath mew'd.

2 Witch. Twice, and once the hedge-pig whin'd.

3 Witch. Harper cries, 'tis time, 'tis time.