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SCENE VI. Changes to the heath.

Thunder. Enter the three Witches, meeting Hecate.

1 Witch. Why, how now, Hecat'? you look angrily. Hec. Have I not reason, beldams, as you are? -Saucy, and over-bold! how did you dare

To trade and traffic with Macbeth

In riddles, and affairs of death?
And I, the mistress of your charms,
The close contriver of all harms,
Was never call'd to bear my part,
Or fhew the glory of our art?

And, which is worfe, all you have done
Hath been but for a wayward fon ;

Spightful and wrathful, who, as others do,
Loves for his own ends, not for

you.

But make amends now; get you gone,

And at the pit of Acheron

Meet me i' th' morning: thither he
Will come to know his deftiny;
Your veffels and your spells provide,
Your charms and every thing befide.
I am for th' air: this night I'll fpend
Unto a difmal fatal end.

Great bufinefs must be wrought ere noon :
Upon the corner of the moon

There hangs a vap'rous drop, profound,
I'll catch it ere it come to ground;
And that diftill'd by magic fleights,
Shall raife fuch artificial fprights,
As, by the ftrength of their illufion,
Shall draw him on to his confufion.
He shall spurn fate, fcorn death, and bear
His hopes 'bove wifdom, grace, and fear:
And you all know, Security

Is mortal's chiefest enemy.

[Mufic and a fong.

Hark, I am call'd; my little spirit, see, Sits in the foggy cloud, and stays for me. [Sing within. Come away, come away, 1 Witch. Come, let's make hafte, fhe'll foon be back

&c.

again.

[Exeunt.

SCENE

SCENE VII. Changes to a chamber.
Enter Lenox, and another Lord.

Len. My former speeches have but hit your thoughts, Which can interpret farther: only I fay

Things have been ftrangely borne. The gracious Duncan
Was pitied of Macbeth-marry, he was dead :-
And the right-valiant Banquo walk'd too late.
Whom you may fay, if't please you, Fleance kill'd,
For Fleance fled: men muft not walk too late.
You cannot want the thought, how monstrous too
It was for Malcolm, and for Donald Bane,
To kill their gracious father, damned fact !
How did it grieve Macbeth? did he not straight
In pious rage the two delinquents tear,

That were the flaves of drink, and thralls of fleep?
Was not that nobly done? ay, wifely too;
For 'twould have anger'd any heart alive
To hear the men deny't. So that, I fay,
He has borne all things well; and I do think,
That had he Duncan's fons under his key,

(As, an't please Heav'n, he shall not), they fhould find
What 'twere to kill a father: fo fhould Fleance.
But peace! for from broad words, and 'cause 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,

From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth,
Lives in the English court; and is receiv'd
Of the most pious Edward with fuch grace,
That the malevolence of fortune nothing
Takes from his high refpect. Thither Macduff
gone to pray the King upon his aid

Is

To wake Northumberland, and warlike Siward;
That by the help of thefe (with him above
To ratify the work) we may again

Give to our tables meat, fleep to our nights;
Free from our feafts and banquets bloody knives;
Do faithful homage, and receive free + honours;

free, for grateful.

Z 3

All

All which we pine for now.

And this report

Hath fo exafp'rated their King, that he

Prepares for fome attempt of war.

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

Advile him to a care to hold what distance
His wifdom can provide. Some holy angel
Fly to the court of England, and unfold
His meffage ere he come; that a fwift bleffing
May foon return to this our fuffering country,
Under a hand accurs'd!

Lord. I'll fend my pray'rs with him.

ACT IV. SCENE I.

[Exeunt.

A dark cave; in the middle a great cauldron burning.

2 Wich.

Thunder.

THRIC

Enter the three Witches.

HRICE the brinded cat hath mew'd.
2 Witch. Twice and once the hedge-pig whin'd.
3 Witch. Harper cries, "Tis time, 'tis time.
Witch. Round about the cauldron go,

In the poifon'd entremes throw.

[They march round the cauldron, and throw in the feveral
ingredients, as for the preparation of their charm.

Toad, that under the cold ftone,
Days and nights has, thirty-one,
Swelter'd venom fleeping got;
Boil thou firft i' th' charmed pot.

All. Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.
2 Witch. Fillet of a fenny fnake,
In the cauldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt, and toe of frog;
Wool of bat, and tongue of dog;

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Adder's

Adder's fork, and blind worm's fting,
Lizard's leg, and owlet's wing:
For a charm of pow'rful trouble,
Like a hell-broth, boil and bubble.

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

3 Witch. Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf,
Witches' mummy,; maw, and gulf
Of the ravening falt-fea fhark;
Root of hemlock, digg'd i' th' dark;
Liver of blafpheming Jew:
Gall of Goat, and flips of yew,
Sliver'd in the moon's eclipfe;
Nofe of Turk, and Tartar's lips;
Finger of birth-ftrangled babe,
Ditch-deliver'd by a drab;
Make the gruel thick, and slab.
Add thereto a tyger's chawdron,
For th' ingredients of our cauldron.

}

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

t 2 Witch. Cool it with a baboon's blood, Then the charm is firm and good.

Enter Hecate, and other three Witches.

Hec. Oh! well done! I commend your pains,
And every one shall share i' th' gains.

And now about the cauldron fing,
Like elves and fairies in a ring,
Inchanting all that you put in.

Mufic and a fong.

}

Black fpirits and white,
Blue fpirits and grey,
Mingle, mingle, mingle,
You that mingle may.

2 Witch. By the pricking of my thumbs,

Something wicked this way comes :

Open locks, whoever knocks.

SCENE

SCENE II. Enter Macbeth.

Macb. How now, you fecret, black, and midnight What is't you do?

[hags? 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 yefty waves Confound and fwallow Navigation up;

All. A deed without a name.

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• Though bladed corn be lodg'd, and trees blown down; Though caftles topple on their warders' heads;

Though palaces and pyramids do flope

Their heads to their foundations; though the treasure 'Of Nature's germins tumble all together, Even till deftruction ficken: answer me

To what I afk you.

I Witch. Speak.

2 Witch. Demand.

3

Witch. We'll answer.

I Witch. Say, if th' hadft rather hear it from our Or from our masters?

Macb. Call 'em : let me fee 'em.

I Witch. Pour in fow's blood, that hath eaten
Her nine farrow; grease, that's sweaten
From the murth'rer's gibbet, throw

Into the flame.

All. Come high or low;

Thyfelf and office deftly show.

Apparition of an armed head rifes.

Macb. Tell me, thou unknown power1 Witch. He knows thy thought:

Hear his fpeech, but fay thou nought.

[mouths,

[Thunder

App. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! beware Mac

duff!

Beware the Thane of Fife

-difmifs me -enough.

[Defcends

Macb. Whate'er thou art, for thy good caution,

thanks.

Thou'st harp'd my fear aright. But one word more―

1 Witch

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