clofely, without difcovering their Numbers, within View of their Enemies.

The next Day, when Macbeth beheld them he was greatly aftonished, and the Prophecy that had been delivered to him long before coming into his Mind, he doubted not but that it was now fulfilled, fince he faw Birnam Wood coming to Dunfinane; nevertheless he drew up his Men in Order of Battle, exhorting them to fight valiantly.

His Enemies, however, had fcarcely caft away their Boughs, when Macbeth, perceiving their Numbers, betook himself to Flight.

Macduff, ftimulated with Hatred and an eager Thirft of Revenge, never ceased purfuing him till he came up with him at Lunfannain, and Macbeth feeing him close at his Heels leaped off his Horfe, crying aloud, "Thou Traitor, why doft thou thus follow me in vain; fince I am not appointed to be flain. by any Man that is born of a Woman? But come on then, and receive the Reward thou haft merited for thy Folly." Hereupon he aimed a Blow at him with his Sword, thinking to have killed him; but Macduff fuddenly leaping off his Horse, avoided the Stroke, and holding his naked Sword in his Hand thus answered:

"It is true, Macbeth; and now fhalt thy infatiable Cruelty have an End; for I, I am he whom thy Wizards have told thee of, not born of my Mother, but ripped out of her Womb;" then fuddenly closing with him, he

flew

flew him on the Place, and cutting off his Head from his Shoulders, fixed it upon a Poll, and brought it to Malcolm.

This was the End of Macbeth, after he had reigned over Scotland feventeen Years: In the Beginning of his Reign he performed many worthy Actions, and made many Laws very ufeful to the Commonwealth; but afterwards, thro' the Illufion of the Devil, he obliterated the Glory of his good Deeds by the moftdeteftable Cruelty.

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OBSERVATIONS on the Ufe Shakefpear has made of the foregoing History of Macbeth.

MA

The Plan of MACBETH.

ACBETH, a near Kinfman of Duncan, King of Scotland, having in one Day quelled a Rebellion, and given a total Defeat to the Army of the King of Norway, who invaded Scotland, as he was returning to Court with his Friend Banquo meets three Witches on a barren Heath, the first of whom hails him Thane of Glamis, the fecond Thane of Cawdor, and the Third with the Title of King hereafter.

Banque, offended at their addreffing them-felves only to his Friend, defires them to speak likewife to him, upon which they prophefy that he fhall be happier than Macbeth, and though he shall not fway a Scepter himself, yet his Defcendants fhall be Kings; this faid they vanished immediately.

While Macbeth and Banquo are expreffing their Surprize to each other at this Prodigy,

N 3

digy, fome Noblemen fent by the King falute Macbeth with the Title of Thane of Cawdor.

Macbeth, aftonifhed at the Completion of this first Prophecy, entertains a Defign of murdering the King to make Way for the fulfilling of the fecond, and artfully founds the Inclinations of Banquo, but finding him fixed in his Loyalty to the King, he forbears to tamper with him.

The King declaring his Intentions to bestow the Title of Prince of Cumberland on his eldest Son Malcolm, Macbeth alarmed at this, refolves to be fudden in the Execution of his Defigns, and by a Letter acquaints his Wife with the Prophecies of the Witches, one of which he tells her had been already accomplished.

Lady Macbeth, a proud, ambitious, and 'cruel Woman, urges on her Husband to the Murder of the King, and accordingly Duncan coming to lodge one Night at Macbeth's Caftle in Inverness, he is ftabbed in his Bed by Macbeth. The two Sons of Duncan fearing the fame Fate fly from Scotland, and Macbeth ufurps the Crown.

Some time after being jealous of the promised Sovereignty to Banquo's Children, he caufes Banque to be murdered, but his Son Fleance, whom he ordered likewife to be difpatched, escapes out of the Hands of the Murderers and faves himself by Flight.

Macbeth,

Macbeth, preffed by uneafy Doubts about his own Security, goes to the three Witches who had predicted his Greatne's, to have them refolved; they raise Apparitions who bid him beware of Macduff, the Thane of Fife; but at the fame Time affure him that none of Woman born fhould have Power to hurt him, and that he should never be vanquished till Birnam Wood came to the Hill of Dunfi

nane.

Macbeth, elated with thefe Promifes, fets no Bounds to his Cruelty, and refolves to murder Macduff; but being told he is fled to England, he feizes upon his Caftle at Fife, and puts his Wife, his Children, and all that were found within it to the Sword.

In the mean time Malcolm, the eldest Son of King Duncan, having prevailed upon the King of England, with whom he had taken Refuge, to furnish him with an Army, marches into Scotland accompanied by Macduff who breathes nothing but Revenge against the Tyrant that had deprived him of his Wife and Children.

Macbeth hearing of their Approach, and being daily informed of the Desertion of his Officers and Soldiers, fortifies the Caftle of Dunfinane, and confiding in the Promifes of the Spirits prepares to fight.

Malcolm, when he comes into Birnam Wood with his Army, commands every Man to cut him down a Bough and carry it before him in N 4 order