Was never call'd to bear my part,

Or fhew the glory of our art?

And, which is worfe, all you have done
Hath been but for a wayward 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 deftiny.

Your veffels, and your fpells, provide,
Your charms, and every thing befide:
I am for the air; this night I'll spend
Unto a difinal and a fatal end.

Great bufinefs 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, diftill'd by magic flights 2,
Shall raife fuch artificial fprights,
As, by the ftrength of their illusion,
Shall draw him on to his confufion :

He fhall fpurn fate, fcorn death, and bear
His hopes 'bove wifdom, grace, and fear;
And you all know, fecurity
Is mortal's chiefeft enemy.
Hark, I am call'd; my little fpirit, fee,
Sits in a foggy cloud, and itays for me.
[Sing within.
Come away, come away, &c.
1 Witch. Come, let's make hate, the'll foon be
back again.
[Exeunt.]

S CE N E

How it did 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, and wifely too;
For 'twould have anger'd any heart alive,
To hear the men deny it. So that, I fay,
He has borne all things well: and I do think,
That, had he Duncan's fons under his key, [find
(As, an't please heaven, he fhall not) they should
What 'twere to kill a father; fo fhouid Fleance.
But, peace!-for from broad words, and 'caufe he
His prefence at the tyrant's feaft, I hear, [fail'd
Macduff lives in difgrace: Sir, can you tell
Where he beftows himself?

Lord. The fon of Duncan,

From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth,
Lives in the English court; and is receiv'd
Of the moft pious Edward with fuch grace,
That the malevolence of fortune nothing
Takes from his high refpect: Thither Macduff is gone
To pray the holy 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

Give to our tables meat, fleep to our nights;

[Mufic and a fong. Free 3 from our feasts and banquets bloody knives;
Do faithful homage, and receive free honours,
All which we pine for now: And this report
Hath fo exafperate the king, that he
Prepares for fome attempt of war.

VI.

Enter Lenox, and another Lord.

Len. Sent he to Macduff?

Lod. He did: and with an abfolute, "Sir, not I,"
The cloudy meffenger turns me his back,
And hums; as who should fay, "You'll rue the time
That clogs me with this aufwer."

Len. My former fpeeches have but hit your
Which can interpret further: only, I fav, [thonghts,"
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 it pleafe you, Fleance kill'd,
For Fleance fled. Men muft not walk too late.
Who cannot want the thought, how moniterous
It was for Malcolm, and for Donalbain,
To kill their gracious father? damned fact !

Len. And that well might

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

Lord. I'll fend my prayers with him.

[Exeunt.

1 Meaning, a drop that has deep, or hidden qualities. 2 i. e. magic arts. 3 i. e. deliver or exempt our feafts from bloody knives, &c. 4 Odd numbers are used in all enchantments and magical operations, even numbers being always reckoned inaufpicious. 5 Meaning, perhaps, fome imp, or familiar fpirit,

Eye

That rifes like the iffue of a king;

And wears upon his baby brow the round
And top of fovereignty 11

All. Liften, but tpeak not to 't.

App. Be lion-mettled, proud; and take no care Who chafes, who frets, or where confpirers are:

Mach. How now, you fecret, black, and mid-Macbeth fhall never vanquish'd be, until

That is, the flow-worm. 2 i. e. the fwallow, the throat. 3 Ravin'd means glutted with prey. 4 Sliver'd is a conimon word in the north, and implies, to cut a piece, or flice. si. e. entrails. 6. c. forming, or frothy waves. 7 i. e. tumble. 8 Germins are feeds which have begun to fprout. 9 i. e. adroitly, dextrously. 10 To harp. is to touch on a paffion as a harper touches a firing. alludes to the make or figure of the crown,

४

1 Witch. Shew! 2 Witch. Shew! 3 Witch. Shew! His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate fouls All. Shew his eyes, and grieve his heart; Come like thadows, fo depart.

[Ajhew of eight Kings, and Banquo; the laft with a glafs in his hand,

[down!
Mach. Thou art too like the fpirit of Banquo;
Thy crown does fear mine eye-balls 1 :--And thy air,
Thou other gold-bound brow, is like the firit :-
A third is like the former: Filthy hags! [eyes!
Why do you fhew me this ?-A fourth Start
What! will the line ftretch out to the crack of
doom 2?-

Another yet?-A feventh ?—I'll fee no more :-
And yet the eighth appears, who bears a glass,
Which shews me many more; and fome I fee,
That twofold balls and treble fceptres carry 3:
Horrible fight !-Now, I fee 'tis true;
For the blood-bolter'd 4 Banquo fmiles upon me,
And points at them for his.-What? is this fo?

I Witch. Ay, fir, all this is fo:-But why
Stands Macbeth thus amazedly?—

Come, fifters, cheer we up his fprights,
And fhew the best of our delights;

I'll charm the air to give a found,

While you perform your antique round:
That this great king may kindly say,
Our duties did his welcome pay.

[Mufick.

That trace him in his line. No boatting like a fool;
This deed I'll do, before this purpose cool:

But no more fights !--Where are thefe gentlemen?
Come, bring me where they are.

[Exeunt.

Enter Macduff's wife, ber fin, and Roffe. L. Macd. What had he done, to make him fly the land?

Refe. You must have patience, madam.

L. Maed. He had none:

His flight was mad.efs: When our actions do not,
Our fears do make us traitors.

Refe. You know not,

Whether it was his wifdom, or his fear.

L. Macd. Wildom! to leave his wife, to leave
his babes,

His manfion, and his titles, in a place
From whence himfelf does fly? He loves us not;
He wants the natural touch 9: For the poor wren,
The most diminutive of birds, will fight,
Her young ones in her neft, against the owl.
All is the fear, and nothing is the love;

As little is the wifdom, where the flight
So runs againft all reafon.

Roffe. My deareft coz,

[The witches dance and vanish.I pray you, fchool yourself: But for your husband, Mach. Where are they? Gone?Let this He is roble, wife, judicious, and best knows

The fits o' the feafon 10. I dare not speak much

further:

But cruel are the times, when we are traitors,
And do not know ourfelves ; when we hold ru-

mour 12

From what we fear, yet know not what we fear;
But float upon a wild and violent fea,

Each way, and move.-I take my leave of you :
Shall not be long but I'll be here again:
Things at the worft will ceafe, or elfe climb upward
To what they were before.-My pretty coufin,
Bleffing upon you!

L. Mard. Father'd he is, and yet he's fatherlefs.
Rafe. I am fo much a fool, should I stay longer,
It would be my difgrace, and your difcomfort:
I take my leave at once.
[Exit Roffe.

L. Macd. Sirrah, your father's dead;
And what will you do now? How will you live?
Son. As birds do, mother.

L. Maed. What, with worms and flies?
Son. With what I get, I mean; and fo do they.
L. Macd. Poor bird! thou'dit never fear the
net nor lime,
The pit-fall, nor the gin.

1 i. e. does blind me; alluding to the antient practice of deftroying the fight, by holding a piece of hot or burning iron before the eye, which dried up its humidity. 2 i. e. the diffolution of nature. 3 Warburton fays, this was intended as a compliment to king James the firft, who first united the two islands and the three kingdoms under one head; whofe houfe too was faid to be defcended from Banquo. 4 Blood-bulter'd means one whofe blood hath iffued out at many wounds, as flour of corn pailes through the holes of a fieve. Shakipcare ufed it to infinuate the barbarity of Banquo's murderers, who covered him with wounds. si. e. for ever. 6 i. e. thou preventeft. 7 i. e. the thing first thought or done. i. e. follow him. 9 Meaning, natural fenubility, or affection. 10 i. e. the convuifioms or viclent diforders of the times. II. c. we think our feives innocent, the government thinks us traitors; therefore we are ignorant of ourselves. 12 To hold rumour fignifics to Believe rumour.

Son.

Son. Why fhould I, mother? Poor birds they]
are not fet for.

My father is not dead, for all your faying. [father?
L. Macd. Yes, he is dead: how wilt thou do for a
Son. Nay, how will you do for a husband?
L. Mard. Why, 1 can buy me twenty at any

market.

Son. Then you'll buy 'em to fell again.

SCEN

England.

E

III.

Enter Malcolm, and Macduff.

Mal. Let us feck out fome defolate fhade, and

L. Macd. Thou speak'ft with all thy wit; and Weep our fad bofoms empty.

yet, i' faith,

With wit enough for thee.

Son. Was my father a traitor, mother?
L. Mard. Ay, that he was.

Son. What is a traiter?

L. Maid. Why, one that fwears and lies.
Son. And be all traitors, that do fo?

L. Macd. Every one that does fo, is a traitor, and must be hang'd.

Son. And must they all be hang'd, that fwear and lie?

L. Mard. Every one.

Son. Who muft hang them?

L. Mard. Why, the honeft men.

Mard. Let us rather

[there

New widows howl; new orphans cry; new for
Strike heaven on the face, that it refounds
As if it felt with Scotland, and yell'd out
Like fyllable of dolour.

Mal. What I believe I'll wail; What know, believe; and, what I can redress, As I fhall find the time to friend 4, I will. What you have fpoke, it may be fo, perchance. This tyrant, whofe fole name blifters our tongues, Was once thought honeft; you have lov'd him well; He hath not touch'd you yet. I am young; but fomething [dom You may deferve of him through me: and witL. Mocd. Now God help thee, poor monkey'|To offer up a weak, poor innocent lamb, But how wilt thou do for a father?

Sex. Then the liars and fwearers are fools: for there are liars and fwearers enough to beat the honeft men, and hang up them.

Sen. If he were dead, you'd weep for him: if you would not, it were a good fgn that I fhould quickly have a new father.

L. Mard. Poor prattler! how thou talk'st!
Enter a Menges.

Mef. Blefs you, fair dame! I am not to you
known,

Though in your itate of honour I am perfect1.
I doubt fome 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 favage;
To do worfe to you 2 were fell cruelty, [you!
Which is too nigh your perfon. Heaven preferve
I dare abide no longer.
[Exit Mejenger.

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, fometime,
Accounted dangerous folly: Why then, alas!
Do I put up that womanly defence,
To fay, I have done no harm

Enter Mu derers.
Mur. Where is your husband ?

[faces?

-What are thefe

L. Macd. I hope, in no place fo unfanctified, Where fuch as thou may'ft find him.

Mur. He's a traitor.

Son. Thou lyit, thou fhag-ear'd villain.
Mur. What, you egg?

Young fry of treachery?

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. 3 i. e. protect from utter deftru&tion the privileges of our birthright. 41. c. to befriend. 5 Without previous provifion, without due preparation. 6 Mr. Pope fays affear'd is a law term for confirm'd. Mr. Tollet propofes to read, "The title is affer'd," and cxplains the pallage thus: "Poor country, wear thou thy wrongs, the title to them is legally fettled by inife who had the final judication of it. Afferers had the power of confirming or moderating fines and

amercements."

There

That is, paffionate, violent, hafty. 2 i. e. plenty.

The Revifal conceives the fenfe of the paffage to be this: And may the fuccefs of that goodness, which is about to exert itself in my behalf, be fuch as may be equal to the juftice of my quarrel. powers, fubdues.