Β Ε Τ

The * firstlings of my hand. And even now,
To crown my thoughts with acts

, be it thought and done:
The castle of Macduf I will surprize,
Seize upon Fife, give to the edge o' th’ sword
His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls
That trace him in his lire. No boasting like a fool,
This deed I 'll do before Y this purpose cool.
But no more fights. - Where are these gentlemen ?
Come bring me where they are.

[ Exeunt.

Enter Lady Macduff

, her Son, and Rosle.

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 madness ; when our actions do not,
Our fears do make us traitors.

Roffe. You know not,
Whether it was his wisdom, or his fear.

L. Macd. Wisdom ? 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 most diminutive of birds, will fight, Her young ones in her nest, again't the owl: All is the fear, and nothing is the love; As little is the wisdom, where the flight So runs againft all reason.

Raffe. - My deareft couž, 1

pray you, schocl yourself; but for your husband,
He is noble, wise, judicious, and best knows
The fits o'th': season. I dare not speak much further,
But cruel are the times, when we are traitors,
And do not know ourselves : when we hold rumour
From what we fcar, yet know not what we fear;
But float upon a wild and violent sea
• 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 else climb upward
To what they were before. My pretty cousin,
Bleffing upon you!

L. Macd. Father'd he is, and yet he's fatherlels.

Rolle. I am so inucli a fool, should I stay longer,
It would be my disgrace, and your discomfort:
I take iny leave at once.

(Exit Rostes

· P. and H. omit My.

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

Ć P. and H. time for season.

ď H. Anoto's for a new.
e C. Ard move cacb way.
( H. 'Tjall for Sball.

G2

L. Macd.

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

i lime,

The pit-fall nor the gin.
Son. Why should I, mother? poor birds they are not set

for. * My father is not dead for all your saying. L. Macd. Yes, he is dead; how wilt thou do' for a fa

ther?
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 buy 'em to fell again. L. Macd. Thou speak'st with all thy wit, And yet i' faith with wit enough for thee.

Son. Was iny father a traitor, mother?
L. Macd. Ay, that he was.
Son. What is a traitor?
L. Macd. Why, one that swears, and lics.
Son. And be all traitors that do fo?
L. Macd. Every, one that does so, is a traitor, and must

be hang’d.

ing.

& P. and all after, except Č. on for i The three lat fo's, R. P. and C. witb. Wilb has here the same mean- line,

k Co adds Bur before My. h The three last fo's, R. P. and H.

1 After do C. inserts now. emit I mean

. The two first fo's, by for buy,

Son,

Son. And must they all be hang'd that fwear and lie?
L. Macd. Every one.
Son. Who must hang them?
L. Macb. Why, the honeft men.

Son. Then the liars and swearers are fools; for there are liars and swearers enow to beat the honest inen, 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 sign that I should quickly have a new father. L. Macd. Poor prattler, how thou talk'st!

Enter a Messenger.
Mef. Bless you, fair dame! I am not to you known,
Though in your state of honour

state of honour I am perfect;
I doubt, some 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 P worse to you were fell cruelty,
Which is too nigh your person. Heaven preserve you !
I dare abide no longer.

[Exit Messenger.
L. Macd. Whither should I fly?
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, sometime

1 # The two last fo's, R. P. and H. omit Now.. onit tbe.

P H. and C. less for worfe ; W. warn • The lak f, and all after, except C. foip, i. c. pay observance.

G3

Accounted

Accounted dangerous folly. Why then, alas !
Do I put up that womanly defence,
To say, I ! have done ro harm? - What are these faces?

Euter Murther ers.
Mur. Where is your husband

L. Macd. I hope, in no place so unfanctified,
Where such as thou may'st find him.

Mur. He's a traitor,

Son, Thou ly'st, thou shag-eard yillain. · Mur. What, you egg?

[' Stabbing hin. Young fry of treachery?

Son. He has kill'd me, mother, Run away, I pray you,

'[Exit L. Macduff, crying Murther; Mur,

therers pursue her.

a

Enter Malcolm and Macduff.
Makt. Let us feek out fome desolate fhadę, and there
Weep our fad bosoins empty,

Macd. Let us rather'

9 So the firft f. and O; the rest, bad speech, it would seem as if he (who is for bave.

fain) was to go out, crying Murther, r No direction in the fo's.

which is absurd. s P. and all after, except C. omit u This is the third scene in the fo's, 1.

R. and C. No defçription of the scene So T. and all after.; all before di- in the fo's. C. calls it a room in the set thus, Exit, crying Muriber. But palace, by placing this direction after the lon's

Hold