FIRST WITCH

  When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?

SECOND WITCH

  When the hurly-burly’s done, When the battle’s lost and won.

THIRD WITCH

 

5

 That will be ere the set of sun.

FIRST WITCH

  Where the place?

SECOND WITCH

   Upon the heath.

THIRD WITCH

  There to meet with Macbeth.

FIRST WITCH

  I come, Graymalkin.

⌜SECOND WITCH⌝

  

10Paddock calls.

⌜THIRD WITCH⌝

  Anon.

ALL

  Fair is foul, and foul is fair; Hover through the fog and filthy air.

p. 9

Scene 2

Alarum within. Enter King ⌜Duncan,⌝ Malcolm,
Donalbain, Lennox, with Attendants, meeting a bleeding
Captain.

DUNCAN

  What bloody man is that? He can report, As seemeth by his plight, of the revolt The newest state.

MALCOLM

   This is the sergeant

5

 Who, like a good and hardy soldier, fought ’Gainst my captivity.—Hail, brave friend! Say to the King the knowledge of the broil As thou didst leave it.

CAPTAIN

  Doubtful it stood,

10

 As two spent swimmers that do cling together And choke their art. The merciless Macdonwald (Worthy to be a rebel, for to that The multiplying villainies of nature Do swarm upon him) from the Western Isles

15

 Of kerns and ⌜gallowglasses⌝ is supplied; And Fortune, on his damnèd ⌜quarrel⌝ smiling, Showed like a rebel’s whore. But all’s too weak; For brave Macbeth (well he deserves that name), Disdaining Fortune, with his brandished steel,

20

 Which smoked with bloody execution, Like Valor’s minion, carved out his passage Till he faced the slave; Which ne’er shook hands, nor bade farewell to him, Till he unseamed him from the nave to th’ chops,

25

 And fixed his head upon our battlements.

DUNCAN

  O valiant cousin, worthy gentleman!

CAPTAIN

  As whence the sun ’gins his reflection Shipwracking storms and direful thunders ⌜break,⌝

p. 11

 So from that spring whence comfort seemed to

30

 come Discomfort swells. Mark, King of Scotland, mark: No sooner justice had, with valor armed, Compelled these skipping kerns to trust their heels, But the Norweyan lord, surveying vantage,

35

 With furbished arms and new supplies of men, Began a fresh assault.

DUNCAN

  Dismayed not this our captains, Macbeth and Banquo?

CAPTAIN

  Yes, as sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion.

40

 If I say sooth, I must report they were As cannons overcharged with double cracks, So they doubly redoubled strokes upon the foe. Except they meant to bathe in reeking wounds Or memorize another Golgotha,

45

 I cannot tell— But I am faint. My gashes cry for help.

DUNCAN

  So well thy words become thee as thy wounds: They smack of honor both.—Go, get him surgeons.

⌜The Captain is led off by Attendants.⌝

Enter Ross and Angus.
Who comes here?

MALCOLM

  

50

 The worthy Thane of Ross.

LENNOX

  What a haste looks through his eyes! So should he look that seems to speak things strange.

ROSS

  God save the King.

DUNCAN

  

55Whence cam’st thou, worthy thane?

ROSS

  From Fife, great king, Where the Norweyan banners flout the sky

p. 13

 And fan our people cold. Norway himself, with terrible numbers,

60

 Assisted by that most disloyal traitor, The Thane of Cawdor, began a dismal conflict, Till that Bellona’s bridegroom, lapped in proof, Confronted him with self-comparisons, Point against point, rebellious arm ’gainst arm,

65

 Curbing his lavish spirit. And to conclude, The victory fell on us.

DUNCAN

   Great happiness!

ROSS

  That now Sweno, The Norways’ king, craves composition.

70

 Nor would we deign him burial of his men Till he disbursèd at Saint Colme’s Inch Ten thousand dollars to our general use.

DUNCAN

  No more that Thane of Cawdor shall deceive Our bosom interest. Go, pronounce his present

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 death, And with his former title greet Macbeth.

ROSS

  I’ll see it done.

DUNCAN

  What he hath lost, noble Macbeth hath won.

Scene 3