A proud and haughty man was he,
And ruthless was his mood,
On the grey Throne-stane his seat he had ta'en,
But 'twas spattered o'er wi' blood.
His king--his kinsman, and his friend--
Was by the traitor slain,
And the twa young lads to the south had fled--
Prince Malcolm and Donaldbane.
And though the Lords to Macbeth the fierce
In homage bent the knee,
Twas the ruler they owned, and not the pere
Of a happy and leal countrie.
Now Macbeth the King he saw and he marked,
And an angry man was he,
For he wanted frank and loyal love,
In hearts where nae love might be.
"Had I a son," he sadly said,
"I'd win them to be mine,
But son hae I nane, here stand I alane
The first and last of my line.
"I conquered by the force of arms,
Let me end as I began,
For self I live, for self till I die
Let me rule my fellowman.
"The nobles they maun bend and bow,
And cry 'long live Macbeth,'
The circlet glitters on my brow,
I'll yield it wi' my breath.
"Then woe to the man who may daur to stand
My open or hidden foe,
Be he gentle or semple, or Carle or Thane,
I shall be his overthrow.
"I'll bigg me a tower on Dunsinnan Hill,
A tower baith strong and high,
And there wi' my soldiers at my back
Braid Scotland I'll defy." --
So, for the bigging of this tower
The summons has gane forth,
They were ca'ed frae the east, and ca'ed frae the west,
Frae the south and frae the north.
Frae the south they were ca'ed frae Cumberland,
Frae the north ayont Dunbeath,
Frae the Merse to the Carrick, frae Angus to Ayr,
They gathered on Gourie's heath.
There were Thanes wi' their Carles, and chiefs wi' their clans,
And belted knights wi' their men,
And lads frae the Isles and lad frae the hills,
And lads frae ilk lonely glen.
There were hewers of wood and hewers of stane,
There were owsen and horse by the hunder,
Baith honest men cam', and lazy thieves
Wi' an e'e to pelf and plunder.
But civil or sorry, or honest or rogue,
A master's e'e did scan,
Nae idlesse here, they were summoned to toil,
And the labour soon began.
The chiefs tauld off their followers
Wha bent them to the wark,
A goodly companie they wrought
Frae morning sun till dark.
And the owsen drew and the horses drew
Vast loads to Dunsinnan Hill,
And at first, though the task was thankless and hard,
They laboured wi' right gude will.
O sair and heavy were the lifts
Of timber and of stane,
The cattle 'gan to lack their pith,
And the working men to maen.
The weather was warm, the hill was steep,
And the King he wadna thole,
But nae largesse gae he, nor bountith nor fee,
And scant was the daily dole.
They were wrought like slaves, and whips and staves
Were laid to the weary back,
And the men began to murmur amain,
And the wark it gaed unco slack.
Proud lairds frae Ayr and Dumfries were there,
And the Rannoch and bonnie Strathmore,
Frae the Lennox and Loudens, the Isles and the north
They forgathered by the score.
And out rode they on a fair summer-day,
A glittering cavalcade,
The first of Scotland's haughty race;
Their Monarch at their head.
And they cam' upon that summer day
Sae droughty and sae still,
And they viewed the wa's fo the mighty tower
That rose on Dunsinnan Hill.
But their heads they shook where'er they did look,
For their progress was but sma';
The gangers were brisk, but the men they were dour,
And the owsen were loath to draw.
'Gin there be wark without a fee,
And ne'er a kindly word,
And threats and curses loud and deep,
And blows the sole reward,
Their fodder to the cattle beasts
Thrown gimp and grudgingly;
What wonder if ae day's set-task
Is barely done in three?
Syne cam' the heavy rumbling carts,
Deep laden, up the brae;
The jaded beasts, by weary men,
Driven slow and cannily.
Ae sorry pair, whose hides were sair
Wi' poverty and wark,
Whose flanks aneath the harness gear
Showed money and angry mark,
Tugged at a mighty load, and raxed
To gain Dunsinnan's crown;
Wi' might and main they raxed in vain,
Syne cam' astumblin' down,
Down fell the owsen to the ground,
Sae pitiful to see,
Before the very face of the King,
And his proud nobilitie.
Then up and spoke the fierce Macbeth --
"Wha owns the sorry yoke?"
But ne'er a man in a' that band
The anxious silence broke.
Then he seized the yokesman by the throat,
"Speak, knave, upon thy life;"
Said the trembling loon, as he glinted adown,
"They are owned by the Thane of Fife."
"Now, by my saul," the Monarch said,
"This Thane his King defies,
When he sends the meanest of his stock
To aid this enterprise.
"His pride I'll humble in the dust
By one degrading stroke:
Unharness me this worthless pair,
I'll place him in the yoke."
Now an angry murmur rose frae the chiefs
When they heard this bitter threat,
And mony an e'e, like the keen blade, flashed,
And mony a brow was set;
For the name of Macduff, the Thane of Fife,
Was liket weel in the State;
He was open-handed, and honest, and frank,
And the greatest amang the great.
So round the angry King they thronged,
To quell his bitter mood;
But he ground his teeth and murder he swore --
He swore by the holy rood.
"Twas then frae their midst that a Page of the Thane
Slipped silently awa',
And he raced like death, till he cam', out of breath,
To Dunsinnan's ancient he'.
And there he found Macduff, his chief,
Aseated his weary lane;
For his thoughts were awa' to the far, far south
Wi' Young Malcolm and Donaldbane.
"Up, Thane of Fife, and ride for they life;
Out, out to the open, and flee!
To horse! To horse! And awa' like the wind,
For Macbeth wad murder thee!
"In an outburst of passion I heard him swear, -
And evil and black was his brow, -
That thysel' he wad yoke, where thine owsen he'e broke,
And he cometh to seize thee now!"
Macduff he has head- nae time 'twas for speech-
Frae the banquetting hall he has sped;
As awa' he rushed, frae the table he snatched
A loaf of the barley bread.
To the saddle he sprang, and wi' him alang
Did follow his faithful lad;
To the braid Firth of Tay, away, away,
They gallop as they were mad.
Bank, burn, and bush, they clear wi' a rush,
Their steeds scarce touch the ground;
Yet they whip and they spur and they urge them alang,
Nor pause they to look around;
For the King fast follows, a band at his back -
Ilk moment may carry a life:
And O for the banks of bonnie Tay!
And O for the coast of Fife!
At last the banks of bonnie Tay,
Agleaming like silver bright,
And the golden coast of the Thane's ain Fife,
Burst on their enraptured sight.
Ilk noble steed he, joyous, neighed,
When he saw the waters sae clear;
Baith thundered alang, proud, gallant, and strong --
The friendly ferry is here.
"O ferryman, row us to yonder shore!
'Tis I am the Thane of Fife!
I flee from the wrath of the King Macbeth --
I flee for my very life!
"For the boatman's fee nae gowd can I gi'e,
Not yet the siller sae white;
This puir loaf of bread is a' that I ha'e,
For penniless is my plight; --
"But tak' ye the bread; on the word of Macduff,
The Thane of the Kingdom of Fife,
An' I but escape, I'll keep thee in bread,
And to spare, for the rest of thy life."
Nae word spake the boatman; he beckoned them in
To his boat sae roomy and wide,
And awea' frae the shore, baith horsemen and horse,
They are gane wi' a friendly tide.
When hark! Frae the coast they barely had left
Cam' a cry of fury and rage;
The Thane he looked back, and there stood the King!
Wi' his men, by the fair water edge.
"Back, ferryman, back! 'Tis the King who commands!"
But the Monarch cried in vain;
For the puir ferryman ne'er lifted his head,
But rowed he wi' might and main.
"What needs to order a deaf man back!
His order I canna hear;
First come, first served; Macduff chartered me --
My bounden duty is clear.
"Macduff I shall land on yonder strand,
Then back row I for Macbeth,
And leisurely I'll row me back,
Though I carry me to my death;
"And tak' your loaf, my princely Thane --
Thou and thy Page maun eat --
And gi'e a piece to your weary horse,
That ought to be fresh and fleet:
"And gi'e me a crust of the precious bread,
A crust for my boatman's fee;
I'll keep it alway, an' I weather this day --
I'll keep it till I die."
The bread they divide; at last they set foot
On the bonnie golden strand;
To the saddle they spring, wi' a friendly farewell,
And a friendly grasp of the hand.
They are gane! They are gane! The old man looks
Till their forms are seen no more!
And the tear fa's down his withered cheek,
As he makes for the Angus shore.
And he slowly rows to the Angus shore,
For he rows to a furious man,
To mak' his peace, in trembling and fear,
Wi' the King as best he can.
Loud blew the horn in the early morn,
The note was deep and clear:
"Ho, warder! The portcullis raise!
The King would enter here!"
The warder was a surly man --
His words were few and gruff:
"In my Castle wa's there reigns but ane --
My master is Thane Macduff!"
"What! Caitiff! Slave! The King wouldst thou brave?
Wouldst bandy words wi' me?
I'll hang thee and thy Master vile
On the battlements sae lie.
"To the onset, then, my gallant men!
Seize we this paltry tower!
Ere the sun begin to rise in the lift
This Thane shall yield to my power!"
See! On the lofty battlements
Stands out a female form;
Wi' gesture grand, she lifts her hand,
And quells the rising storm; --
Her cheek was red; composed she stood;
And dauntless was her mien;
High purpose sate upon her face,
And glittered in her eyne.
Twa round-eyed little maidens fair
Their mother's kirtle hold,
And a bonnie lad wi' lint-white locks
Stands by her side sae bold.
Up speaks the Ladye of Macduff,
"My Liege the Thane has gane
Abroad, and till his safe return
I hold this fort my lane.
"Nae need to force the outer gate,
To pillage or to kill,
But enter wi' thy companie,
An' it be thy royal will.
"I, and this castle's garrison,
We let thee enter free,
But first on the word of a Kingly Lord,
This promise mak' to me;
"As your incoming we allow
Without a single blow,
When the search is done, without dispeace
Ye frae my gates shall go.
"Ye shall plunder not, and harrow not
My household goods and gear,
And I and mine shall be skaithless kept,
My Lord, I bid thee swear."
Then Macbeth he swore on the holy cross
To do the matron's will,
To plunder not, and harrow not,
To pillage not, nor kill.
And they entered the Tower of Kennoway,
And they hunted round and round,
They hunted high, and they hunted low,
But Macduff was not to be found.
Then mounted the King tot he battlements,
And his captains they stood near;
In wrath he cam' to the Ladye's side
To threaten and to speer.
The Ladye she stood wi' her bairnies three,
The smile on her face sae sweet,
But her laddie he frowned, and clenched his wee fist,
And her lassies began to greet.
"Hush ye, my bairns, 'twill sune be ower,"
"Twas a' that the matron said;
As the monarch advanced, she trembled not,
But slightly bowed her head.
"Fause woman! Where hast hid the Thane?
Bring him forth without delay,
An' he be not found, I'll raze to the ground
Thy Tower of Kennoway."
"I tauld thee before, as I tell thee now,
Macduff is far frae here;"
"Thou liest, Dame, we followed fast,
Thy husband maun be near."
An angry flush her face o'spread;
"What! speak'st thou thus to me,
To the bluest bluid in braid Scotland,
Say'st thou I'd stoop to lie?
"Look on the Forth, my Lord Macbeth,
See'st yonder sail sae white,
Macduff has gane on the gladsome main,
He sailed ere the morning light.
"Frae thee, and frae they myrmidons,
My husband hies awa',
He is saved, he is aff to the Southern King,
Wha loves the right and the law.
"The Thane shall be frae the English court,
Young Malcolm hither bring,
And he'll set upon the Scottish throne
Auld Scotland's rightful king.
"Then tremble, Thane, and threaten not
To humble or to kill;
Macduff defies thee, laughs to scorn
Thy ruthless savage will.
"Nor till the fray's begun shalt thou
Behold the Thane of Fife,
But as sure as thou standest by my side,
On that day he'll have thy life;
"My Lord, farewell." The Ladye ceased,
And turned she to depart,
When the savage King his dagger drew,
And plunged it in her heart.
Without a sigh, without a groan,
At the traitor's feet she fell,
And a taunting laugh frae the ruffian crew
Was her spirit's parting knell.
Then cam' a pause -- the bairnies' shrieks
The awful silence broke;
"O mother, only speak to us,"
But never more she spoke.
Wi' faces dabbled in her bluid,
To her lifeless form they clung,
Puir helpless, tender innocents,
Sae bonnie and sae young.
"Enough," the savage monarch cried,
And beckoned on his band;--
A meaning glance, a hasty nod,
A word of brief command,
Then forth like waters frae their bounds,
They furious burst away;
And the vengeance of Macbeth was wreaked
On the Tower of Kennoway.
And first the tender weans they slew,
They began them wi' the young,
But nane they spared, and the castle wa's
Wi' a murd'rous yell out-rung.
Man, woman, and bairn were put to the sword,
And the pillage gaed recklessly;
While the King he stood in a sullen mood
Agazing on the sea.
Agazing on the dark blue sea,
And on the sail sae white,
A tiny speck that ever grew less,
And less in his wistful sight.
Aye, gaze thy fill, O traitor soul,
Fair speeds thine enemy,
And a' the wishing in the world
Will bring na him back to thee:
He is gane to bring the true king back
To drag the usurper down;
And on the head of auld Duncan's son
To set the royal crown.
But as for thee, thine evil deeds
Shall through braid Scotland ring,
A humble lot were better far
Than the fame of a murderous king.
The deeds of this day shall live alway
On history's darkest page,
And they dastard crime shall be handed down
To each succeeding age.
But the bard shall sing of the noble dame,
Who was done to the death by thee,
Of the sacred oath, and the broken troth,
And the murderous jealousy.
Thou hast wearied God and man, O King!
Soon shall relentless Fate
Descend, and wi' an angry hand
Knock loud at thy castle gate.
Thou has lived a violent life, O King!
Thou art doomed to a violent death;
But ne'er a tear shall be shed in the land
For the downfa' of Macbeth.
But many a bitter tear shall fa'
When the grievous tale is told
Of the winsome dame, the faithful wife,
True hearted, gentle, bold.
How she parlied wi' a furious foe,
While her husband fled for his life.
All honour to her memory,
The noble Dame of Fife!
Of leal and dauntless souls like hers,
The bard delights to sing,
Her life she ventured, and she lost,
For her lord and for her king.
I'd love to have you drop by!--Barbara
