Puslapio vaizdai
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The firftlings of my hand. And even now,

To crown my thoughts with acts, be it thought and done: The caftle of Macduff I will furprize,

Seize upon Fife, give to the edge o' th' fword

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His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate fouls

That trace him in his line. No boafting like a fool,

This deed I'll do before this purpose cool.

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But no more fights. Where are these gentlemen?
Come bring me where they are.

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Excunt.

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Enter Lady Macduff, her Son, and Roffe.

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L. Macd. What had he done, to make him fly the land Roffe. You must have patience, Madam.

L. Macd. He had none;

His flight was madnefs; when our actions do not,

Our fears do make us traitors.

Roffe. You know not,

Whether it was his wifdom, or his fear.

* R. firfiling.

y H. the for this.

fo's, R. and C. No defcription of scene in the fo's. C. A room in Macduff's

This called the fecond fcene in the cafile.

L. Macd

L. Macd. Wifdom? to leave his wife, to leave his babes, His manfion, and his titles, in a place

From whence himself does fly. He loves us not,

He wants the natural touch; for the poor wren,
The moft diminutive of birds, will fight,
Her young ones in her neft, againft the owl:
All is the fear, and nothing is the love;
As little is the wisdom, where the flight
So runs against all reafon.

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Raffe. My dearest ↳

couz,

pray you, fchool yourself; but for your husband, He is noble, wife, judicious, and best knows

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The fits o' th' feason. I dare not speak much further,
But cruel are the times, when we are traitors,.

d

And do not know ourselves: when we hold rumour

From what we fear, yet know not what we fear;

But float upon a wild and violent fea

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Each way, and move. I take my leave of you;
Shall not be long but I'll be here again:

Things at the worst will cease, or elfe climb upward
To what they were before. My pretty coufin,
Bleffing upon you!

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he's

L. Macd. Father'd he is, and yet he 's fatherles. Roffe. I am fo much a fool, fhould I stay longer, It would be my disgrace, and your discomfort.

I take iny leave at once.

a P. and H. omit My.

b P. and all after, except C. coufin for

* P. and H. time for feafon.

[Exit Roffe.

d H. Anotu's for new.

e C. And move each way.
H. 'Tall for Sball.

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L. Macd. Sirrah, your father's dead,

And what will you do now? how will you live?

Son. As birds do, mother.

L. Macd. What,

with worms and flies?

Son. With what I get, I mean; and fo do they.

L. Macd. Poor bird! thou 'dft never fear the net, nor

i lime,

The pit-fall nor the gin.

Son. Why fhould I, mother? poor birds they are not fet

for.

*My father is not dead for all your faying.

L. Macd. Yes, he is dead; how wilt thou do for a father?

Son. Nay, how will you do for a husband?

L. Macd. Why, I can buy me twenty at any market. Son. Then you'll m 'Ilm buy 'em to fell again. L. Macd. Thou speak'ft with all thy wit, And yet i' faith with wit enough for thee. Son. Was my father a traitor, mother? L. Macd. Ay, that he was.

Son. What is a traitor?

L. Macd. Why, one that fwears, and lies.

Son. And be all traitors that do fo?

L. Macd. Every one that does fo, is a traitor, and must be hang'd.

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Son. And muft they all be hang'd that fwear and lie?

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Son. Then the liars and fwearers are fools; for there are liars and fwearers enow to beat the honeft men, and hang up them.

L. Macd. Now God help thee, poor monkey! But how wilt thou do for a father?

Son. If he were dead, you'd weep for him; if you would not, it were a good fign that I should quickly have a new father.

L. Macd. Poor prattler, how thou talk'st!

Enter a Meffenger.

Mef. Bless you, fair dame! I am not to you known, Though in your state of honour I am perfect;

I doubt, fome danger does approach you nearly.

If

you will take a homely man's advice,

Be not found here; hence with your little ones.
To fright you thus, methinks, I ain too favage;
To do worse to you were fell cruelty,

Which is too nigh your perfon. Heaven preferve you!
I dare abide no longer.

L. Macd. Whither fhould I fly?

L

[Exit Meffenger.

I have done no harm. But I remember now,

I am in this earthly world, where to do harm
Is often laudable; to do good, fometime

The two laft fo's, R. P. and H. omit New. mit the.

P_H. and C. less for worfe ; W. war

Accounted

• The laft f, and all after, except C. ship, i. e. pay observance.

G 3

Accounted dangerous folly. Why then, alas!
Do I put up that womanly defence,

To fay, I have done no harm?What are thefe faces?
Euter Murtherers.

Mur. Where is your husband?

L. Macd. I hope, in no place fo unfanctified, Where fuch as thou may'ft find him.

Mur. He's a traitor.

Son. Thou ly'ft, thou fhag-ear'd villain.

Mur. What, you egg?

Young fry of treachery?

Son. He has kill'd me, mother,

Run away, I pray you.

t

[Stabbing him.

[Exit L. Macduff, crying Murther; Mur

therers purfue her.

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Enter Malcolm and Macduff.

Malt. Let us feek out fome defolate fhade, and there Weep our fad bofois empty,

Macd. Let us rather'

So the firft f. and 0; the reft, bad fpeech, it would feem as if he (who is for bave.

1.

r No direction in the fo's.

s P. and all after, except C. omit

t So T. and all after; all before, direct thus, Exit, crying Murther. But by placing this direction after the fon's

flain) was to go out, crying Murther, which is abfurd.

u This is the third scene in the fo's, R. and C. No defçription of the scene in the fo's. C. calls it a room in the palace,

Hold

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