From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth,
Lives in the English court; and is received
Of the most pious Edward with such grace,
That the malevolence of fortune nothing
Takes from his high respect; thither Macduff
Is gone to pray the holy king, upon his aid
To wake Northumberland, and warlike Siward:
That, by the help of these, (with Him above
To ratify the work,) we may again

Give to our tables meat, sleep to our nights;
Free from our feasts and banquets bloody knives;
Do faithful homage, and receive free honours ;-
All which we pine for now: and this report
Hath so exasperate the king, that he

Prepares for some attempt of war.

Len.

Sent he to Macduff?

Lord. He did: and with an absolute, Sir, not I, The cloudy messenger turns me his back,

And hums; as who should say, You'll rue the

time

That clogs me with this answer.

Len. And that well might Advise him to a caution, to hold what distance His wisdom can provide. Some holy angel Fly to the court of England, and unfold His message ere he come; that a swift blessing May soon return to this our suffering country Under a hand accursed!

Lord.

I'll send my prayers with him!

[Exeunt.

ACT IV.

SCENE I.-A dark Cave. In the middle, a Cauldron boiling. Thunder.

Enter the three Witches.

I Witch.

HRICE the brinded cat hath mew'd.
2 Witch. Thrice; and once the hedge-
pig whined.

3 Witch. Harpier cries :-'tis time, 'tis time.

I Witch. Round about the cauldron go;
In the poison'd entrails throw.
Toad, that under cold stone,
Days and nights hast thirty-one
Swelter'd venom sleeping got,
Boil thou first i' the charmed pot!
All. Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire, burn; and, cauldron, bubble.
2 Witch. Fillet of a fenny snake,

In the cauldron boil and bake:
Eye of newt, and toe of frog,
Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting,
Lizard's leg, and owlet's wing,
For a charm of powerful trouble;
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.
All. Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire, burn; and, cauldron, bubble.
3 Witch. Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf;
Witches' mummy; maw, and gulf,
Of the ravin'd salt-sea shark;
Root of hemlock, digg'd i' the dark;

Liver of blaspheming Jew;
Gall of goat, and slips of yew,
Sliver'd in the moon's eclipse;
Nose of Turk, and Tartar's lips;
Finger of birth-strangled babe,
Ditch-deliver'd by a drab,-
Make the gruel thick and slab ;
Add thereto a tiger's chaudron,
For the ingredients of our cauldron.
All. Double, double toil and trouble;

Fire, burn; and, cauldron, bubble. 2 Witch. Cool it with a baboon's blood, Then the charm is firm and good.

Enter HECATE, to the other three Witches. Hec. O, well done! I commend your pains; And every one shall share i' the gains, And now about the cauldron sing, Like elves and fairies in a ring, Enchanting all that you put in.

SONG.

Black spirits and white,
Red spirits and gray;
Mingle, mingle, mingle,
You that mingle may.

2 Witch. By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes :Open, locks, whoever knocks.

Enter MACBETH.

Macb. How now, you secret, 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,) answer me : Though you untie the winds, and let them fight Against the churches: though the yesty waves Confound and swallow navigation up;

Though bladed corn be lodged, and trees blown down;

Though castles topple on their warders' heads;
Though palaces, and pyramids, do slope
Their heads to their foundations; though the

treasure

Of nature's germins tumble all together,
Even till destruction sicken, answer me
To what I ask you.

I Witch.

2 Witch.

3 Witch.

Speak.

Demand.

We'll answer.

I Witch. Say, if thou'dst rather hear it from

our mouths,

Or from our masters'?

Macb.

Call them, let me see them.

I Witch. Pour in sow's blood, that hath

eaten

Her nine farrow; grease, that's sweaten

From the murderer's gibbet, throw

Into the flame.

All.

Come, high, or low;

Thyself, and office, deftly show.

Thunder. An Apparition of an armed Head rises.

Macb. Tell me, thou unknown power,

I Witch.

He knows thy thought;

Hear his speech, but say thou nought.

App. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! beware

Macduff;

Beware the thane of Fife.-Dismiss me:

enough.

[Descends.

Macb. Whate'er thou art, for thy good caution,

thanks;

Thou hast harp'd my fear aright.—But one word

more:

I Witch. He will not be commanded: here's another,

More potent than the first.

Thunder. An Apparition of a bloody Child rises. App.

Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth !

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

App. Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to

scorn

The power of man, for none of woman born
Shall harm Macbeth.

[Descends. Mach. Then live, Macduff. What need I fear of thee?

But yet I'll make assurance double sure,
And take a bond of fate: thou shalt not live;
That I may tell pale-hearted fear it lies,
And sleep in spite of thunder.-What is this,

Thunder. An Apparition of a Child crowned, with a tree in his hand, rises.

That rises like the issue of a king;

And wears upon his baby brow the round

And top of sovereignty?

All.

Listen, but speak not to't.

App. Be lion-mettled, proud; and take no

care

Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers

are:

Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be, until

Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill
Shall come against him.

Macb.

[Descends.

That will never be ;