174 MACBETH. IN yielding to a suggestion that I should give historical illustrations of some of Shakspeare's historical plays which are not taken from the History of England, and accordingly selecting, as the first of these, the only play which relates a passage in Scottish history, I am bound to confess that there are not all the inducements to this examination which led me to the English plays. Macbeth is read, chiefly, if not solely, as a romantic tragedy; few of those who read it, and fewer of those who witness its representation on the London stage, think about the history of Scotland. Nevertheless, this play was suggested to Shakspeare by the very same historian who supplied him with subjects for the ten plays from English history; some, at least, of the characters are historical persons, and the story is "founded in fact." I hope, therefore, that I stand excused for dealing with this play as I have dealt with the others. To ascertain the truth of the story is difficult, if not impossible, for it carries us back to a remoter period than the earliest of the English plays a period antecedent to our Norman Conquest;-and imperfect as are the annals of England at that period, those of Scotland are more so. Shakspeare's authority was Holinshed. Holinshed copied for the most part from writers who lived five hundred years after Macbeth, and whose works are of no authority whatever. Contemporary chronicles there are none. But I shall recur to those which are nearest in date, and most prized by Scottish antiquaries. The darkness in which he found the early history of his country has apparently deterred Mr. Tytler, the most recent historian of Scotland, from treating of any of the kings prior to Alexander III., who reigned in 1429, four centuries after Macbeth. As my guide to the Scottish chroniclers, I therefore take Pinkerton,* who has bestowed two volumes upon the early history of Scotland. * An Enquiry into the History of Scotland, preceding Malcolm III., or the year 1056; by John Pinkerton, 1814. Duncan, king of Scotland, who is introduced to us in the first act,* succeeded, in 1031, his grandfather Malcolm II. But as it was through a daughter (who married Crinan, abbot of Dunkeld),† that he was descended from his predecessor, his right to the throne is, by the learned, thought very doubtful. For the first event of which we hear-the rebellion of Macdowald-Shakspeare has recourse to Holinshed, according to whom it occurred in 1040, and on this occasion, Macbeth and Banquo were the successful generals employed on the part of the king; Banquo being himself Thane of Lochaber, in which district the rebellion broke out. The Thane of Cawdor having joined Macdowald, was condemned to death, and his Thanedom was given to Macbeth. Meanwhile Sweyn, king of Norway, invaded Scotland on the eastern side; "The Norwegian lord, surveying vantage, With furbish'd arms, and new supplies of men, but this invader also was defeated by the associated commanders. * Sc. 2. + It is doubted whether in these early days priests married, or whether abbacies were given to laymen. ‡ V. 265. Thus far the Chronicle and the play run together, except that, according to Holinshed, the Scottish troops were in the first instance defeated at Culross; and it was through a stratagem of a strange sort that the invaders were ultimately overcome. "The Scots took the juice of mickle-wort berries, and mixed the same in their ale and bread, sending it thus spiced and confectioned in great abundance unto their enemies. They, rejoicing that they had got meat and drink sufficient to satisfy their bellies, fell to eating and drinking after such greedy wise, that it seemed they strove who might devour and swallow up most, till the operation of the berries spread in such sort through all the parts of their bodies that they were in the end brought into a fast dead sleep, that in manner it was impossible to awake them.” And in this heavy sleep they were put to death by Macbeth. But not a word of this preliminary matter is found in the Scottish chronicles. Those which, for want of earlier and better, are deemed the first and most authentic, are the Polichronicon of Fordun,* and the metrical chronicle of Andrew Wyntown. Holinshed's authority was Hector * Published by Hearne, in five volumes 8vo. It is also in Gale, ii, 565. By Macpherson, two volumes 8vo. 1795. Boyse (or Boethius, as he is called), whose history is universally deemed fabulous.* It is not necessary to say much of Fordun, who wrote in the fourteenth or fifteenth century, and whose narrative is very meagre; it was probably founded partly on tradition and partly on some old chronicles now unknown. Fordun probably rejected all that appeared fanciful. He accordingly takes no notice of the witches, whom Shakspeare, following Holinshed, now introduces to us, accosting Macbeth and Banquo on their return towards Fores, after the defeat of the Norwegians. "1st Witch. All hail Macbeth! hail to thee, Thane of Glamis ! 2d Witch. All hail Macbeth! hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor! 3d Witch. All hail Macbeth! that shalt be king hereafter ! Ban. Good sir, why do you start, and seem to fear, Things that do sound so fair?--I' th name of truth, Are ye fantastical, or that indeed Which outwardly ye show? My noble partner, You greet with present grace, and great prediction * See Macpherson, in Wyntown, i. p. 2. I take no notice of Buchanan, who preceded Shakspeare, by a few years only, because he is no authority, and was not used by our poet, directly or indirectly.-See Robertson, i. 4. |