Lady M.

A kind good night to all! [Exeunt Lords and attendants.

Macb. It will have blood; they say, blood will

have blood:

Stones have been known to move, and trees to

speak;

Augurs, and understood relations, have

By magot-pies, and choughs, and rooks, brought

forth

The secret'st man of blood.--What is the night? Lady M. Almost at odds with morning, which

is which.

Macb. How say'st thou, that Macduff denies

his person,
At our great bidding?
Lady M.
Did you send to him, sir?
Macb. I hear it by the way; but I will send :

There's not a one of them, but in his house
I keep a servant feed. I will to-morrow
(Betimes I will,) unto the weird sisters :
More shall they speak; for now I am bent to know,
By the worst means, the worst: for mine own good,
All causes shall give way. I am in blood
Stept in so far, that, should I wade no more,
Returning were as tedious as go o'er:
Strange things I have in head, that will to hand;
Which must be acted, ere they may be scann'd.3
Lady M. Youlack the season of all natures, sleep.
Macb. Come, we'll to sleep: My strange and

self-abuse

Is the initiate fear, that wants hard use :-
We are yet but young in deed.

[Exeunt.

SCENE V.-The heath. Thunder. Enter He

cate, meeting the three Witches.

1 Witch. Why, how now, Hecate? you look

angerly.

(1) Magpies.

(2) An individual.

(3) Examined nicely.

Hec. Have I not reason, beldams, as you are,
Saucy, and overbold? 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 show the glory of our art?
And, which is worse, all you have done
Hath been but for a wayward son,
Spiteful, 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'the morning; thither he
Will come to know his destiny.
Your vessels, and your spells, provide,
Your charms, and every thing beside :
I am for the air; this night I'll spend
Unto a dismal-fatal end.

Great business must be wrought ere noon:
Upon the corner of the moon
There hangs a vaporous drop profound;1
I'll catch it ere it come to ground:
And that, distill'd by magic slights,
Shall raise such artificial sprites,
As, by the strength of their illusion,
Shall draw him on to his confusion:
He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear
His hopes 'bove wisdom, grace, and fear:
And you all know, security
Is mortals' chiefest enemy.

Song. [Within.] Come away, come away, &c.

Hark, I am call'd; my little spirit, see,
Sits in a foggy cloud, and stays for me.

[Exit.

1 Witch. Come, let's make haste; she'll soon

be back again.

[Exeunt.

(1) i. e. A drop that has deep or hidden qualSCENE VI.-Fores. A room in the palace. En ter Lenox and another Lord.

Len. My former speeches have but hit your

thoughts,

Which can interpret further: only, I say,
Things have been strangely borne: The gracious

Duncan

Was pitied of Macbeth:-marry, he was dead :-
And the right-valiant Banquo walk'd too late;
Whom, you may say, if it 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? damned 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 it. 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?

The son of Duncan,

Lord. From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth, Lives in the English court'; and is received 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, on his aid To wake Northumberland, and warlike Siward: That by the help of these (with Him above

SONG.

Black spirits and white,
Red spirits 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.

Enter Macbeth.

Macb. How now, you secret, black, and mid

night hags?

What is't you do?
All.

A deed without a name.

Macb. I cónjure 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 corn be lodg'd, and trees blown

down;

Though castles topple3 on their warders' heads; Though palaces, and pyramids, do slope

Their heads to their foundations; though the trea

sure

Of nature's germins4 tumble all together,

Even till destruction sicken, answer me

To what I ask you.

1 Witch.

2 Witch.

3 Witch.

We'll answer.

1 Witch. Say, if thou'd'st rather hear it from our

mouths,

Or from our masters'?

Macb.

Call them, let me see them.

(1) Frothy.

(3) Tumble.

(4) Seeds which have begun to sprout.

(2) Laid flat by wind or rain.

1 Witch. Pour in sow's blood, that hath eaten

Her nine farrow; grease, that's sweaten
From the murderer's gibbet, throw

Into the flame.

All.

Come, high, or low;

Thyself, and office, deftly1 show.

Thunder. An Apparition of an armed Head rises.

Mach. Tell me, thou unknown power,

1 Witch.

He knows thy thought;

Hear his speech, but say thou nought.
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'd2 my fear aright :-But one word

more :

1 Witch. He will not be commanded: Here's

another,

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,

(1) Adroitly.

(2) Touched on a passion as a harper touches a string.