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What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account?-Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?

Doct. Do you mark that?

Lady M. The thane of Fife had a wife; Where is she now?What, will these hands ne'er be clean ?—No more o'that, my lord, no more o'that : you mar all with this starting.5

Doct. Go to, go to; you have known what you should not.

Gent. She has spoke what she am sure of that: Heaven knows known.

should not, I what she has

Lady M. Here's the smell of the blood still: all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh! oh! oh!

Doct. What a sigh is there! The heart is sorely charged.

Gent. I would not have such a heart in my bosom, for the dignity of the whole body. Doct. Well, well, well,

Gent. 'Pray God, it be, sir,

Doct. This disease is beyond my practice: Yet I have known those which have walked in their sleep, who have died holily in their beds.

Lady M. Wash your hands, put on your nightgown; look not so pale:-I tell you yet again, Banquo's buried; he cannot come out of his

grave.

Doct. Even so?

Lady M. To bed, to bed; there's knocking at

to go to in consequence of such a deed,) and repeats his words in contempt of his cowardice.

5

you mar all with this starting.] Alluding to the terrors of Macbeth, when the Ghost broke in on the festivity of the ban

quet.

the gate. Come, come, come, come, give me your hand; What's done, cannot be undone: To bed, to bed, to bed. [Exit Lady MACBETH. Doct. Will she go now to bed?

Gent. Directly.

Doct. Foul whisperings are abroad: Unnatural
deeds

Do breed unnatural troubles: Infected minds
To their deaf pillows will discharge their secrets.
More needs she the divine, than the physi-

cian.

God, God, forgive us all! Look after her;
Remove from her the means of all annoyance,
And still keep eyes upon her:-So, good night:
My mind she has mated, and amaz'd my sight:
I think, but dare not speak.

Gent.

Good night, good doctor. [Exeunt.

SCENE II.

The Country near Dunsinane.

Enter, with Drum and Colours, MENTETH, CATHNESS, ANGUS, LENOX, and Soldiers.

Ment. The English power is near, led on by
Malcolm,

His uncle Siward, and the good Macduff.
Revenges burn in them: for their dear causes
Would, to the bleeding, and the grim alarm,
Excite the mortified man."

Ang.

Near Birnam wood

6 My mind she has mated,] i. e. amated, dismayed.
▾ Excite the mortified man.] i. e. a religious, an ascetic.

Heaven forgive him too!2

Mal. This tune goes manly. Come, go we to the king; our power is ready; Our lack is nothing but our leave: Macbeth Is ripe for shaking, and the powers above Put on their instruments. Receive what cheer you

may;

The night is long that never finds the day.

[Exeunt.

ACT V.

SCENE I. Dunsinane. A Room in the Castle.

Enter a Doctor of Physick, and a waiting Gentle

woman.

Doct. I have two nights watched with you, but can perceive no truth in your report. When was it she last walked ?

Gent. Since his majesty went into the field,3 I have seen her rise from her bed, throw her nightgown upon her, unlock her closet, take forth paper, fold it, write upon it, read it, afterwards seal it, and again return to bed; yet all this while in a most fast sleep.

Doct. A great perturbation in nature! to receive at once the benefit of sleep, and do the effects of watching. In this slumbry agitation, besides her

if he 'scape,

Heaven forgive him too!] That is, if he escape my vengeance, let him escape that of Heaven also.

3 Since his majesty went into the field,] This is one of Shakspeare's oversights. He forgot that he had shut up Macbeth in Dunsinane, and surrounded him with besiegers.

To dew the sovereign flower, and drown the weeds. Make we our march towards Birnam.

[Exeunt, marching.

SCENE III.

Dunsinane. A Room in the Castle.

Enter MACBETH, Doctor, and Attendants.

Macb. Bring me no more reports; let them fly

all;

Till Birnam wood remove to Dunsinane,

I cannot taint with fear. What's the boy Malcolm?
Was he not born of woman? The spirits that know
All mortal consequents, pronounc'd me thus:
Fear not, Macbeth; no man, that's born of woman,
Shall e'er have power on thee.Then fly, false
thanes,

And mingle with the English epicures:

The mind I sway by, and the heart I bear,
Shall never sagg with doubt,2 nor shake with fear.

Enter a Servant.

The devil damn thee black, thou cream-fac'd loon !3 Where got'st thou that goose look ?

Serv. There is ten thousand

[blocks in formation]

Thou lily-liver'd boy. What soldiers, patch?

2 Shall never sagg with doubt,] To sag, or swag, is to sink down by its own weight, or by an overload.

3 loon!] At present this word is only used in Scotland, and signifies a base fellow.

What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account?-Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?

Doct. Do you mark that?

Lady M. The thane of Fife had a wife; Where is she now?What, will these hands ne'er be clean?-No more o'that, my lord, no more o'that: you mar all with this starting."

Doct. Go to, go to; you have known what you should not.

Gent. She has spoke what she am sure of that: Heaven knows known.

should not, I what she has

Lady M. Here's the smell of the blood still: all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh! oh! oh!

Doct. What a sigh is there! The heart is sorely charged.

Gent. I would not have such a heart in my bosom, for the dignity of the whole body.

Doct. Well, well, well,

Gent. 'Pray God, it be, sir,

Doct. This disease is beyond my practice: Yet I have known those which have walked in their sleep, who have died holily in their beds.

Lady M. Wash your hands, put on your nightgown; look not so pale:-I tell you yet again, Banquo's buried; he cannot come out of his grave.

Doct. Even so?

Lady M. To bed, to bed; there's knocking at

to go to in consequence of such a deed,) and repeats his words in contempt of his cowardice.

-you mar all with this starting.] Alluding to the terrors of Macbeth, when the Ghost broke in on the festivity of the banquet.

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