Languages & literature > Key to the drama

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to'hazard a battle, betook himfelf for fafety
to his caftle of Dunjimne, and formed a
Scattered fort of encampment around it,
■compofed of thofe adherents, who having
ib-long.affociated with him in every fort of
.criminality, knew that their only chance
to efcape luch a fate as was the due to un¬
remitting villanies, was to rifle their lives
.alongfl: with their leader.
The royal party continued their ad¬
vances xa'Dunfinane; and at Bernham wood,
as a token that they hoped to accomplifli
a conqueft without flaughter, the troops,
by order of Malcolm, plumed their hats with
■oaken boughs j and then making a motion
for furrounding the caftle, Macbeth, who
had taken a view of them from a turret,
was hopelefs and confounded ! he regarded
their ftrength, numbers, and regularity, as
irrefiftible! Confcioufnefs now penetrated
his guilty foul; he was defperate and di-
Jiradted - he threatened his own, and the life
«of every perfon who came near him: his
wife, who had been at all times ready to
affift in his fchemes of cruelty, was more
obnoxious to him than a haggard witch
he reproached her with the moft pungent
upbraidings; (he recriminated with equal
fury and defperation ; and they were often
on the point of hurrying each other into
jhat etefnity, which of all things they
dreaded