The Tragedie of Macbeth.
by William Shakespeare.
Scena Secunda.
Alarum within. Enter King Malcome, Donalbaine, Lenox, with attendants, meeting a bleeding Captaine.
King. What b.l.o.o.d.y man is that? he can report, As seemeth by his plight, of the Reuolt The newest state Mal. This is the Serieant, Who like a good and hardie Souldier fought "Gainst my Captiuitie: Haile braue friend; Say to the King, the knowledge of the Broyle, As thou didst leaue it Cap. Doubtfull it stood, As two spent Swimmers, that doe cling together, And choake their Art: The mercilesse Macdonwald (Worthie to be a Rebell, for to that The multiplying Villanies of Nature Doe swarme vpon him) from the Westerne Isles Of Kernes and Gallowgrosses is supply"d, And Fortune on his d.a.m.ned Quarry smiling, Shew"d like a Rebells Wh.o.r.e: but all"s too weake: For braue Macbeth (well hee deserues that Name) Disdayning Fortune, with his brandisht Steele, Which smoak"d with b.l.o.o.d.y execution (Like Valours Minion) caru"d out his pa.s.sage, Till hee fac"d the Slaue: Which neu"r shooke hands, nor bad farwell to him, Till he vnseam"d him from the Naue toth" Chops, And fix"d his Head vpon our Battlements King. O valiant Cousin, worthy Gentleman
Cap. As whence the Sunne "gins his reflection, Shipwracking Stormes, and direfull Thunders: So from that Spring, whence comfort seem"d to come, Discomfort swells: Marke King of Scotland, marke, No sooner Iustice had, with Valour arm"d, Compell"d these skipping Kernes to trust their heeles, But the Norweyan Lord, surueying vantage, With furbusht Armes, and new supplyes of men, Began a fresh a.s.sault King. Dismay"d not this our Captaines, Macbeth and Banquoh?
Cap. Yes, as Sparrowes, Eagles; Or the Hare, the Lyon: If I say sooth, I must report they were As Cannons ouer-charg"d with double Cracks, So they doubly redoubled stroakes vpon the Foe: Except they meant to bathe in reeking Wounds, Or memorize another Golgotha, I cannot tell: but I am faint, My Gashes cry for helpe King. So well thy words become thee, as thy wounds, They smack of Honor both: Goe get him Surgeons.
Enter Rosse and Angus.
Who comes here?
Mal. The worthy Thane of Rosse Lenox. What a haste lookes through his eyes?
So should he looke, that seemes to speake things strange Rosse. G.o.d saue the King
King. Whence cam"st thou, worthy Thane?
Rosse. From Fiffe, great King, Where the Norweyan Banners flowt the Skie, And fanne our people cold.
Norway himselfe, with terrible numbers, a.s.sisted by that most disloyall Traytor, The Thane of Cawdor, began a dismall Conflict, Till that Bellona"s Bridegroome, lapt in proofe, Confronted him with selfe-comparisons, Point against Point, rebellious Arme "gainst Arme, Curbing his lauish spirit: and to conclude, The Victorie fell on vs King. Great happinesse
Rosse. That now Sweno, the Norwayes King, Craues composition: Nor would we deigne him buriall of his men, Till he disbursed, at Saint Colmes ynch, Ten thousand Dollars, to our generall vse King. No more that Thane of Cawdor shall deceiue Our Bosome interest: Goe p.r.o.nounce his present death, And with his former t.i.tle greet Macbeth Rosse. Ile see it done
King. What he hath lost, n.o.ble Macbeth hath wonne.
Exeunt.
Scena Tertia.
Thunder. Enter the three Witches.
1. Where hast thou beene, Sister? 2. Killing Swine
3. Sister, where thou?
1. A Saylors Wife had Chestnuts in her Lappe, And mouncht, & mouncht, and mouncht: Giue me, quoth I.
Aroynt thee, Witch, the rumpe-fed Ronyon cryes.
Her Husband"s to Aleppo gone, Master o"th" Tiger: But in a Syue Ile thither sayle, And like a Rat without a tayle, Ile doe, Ile doe, and Ile doe 2. Ile giue thee a Winde
1. Th"art kinde
3. And I another
1. I my selfe haue all the other, And the very Ports they blow, All the Quarters that they know, I"th" Ship-mans Card.
Ile dreyne him drie as Hay: Sleepe shall neyther Night nor Day Hang vpon his Pent-house Lid: He shall liue a man forbid: Wearie Seu"nights, nine times nine, Shall he dwindle, peake, and pine: Though his Barke cannot be lost, Yet it shall be Tempest-tost.
Looke what I haue 2. Shew me, shew me
1. Here I haue a Pilots Thumbe, Wrackt, as homeward he did come.
Drum within.
3. A Drumme, a Drumme: Macbeth doth come All. The weyward Sisters, hand in hand, Posters of the Sea and Land, Thus doe goe, about, about, Thrice to thine, and thrice to mine, And thrice againe, to make vp nine.
Peace, the Charme"s wound vp.
Enter Macbeth and Banquo.
Macb. So foule and faire a day I haue not seene
Banquo. How farre is"t call"d to Soris? What are these, So wither"d, and so wilde in their attyre, That looke not like th" Inhabitants o"th" Earth, And yet are on"t? Liue you, or are you aught That man may question? you seeme to vnderstand me, By each at once her choppie finger laying Vpon her skinnie Lips: you should be Women, And yet your Beards forbid me to interprete That you are so Mac. Speake if you can: what are you?
1. All haile Macbeth, haile to thee Thane of Glamis 2. All haile Macbeth, haile to thee Thane of Cawdor
3. All haile Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter
Banq. Good Sir, why doe you start, and seeme to feare Things that doe sound so faire? i"th" name of truth Are ye fantasticall, or that indeed Which outwardly ye shew? My n.o.ble Partner You greet with present Grace, and great prediction Of n.o.ble hauing, and of Royall hope, That he seemes wrapt withall: to me you speake not.
If you can looke into the Seedes of Time, And say, which Graine will grow, and which will not, Speake then to me, who neyther begge, nor feare Your fauors, nor your hate 1. Hayle
2. Hayle
3. Hayle
1. Lesser than Macbeth, and greater
2. Not so happy, yet much happyer
3. Thou shalt get Kings, though thou be none: So all haile Macbeth, and Banquo
1. Banquo, and Macbeth, all haile
Macb. Stay you imperfect Speakers, tell me more: By Sinells death, I know I am Thane of Glamis, But how, of Cawdor? the Thane of Cawdor liues A prosperous Gentleman: And to be King, Stands not within the prospect of beleefe, No more then to be Cawdor. Say from whence You owe this strange Intelligence, or why Vpon this blasted Heath you stop our way With such Prophetique greeting?
Speake, I charge you.
Witches vanish.
Banq. The Earth hath bubbles, as the Water ha"s, And these are of them: whither are they vanish"d?
Macb. Into the Ayre: and what seem"d corporall, Melted, as breath into the Winde.
Would they had stay"d Banq. Were such things here, as we doe speake about?
Or haue we eaten on the insane Root, That takes the Reason Prisoner?
Macb. Your Children shall be Kings Banq. You shall be King
Macb. And Thane of Cawdor too: went it not so?
Banq. Toth" selfe-same tune and words: who"s here?
Enter Rosse and Angus.
Rosse. The King hath happily receiu"d, Macbeth, The newes of thy successe: and when he reades Thy personall Venture in the Rebels sight, His Wonders and his Prayses doe contend, Which should be thine, or his: silenc"d with that, In viewing o"re the rest o"th" selfe-same day, He findes thee in the stout Norweyan Rankes, Nothing afeard of what thy selfe didst make Strange Images of death, as thick as Tale Can post with post, and euery one did beare Thy prayses in his Kingdomes great defence, And powr"d them downe before him Ang. Wee are sent, To giue thee from our Royall Master thanks, Onely to harrold thee into his sight, Not pay thee Rosse. And for an earnest of a greater Honor, He bad me, from him, call thee Thane of Cawdor: In which addition, haile most worthy Thane, For it is thine Banq. What, can the Deuill speake true?
Macb. The Thane of Cawdor liues: Why doe you dresse me in borrowed Robes?
Ang. Who was the Thane, liues yet, But vnder heauie Iudgement beares that Life, Which he deserues to loose.
Whether he was combin"d with those of Norway, Or did lyne the Rebell with hidden helpe, And vantage; or that with both he labour"d In his Countreyes wracke, I know not: But Treasons Capitall, confess"d, and prou"d, Haue ouerthrowne him Macb. Glamys, and Thane of Cawdor: The greatest is behinde. Thankes for your paines.
Doe you not hope your Children shall be Kings, When those that gaue the Thane of Cawdor to me, Promis"d no lesse to them Banq. That trusted home, Might yet enkindle you vnto the Crowne, Besides the Thane of Cawdor. But "tis strange: And oftentimes, to winne vs to our harme, The Instruments of Darknesse tell vs Truths, Winne vs with honest Trifles, to betray"s In deepest consequence.
Cousins, a word, I pray you Macb. Two Truths are told, As happy Prologues to the swelling Act Of the Imperiall Theame. I thanke you Gentlemen: This supernaturall solliciting Cannot be ill; cannot be good.
If ill? why hath it giuen me earnest of successe, Commencing in a Truth? I am Thane of Cawdor.
If good? why doe I yeeld to that suggestion, Whose horrid Image doth vnfixe my Heire, And make my seated Heart knock at my Ribbes, Against the vse of Nature? Present Feares Are lesse then horrible Imaginings: My Thought, whose Murther yet is but fantasticall, Shakes so my single state of Man, That Function is smother"d in surmise, And nothing is, but what is not Banq. Looke how our Partner"s rapt
Macb. If Chance will haue me King, Why Chance may Crowne me, Without my stirre Banq. New Honors come vpon him Like our strange Garments, cleaue not to their mould, But with the aid of vse Macb. Come what come may, Time, and the Houre, runs through the roughest Day Banq. Worthy Macbeth, wee stay vpon your leysure
Macb. Giue me your fauour: My dull Braine was wrought with things forgotten.