THE

TRAGEDY

OF

MACBETH.

Cathnefs,

Fleance, Son to Banquo.

Siward, General of the English Forces.

Young Siward, his Son.

Seyton, an Officer attending on Macbeth.

Son to Macduff.

Doctor.

Lady Macbeth.
Lady Macduff.

Gentlewomen, attending on Lady Macbeth,
Hecate, and three other Witches.

Lords, Gentlemen, Officers, Soldiers and Attendants.

The Ghoft of Banquo, and several other Apparitions.

SCENE, in the End of the fourth Act, lyes in England; through the rest of the Play, in Scotland; and, chiefly, at Macbeth's Caftle.

МАСВЕТН. H.

A C T I.

SCENE, an open Place.

Thunder and Lightning. Enter three Witches.

W

1 WITC H.

HEN fhall we three meet again?
In thunder, lightning, or in rain?
2 Witch. When the hurly-burly's
done,

When the Battle's loft and won.

3 Witch. That will be ere Set of Sun. Witch. Where the place?

2 Witch. Upon the heath.

3 Witch. There I go to meet Macbeth.
1 Witch. I come, I come, Grimalkin.
2 Witch. Padocke calls anon!

All. Fair is foul, and foul is fair,

Hover through the fog and filthy air.

[They rife from the flage, and fly away.

SCENE changes to the Palace at Foris.

Buter King, Malcolm, Donalbain, Lenox, with attendants, meeting a bleeding Captain.

King. As feemeth by his plight, of the revolt
W
HAT bloody man is that? he can report,

The newest state.

Mal. This is the Serjeant,

Who like a good and hardy foldier fought
'Gainft my captivity. Hail, hail, brave friend!
Say to the King the knowledge of the broil,
As thou didit leave it.

Cap. Doubtful long it stood :

As two fpent fwimmers that do cling together,
And choak their Art: the merciless Macdone!
(Worthy to be a Rebel; for to That
The multiplying villanies of nature
Do fwarm upon him) from the western ifles
Of Kernes and Gallow-glaffes was fupply'd;
And fortune, on his damned quarry fmiling,
Shew'd like a rebel's whore. But all too weak:
For brave Macbeth (well he deferves that name)
Difdaining fortune, with his brandisht fteel
Which fmoak'd with bloody execution,
Like Valour's Minion carved out his paffage,
"Till he had fac'd the flave;

Who ne'er fhook hands nor bid farewel to him,
'Till he unfeam'd him from the nave to th' chops,
And fix'd his head upon our battlements.

King. Oh, valiant Coufin! worthy Gentleman!
Cap. As whence the fun 'gins his reflection,
Shipwrecking ftorms and direful thunders break;
So from that Spring, whence Comfort seem'd to come, (1)

Dif

(1) So from that Spring, whence Comfort feem'd to come, Difcomfort fwell'd.] I have not disturb'd the Text here, as the Senfe does not abfolutely require it; tho' Dr. Thirlby prescribes a very ingenious and easy Correction,

Discomfort fwell'd. Mark, King of Scotland, mark;
No fooner Juftice had, with valour arm'd,
Compell'd thefe skipping Kernes to truft their heels;
But the Norwayan lord, furveying vantage,
With furbisht arms and new fupplies of men
Began a fresh assault.

King. Difmay'd not this

Our Captains, Macbeth and Banquo ?
Cap. Yes,

As fparrows, eagles; or the hare, the lion.
If I fay footh, I must report, they were

As cannons overcharg'd; with double cracks, (2)
So they redoubled ftroaks upon the foe:
Except they meant to bathe in reeking wounds,
Or memorize another Golgotha,

I cannot tell

But I am faint, my gafhes cry for help.

King. So well thy words become thee, as thy wounds : They Imack of honour both. Go, get him furgeons.

Enter Roffe and Angus.

But who comes here ?

Mal. The worthy Thane of Roffe.

Len. What hafte looks through his eyes?

So fhould he look, that feems to speak things ftrange. Roffe. God fave the King!

King. Whence cam'ft thou, worthy Thane ?

Roffe. From Fife, great King,

Where the Norweyan Banners flout the sky,

And fan our people cold.

So from that Spring, whence Comfort feem'd to come,

Difcomforts well'd.

Norway,

i. e. ftream'd, flow'd forth: a Word that peculiarly agrees with the Metaphor of a Spring. The Original is Anglo-Saxon peallian, fcaturire; which very well expreffes the Diffusion and Scattering of Water from its Head.

(2)

I must report they were

As Cannons overcharg'd with double cracks.] Cannons overcharg'd with Cracks I have no Idea of: My Pointing, I think, gives the easy and natural Senfe. Macbeth and Banquo were like

M 4

Cannons