Languages & literature > Key to the drama

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that country than he, had laid a fcheme to
furround him, and make him and his people
prifoners before morning. Macgild had
executed his fcheme with abundance of
dexterity; and whilft Macbeth was man¬
fully ftruggling in the toils he was caught
in, I, who fortunately had advanced half a
day fafter than he expefted, came up to his
relief, and cutting my way thro’ the rear
of the enemy, threw my troops into the
heat of the aftion. Upon my arrival Mac¬
beth was almoft quite Ipent, but re-infpired
with frelli vigour, and re animating his half
defponding troops, we jointly afiailed the
enemy with fuch irrefiftible force, that in
lefs than half an hour a complete viftory
declared for us. Macgild was wounded,
and taken prifoner; I petitioned for his life,
but in vain ; Macbeth urging, that while
fuch turbulent fpirited men were alive, he
Ihould have no time to effedt that reformation
in the civil and political government of the
nation which he was fo anxious to accom-
plifh •, but, as a proof that he was not in-
fenfible to the timely fuccour I had brought
him that day, he drew hislword, held it by
the point, and delivering it to me, created
me Thane of Angus, a title never before
bellowed out of the royal family. That
ceremony being quickly over, and he ac¬
cepting of my fword in place of his. own,
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