I think withal

There would be hands uplifted in my right;

And here from gracious England have I offer

Of goodly thousands. But, for all this,

When I shall tread upon the tyrant's head,

Or wear it on my sword, yet my poor country

Shall have more vices than it had before,

More suffer, and more sundry ways than ever,

By him that shall succeed.

MACD.

What should he be?

MAL.

It is myself I mean; in whom I know

All the particulars of vice so grafted

That, when they shall be open'd, black Macbeth

Will seem as pure as snow, and the poor state

Esteem him as a lamb, being compar'd

With my confineless harms.

MACD.

Not in the legions

Of horrid hell can come a devil more damn'd

In evils to top Macbeth.

MAL.

I grant him bloody,

Luxurious, avaricious, false, deceitful,

Sudden, malicious, smacking of every sin

That has a name; but there's no bottom, none,

In my voluptuousness. Your wives, your daughters,

Your matrons, and your maids could not fill up

The cestern of my lust, and my desire

All continent impediments would o'erbear

That did oppose my will. Better Macbeth

Than such an one to reign.

MACD.

Boundless intemperance

In nature is a tyranny; it hath been

Th' untimely emptying of the happy throne,

And fall of many kings. But fear not yet

To take upon you what is yours. You may

Convey your pleasures in a spacious plenty,

And yet seem cold, the time you may so hoodwink.

We have willing dames enough; there cannot be

That vulture in you to devour so many

As will to greatness dedicate themselves,

Finding it so inclin'd.

MAL.

With this, there grows

In my most ill-compos'd affection such

A stanchless avarice that, were I king,

I should cut off the nobles for their lands,

Desire his jewels, and this other's house,

And my more-having would be as a sauce

To make me hunger more, that I should forge

Quarrels unjust against the good and loyal,

Destroying them for wealth.

MACD.

This avarice

Sticks deeper, grows with more pernicious root

Than summer-seeming lust; and it hath been

The sword of our slain kings. Yet do not fear,

Scotland hath foisons to fill up your will

Of your mere own. All these are portable,

With other graces weigh'd.

MAL.

But I have none. The king-becoming graces,

As justice, verity, temp'rance, stableness,

Bounty, perseverance, mercy, lowliness,

Devotion, patience, courage, fortitude,

I have no relish of them, but abound

In the division of each several crime,

Acting it many ways. Nay, had I pow'r, I should

Pour the sweet milk of concord into hell,

Uproar the universal peace, confound

All unity on earth.

MACD.

O Scotland, Scotland!

MAL.

If such a one be fit to govern, speak.

I am as I have spoken.

MACD.

Fit to govern?

No, not to live. O nation miserable!

With an untitled tyrant bloody-sceptred,

When shalt thou see thy wholesome days again,

Since that the truest issue of thy throne

By his own interdiction stands accus'd,

And does blaspheme his breed? Thy royal father

Was a most sainted king; the queen that bore thee,

Oft'ner upon her knees than on her feet,

Died every day she liv'd. Fare thee well,

These evils thou repeat'st upon thyself

Hath banish'd me from Scotland. O my breast,

Thy hope ends here!

MAL.

Macduff, this noble passion,

Child of integrity, hath from my soul

Wip'd the black scruples, reconcil'd my thoughts

To thy good truth and honor. Devilish Macbeth

By many of these trains hath sought to win me

Into his power, and modest wisdom plucks me

From over-credulous haste. But God above

Deal between thee and me! for even now

I put myself to thy direction, and

Unspeak mine own detraction; here abjure

The taints and blames I laid upon myself,

For strangers to my nature. I am yet

Unknown to woman, never was forsworn,

Scarcely have coveted what was mine own,

At no time broke my faith, would not betray

The devil to his fellow, and delight

No less in truth than life. My first false speaking

Was this upon myself. What I am truly

Is thine and my poor country's to command:

Whither indeed, before [thy] here-approach,

Old Siward, with ten thousand warlike men

Already at a point, was setting forth.

Now we'll together, and the chance of goodness

Be like our warranted quarrel! Why are you silent?

MACD.

Such welcome and unwelcome things at once

'Tis hard to reconcile.

 

Enter a Doctor.

 

MAL.

Well, more anon. – Comes the King forth, I pray you?

DOCT.

Ay, sir; there are a crew of wretched souls

That stay his cure. Their malady convinces

The great assay of art; but at his touch,

Such sanctity hath heaven given his hand,

They presently amend.

MAL.

I thank you, doctor.

 

Exit [Doctor].

 

MACD.

What's the disease he means?

MAL.

'Tis call'd the evil:

A most miraculous work in this good king,

Which often, since my here-remain in England,

I have seen him do. How he solicits heaven,

Himself best knows; but strangely-visited people,

All swoll'n and ulcerous, pitiful to the eye,

The mere despair of surgery, he cures,

Hanging a golden stamp about their necks,

Put on with holy prayers, and 'tis spoken,

To the succeeding royalty he leaves

The healing benediction.