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 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!

33

[Exeunt.

ACT IV.

SCENE I.-A dark Cave. In the middle, a cauldron boiling.

Thunder. Enter the three Witches.

I Witch. Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd.

2 Witch. Thrice; and once the hedge-pig whin'd

3 Witch. Harper cries:-'tis time, 'tis time.
I Witch. Round about the cauldron go;

In the poison'd entrails throw.

Toad, that under cold stone,
Days and nights has thirty-one
Swelter'd venom sleeping got,
Boil thou first i' the charmèd pot.

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

2 Witch. Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the cauldron 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 owlet's wing,-
For a charm of powerful 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 ravin'd salt-sea shark;
Root of hemlock, digg'd i' the dark;
Liver of blaspheming Jew;
Gall of goat; and slips of yew,
Silver'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 cauldron.

All. Double, double toil and trouble;

Fire, burn; and, cauldron, bubble.

2 Witch. Cool it with a baboon's blood; Then the charm is firm and good.

Enter HECATE.

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

And every one shall share i' the gains.

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

[Music and a song, "Black spirits," &c.

2 Witch. By the pricking of my thumbs,

Something wicked this way comes :—

Open, locks, whoever knocks.

Enter MACBETH.

Exit HECATE

Mach. How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags! What is 't you do?

All.

A deed without a name.

Mach. 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 topple on their warders' heads;
Though palaces and pyramids do slope

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

Even till destruction sicken,—answer me

1 Witch. Say, if thou 'dst rather hear it from our mouths, Or from our masters'?

Macb.

Call them: let me see them.

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

Her nine farrow; grease, that's sweaten

From the murderer's gibbet, throw

Thyself and office deftly show.

Thunder. An Apparition of an armed head rises.

Macb. Tell me, thou unknown power,—

I 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. Mach. Whate'er thou art, for thy good caution thanks; Thou hast harp'd my fear aright:-but one word more,I Witch. He will not be commanded: here's another, More potent than the first.

App.

Thunder An Apparition of a bloody child rises.

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.

Mach. 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.

That will never be :

Who can impress the forest; bid the tree

Unfix his earth-bound root? sweet bodements! good!
Rebellious head, 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.

Mach. I will be satisfied: deny me this,

And an eternal curse fall on you! Let me know:

[Descends.

Why sinks that cauldron ? [Hautboys.] and what noise is this?

I Witch. Show!

2 Witch. Show!

3 Witch. Show!

All. Show his eyes, and grieve his heart;

Come like shadows, so depart.

Eight Kings appear, and pass in order; the last with a glass in his hand:

BANQUO following.

Mach. Thou art too like the spirit of Banquo; down! Thy crown does sear mine eyeballs :-and thy hair, Thou other gold-bound brow, is like the first:

A third is like the former.-Filthy hags!

Why do you show me this?—A fourth-Start, eyes!—
What, will the line stretch out till the crack of doom?-
Another yet?—A seventh ?—I'll see no more :—
And yet the eighth appears, who bears a glass,
Which shows me many more; and some I see,
That two-fold balls and treble sceptres carry ;

Horrible sight!-Now, I see, 'tis true;
For the blood-bolter'd Banquo smiles upon me,
And points at them for his.-What, is this so?

I Witch. Ay, Sir, all this is so:—but why
Stands Macbeth thus amazedly?--
Come, sisters, cheer we up his sprites,
And show the best of our delights:
I'll charm the air to give a sound,
While you perform your antic round;
That this great king may kindly say,
Our duties did his welcome pay.

[Music. The Witches dance, and then vanish.

Mach. Where are they? Gone?-Let this pernicious hour Stand aye accursed in the calendar!—

Mach. Infected be the air whereon they ride;

And damn'd all those that trust them!-I did hear

The galloping of horse: who was 't came by?

Len. 'Tis two or three, my lord, that bring you word, Macduff is fled to England.

Mach.

Len. Ay, my good lord.

Fled to England!

Macb. Time, thou anticipat'st my dread exploits :

The flighty purpose never is o'ertook,

Unless the deed go with it: from this moment,

The very firstlings of my heart shall be

The firstlings of my hand. And even now,

To crown my thoughts with acts, be it thought and done:

The castle of Macduff I will surprise;

Seize upon Fife; give to the edge o' the sword

His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls

That trace him in his line. No boasting like a fool;
This deed I'll do, before this purpose cool:

But no more sights!—Where are these gentlemen?
Come, bring me where they are.

[Exeunt.