1686Macb. Saw you the Weyard Sisters?

1687Lenox. No my Lord.

1688Macb. Came they not by you?

1689Lenox. No indeed my Lord.

1690Macb. Infected be the Ayre whereon they ride,

1691And damn'd all those that trust them. I did heare

1692The gallopping of Horse. Who was't came by?

1693Len. 'Tis two or three my Lord, that bring you word:

1694Macduff is fled to England.

1695Macb. Fled to England?

1696Len. I, my good Lord.

1697Macb. Time, thou anticipat'st my dread exploits:

1698The flighty purpose neuer is o're-tooke

1699Vnlesse the deed go with it. From this moment,

1700The very firstlings of my heart shall be

1701The firstlings of my hand. And euen now

1702To Crown my thoughts with Acts: be it thoght & done:

1703The Castle of Macduff, I will surprize,

1704Seize vpon Fife; giue to th' edge o'th'Sword

1705His Wife, his Babes, and all vnfortunate Soules

1706That trace him in his Line. No boasting like a Foole,

1707This deed Ile do, before this purpose coole,

1708But no more sights. Where are these Gentlemen?

1709Come bring me where they are. Exeunt

1712Wife. What had he done, to make him fly the Land?

1713Rosse. You must haue patience Madam.

1714Wife. He had none:

1715His flight was madnesse: when our Actions do not,

1716Our feares do make vs Traitors.

1717Rosse. You know not

1718Whether it was his wisedome, or his feare.

1719Wife. Wisedom? to leaue his wife, to leaue his Babes,

1720His Mansion, and his Titles, in a place

1721From whence himselfe do's flye? He loues vs not,

1722He wants the naturall touch. For the poore Wren

1723(The most diminitiue of Birds) will fight,

1724Her yong ones in her Nest, against the Owle:

1725All is the Feare, and nothing is the Loue;

1726As little is the Wisedome, where the flight

1727So runnes against all reason.

1728Rosse. My deerest Cooz,

1729I pray you schoole your selfe. But for your Husband,

1730He is Noble, Wise, Iudicious, and best knowes

1731The fits o'th'Season. I dare not speake much further,

1732But cruell are the times, when we are Traitors

1733And do not know our selues: when we hold Rumor

1734From what we feare, yet know not what we feare,

1735But floate vpon a wilde and violent Sea

1736Each way, and moue. I take my leaue of you:

1737Shall not be long but Ile be heere againe:

1738Things at the worst will cease, or else climbe vpward,

1739To what they were before. My pretty Cosine,

1740Blessing vpon you.

1741Wife. Father'd he is,

1742And yet hee's Father-lesse.

1743Rosse. I am so much a Foole, should I stay longer

1744It would be my disgrace, and your discomfort.

1745I take my leaue at once. Exit Rosse.

1746Wife. Sirra, your Fathers dead,

1747And what will you do now? How will you liue?

1748Son. As Birds do Mother.

1749Wife. What with Wormes, and Flyes?

1750Son. With what I get I meane, and so do they.

1751Wife. Poore Bird,

1752Thou'dst neuer Feare the Net, nor Lime,

1753The Pitfall, nor the Gin.

1754Son. Why should I Mother?

1755Poore Birds they are not set for:

1756My Father is not dead for all your saying.

1757Wife. Yes, he is dead:

1758How wilt thou do for a Father?

1759Son. Nay how will you do for a Husband?

1760Wife. Why I can buy me twenty at any Market.

1761Son. Then you'l by 'em to sell againe.

1762Wife. Thou speak'st withall thy wit,

1763And yet I'faith with wit enough for thee.

1764Son. Was my Father a Traitor, Mother?

1765Wife. I, that he was.

1766Son. What is a Traitor?

1767Wife. Why one that sweares, and lyes.

1768Son. And be all Traitors, that do so.

1769Wife. Euery one that do's so, is a Traitor,

1770And must be hang'd.

1771Son. And must they all be hang'd, that swear and lye?

1772Wife. Euery one.

1773Son. Who must hang them?

1774Wife. Why, the honest men.

1775Son. Then the Liars and Swearers are Fools: for there

1776are Lyars and Swearers enow, to beate the honest men,

1777and hang vp them.

1778Wife. Now God helpe thee, poore Monkie:

1779But how wilt thou do for a Father?

1780Son. If he were dead, youl'd weepe for him: if you

1781would not, it were a good signe, that I should quickely

1782haue a new Father.

1783Wife. Poore pratler, how thou talk'st?

1785Mes. Blesse you faire Dame: I am not to you known,

1786Though in your state of Honor I am perfect;

1787I doubt some danger do's approach you neerely.

1788If you will take a homely mans aduice,

1789Be not found heere: Hence with your little ones

1790To fright you thus. Me thinkes I am too sauage:

1791To do worse to you, were fell Cruelty,

1792Which is too nie your person. Heauen preserue you,

1793I dare abide no longer. Exit Messenger

1794Wife. Whether should I flye?

1795I haue done no harme. But I remember now

1796I am in this earthly world: where to do harme

1797Is often laudable, to do good sometime

1798Accounted dangerous folly. Why then (alas)

1799Do I put vp that womanly defence,

1800To say I haue done no harme?

1801What are these faces?

1803Mur. Where is your Husband?

1804Wife. I hope in no place so vnsanctified,

1805Where such as thou may'st finde him.

1806Mur. He's a Traitor.

1807Son. Thou ly'st thou shagge-ear'd Villaine.

1808Mur. What you Egge?

1809Yong fry of Treachery?

1810Son. He ha's kill'd me Mother,

Nn Scena