muft not yield to one of woman born. Macd. bids him, name of coward, again engages him, and exeunt Sc. VII. Retreat and flourifh. Enter with drum and co- MAC BET H. A C T I. SCENE I. An open Place. Thunder and Lightning. Enter three Witches. 1 Witch. WHEN fhall we three meet again b In thunder, lightning, and in rain? 2 Witch. When the hurly-burly's done, When the battle's loft and won. 3 Witch. That will be ere fet of fun. 1 Witch. Where the place? 2 Witch. Upon the heath. 3 Witch. There to meet with Macbeth. Alarum within. Enter King, Malcolme, Donalbaine, Le nox, with attendants, meeting a bleeding Captain. King. What bloody man is that? he can report, As feemeth by his plight, of the revolt The neweft ftate. Mal. This is the ferjeant, Who like a good and hardy foldier fought 'Gainft my captivity. Hail, hail, brave friend! Say to the King, the knowledge of the broil, As thou didst leave it. Cap. m Doubtful it flood, This direction was first put in by once. R; the fo's read only, [Exeunt, The ift f. and 7. read bail but It So all before P; he and all after, This defcription of the Scene is first except G. Doubtful long it flood, &c. As As two expert fwimmers that do cling together, The multiplying P villanies of nature W Shew'd like " a rebel's whore: But all 's too weak, For brave Macbeth (well he deferves that name) Which ne'er fhook hands nor bad farewel to him, And fix'd his head upon our battlements. All the editions read Spent: But 'tis probable Shakespeare wrote 'xpert, cutting off the e to make it measure, which the editors (not knowing what to make of it) changed into spent, the traces of the letters being near. Spent can here have no meaning; for the fimile is drawn from two perfons fwimming for a trial of their skill, who can swim fafteft ; and as they approach near the goal, they are supposed to cling together, and ftrive to hinder each other in their progrefs; an operation inconfiftent with their being tired and spent, but well agreeing with their being expert in their art. King. O valiant coufin! worthy gentleman! Compell'd these skipping Kernes to truft their heels; With furbisht arms and new fupplies of men King. Dismay'd not this Our captains, Macbeth and Banquo ? As fparrows, eagles; or the hare, the lion. I cannot tell But I am faint, my gashes cry for help. King. So well thy words become thee, as thy wounds; They finack of honour both. Go, get him furgeons. 3 [Exeunt fome with the foldier. So the copies before P. who reads well'd. J. Difcomforts well'd. C. Dij give for 'gin; followed by H. b The 1ft f. omits break; the other fo's and R. breaking for break: break is P.'s emendation, followed by the reft. So the fo's and R. P. Difcomfort fuell'd; fo T. and H, W, Discomfit comfort avells. e H. and C. brave Macbeth. f. P. and all after, except C. omit doubly. This direction put in by C Enter |