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. Siw. 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 Those clamorous harbingers of blood and death. [breath, [Exeunt. Alarums continued. SCENE VII. The same. 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. Thou'lt be afraid to hear it. Yo. Siw. What is thy name? Macb. 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. i No, nor more fearful. - fight the course.] A phrase taken from bear-baiting. 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. But swords I smile at, weapons laugh to scorn, Alarums. Enter MACDUFF. [Exit.* Macd. That way the noise is:-Tyrant, show thy face: I sheathe again undeeded. There thou should'st be; Seems bruited." Let me find him, fortune! [Exit. Alarum. Enter MALCOLM and old SIWARD. Siw. This way, my lord ;-the castle's gently render'd: The tyrant's people on both sides do fight; The noble thanes do bravely in the war; The day almost itself professes yours, Macb. Why should I play the Roman fool, and die On mine own sword? whiles I see lives, the gashes Do better upon them. * Mr. Steevens has very justly remarked the injudiciousness of omitting, in representation, the above short scene between Macbeth and Siward. "It was designed by Shakspeare to show Macbeth as invincible, till he encountered the object destined for his destruction." 1 kernes,]|—are properly Irish foot soldiers, who are always represented as poor and wild. The word was also applied to other troops of the same description. bruited.] i. e. Reported with clamour, from bruit, Fr. Macd. Re-enter MACDUFF. Turn, hell-hound, turn. Macb. Of all men else I have avoided thee : But get thee back, my soul is too much charg'd Macd. My voice is in my sword; thou bloodier villain Than terms can give thee out! Macb. I have no words, [They fight. Thou losest labour: As easy may'st thou the intrenchant air" With thy keen sword impress, as make me bleed: I bear a charmed life, which must not yield To one of woman born. Macd. Despair thy charm; And let the angel, whom thou still hast serv'd, Macb. Accursed be that tongue that tells me so, And be these juggling fiends no more believ'd, That keep the word of promise to our ear, And break it to our hope.-I'll not fight with thee. And live to be the show and gaze o'the time. We'll have thee, as our rarer monsters are, Painted upon a pole; and underwrit, Here may you see the tyrant. I'll not yield, Macb. I throw my warlike shield: lay on, Macduff; n intrenchant air-] That is, air which cannot be cut. Retreat. Flourish. Re-enter with Drum and Colours, Mal. I would, the friends we miss were safe arriv'd. Mal. Macduff is missing, and your noble son. The which no sooner had his prowess confirm'd In the unshrinking station where he fought, But like a man he died. Siw. Then he is dead? Rosse. Ay, and brought off the field; your case of sorrow Must not be measur'd by his worth, for then Had I as many sons as I have hairs," I would not wish them to a fairer death : And so his knell is knoll'd. Mal. And that I'll spend for him. He's worth more sorrow, He's worth no more; Siw. They say, he parted well, and paid his score: . And so, God be with him!-Here comes newer comfort. Re-enter MACDUFF, with MACBETH's Head on a Pole." Macd. Hail, king! for so thou art: Behold where stands The usurper's cursed head: the time is free: Had I as many sons as I have hairs, &c.] "When Siward, the martial earl of Northumberland, understood that his son, whom he had sent in service against the Scotchmen, was slain, he demanded whether his wounds were in the fore or hinder part of his body. When it was answered in the fore part, he replied, "I am right glad, neither wish I other death to me or mine." This is from Henry of Huntingdon, quoted by JOHNSON. P -on a pole.] This part of the stage direction was added by Malone, from the Chronicle.-"Then, cutting his head from his shoulders, he set it upon a pole, and brought it to Malcolm." I see thee compass'd with thy kingdom's pearl, All. Hail, king of Scotland. [Flourish. Mal. We shall not spend a large expence of time, And make us even with you. My thanes and kinsmen, Of this dead butcher, and his fiend-like queen; [Flourish. Exeunt. q - thy kingdom's pearl,] Thy kingdom's pearl means thy kingdom's wealth, or rather ornament.-MALONE. r This play is deservedly celebrated for the propriety of its fictions, and solemnity, grandeur, and variety of its action; but it has no nice discriminations of character: the events are too great to admit the influence of particular dispositions, and the course of the action necessarily determines the conduct of the agents. The danger of ambition is well described; and I know not whether it may not be said, in defence of some parts which now seem improbable, that, in Shakspeare's time, it was necessary to warn credulity against vain and illusive predictions. The passions are directed to their true end. Lady Macbeth is merely detested; and though the courage of Macbeth preserves some esteem, yet every reader rejoices at his fall.-JOHNSON. |