Enter a Messenger.

Thou comest to use thy tongue; thy story quickly. Mess. Gracious my lord,

Macb.

I should report that which I say I saw,

But know not how to do it.

Well, say, sir.

Mess. As I did stand my watch upon the hill,
I look'd toward Birnam, and anon, methought,
The wood began to move.

Macb.

Liar and slave!
Mess. Let me endure your wrath, if 't be not so:
Within this three mile may you see it coming;
I say, a moving grove.

Macb.

If thou speak'st false,

Upon the next tree shalt thou hang alive,

30

Till famine cling thee: if thy speech be sooth, 40
I care not if thou dost for me as much.

I pull in resolution, and begin

To doubt the equivocation of the fiend

That lies like truth: Fear not, till Birnam wood

Do come to Dunsinane;' and now a wood

Comes toward Dunsinane. Arm, arm, and out!
If this which he avouches does appear,

There is nor flying hence nor tarrying here.

I'gin to be a-weary of the sun,

49

And wish the estate o' the world were now undone.
Ring the alarum-bell! Blow, wind! come, wrack!
At least we'll die with harness on our back. [Exeunt.

Scene VI.

Dunsinane. Before the castle.

Drum and colours. Enter Malcolm, old Siward, Macduff, and their Army, with boughs.

Mal. Now near enough; your leavy screens throw down,

Siw

And show like those you are. You, worthy uncle,
Shall, with my cousin, your right noble son,
Lead our first battle: worthy Macduff and we
Shall take upon 's what else remains to do,
According to our order.

Fare you well.

Do we but find the tyrant's power to-night,

Let us be beaten, if we cannot fight.

Macd. Make all our trumpets speak; give them all breath,

Those clamorous harbingers of blood and death. 10

[Exeunt.

Scene VII.

Another part of the field.

Alarums. Enter Macbeth.

Macb. They have tied me to a stake; I cannot fly,
But bear-like I must fight the course. What's he
That was not born of woman?

Am I to fear, or none.

Such a one

Enter young

Siward.

Thou 'It be afraid to hear it.

Yo. Siw. What is thy name?

Macb.

Yo. Siw. No; though thou call'st thyself a hotter name Than any is in hell.

Macb.

My name's Macbeth.

Yo. Siw. The devil himself could not pronounce a title More hateful to mine ear.

Macb.

No, nor more fearful.

Yo. Siw. Thou liest, abhorred tyrant; with my sword 10 I'll prove the lie thou speak'st.

Macb.

[They fight, and young Siward is slain.
Thou wast born of woman.

But swords I smile at, weapons laugh to scorn,
Brandish'd by man that's of a woman born. [Exit.

Alarums. Enter Macduff.

Macd. That way the noise is. Tyrant, show thy face!
If thou be'st slain and with no stroke of mine,
My wife and children's ghosts will haunt me still.
I cannot strike at wretched kerns, whose arms
Are hired to bear their staves: either thou,
Macbeth,

Or else my sword, with an unbatter'd edge,

I sheathe again undeeded.

be;

There thou shouldst

20

By this great clatter, one of greatest note
Seems bruited: let me find him, fortune!
And more I beg not.

[Exit. Alarums.

Enter Malcolm and old Siward.

Siw. This way, my lord; the castle's gently render'd:
The tyrant's people on both sides do fight;
The noble thanes do bravely in the war;
The day almost itself professes yours,

Scene VIII.

Another part of the field.

Enter Macbeth.

Macb. Why should I play the Roman fool, and die
On mine own sword? whiles I see lives, the gashes
Do better upon them.

Macd.

Enter Macduff.

Turn, hell-hound, turn!

Macb. Of all men else I have avoided thee:

But get thee back; my soul is too much charged
With blood of thine already.

Macd.

Macb.

I have no words:

My voice is in my sword, thou bloodier villain
Than terms can give thee out!

[They fight.

Thou losest labour :
As easy mayst thou the intrenchant air

With thy keen sword impress as make me bleed: 10
Let fall thy blade on vulnerable crests;

I bear a charmed life, which must not yield

Macd.

To one of woman born.

Despair thy charm,

And let the angel whom thou still hast served
Tell thee, Macduff was from his mother's womb
Untimely ripp'd.