Third Witch. There to meet with Macbeth.

First Witch. I come, Graymalkin!1

Sec. Witch. Paddock2 calls.

Third Witch.

Anon!

10

As seemeth by his plight, of the revolt
The newest state.
Mal.
This is the sergeant
Who like a good and hardy soldier fought
'Gainst my captivity. Hail, brave friend!
Say to the king the knowledge of the broil
As thou didst leave it.

Serg.

Doubtful it stood; As two spent swimmers, that do cling together And choke their art. The merciless Mac

51

And fan our people cold. Norway himself,
With terrible numbers,
Assisted by that most disloyal traitor
The thane of Cawdor, 'gan a dismal conflict;
Till that Bellona's bridegroom, lapp'd in proof,
Confronted him with self-comparisons,
Point against point rebellious, arm 'gainst arm,
Curbing his lavish spirit: and, to conclude
The victory fell on us.
Dun.

Great happiness!
Ross. That now
Sweno, the Norways' king, craves composi-

tion;? Nor would we deign him burial of his men Till he disbursed, at Saint Colme’s-inch,8 61 Ten thousand dollars to our general use. Dun. No more that thane of Cawdor shall

deceive Our bosom interest: go pronounce his present

death,
And with his former title greet Macbeth.

Ross. I'll see it done.
Dun. What he hath lost noble Macbeth hath

[Exeunt.

7

8

Like valour's minion, carv'd out his passage
Till he fac'd the slave;
And ne'er shook hands, nor bade farewell to

him, Till he unseam'd him from the navel to the

chaps, And fix'd his head upon our battlements.

Dun. O valiant cousin! worthy gentleman! ļ Serg. [As whence the sunʼgins his reflection Shipwrecking storms and direful thunders

break, So from that spring whence comfort seem'd S to come Discomfort swells. Mark, king of Scotland,

mark:] No sooner justice had, with valour arm', Compell’d these skipping kerns to trust their

heels, But the Norweyan lord, surveyinga vantage, With furbish'd arms and new supplies of men, Began a fresh assault. Dun.

Dismay'd not this Our captains, Macbeth and Banquo?

Serg. As sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion, [If I say sootlı,3 I must report they were As cannons overcharg'd with double cracks; So they doubly redoubled strokes upon the foe: Except they meant to bathe in reeking wo

wounds, Or memorizet another Golgotha, I cannot tell-] But I am faint; my gashes cry for help. Dun. So well thy words become thee as thy

wounds; They smack of honour both. Go get him

surgeons. [E.cit Sergeant, attended. [Who comes here?]

30

Yes;

SCENE III. A heath.

40

Distant thunder. Enter the three Witches.
First Witch. Where hast thou been, sister?
Sec. Witch. Killing swine.
Third Witch. Sister, where thou?
First Witch. A sailor's wife had chestnuts

in her lap, And munch'd, and munch'd, and munch'd:

“Give me," quoth I: “Aroint thee, 10 witch!” the rump-fed ron

yon 11 cries. Her husband's to Aleppo gone, master o’the

Tiger:
But in a sieve I'll thither sail,
And, like a rat without a tail,
I'll do, I 'll do, and I'll do.

[ Sec. Witch. I'll give thee a wind.
First Witch. Thou 'rt kind.

Enter Ross.

a

10

[Mal.

The worthy thane of Ross.
Len. What haste looks through his eyes!

So should he look
That seems to speak things strange.]
Ross.

God save the king!
Dun. Whence cam'st thou, worthy thane?
Ross.

From Fife, great king; Where the Norweyan banners flout the sky