The Bodleian First Folio

A digital facsimile of the First Folio of Shakespeare's plays, Bodleian Arch. G c.7.



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Reference: mm1v - Tragedies, p. 134

Left Column


The Tragedie of Macbeth. For in my way it lyes. Starres hide your fires, Let not Light see my black and deepe desires: The Eye winke at the Hand: yet let that bee, Which the Eye feares, when it is done to see. Exit. King.
[325]
True worthy Banquo: he is full so valiant, And in his commendations, I am fed: It is a Banquet to me. Let's after him, Whose care is gone before, to bid vs welcome: It is a peerelesse Kinsman.
Flourish. Exeunt.
Scena Quinta. [Act 1, Scene 5] Enter Macbeths Wife alone with a Letter. Lady.
[330]

They met me in the day of successe: and I haue learn'd by the perfect'st report, they haue more in them, then mortall knowledge. When I burnt in desire to question them further, they made themselues Ayre, into which they vanish'd. Whiles I stood rapt in the wonder of it, came Missiues from the King, who all‑hail'd me Thane of Cawdor, by which Title before, these weyward Sisters saluted me, and referr'd me to the comming on of time, with haile King that shalt be. This haue I thought good to deliuer thee (my dearest Partner of Greatnesse) that thou might'st not loose the dues of reioycing by being ignorant of what Greatnesse is promis'd thee. Lay it to thy heart and farewell.

Glamys thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be What thou art promis'd: yet doe I feare thy Nature, It is too full o'th'Milke of humane kindnesse,
[345]
To catch the neerest way. Thou would'st be great, Art not without Ambition, but without The illnesse should attend it. What thou would'st highly, That would'st thou holily: would'st not play false, And yet would'st wrongly winne.
[350]
Thould'st haue, great Glamys, that which cryes, Thus thou must doe, if thou haue it; And that which rather thou do'st feare to doe, Then wishest should be vndone. High thee hither, That I may powre my Spirits in thine Eare,
[355]
And chastise with the valour of my Tongue All that impeides thee from the Golden Round, Which Fate and Metaphysicall ayde doth seeme To haue thee crown'd withall. Enter Messenger. What is your tidings?
Mess.
[360]
The King comes here to Night.
Lady. Thou'rt mad to say it. Is not thy Master with him? who, wer't so, Would haue inform'd for preparation. Mess. So please you, it is true: our Thane is comming:
[365]
One of my fellowes had the speed of him; Who almost dead for breath, had scarcely more Then would make vp his Message.
Lady. Giue him tending, He brings great newes. Exit Messenger.
[370]
The Rauen himselfe is hoarse, That croakes the fatall entrance of Duncan Vnder my Battlements. Come you Spirits, That tend on mortall thoughts, vnsex me here, And fill me from the Crowne to the Toe, top‑full
[375]
Of direst Crueltie: make thick my blood, Stop vp th'accesse, and passage to Remorse, That no compunctious visitings of Nature

Right Column


Shake my fell purpose, nor keepe peace betweene Th'effect, and hit. Come to my Womans Brests,
[380]
And take my Milke for Gall, you murth'ring Ministers, Where‑euer, in your sightlesse substances, You wait on Natures Mischiefe. Come thick Night, And pall thee in the dunnest smoake of Hell, That my keene Knife see not the Wound it makes,
[385]
Nor Heauen peepe through the Blanket of the darke, To cry, hold, hold. Enter Macbeth. Great Glamys, worthy Cawdor, Greater then both, by the all‑haile hereafter, Thy Letters haue transported me beyond
[390]
This ignorant present, and I feele now The future in the instant.
Macb. My dearest Loue, Duncan comes here to Night. Lady. And when goes hence ? Macb.
[395]
To morrow, as he purposes.
Lady. O neuer, Shall Sunne that Morrow see. Your Face, my Thane, is as a Booke, where men May reade strange matters, to beguile the time.
[400]
Looke like the time, beare welcome in your Eye, Your Hand, your Tongue: looke like th'innocent flower, But be the Serpent vnder't. He that's comming, Must be prouided for: and you shall put This Nights great Businesse into my dispatch,
[405]
Which shall to all our Nights, and Dayes to come, Giue solely soueraigne sway, and Masterdome.
Macb. We will speake further. Lady. Onely looke vp cleare: To alter fauor, euer is to feare:
[410]
Leaue all the rest to me.
Exeunt.
Scena Sexta. [Act 1, Scene 6] Hoboyes, and Torches. Enter King, Malcolme, Donalbaine, Banquo, Lenox, Macduff, Rosse, Angus, and Attendants. King. This Castle hath a pleasant seat, The ayre nimbly and sweetly recommends it selfe Vnto our gentle sences. Banq. This Guest of Summer,
[415]
The Temple‑haunting Barlet does approue, By his loued Mansonry, that the Heauens breath Smells wooingly here: no Iutty frieze, Buttrice, nor Coigne of Vantage, but this Bird Hath made his pendant Bed, and procreant Cradle,
[420]
Where they must breed, and haunt: I haue obseru'd The ayre is delicate.
Enter Lady. King. See, see our honor'd Hostesse: The Loue that followes vs, sometime is our trouble, Which still we thanke as Loue. Herein I teach you,
[425]
How you shall bid God‑eyld vs for your paines, And thanke vs for your trouble.
Lady. All our seruice, In euery point twice done, and then done double, Were poore, and single Businesse, to contend
[430]
Against those Honors deepe, and broad, Wherewith your Maiestie loades our House: For those of old, and the late Dignities, Heap'd vp to them, we rest your Ermites.
King. Where's

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Scena Quinta. [Act 1, Scene 5] Enter Macbeths Wife alone with a Letter. Lady.
[330]

They met me in the day of successe: and I haue learn'd by the perfect'st report, they haue more in them, then mortall knowledge. When I burnt in desire to question them further, they made themselues Ayre, into which they vanish'd. Whiles I stood rapt in the wonder of it, came Missiues from the King, who all‑hail'd me Thane of Cawdor, by which Title before, these weyward Sisters saluted me, and referr'd me to the comming on of time, with haile King that shalt be. This haue I thought good to deliuer thee (my dearest Partner of Greatnesse) that thou might'st not loose the dues of reioycing by being ignorant of what Greatnesse is promis'd thee. Lay it to thy heart and farewell.

Glamys thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be What thou art promis'd: yet doe I feare thy Nature, It is too full o'th'Milke of humane kindnesse,
[345]
To catch the neerest way. Thou would'st be great, Art not without Ambition, but without The illnesse should attend it. What thou would'st highly, That would'st thou holily: would'st not play false, And yet would'st wrongly winne.
[350]
Thould'st haue, great Glamys, that which cryes, Thus thou must doe, if thou haue it; And that which rather thou do'st feare to doe, Then wishest should be vndone. High thee hither, That I may powre my Spirits in thine Eare,
[355]
And chastise with the valour of my Tongue All that impeides thee from the Golden Round, Which Fate and Metaphysicall ayde doth seeme To haue thee crown'd withall. Enter Messenger. What is your tidings?
Mess.
[360]
The King comes here to Night.
Lady. Thou'rt mad to say it. Is not thy Master with him? who, wer't so, Would haue inform'd for preparation. Mess. So please you, it is true: our Thane is comming:
[365]
One of my fellowes had the speed of him; Who almost dead for breath, had scarcely more Then would make vp his Message.
Lady. Giue him tending, He brings great newes. Exit Messenger.
[370]
The Rauen himselfe is hoarse, That croakes the fatall entrance of Duncan Vnder my Battlements. Come you Spirits, That tend on mortall thoughts, vnsex me here, And fill me from the Crowne to the Toe, top‑full
[375]
Of direst Crueltie: make thick my blood, Stop vp th'accesse, and passage to Remorse, That no compunctious visitings of Nature Shake my fell purpose, nor keepe peace betweene Th'effect, and hit. Come to my Womans Brests,
[380]
And take my Milke for Gall, you murth'ring Ministers, Where‑euer, in your sightlesse substances, You wait on Natures Mischiefe. Come thick Night, And pall thee in the dunnest smoake of Hell, That my keene Knife see not the Wound it makes,
[385]
Nor Heauen peepe through the Blanket of the darke, To cry, hold, hold. Enter Macbeth. Great Glamys, worthy Cawdor, Greater then both, by the all‑haile hereafter, Thy Letters haue transported me beyond
[390]
This ignorant present, and I feele now The future in the instant.
Macb. My dearest Loue, Duncan comes here to Night. Lady. And when goes hence ? Macb.
[395]
To morrow, as he purposes.
Lady. O neuer, Shall Sunne that Morrow see. Your Face, my Thane, is as a Booke, where men May reade strange matters, to beguile the time.
[400]
Looke like the time, beare welcome in your Eye, Your Hand, your Tongue: looke like th'innocent flower, But be the Serpent vnder't. He that's comming, Must be prouided for: and you shall put This Nights great Businesse into my dispatch,
[405]
Which shall to all our Nights, and Dayes to come, Giue solely soueraigne sway, and Masterdome.
Macb. We will speake further. Lady. Onely looke vp cleare: To alter fauor, euer is to feare:
[410]
Leaue all the rest to me.
Exeunt.
 

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<div type="scene" n="5">
   <head rend="italic center">Scena Quinta.</head>
   <head type="supplied">[Act 1, Scene 5]</head>
   <stage rend="italic center" type="entrance">Enter Macbeths Wife alone with a Letter.</stage>
   <sp who="#F-mac-lam">
      <speaker>Lady.</speaker>
      <p n="330">
         <hi rend="italic">They met me in the day of successe: and I haue
      <lb n="331"/>learn'd by the perfect'st report, they haue more in them, then
      <lb n="332"/>mortall knowledge. When I burnt in desire to question them
      <lb n="333"/>further, they made themselues Ayre, into which they vanish'd.
      <lb n="334"/>Whiles I stood rapt in the wonder of it, came Missiues from
      <lb n="335"/>the King, who all‑hail'd me<hi rend="roman">Thane</hi>of Cawdor, by which Title
      <lb n="336"/>before, these weyward Sisters saluted me, and referr'd me to
      <lb n="337"/>the comming on of time, with haile King that shalt be. This
      <lb n="338"/>haue I thought good to deliuer thee (my dearest Partner of
      <lb n="339"/>Greatnesse) that thou might'st not loose the dues of reioycing
      <lb n="340"/>by being ignorant of what Greatnesse is promis'd thee. Lay
      <lb n="341"/>it to thy heart and farewell.</hi>
      </p>
      <l n="342">Glamys thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be</l>
      <l n="343">What thou art promis'd: yet doe I feare thy Nature,</l>
      <l n="344">It is too full o'th'Milke of humane kindnesse,</l>
      <l n="345">To catch the neerest way. Thou would'st be great,</l>
      <l n="346">Art not without Ambition, but without</l>
      <l n="347">The illnesse should attend it. What thou would'st highly,</l>
      <l n="348">That would'st thou holily: would'st not play false,</l>
      <l n="349">And yet would'st wrongly winne.</l>
      <l n="350">Thould'st haue, great Glamys, that which cryes,</l>
      <l n="351">Thus thou must doe, if thou haue it;</l>
      <l n="352">And that which rather thou do'st feare to doe,</l>
      <l n="353">Then wishest should be vndone. High thee hither,</l>
      <l n="354">That I may powre my Spirits in thine Eare,</l>
      <l n="355">And chastise with the valour of my Tongue</l>
      <l n="356">All that impeides thee from the Golden Round,</l>
      <l n="357">Which Fate and Metaphysicall ayde doth seeme</l>
      <l n="358">To haue thee crown'd withall.</l>
      <stage rend="italic rightJustified" type="entrance">Enter Messenger.</stage>
      <l n="359">What is your tidings?</l>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mac-mes">
      <speaker rend="italic">Mess.</speaker>
      <l n="360">The King comes here to Night.</l>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mac-lam">
      <speaker rend="italic">Lady.</speaker>
      <l n="361">Thou'rt mad to say it.</l>
      <l n="362">Is not thy Master with him? who, wer't so,</l>
      <l n="363">Would haue inform'd for preparation.</l>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mac-mes">
      <speaker rend="italic">Mess.</speaker>
      <l n="364">So please you, it is true: our<hi rend="italic">Thane</hi>is comming:</l>
      <l n="365">One of my fellowes had the speed of him;</l>
      <l n="366">Who almost dead for breath, had scarcely more</l>
      <l n="367">Then would make vp his Message.</l>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mac-lam">
      <speaker rend="italic">Lady.</speaker>
      <l n="368">Giue him tending,</l>
      <l n="369">He brings great newes.</l>
      <stage rend="italic rightJustified" type="exit">Exit Messenger.</stage>
      <l n="370">The Rauen himselfe is hoarse,</l>
      <l n="371">That croakes the fatall entrance of<hi rend="italic">Duncan</hi>
      </l>
      <l n="372">Vnder my Battlements. Come you Spirits,</l>
      <l n="373">That tend on mortall thoughts, vnsex me here,</l>
      <l n="374">And fill me from the Crowne to the Toe, top‑full</l>
      <l n="375">Of direst Crueltie: make thick my blood,</l>
      <l n="376">Stop vp th'accesse, and passage to Remorse,</l>
      <l n="377">That no compunctious visitings of Nature</l>
      <cb n="2"/>
      <l n="378">Shake my fell purpose, nor keepe peace betweene</l>
      <l n="379">Th'effect, and hit. Come to my Womans Brests,</l>
      <l n="380">And take my Milke for Gall, you murth'ring Ministers,</l>
      <l n="381">Where‑euer, in your sightlesse substances,</l>
      <l n="382">You wait on Natures Mischiefe. Come thick Night,</l>
      <l n="383">And pall thee in the dunnest smoake of Hell,</l>
      <l n="384">That my keene Knife see not the Wound it makes,</l>
      <l n="385">Nor Heauen peepe through the Blanket of the darke,</l>
      <l n="386">To cry, hold, hold.</l>
      <stage rend="italic rightJustified" type="entrance">Enter Macbeth.</stage>
      <l n="387">Great Glamys, worthy Cawdor,</l>
      <l n="388">Greater then both, by the all‑haile hereafter,</l>
      <l n="389">Thy Letters haue transported me beyond</l>
      <l n="390">This ignorant present, and I feele now</l>
      <l n="391">The future in the instant.</l>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mac-mcb">
      <speaker rend="italic">Macb.</speaker>
      <l n="392">My dearest Loue,</l>
      <l n="393">
         <hi rend="italic">Duncan</hi>comes here to Night.</l>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mac-lam">
      <speaker rend="italic">Lady.</speaker>
      <l n="394">And when goes hence<c rend="italic">?</c>
      </l>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mac-mcb">
      <speaker rend="italic">Macb.</speaker>
      <l n="395">To morrow, as he purposes.</l>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mac-lam">
      <speaker rend="italic">Lady.</speaker>
      <l n="396">O neuer,</l>
      <l n="397">Shall Sunne that Morrow see.</l>
      <l n="398">Your Face, my<hi rend="italic">Thane</hi>, is as a Booke, where men</l>
      <l n="399">May reade strange matters, to beguile the time.</l>
      <l n="400">Looke like the time, beare welcome in your Eye,</l>
      <l n="401">Your Hand, your Tongue: looke like th'innocent flower,</l>
      <l n="402">But be the Serpent vnder't. He that's comming,</l>
      <l n="403">Must be prouided for: and you shall put</l>
      <l n="404">This Nights great Businesse into my dispatch,</l>
      <l n="405">Which shall to all our Nights, and Dayes to come,</l>
      <l n="406">Giue solely soueraigne sway, and Masterdome.</l>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mac-mcb">
      <speaker rend="italic">Macb.</speaker>
      <l n="407">We will speake further.</l>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mac-lam">
      <speaker rend="italic">Lady.</speaker>
      <l n="408">Onely looke vp cleare:</l>
      <l n="409">To alter fauor, euer is to feare:</l>
      <l n="410">Leaue all the rest to me.</l>
   </sp>
   <stage rend="italic rightJustified" type="exit">Exeunt.</stage>
</div>

                                
                            

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