| Original text | Modern text | Key line |
| Doubtfull it stood, | Doubtful it stood, | Mac I.ii.7.2 |
| As two spent Swimmers, that doe cling together, | As two spent swimmers, that do cling together | Mac I.ii.8 |
| And choake their Art: The mercilesse Macdonwald | And choke their art. The merciless Macdonwald – | Mac I.ii.9 |
| (Worthie to be a Rebell, for to that | Worthy to be a rebel, for to that | Mac I.ii.10 |
| The multiplying Villanies of Nature | The multiplying villainies of nature | Mac I.ii.11 |
| Doe swarme vpon him) from the Westerne Isles | Do swarm upon him – from the Western Isles | Mac I.ii.12 |
| Of Kernes and Gallowgrosses is supply'd, | Of kerns and gallowglasses is supplied, | Mac I.ii.13 |
| And Fortune on his damned Quarry smiling, | And fortune on his damned quarrel smiling | Mac I.ii.14 |
| Shew'd like a Rebells Whore: but all's too weake: | Showed like a rebel's whore. But all's too weak: | Mac I.ii.15 |
| For braue Macbeth (well hee deserues that Name) | For brave Macbeth – well he deserves that name – | Mac I.ii.16 |
| Disdayning Fortune, with his brandisht Steele, | Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel, | Mac I.ii.17 |
| Which smoak'd with bloody execution | Which smoked with bloody execution, | Mac I.ii.18 |
| (Like Valours Minion) caru'd out his passage, | Like valour's minion carved out his passage | Mac I.ii.19 |
| Till hee fac'd the Slaue: | Till he faced the slave – | Mac I.ii.20 |
| Which neu'r shooke hands, nor bad farwell to him, | Which ne'er shook hands nor bade farewell to him | Mac I.ii.21 |
| Till he vnseam'd him from the Naue toth' Chops, | Till he unseamed him from the nave to the chops, | Mac I.ii.22 |
| And fix'd his Head vpon our Battlements. | And fixed his head upon our battlements. | Mac I.ii.23 |
| | | |
| As whence the Sunne 'gins his reflection, | As, whence the sun 'gins his reflection, | Mac I.ii.25 |
| Shipwracking Stormes, and direfull Thunders: | Shipwracking storms and direful thunders; | Mac I.ii.26 |
| So from that Spring, whence comfort seem'd to come, | So, from that spring whence comfort seemed to come, | Mac I.ii.27 |
| Discomfort swells: Marke King of Scotland, marke, | Discomfort swells. Mark, King of Scotland, mark! | Mac I.ii.28 |
| No sooner Iustice had, with Valour arm'd, | No sooner justice had, with valour armed, | Mac I.ii.29 |
| Compell'd these skipping Kernes to trust their heeles, | Compelled these skipping kerns to trust their heels | Mac I.ii.30 |
| But the Norweyan Lord, surueying vantage, | But the Norweyan lord, surveying vantage, | Mac I.ii.31 |
| With furbusht Armes, and new supplyes of men, | With furbished arms and new supplies of men, | Mac I.ii.32 |
| Began a fresh assault. | Began a fresh assault. | Mac I.ii.33.1 |
| | | |
| Yes, | Yes – | Mac I.ii.34.2 |
| as Sparrowes, Eagles; / Or the Hare, the Lyon: | As sparrows, eagles, or the hare, the lion. | Mac I.ii.35 |
| If I say sooth, I must report they were | If I say sooth I must report they were | Mac I.ii.36 |
| As Cannons ouer-charg'd with double Cracks, | As cannons overcharged with double cracks; | Mac I.ii.37 |
| So they | So they | Mac I.ii.38 |
| doubly redoubled stroakes vpon the Foe: | Doubly redoubled strokes upon the foe. | Mac I.ii.39 |
| Except they meant to bathe in reeking Wounds, | Except they meant to bathe in reeking wounds | Mac I.ii.40 |
| Or memorize another Golgotha, | Or memorize another Golgotha, | Mac I.ii.41 |
| I cannot tell: | I cannot tell. | Mac I.ii.42 |
| but I am faint, My Gashes cry for helpe. | – But I am faint; my gashes cry for help. | Mac I.ii.43 |