Page 2171 - Shakespeare - Vol. 3

What wood is this before us?

MENTETH
The wood of Birnan.

MALCOLM
Let every soldier hew him down a bough
And bear’t before him; thereby shall we shadow
The numbers of our host and make discovery

Err in report of us.

SOLDIERS
It shall be done.

SEYWARD
We learn no other but the confident tyrant
Keeps still in Dunsinane and will endure
Our setting down before’t.

MALCOLM

’Tis his main hope. [10]
For where there is advantage to be given,
Both more and less have given him the revolt,
And none serve with him but constrainèd things
Whose hearts are absent too.

MACDUFF
Let our just censures
Attend the true event, and put we on
Industrious soldiership.

SEYWARD
The time approaches

That will with due decision make us know
What we shall say we have, and what we owe.
Thoughts speculative their unsure hopes relate,
But certain issue strokes must arbitrate; [20]