Act V, Scene 4

Country near Birnam wood.

[Drum and colours. Enter MALCOLM, SIWARD and YOUNG] [p]SIWARD, MACDUFF, MENTEITH, CAITHNESS, ANGUS, [p]LENNOX, ROSS, and Soldiers, marching]

• Malcolm. Cousins, I hope the days are near at hand
  That chambers will be safe. 2325

• Menteith. We doubt it nothing.

• Siward. What wood is this before us?

• Menteith. The wood of Birnam.

• Malcolm. Let every soldier hew him down a bough
  And bear't before him: thereby shall we shadow 2330
  The numbers of our host and make discovery
  Err in report of us.

• Soldiers. It shall be done.

• Siward. We learn no other but the confident tyrant
  Keeps still in Dunsinane, and will endure 2335
  Our setting down before 't.

• Malcolm. 'Tis his main hope:
  For where there is advantage to be given,
  Both more and less have given him the revolt,
  And none serve with him but constrained things 2340
  Whose hearts are absent too.

• Macduff. Let our just censures
  Attend the true event, and put we on
  Industrious soldiership.

• Siward. The time approaches 2345
  That will with due decision make us know
  What we shall say we have and what we owe.
  Thoughts speculative their unsure hopes relate,
  But certain issue strokes must arbitrate:
  Towards which advance the war. 2350

[Exeunt, marching]