SCENE I. Dunsinane. Ante-room in the castle. Enter a Doctor of Physic and a WaitingGentlewoman.

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, I have seen her rise from her bed, throw her night-gown upon her, unlock her closet, take forth paper, fold it, write upon't, read it, afterwards seal it, and again return to bed; yet all this while in a most fast sleep.

9

Doct. A great perturbation in nature, to receive at once the benefit of sleep, and do the effects of watching! In this slumbery agitation, oesides her walking and other actual performances, what, at any time, have you heard her say?

Gent. That, sir, which I will not report after her.

Doct. You may to me: and 'tis most meet you should.

Gent. Neither to you nor any one; having no witness to confirm my speech.

Enter Lady MACBETH, with a taper.

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Lo you, here she comes! This is her very guise; and, upon my life, fast asleep. Observe her; stand close.

Doct. How came she by that light? Gent. Why, it stood by her she has light by her continually; 'tis her command. Doct. You see, her eyes are open. Gent. Ay, but their sense is shut. Doct. What is it she does now? Look, how she rubs her hands. £1

Gent. It is an accustomed action with her, to seem thus washing her hands: I have known her continue in this a quarter of an hour.

Lady M. Yet here's a spot.

Doct. Hark! she speaks: I will set down what comes from her, to satisfy my remenbrance the more strongly.

Lady M. Out, damned spot! out, I say!-One two why, then, 'tis time to do't. -Hell is murky!-Fie, my lord, fie! a soldier, and afeard? 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. 50

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

Gent. She has spoke what she should not, I am sure of that heaven knows what she has known.

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 60 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 be cannot come out on's grave. 71

More needs she the divine than the physician. 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 amazed my sight.

I think, but dare not speak.
Gent.

Good night, good doctor. [Exeunt.

SCENE II, The country near Dunsinane. Drum and colors. Enter MENTEITH, CAITHNESS, ANGUS, LENNOX, 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
Shall we well meet them; that way are they
coming.

Caith. Who knows if Donalbain be with his brother?

Len. For certain, sir, he is not: I have a file

Of all the gentry: there is Siward's son,
And many unrough youths that even now 10
Protest their first of manhood.

Ment.

What does the tryant? Caith. Great Dunsinane he strongly forti

fies :

And with him pour we in our country's purge Each drop of us.

Len.

Or so much as it needs,

To dew the sovereign flower and drown the weeds.

Make we our march towards Birnam.

SCENE III.

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[Exeunt, marching.

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 ?

Serv. The English force, so please you. Macb. Take thy face hence. [Exit Servant. Seyton!-I am sick at heart, When I behold-Seyton, I say !-This push 20 Will cheer me ever, or disseat me now. I have lived long enough my way of life Is fall'n into the sear, the yellow leaf; And that which should accompany old age, As honor, love, obedience, troops of friends, I must not look to have; but, in their stead, Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honor, breath,

Which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not.

Seyton !

be hack'd.

Give me my armor.

Sey.

'Tis not needed yet.

The water of my land, find her disease,
And purge it to a sound and pristine health,
I would applaud thee to the very echo,
That should applaud again.-Pull't off, I say.-
What rhubarb, teyme, or what purgative drug,
Would scour these English hence? Hear'st
thou of them?

Doct. Ay, my good lord; your royal preparation

Makes us hear something.

Macb. Bring it after me. I will not be afraid of death and bane, Till Birnam forest come to Dunsinane. 60 Doct. [Aside.] Were I from Dunsinane away and clear, Profit again should hardly draw me here.

[Exeunt.

To hear a night-shriek; and my fell of hair
Would at a dismal treatise rouse and stir
As life were in't I have supp'd full with hor
rors;
Direness, familiar to my slaughterous thoughts
Cannot once start me.

Re-enter SEYTON.

Wherefore was that cry?
Sey. The queen, my lord, is dead.
Macb. She should have died hereafter;
There would have been a time for such a word.
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day 20
To the last syllable of recorded time,
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief
candle !

Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

Enter a Messenger.

Thou comest to use thy tongue; thy story

quickly.

To doubt the equivocation of the fiend
That lies like truth: Fear not, till Birnam
wood

Do come to Dunsinane:' and now a wood
Comes toward Dunsinane. Arm, arm, and out!
If this which he avouches does appear,
There is nor flying hence nor tarrying here.
I gin to be aweary of the sun,

And wish the estate o' the world were now undone.

50

Ring the alarum-bell! Blow, wind! come, wrack!

At least we'll die with harness on our back. [Exeunt.

SCENE VI. Dunsinane. Before the castle. Drum and colors. Enter MALCOLM, old SIWARD, MACDUFF, and their Army, with boughs.

Mal. Now near enough: your leafy screens throw down,

And show like those you are. You, worthy uncle,

Shall, with my cousin, your right-noble son, Lead our first battle worthy Macduff and we Shall take upon 's what else remains to do, According to our order.

Siw Fare you well. Do we but find the tyrant's power to-night, Let us be beaten, if we cannot fight.

Macd. Make all our trumpets speak; give them all breath,

Those clamorous harbingers of blood and death. [Exeunt. 10

SCENE VII. Another part of the field.

Alarums. Enter MACBETH.

Macb. They have tied me to a stake; I cannot fly,

But, bear-like, I must fight the course. What's he

That was not born of woman? Such a one
Am I to fear, or none.

I have no words: My voice is in my sword: thou bloodier villain

Than terms can give thee out! [They fight.
Macò.
Thou losest labor :

As easy mayst thou the intrenchant air
With thy keen sword impress as make me

bleed:

To kiss the ground before young Malcolm's feet,

29

And to be baited with the rabble's curse.
Though Birnam wood be come to Dunsinane,
And thou opposed, being of no woman born,
Yet I will try the last. Before my body
I throw my warlike shield. Lay on, Macduff,
And damn'd be him that first cries, Hold,

enough!' [Exeunt, fighting. Alarums. Retreat. Flourish. Enter, with drum and colors, MALCOLM, old SIWARD, Ross, the other Thanes, and Soldiers.

Mal. I would the friends we miss were safe arrived.

Stw. Some must go off and yet, by these I see,

So great a day as this is cheaply bought.

Mal. Macduff is missing, and your noble

Then he is dead ?

Ross. Ay, and brought off the field: your cause of sorrow

Must not be measured by his worth, for then It hath no end.

Siw.

Had he his hurts before?

Ross. Ay, on the front.

Siw.

Why then, God's soldier be he!

Had I as many sons as I have hairs,

I would not wish them to a fairer death:
And so, his knell is knoll'd.

Mal.

He's worth more sorrow, 50

And that I'll spend for him. Siw.

He's worth no more!

They say he parted well, and paid his score: And so, God be with him! Here comes newer

comfort.

Re-enter MACDUFF, with MACBETH's head. Macd. Hail, king! for so thou art behold, where stands

The usurper's cursed head: the time is free:
see thee compass'd with thy kingdom's pearl,
That speak my salutation in their minds;
Whose voices I desire aloud with mine :
Hail, King of Scotland!

All. Hail, King of Scotland!

[Flourish.

Mal. We shall not spend a large expense of

time

60

In such an honor named. What's more to do, Which would be planted newly with the time, As calling home our exiled friends abroad That fled the snares of watchful tyranny; Producing forth the cruel ministers

Of this dead butcher and his fiend-like queen, Who, as 'tis thought, by self and violent hands 70

Took off her life; this, and what needful else
That calls upon us, by the grace of Grace,
We will perform in measure, time and place:
So, thanks to all at once and to each one,
Whom we invite to see us crown'd at Scone.
[Flourish. Exeuni

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