There's not a Thane of them, but in his houfe (28) I keep a fervant fee'd. I will to-morrow (Betimes I will) unto the weird fifters: More fhall they speak; for now I'm bent to know, Stept in fo far, that, fhould I wade no more, Strange things I have in head, that will to hand; [Exeunt. SCENE (28) There is not one of them.] Thus the modern editors. But, one of whom? Macbeth has juft faid, that he heard, Macduff meant to difobey his fummons: and he would immediately fubjoin, that there is not a man of Macduff's quality in the kingcom, but he has a fpy under his roof. This is understood, not exprefs'd, as the text as yet has flood. The old folio's give us the paffage thus ; There's not a one of them Here we again meet with a deprav'd reading; but it is fuch a one, as, I am perfuaded, has led me to the poet's true word and meaning. There's not a Thane of them, i. e. a nobleman: and fo the Peers of Scotland were all call'd, 'till Earls were created by Malcolm the fon of Duncan. The etymology of the word is to be found in Spelman's Saxon gloffary, Wormius's Danish hiftory, Cafaubon de Linguâ Saxonica, &c. And my emendation, I conceive, is fufficiently confirm'd by what Holingshead, from whom our author has extracted so many particulars of hiftory, expressly says in proof of this circumftance. For Macbeth had in every nobleman's boufe one fly fellow or other, in fee with him; to reveal all that was Laid or done, within the fame: by which flight he opprefs'd the most part of the nobles of his realm. (29) We're yet but young indeed.] If we tranfpofe thefe words, we fhall find, they amount to no more than this, we are yet indeed but young. But this is far from comprizing either the poet's, or Macbeth's, meaning. I read,-in deed, i. e. but little inur'd yet to acts of blood and cruelty: for time and practice harden villains in their trade, who are timorous 'till fo harden'd. So Macbeth fays before; Things bad begun ftrengthen themselves in ill afterwards, Direnes SCENE changes to the Heath. Thunder. Enter the three Witches, meeting Hecate. 1 Wit. WH HY, how now, Hecat', you look angerly. Hec. Have I not reafon, beldams, as you are? Saucy, and over-bold! how did you dare To trade and traffick with Macbeth, In riddles and affairs of death? And which is worfe, all you have done Spightful and wrathful, who, as others do, But make amends now; get you gone, Meet me i' th' morning: thither he Great business must be wrought ere noon : There hangs a vap'rous drop, profound; Direness, familiar to my flaught'rous thoughts, So in 3d. Henry VI. Made impudent with use of evil deeds. And And you all know, fecurity [Mufick and a Song. Hark, I am call'd; my little fpirit, fee, Len. [Sing within. Come away, come away, &c. Wit. Come, let's make hafte, she'll foon be back again. [Exeunt. SCENE changes to a Chamber. "M' Enter Lenox, and another Lord. Y former fpeeches have but hit your thoughts, To kill their gracious father? damned fact ! That were the flaves of drink, and thralls of fleep? (As, and 't please heav'n, he fhall not;) they fhould find What 'twere to kill a father: fo fhould Fleance. But peace! for from broad words, and 'caufe he fail'd His prefence at the tyrant's feaft, I hear, Macduff lives in difgrace. Sir, can you tell Where he bestows himself? Lord. The fon of Duncan, (30) (30) The fons of Duncan From From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth] I have fet right this paffage against the authority of our unobferving editors. And the proofs of my emendation are obvious. In the firft place, Macbeth could not be From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth, To wake Northumberland, and warlike Seyward; Give to our tables meat, fleep to our nights; Len. Sent he to Macduff. Lord. He did; and with an abfolute, Sir, not I, The cloudy meffenger turns me his back, And hums; as who fhould fay, "you'll rue the time, "That clogs me with this anfwer. Len. And that well might The fuc be faid to hold the due of birth from both Duncan's fons. ceffion to the crown was the right of Malcolm; and Donalbaine could have no right to it, as long as his elder brother or any of his iffue were in being. In the next place, the fons of Duncan did not both helter in the English court. Upon the difcovery of their father's murder, we find them thus determining. Donal. To Ireland I; our feparated fortune Shall keep us both the fafer.. This determination, 'tis plain, they immediately put into act, or Macbeth had very ill intelligence: We bear, our bloody Coufins are beftow'd In England and in Ireland. Nor were they together, even at the time when Malcolm difputed his right with Macbeth. Who knows, if Donalbaine be with his brother? Len. For certain, Sir, be is not. Befides, Hector Boethius and Holing fhead (the latter of whom our author precisely follows;) both inform us that Donalbaine remain'd in Ireland till the death of Malcolm and his Queen; and then, indeed, he came over, invaded Scotland, and wrefted the crown from one of his nephews. Advife him to a care to hold what distance Lord. I'll fend my pray'rs with him. [Exeunt. SCENF, a dark Cave; in the middle, a great Cauldron burning. T Thunder. Enter the three Witches. I WITCH. Hrice the brinded cat hath mew'd. 2.Witch.Twice, and once the hedge pig whin'd (31) 3 Witch. Harper cries, 'tis time, 'tis time. i Witch. Round about the cauldron go, In the poison'd entrails throw. [They march round the Cauldron, and throw in the several ingredients as for the preparation of their Charm. Toad, that under the cold stone, Days and nights has, thirty-one, All. Double, double, toil and trouble; (31) Thrice and once the hedge-pig whin'd.] I have ventur'd, again ft the concurrence of the copies to read, twice and once: because, as Virgil has remark'd, numero Deus impare gaudet: and three and nine are the numbers us'd in all inchantments, and magical operations. Adder's |