I'll Yo. Siw. Thou liest, abhorred tyrant: with my sword 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! If thou be'st slain, and with no stroke of mine, I sheathe again undeeded. There thou should'st be; Seems bruited3. Let me find him, fortune! [Exit. Alarum. Enter MALCOLM and old SIWARD. Siw. This way, my lord. The castle's gently ren der'd: The tyrant's people on both sides do fight; The day almost itself professes yours, And little is to do. 7 Mac. Why should I play the Roman fool, and die wretched KERNES,] The word "kernes" seems here used with greater licence than usual, as mercenaries. See Vol. v. p. 161. * Seems BRUITED.] i. c. Noised or reported. See Vol. vi. p. 584. On mine own sword? whiles I see lives, the gashes Do better upon them. Macd. Re-enter MACDUFF. Turn, hell-hound, turn. Mach. Of all men else I have avoided thee: But get thee back; my soul is too much charg'd Macd. I have no words; My voice is in my sword: thou bloodier villain Macb. [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: Painted upon a pole, and underwrit, "Here may you see the tyrant." I will not yield, Macb. Yet I will try the last. Before my body I throw my warlike shield: lay on, Macduff; And damn'd be him that first cries, "Hold, enough." [Exeunt, fighting'. Retreat. Flourish. Re-enter, with Drum and Colours, MALCOLM, old SIWARD, ROSSE, Thanes, and Soldiers. Mal. I would, the friends we miss were safe arriv'd. Siw. Some must go off; and yet, by these I see, So great a day as this is cheaply bought. Mal. Macduff is missing, and your noble son. Rosse. Your son, my lord, has paid a soldier's debt: He only liv'd but till he was a man, 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 cause 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. Siw. He's worth more sorrow, He's worth no more: They say, he parted well, and paid his score, And so, God be with him!-Here comes newer com fort. • Exeunt, fighting.] According to the stage-direction of the folio, Macbeth and Macduff re-enter fighting, and Macbeth is slain before the audience. This seems hardly consistent with what afterwards occurs, when, according to the old copies, Macduff returns to the stage with Macbeth's head. Re-enter MACDUFF, with MACBETH'S Head. Macd. Hail, king! for so thou art. Behold, where stands The usurper's cursed head: the time is free. I see thee compass'd with thy kingdom's pearl, All. Hail, king of Scotland! [Flourish. Mal. We shall not spend a large expense of time, Before we reckon with your several loves, And make us even with you. My thanes and kinsmen, Of this dead butcher, and his fiend-like queen, [Flourish. Exeunt. |