Languages & literature > Key to the drama

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and Macbeth thinking it proper, by this
time, to make the fignal agreed upon for
the conjunction of all his out-detachments,
Macduald offered to capitulate ; but as
Macbeth would give him no other terms
than to furrender at difcretion •, from the
confequence of which, as he hoped for no
mercy, he betook himfelf, with his friends, to
another old caftle, which was, for thofe days,
indifferently well fortified. In this fortrefs
he defended himfelf with great refolution
for fome days, till feeing at length that it
was to no purpofe any longer to oppofe
fuch fuperior force, he fubmitted to the in-
ftances of his followers, and agreed to fur-
render j but with the fame breath by which
he gave orders to open the gates, neither
chufing to afk, nor expe&ing mercy from
Macbeth, he fell upon his own fword, and
expired before the enemy got poffeflion of
the caftle; and the young Caithnefs, who
had not the refolution of a Macduald, fell a
facrifice to the defperation of fome of Mac-
duald’s kinfmen, who imputed to him the
caufe of all their calamity. Now it was
that Macbeth had the firft opportunity of
giving a fign of that cruelty, which, by his
actions fince, appears to have been at all
times the latent pofieflbr of his breaft : he
was as immoveable to the pitiable fubmif-
fxon of the conquered, as he flood obftinate
again jt