SCENE III.-England. A room in the King's palace. Enter MALCOLM and Macduff. Mal. Let us seek out some desolate shade, and there Weep our sad bosoms empty. Let us rather Macd. As if it felt with Scotland, and yell'd out Mal. What you have spoke, it may be so, perchance. You may deserve of him through me; and wisdom To appease an angry god. Macd. I am not treacherous. Mal. But Macbeth is. A good and virtuous nature may recoil In an imperial charge. But 'crave your pardon; That which you are, my thoughts cannot transpose: “ Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell: Though all things foul would wear the brows of grace, Yet grace must still look so." i. e. Stand over and defend. 3 Perhaps we should read discern. • befriend. 4 and 'tis wisdom. 5 i. e.recede from goodness in the execution of a royal commission. 6 cannot alter, affect. 7 must still wear its own gracious looks. Macd. I have lost my hopes. Mal. Perchance, even there, where I did find my Why in that rawness' left you wife, and child, [doubts. (Those precious motives, those strong knots of love,) Without leave-taking?-I pray you, Let not my jealousies be your dishonours, But mine own safeties :- You may be rightly just, Macd. Bleed, bleed, poor country! Great tyranny, lay thou thy basis sure, [wrongs, Mal. Be not offended: I speak not as in absolute fear of you. I think, Macd. What should he be? Mal. It is myself I mean: in whom I know That, when they shall be open'd, black Macbeth poor state Esteem him as a lamb, being compar'd With my Macd. confineless harms. Not in the legions 'state of destitution. 2 confirmed. Of horrid hell, can come a devil more damn'd Mal. I grant him bloody, Luxurious, avaricious, false, deceitful, Sudden,' malicious, smacking of every sin Macd. Boundless intemperance In nature is a tyranny; it hath been Th' untimely emptying of the happy throne, Mal. With this, there grows, In my most ill-compos'd affection, such Macd. This avarice Sticks deeper, grows with more pernicious root; The sword of our slain kings: Yet do not fear: Of your mere own: All these are portable,3 With other graces weigh'd. Mal. But I have none: The king-becoming graces, As justice, verity, temperance, stableness, Acting it many ways. Nay, had I power, I should 2 Passionate, hasty. provisions in plenty. Fh. Foison, plenty. 3 supportable. Pour the sweet milk of concord into hell, Macd. O Seotland! Scotland! Mal. If such a one be fit to govern, speak: I am as I have spoken. Macd. Fit to govern! No, not to live.-O nation miserable, With an untitled tyrant bloody scepter'd, When shalt thou see thy wholesome days again? By his own interdiction stands accurs'd, And does blaspheme his breed?-Thy royal father Was a most sainted king; the queen, that bore thee, Oftner upon her knees than on her feet, Died every day she lived. Fare thee well! These evils, thou repeat'st upon thyself, Have banished me from Scotland.-O, my breast, Thy hope ends here! Mal.. Macduff, this noble passion, Child of integrity, hath from my soul Wip'd the black scruples, reconcil'd my thoughts No less in truth, than life: my first false speaking Is thine, and my poor country's, to command; Now we'll together; And the chance,' of goodness," Be like our warranted quarrel! Why are you silent? Macd. Such welcome and unwelcome things at once, "Tis hard to reconcile. Enter a Doctor. Mal. Well; more anon.-Comes the king forth, I pray you? Doct. Ay, sir: there are a crew of wretched souls, That stay his cure: their malady convinces3 The great assay of art; but, at his touch, Such sanctity hath heaven given his hand, They presently amend. Mal. I thank you, doctor. [Exit Doctor. "Tis call'd the evil: Macd. What's the disease he means? 4 The healing benediction. With this strange virtue, He hath a heavenly gift of prophecy; And sundry blessings hang about his throne, That speak him full of grace. 1 the event. 2 through the goodness of heaven. 3 overpowers, subdues. This was the coin called an angel. The value of the coin was ten shillings. |