Languages & literature > Key to the drama

C 76 )
henfion that the King’s troops would be
Hiked in the Ides.
* Jt was concerted between Macbeth and
Bancho, that the latter fliould proceed with
2,500 men, to line the fhore oppofite to
Caithnefs and Sutherland, and thereby in¬
terrupt their getting into Rofs-ih'ne •, whilft
Macbeth, with the main army, ftiould march
towards the Weftern Iflands. He received
intelligence, that all the ftrength of the
Rebels was to be collefted at Skie, there to
wait until they fhould receive fome news
from Caithnefs, thereupon to difperfe by
different parties, and to land at once in
ib many different places, as to prevent the
army from fixing its attention to any one
fpot, till it (hould be proper for jhem to
re-affemble, and to form into one body,
with their allies from Caithnefs and Suther¬
land, who, they thought, would have little
difficulty to make good their landing.
* Macbeth could guefs pretty nearly at
the numbers of the Iflanders; he knew he
was more completely armed than they could
be, and imagined, if he could falute them
with a vifit of furprife, he ffiould enjoy an
eafy enough conqueft: he therefore col¬
lected together all the fea-boats upon the
coaft, which, however, were not half fuffi-
cient for his embarkation : he waited for a
favourable evening, and intrepidly ventured
himfelf