SCENE II.

Enter Macbeth.

Macb. How now, you fecret, black, and midnight hags? What is 't you do?

All. A deed without a name.

Mach. I conjure you, by that which you profess,

(Howe'er you come to know it) anfwer me.

Though you untie the winds, and let them fight

Against the churches; though the yefty waves
Confound and swallow navigation up;

Though bladed corn be lodg'd, and trees blown down;
Though caftles topple on their warders' heads;
Though palaces and pyramids do flope

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

Even till deftruction ficken: anfwer me

1 Witch. Say, if th' hadft rather hear it from our mouths, Or from our mafters ?

The fo's and R. Germain; P. Germains, Germina, i. e. feeds, is T.'s

emendation.

The fo's and R. altogether.

Macb.

Macb. Call 'em: let me fee 'em.

1 Witch. Pour in fow's blood, that hath eaten Her nine farrow; greafe, that's sweaten

From the murtherer's gibbet, throw

Into the flame.

All. Come high or low:

Thyself and office f deftly fhow.

Apparition of an armed head rifes.

Mach. Tell me, thou unknown power

I Witch. He knows thy thought: Hear his fpeech, but fay thou nought.

[Thunders

App. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! beware Macduff! Beware the Thane of Fife-difmifs me-enough.

[Defcends Mach. Whate'er thou art, for thy good caution, thanks. Thou haft harp'd my fear aright. But one word more— 1 Witch. He will not be commanded. Here's another

Apparition of a bloody child arises.

App. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!

Macb. Had I three ears, I'd hear thee.

[Thunder:

App. Be bloody, bold, and refolute; laugh to fcorn power of man; for none of woman born

The

Shall harm Macbeth.

[Defcends

Mach. Then live, Macduff; what need I fear of thee?

But yet I'll make affurance double fure,

And take a bond of fate; thou shalt not live,

That I may tell pale-hearted fear, it lies;

And fleep in fpight of thunder.

[Thunderse

Apparition of a child crowned, with a tree in his hand, rifes.

What is this,

That rifes like the iffue of a king,

And wears upon his baby brow the round

And top of fovereignty?

All Liften, but speak not to 't.

App. Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care Who chafes, who frets, or where confpirers are: Macbeth hall never vanquish'd be, until

h

Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill

Shall come against him.

Macb. That will never be:

Who can imprefs the foreft, bid the tree

[Defcends.

Unfix his earth-bound root? Sweet boadments! good!
*Rebellious head, rife never, 'till the wood
Of Birnam rife, and our high-plac'd Macbeth
Shall live the leafe of nature, pay his breath
To time and mortal cuftom. Yet my heart
Throbs to know one thing; tell me, (if your art
Can tell fo much) fhall Banquo's issue ever

Reign in this kingdom?

All. Seek to know no more.

Mach. I will be fatisfied. Deny me this,

[The cauldron finks into the ground.

And an eternal curfe fall on you!

Let me know,

Why finks that cauldron, and what noife is this? ["Hautboys.

P. and all after omit to't.

h P. and all after, to Dunfinane's

(C. Dunfinane) bigh bill, &c.

i Firat f. Dunfmane.

k H. Rebellion's head, &c.

1 All before T. dead for bead.

m This direction not in the fo's.

A C. [Horrid mufic.

1 Witch.

1 Witch. Shew!

2. Witch. Shew!

3 Witch. Shew!

All. Shew his eyes, and grieve his heart; Come like fhadows, fo depart.

[° Eight kings appear and pass over in order, the last with a glafs in his hand; Banquo following.

Mach. Thou art too like the fpirit of Banquo: Down! Thy crown does fear mine eye-balls. And thy P hair, Thou other gold-bound brow, is like the first

A third is like the former-Filthy hags!

Why do you fhew me this?-A fourth ?-Start, eyes!
What, will the line ftretch out to th' crack of doom?-
Another yet?-A feventh ?-I'll fee no more-

And yet the eighth appears, who bears a glass,
Which fhews me many more; and fome I fee,
That twofold balls and treble fcepters carry.

Horrible fight! now I fee 'tis true;

For the blood-bolter'd Banquo fmiles upon me,
And points at them for his. What? is this fo?

1 Witch. Ay, Sir, all this is fo. But why Stands Macbeth thus amazedly?

• The fo's, Afber of eight kings, and Banquo laft, with a glafs in bis band. The eighth line of the following speech will fhew the neceffity of the above emendation, which was aim'd to be made by T. But he unfortunately puts the glass into the hand of Banque still, though he meant that the eighth king

fhould hold it: For he directs [Fight kings appear and pass over in order, and Banquo; the laft, with a glass in bis band.

P W. and J. air for bair.

9 So the first f. and C; the reft, eye, P. and all after infert nay before

now.

Come,

Come, fifters, chear we up his fprights,
Aud fhew the beft of our delights;

I'll charm the air to give a found,
While you perform your antick round,
That this great king may kindly fay,

Our duties did his welcome

pay.

[Mufic

[The witches dance, and vanifh.

Mach. Where are they? gone?-Let this pernicious hour

Stand ay accurfed in the kalendar.

Come in, without there!

t

Enter Lenox.

Len. What's yout Grace's will?
Mach. Saw you the weird fifters?
Len. No, my Lord.

Mach. Came they not by you?

Len. No indeed, my Lord.

Mach. Infected be the air whereon they ride,

And damn'd all thofe that truft 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. Fled to England?

Len. Ay, my good Lord.

Macb. "Time, thou anticipat'ft my dread exploits:

The flighty purpose never is o'ertook,

Unless the deed go with it. From this moment,

The very firftlings of my heart fhall be

s All before T. antique.

The 2d and 3d fo's and R. wizard

the 4th f. wizards.

F. here directs, [Afide. w The three laft fo's and R. firfiling.

G

The