SCENE IV. Country near Dunsinane: A Wood in view. Enter, with Drum and Colours, MALCOLM, old SIWARD and his Son, MACDUFF, MENTETH, CATHNESS, ANGUS, LENOX, ROSSE, and Soldiers, marching. Mal. Cousins, I hope, the days are near at hand That chambers will be safe. Ment. We doubt it nothing. Siw. What wood is this before us? The wood of Birnam. Mal. Let every soldier hew him down a bough, And bear't before him; thereby shall we shadow The numbers of our host, and make discovery Err in report of us. Sold. It shall be done. Siw. We learn no other, but the confident tyrant Keeps still in Dunsinane, and will endure Our setting down before't. Mal. 'Tis his main hope: For where there is advantage to be given, Both more and less 7 have given him the revolt; And none serve with him but constrained things, Whose hearts are absent too. Macd. Attend the true event, and put we on Industrious soldiership. Siw. Let our just censures The time approaches, That will with due decision make us know 7 i. e. Greater and less. What we shall say we have, and what we owe. Towards which, advance the war. [Exeunt, marching. SCENE V. Dunsinane. Within the Castle. Enter, with Drums and Colours, MACBETH, SEYTON, and Soldiers. Macb. Hang out our banners on the outward walls; The cry is still, They come: Our castle's strength Will laugh a siege to scorn: here let them lie, Till famine, and the ague, eat them up: noise? Were they not forc'd with those that should be ours, As life were in't: I have supp'd full with horrors; Macb. She should have died hereafter; Creeps in this petty pace from day to day, The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! And then is heard no more:' it is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Enter a Messenger. Thou com'st to use thy tongue; thy story quickly. Mess. Gracious my lord, I shall report that which I But know not how to do it. Macb. say I saw, Well, say, sir. Mess. As I did stand my watch upon the hill, I look'd toward Birnam, and anon, methought, The wood began to move. Macb. Liar, and slave! [Striking him. Mess. Let me endure your wrath, if't be not so: Within this three mile may you see it coming; I say, a moving grove. Macb: If thou speak'st false, Upon the next tree shalt thou hang alive, Till famine cling' thee: if thy speech be sooth, I care not if thou dost for me as much. I pull in resolution; and begin To doubt the equivocation of the fiend, That lies like truth: Fear not, till Birnam wood Shrivel. Do come to Dunsinane;-and now a wood Comes toward Dunsinane.-Arm, arm, and out!— I'gin to be a-weary of the sun, And wish the estate o'the world were now undone.Ring the alarum bell:-Blow, wind! come, wrack! At least we'll die with harness 2 on our back. [Exeunt. SCENE VI. The same. A plain before the Castle. Enter, with Drums and Colours, MALCOLM, old SIWARD, MACDUFF, &c. and their Army, with Boughs Mal. Now near enough; your leavy screens throw down, And show like those you are :-You, worthy uncle, Shall, with my cousin, your right-noble son, Lead our first battle: worthy Macduff, and we, Shall take upon us what else remains to do, According to our order. Siwa Fare you well.— Do we but find the tyrant's power to-night, Let us be beaten, if we cannot fight. Macd. Make all our trumpets speak; give them all breath, Those clamorous harbingers of blood and death. [Exeunt. Alarums continued. 2 Armour. The same. SCENE VII. Another Part of the Plain. Enter MACBETH. Macb. They have tied me to a stake; I cannot fly, But, bear-like, I must fight the course.-What's he, That was not born of woman? Such a one Am I to fear, or none. Enter young SIWARD. Yo. Siw. What is thy name? Macb. Thou'lt be afraid to hear it. Yo. Siw. No; though thou call'st thyself a hotter name Than any is in hell. Macb. My name's Macbeth. Yo. Siw. The devil himself could not pronounce a title More hateful to mine ear. Macb. No, nor more fearful. Yo. Siw. Thou liest, abhorred tyrant; with my sword I'll prove the lie thou speak'st. Macb. [They fight, and young Siward is slain. Thou wast born of woman. But swords I smile at, weapons laugh to scorn, Brandish'd by man that's of a woman born. [Exit. VOL. IV. |