Languages & literature > Key to the drama

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might widi impunity moft fuccefsfully Torn
upon, and pillage from thoi’e parts of the
country where they feared no refiftance.
In a word, it not being worth the while of
the induftrious to improve their poflefiions,
as they could not be fure of enjoying the
effects of their labour; hufbandry was to¬
tally neglected, and defolation threatened
to cover the face of the earth: robbers and
pillagers were become fo numerous, that all
communication from one part of the king¬
dom to another was interrupted, none dar¬
ing to journey without the elcort of fuch a
force as few were able to maintain; nay,
many of the public officers had been cor¬
rupted by the thieves; and thofe whofe
duty it had been to give a check to the de¬
predations, connived at them. Macbeth
made a general removal amongft all the
out-parties, and replaced them by fuch
troops, with officers over them, as he was
certain would execute his orders. Thefe
falutary meafures drove the thieves into
more remote parts, and they formed into
greater bodies ^ he employed trufty emif-
laries to mingle with them, and by that
means they were often led into fnares out
of which there was no efcaping. At length
he contrived, by one grand coup, and the
force of money, of which he was very li¬
beral, to fubdue them entirely j he engaged