Lady M.

Did you send to him, sir?
130 Macb. I hear it by the way; but I will send :
There's not a one of them, but in his house
I keep a servant fee'd. I will to-morrow
(And betimes I will) unto the weird sisters:
More shall they speak; for now I am bent to know,
By the worst means, the worst: for mine own good
All causes shall give way; I am in blood

Stepp'd in so far that, should I wade no more,
Returning were as tedious as go o'er:

Strange things I have in head that will to hand; 140 Which must be acted ere they may be scann'd.

Lady M. You lack the season of all natures, sleep. Macb. Come, we'll to sleep. My strange and selfabuse

Is the initiate fear that wants hard use: —

We are yet but young in deed.

SCENE V

The Heath. Thunder

[Exeunt.

Enter HECATE, meeting the three Witches

1 Witch. Why, how now, Hecate ? you look angerly. Hec. Have I not reason, beldams as you are,

Saucy and over-bold?

How did

you

dare

To trade and traffic with Macbeth

In riddles and affairs of death;
And I, the mistress of your charms,
The close contriver of all harms,
Was never call'd to bear my part,
Or show the glory of our art?

And, which is worse, all you have done
Hath been but for a wayward son,

Spiteful and wrathful; who, as others do,
Loves for his own ends, not for you.

But make amends now: get you gone,
And at the pit of Acheron

Meet me i' the morning; thither he
Will come to know his destiny.
Your vessels and your spells provide,
Your charms and everything beside:
I am for the air; this night I'll spend
Unto a dismal and a fatal end.

Great business must be wrought ere noon:
Upon the corner of the moon

There hangs a vaporous drop profound;
I'll catch it ere it come to ground;
And that, distill'd by magic sleights,
Shall raise such artificial sprites

As, by the strength of their illusion,
Shall draw him on to his confusion:

30 He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear
His hopes 'bove wisdom, grace, and fear:
And you all know security

Is mortal's chiefest enemy.

SONG. [Within.] Come away, come away, &c.

Hark, I am call'd; my little spirit, see,
Sits in a foggy cloud, and stays for me.

[Exit.

1 Witch. Come, let's make haste: she'll soon be

back again.

SCENE VI

[Exeunt.

Forres. A Room in the Palace

Enter LENNOX and another Lord

Len. My former speeches have but hit your thoughts,

Which can interpret farther: only, I say,

Things have been strangely borne. The gracious

Duncan

Was pitied of Macbeth,

marry, he was dead:

And the right-valiant Banquo walked too late:

Whom, you may say, if't please you, Fleance kill'd,

For Fleance fled. Men must not walk too late;
Who can now want the thought, how monstrous
It was for Malcolm and for Donalbain,

To kill their gracious father? damnèd fact !
How it did grieve Macbeth! did he not straight
In pious rage the two delinquents tear,

That were the slaves of drink and thralls of sleep?
Was that not nobly done? Ay, and wisely too;
For 'twould have anger'd any heart alive
To hear the men deny it. So that, I say,

He has borne all things well: and I do think,
That, had he Duncan's sons under his key

(As, an't please heaven, he shall not) they should find
What 'twere to kill a father; so should Fleance.
But, peace! -for from broad words and 'cause he
fail'd

His presence at the tyrant's feast, I hear
Macduff lives in disgrace: sir, can you tell

Where he bestows himself?

Lord.

The son of Duncan,

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

10

20

30 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

40

Give to our tables meat, sleep to our nights;
Keep from our feasts and banquets bloody knives,
Do faithful homage and receive free honors;
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.