Which can interpret further: only, I say,

Things have been strangely borne. The gracious Duncan
Was pitied of Macbeth :-marry, he was dead :-
And (4) the right-valiant Banquo walk'd too late;
Whom, you may say, if't please you, Fleance kill'd,
For Fleance fled: men must not walk too late.
Who cannot want the thought, how monstrous
It was for Malcolm and for Donalbain
To kill their gracious father? damnèd fact !
How it did grieve Macbeth! did he not straight,
In pious rage, the two delinquents tear,

That were the slaves of drink and thralls of sleep?
Was not that nobly done? Ay, and wisely too;
For 'twould have anger'd any heart alive
To hear the men deny 't. So that, I say,

He has borne all things well: and I do think,
That, had he Duncan's sons under his key

(As, an't please heaven, he shall not), they should find
What 'twere to kill a father; so should Fleance.
But, peace!-for from broad words, and 'cause he fail'd
His presence at the tyrant's feast, I hear,

Macduff lives in disgrace: sir, can you tell

Where he bestows himself?

Lord.

The son(47) of Duncan,

From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth,
Lives in the English court; and is receiv'd
Of the most pious Edward with such grace,
That the malevolence of fortune nothing
Takes from his high respect: thither Macduff
Is gone to pray the holy king, upon his aid
To wake Northumberland and warlike Siward:
That, by the help of these (with Him above
To ratify the work), we may again

Give to our tables meat, sleep to our nights;
Free from our feasts and banquets bloody knives;
Do faithful homage, and receive free honours ;-
All which we pine for now: and this report
Hath so exasperate the(48) king, that he
Prepares for some attempt of war.

Len.

Sent he to Macduff?

Lord. He did: and with an absolute, "Sir, not I,"
The cloudy messenger turns me his back,

And hums, as who should say, "You'll rue the time
That clogs me with this answer."

Len.
And that well might
Advise him to a caution, to hold what distance
His wisdom can provide. Some holy angel
Fly to the court of England, and unfold
His message ere he come; that a swift blessing
May soon return to this our suffering country
Under a hand accurs'd!

Lord.

I'll send my prayers with him.

[Exeunt.

ACT IV.

SCENE I. A dark cave. In the middle, a caldron boiling.

Thunder. Enter the three Witches.

First Witch. Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd.
Sec. Witch. Thrice; and once the hedge-pig whin'd.
Third Witch. Harpier (49) cries :-'tis time, 'tis time.
First Witch. Round about the caldron go;

In the poison'd entrails throw.-
Toad, that under cold (50) stone
Days and nights hast thirty-one
Swelter'd venom sleeping got,
Boil thou first i' the charmèd pot.

All. Double, double toil and trouble;

Fire, burn; and, caldron, bubble.

Sec. Witch. Fillet of a fenny snake,

In the caldron boil and bake;

Eye of newt, and toe of frog,
Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting,
Lizard's leg, and howlet's wing,—

For a charm of powerful trouble,

Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

All. Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire, burn; and, caldron, bubble.

Third Witch. Scale of dragon; tooth of wolf;
Witches' mummy; maw and gulf

Of the ravin'd salt-sea shark;
Root of hemlock digg'd i' the dark;
Liver of blaspheming Jew;
Gall of goat; and slips of yew
Sliver'd in the moon's eclipse;
Nose of Turk, and Tartar's lips;
Finger of birth-strangled babe
Ditch-deliver'd by a drab,-
Make the gruel thick and slab:
Add thereto a tiger's chaudron,
For the ingredients of our caldron.

All. Double, double toil and trouble;

Fire, burn; and, caldron, bubble.

Sec. Witch. Cool it with a baboon's blood,

Then the charm is firm and good.

Enter HECATE.(51)

Hec. O, well done! I commend your pains;

And every one shall share i' the gains:

And now about the caldron sing,
Like elves and fairies in a ring,

Enchanting all that you put in.

[Music and song, "Black spirits," &c. (52)

[Exit Hecate.

Sec. Witch. By the pricking of my thumbs,

Something wicked this way comes:—

Open, locks,

Whoever knocks!

Enter МАСВЕТН.

Macb. How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags!

What is't you do?

All.

A deed without a name.

Macb. I conjure you, by that which you profess

(Howe'er you come to know it), answer me:
Though you untie the winds, and let them fight
Against the churches; though the yesty waves
Confound and swallow navigation up;

Though bladed (53) corn be lodg'd, and trees blown.
down;

Though castles topple on their warders' heads;

Though palaces and pyramids do slope

Their heads to their foundations; though the treasure
Of nature's germins(54) tumble all together,

Even till destruction sicken,-answer me

First Witch. Say, if thou'dst rather hear it from our

mouths,

Or from our masters?

Macb.

Call 'em, let me see 'em.

First Witch. Pour in sow's blood, that hath eaten Her nine farrow; grease that's sweaten

From the murderer's gibbet throw

Thunder. An Apparition of an armed Head rises.

Macb. Tell me, thou unknown power,—

First Witch.

Hear his speech, but say thou naught.

He knows thy thought:

App. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! beware Macduff; Beware the thane of Fife.-Dismiss me :-enough.

[Descends.

Macb. Whate'er thou art, for thy good caution, thanks; Thou hast harp'd my fear aright:-but one word more,First Witch. He will not be commanded: here's ano

ther,

More potent than the first.

Thunder. An Apparition of a bloody Child rises.

App. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!—

Macb. Had I three ears, I'd hear thee.

App. Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn The power of man, for none of woman born

Shall harm Macbeth.

[Descends.

Macb. Then live, Macduff: what need I fear of thee?

But yet I'll make assurance double sure,

And take a bond of fate: thou shalt not live;

That I may tell pale-hearted fear it lies,

And sleep in spite of thunder.-What is this,

Thunder. An Apparition of a Child crowned, with a tree in his hand, rises.

That rises like the issue of a king,

And wears upon his baby-brow the round

And top of sovereignty?

All.

Listen, but speak not to 't.

App. Be lion-mettled, proud; and take no care
Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are:
Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be, until
Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill
Shall come against him.

Macb.

[Descends.

That will never be:

Who can impress the forest; bid the tree

Unfix his earth-bound root? Sweet bodements! good!
Rebellion's head, (55) rise never, till the wood

Of Birnam rise, and our high-plac'd Macbeth
Shall live the lease of nature, pay his breath
To time and mortal custom.-Yet my heart
Throbs to know one thing: tell me (if your art
Can tell so much), shall Banquo's issue ever
Reign in this kingdom?

All.

Seek to know no more.

Macb. I will be satisfied: deny me this,
And an eternal curse fall on you! Let me know:
Why sinks that caldron ? and what noise is this?

[Hautboys.