First folio
| Modern text
| Definitions
| Key line
| |
| Drum and Colours. Enter Malcolme, Seyward, Macduffe, | Drum and colours. Enter Malcolm, Seyward, Macduff, | | Mac V.iv.1.1 | |
| Seywards Sonne, Menteth, Cathnes, Angus, and | Seyward's Son, Menteth, Cathness, Angus, and | | Mac V.iv.1.2 | |
| Soldiers Marching. | Soldiers, marching | | Mac V.iv.1.3 | |
| Malc. | MALCOLM | | | |
| Cosins, I hope the dayes are neere at hand | Cousins, I hope the days are near at hand | | Mac V.iv.1 | |
| That Chambers will be safe. | That chambers will be safe. | chamber (n.) bedchamber, bedroom | Mac V.iv.2.1 | |
| Ment. | MENTETH | | | |
| We doubt it nothing. | We doubt it nothing. | | Mac V.iv.2.2 | |
| Seyw. | SEYWARD | | | |
| What wood is this before vs? | What wood is this before us? | | Mac V.iv.3.1 | |
| Ment. | MENTETH | | | |
| The wood of Birnane. | The wood of Birnan. | | Mac V.iv.3.2 | |
| Malc. | MALCOLM | | | |
| Let euery Souldier hew him downe a Bough, | Let every soldier hew him down a bough | | Mac V.iv.4 | |
| And bear't before him, thereby shall we shadow | And bear't before him; thereby shall we shadow | shadow (v.)conceal, hide, screen from view | Mac V.iv.5 | |
| The numbers of our Hoast, and make discouery | The numbers of our host and make discovery | discovery (n.)reconnaisance, reconnoitring, spying | Mac V.iv.6 | |
| Erre in report of vs. | Err in report of us. | | Mac V.iv.7.1 | |
| Sold. | SOLDIERS | | | |
| It shall be done. | It shall be done. | | Mac V.iv.7.2 | |
| Syw. | SEYWARD | | | |
| We learne no other, but the confident Tyrant | We learn no other but the confident tyrant | | Mac V.iv.8 | |
| Keepes still in Dunsinane, and will indure | Keeps still in Dunsinane and will endure | endure (v.)let, allow, permit | Mac V.iv.9 | |
| Our setting downe befor't. | Our setting down before't. | setting-down (n.)siege, besieging, encampment | Mac V.iv.10.1 | |
| Malc. | MALCOLM | | | |
| 'Tis his maine hope: | 'Tis his main hope. | | Mac V.iv.10.2 | |
| For where there is aduantage to be giuen, | For where there is advantage to be given, | advantage (n.)right moment, favourable opportunity | Mac V.iv.11 | |
| Both more and lesse haue giuen him the Reuolt, | Both more and less have given him the revolt, | more and lessmen of high and low rank | Mac V.iv.12 | |
| And none serue with him, but constrained things, | And none serve with him but constrained things | | Mac V.iv.13 | |
| Whose hearts are absent too. | Whose hearts are absent too. | | Mac V.iv.14.1 | |
| Macd. | MACDUFF | | | |
| Let our iust Censures | Let our just censures | just (adj.)accurate, exact, precise | Mac V.iv.14.2 | |
| | censure (n.)assessment, opinion, judgement, criticism | | |
| Attend the true euent, and put we on | Attend the true event, and put we on | event (n.)outcome, issue, consequence | Mac V.iv.15 | |
| | attend (v.)await, wait for, expect | | |
| Industrious Souldiership. | Industrious soldiership. | soldiership (n.)soldierly qualities, military skill | Mac V.iv.16.1 | |
| Sey. | SEYWARD | | | |
| The time approaches, | The time approaches | | Mac V.iv.16.2 | |
| That will with due decision make vs know | That will with due decision make us know | | Mac V.iv.17 | |
| What we shall say we haue, and what we owe: | What we shall say we have, and what we owe. | owe (v.)own, possess, have | Mac V.iv.18 | |
| Thoughts speculatiue, their vnsure hopes relate, | Thoughts speculative their unsure hopes relate, | | Mac V.iv.19 | |
| But certaine issue, stroakes must arbitrate, | But certain issue strokes must arbitrate; | issue (n.)outcome, result, consequence(s) | Mac V.iv.20 | |
| | stroke (n.)blow, attack, assault | | |
| Towards which, aduance the warre. | Towards which, advance the war. | | Mac V.iv.21 | |
| Exeunt marching | Exeunt, marching | | Mac V.iv.21 | |