As performed at Windsor Castle, on Friday, February 4th, 1853, and at the Royal Princess's Theatre, on Monday, February the 14th, 1853, under the Management of Mr. Charles Kean. Stage Manager, Mr. George Ellis.
The Scenery painted under the direction of Mr. Grieve. The Vocal Music under the superintendence of Mr. J. L. Hatton. Previous to the Tragedy, Bishop's Shakespearian Overture.
“The success which attended the production of “King John,” last season at this theatre, has encouraged me to attempt another Shakesperian revival on the same scale. The very uncertain information, however, which we possess respecting the dress worn by the inhabitants of Scotland in the eleventh century, renders any attempt to present the tragedy of “Macbeth,” attired in the costume of that period, a task of very great difficulty. I hope, therefore, I may not be deemed presumptuous if I intrude a few words upon the subject, and endeavour to explain upon what authorities I have based my opinions,
In the absence of any positive information handed down to us upon this point, I have borrowed materials from those nations to whom, Scotland was constantly opposed in war. The continual inroads of the Norsemen, and the invasion of Canute, in 1031, who, combining in his own person the sovereignty of England, Norway, and Denmark, was the most powerful monarch of his time, may have taught, at least, the higher classes, the necessity of adopting the superior weapons and better defensive armour of their enemies; for these reasons, I have introduced the tunic, mantle, cross gartering, and ringed byrne of the Danes and Anglo-Saxons, between whom it does not appear any very material difference existed ; retaining however, the peculiarity of “the striped and chequered garb," which seems to be generally admitted as belonging to the Scotch long anterior to the history of this play; together with the eagle feather in the helmet, which, according to Gaelic tradition, was the distinguishing mark of a chieftain. Party coloured woollens and cloths appear to have been commonly worn among the Celtic tribes from a very early period.
Diodorus Siculus and Pliny allude to this peculiarity in their account of the dress of the Belgic Gauls; Strabo, Pliny, and Xiphilin, record the dress of Boadicea, Queen of the Iceni, as being woven chequer-wise, of many colours, comprising purple, light and dark red, violet, and blue.
We have every reason to believe, that the armour and weapons of the date of Macbeth were of rich workmanship.
Harold Hardrada, King of Norway, is described by Snorre, as wearing in the battle with Harold II, King of England, a.d, 1066, a blue tunic, and a splendid helmet. The Norwegians not having expected a battle that day, are said to have been without their coats of mail.
This mail appears to have been composed of iron rings or bosses, sewn upon cloth or leather, like that of the Anglo-Saxons. Thorlef, a young Icelandic, or Norwegian warrior of the tenth century, is mentioned in the Eyrbiggia Saga, as wearing a most beautiful dress, and that his arms and equipments were extremely splendid.
The seals and monuments of the early kings and nobles of Scotland represent them as armed
and attired in a style similar to their
The Earl of Huntingdon, who succeeded Alexander, under the title of David I., is represented on horseback in his seal, wearing a tunic to the knee, which C. H. Smith (one of our most distinguished authorities, to whom I am deeply indebted on this, as on all former occasions), in his work on the ancient costume of England, describes as being party coloured; in the same volume he gives the figure of a Scotch knight of the time of Edward I., 1306, who holds a spear of a leaf-shaped blade; on his head he wears a small skull- cap of steel, like some of the ancient Anglo-Saxon warriors of the eleventh century, and he is habited in a surcoat of cloth, descending to the knee, very much resembling a kind of tartan. Siward, Earl of Northumberland, and his son, who, with their followers, were despatched by King Edward the Confessor, to the aid of Malcolm, I have equipped in the leathern suits called Corium or Corietum, which were introduced among the Saxons in the ninth century, and are described as having been worn by Earl Harold’s soldiers in 1063, in his war with the Welsh. In the life of St. Colomba, written in Latin by Adomnan, one of his successors in the early part of the seventh century, and translated into English by Dr. John Smith, DD. in 1798, we are told that the monks at that time were clothed in the skins of beasts, though latterly they had woollen stuffs, manufactured by themselves; and linen, probably imported from the continent. The houses wore made of wicker, or wands, woven on stakes, which were afterwards plasterod with clay; and even the Abbey of Iona was built of the same rude materials
Roderick, King of Strathclyde, is mentioned by Ducange sleeping on a feather bed about this date, so that even in those primitive ages luxuries were known among the great.
In the four centuries and a half which intervened between the death of St. Colomba and the reign of Macbeth, it is reasonable to presume that considerable improvements took place among the Scotch, and that the fashion of their dress and buildings was borrowed from their more civilized neighbours. Under these considerations, the architecture, previous to tho Norman Conquest, has been adopted throughout the play. During the five centuries which preceded that event, the Anglo-Saxons made great advances, and erected many castles and churches of considerable importance; they excelled in iron work, and ornamented their buildings frequently with colour. On this subject I have availed myself of the valuable knowledge of George Godwin, Esq., F.R.S. of the Royal Institute of Architects, to whose suggestions I take this opportunity of acknowledging my obligation.
CHARLES KEAN.
The ample and lucid observations of Mr. Charles Kean upon the Costume and general appliances of Macbeth, as produced at his theatre, are so explicit and directly to the purpose, that any lengthened detail of the individual dresses worn may be dispensed with. It is impossible to refer to more valuable authorities than those named by Mr. Kean, and every spectator must bear testimony to the artistic spirit which combining research, discrimination, and accuracy in quotation and detail, has produced a truthful originality in dramatic effect not before witnessed upon the British stage.
T. H. L.
I come, Graymalkin!
Show me, show me.
Hail!
Hail!
Hail!
"They met me in the day of success; and I have learned by the perfectest report they have more in them than mortal knowledge. When I burned in desire to question them further, they made themselves air, into which they vanished. Whiles I stood rapt in the wonder of it came missives from the King, who all-hailed me “Thane of Cawdor,” by which title, before, these weïrd sisters saluted me and referred me to the coming on of time with “Hail, king that shalt be.” This have I thought good to deliver thee, my dearest partner of greatness: that thou might’st not lose the dues of rejoicing, by being ignorant of what greatness is promised thee. Lay it to thy heart, and farewell.
How goes the night, boy?
And she goes down at twelve.
I take’t ’tis later, sir.
There’s but one down; the son is fled.
We have lost best half of our affair.
I have two nights watched with you but can perceive no truth in your report. When was it she last walked?
Since his Majesty went into the field, I have seen her rise from her bed, throw her nightgown upon her, unlock her closet, take forth paper, fold it, write upon ’t, read it, afterwards seal it, and again return to bed; yet all this while in a most fast sleep.
What at any time have you heard her say?
That, sir, which I will not report after her.
You may, to me; and ’tis most meet you should.
Neither to you nor anyone, having no witness to confirm my speech. Lo you, here she comes! This is her very guise and, upon my life, fast asleep. Observe her; stand close.
How came she by that light?
Why, it stood by her: she has light by her continually; ’tis her command.
You see her eyes are open.
Ay, but their sense is shut.
What is it she does now? Look, how she rubs her hands.
It is an accustomed action with her to seem thus washing her hands; I have known her continue in this a quarter of an hour.
Yet here’s a spot.
Hark, she speaks.
Out, damned spot! out, I say! — One; Two; Why then, ’tis time to do ’t: — Hell is murky! Fie, my lord, fie! a soldier and afear'd? What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account? — Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?
Do you mark that?
The Thane of Fife had a wife; Where is she now? — What, will these hands ne’er be clean? — No more of that, my lord, no more o’ that: you mar all with this starting.
Go to, go to; you have known what you should not.
She has spoke what she should not, I am sure of that: Heaven knows what she has known.
Here’s the smell of the blood still: all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh! Oh! Oh!
What a sigh is there! The heart is sorely charged.
I would not have such a heart in my bosom for the dignity of the whole body.
Wash your hands, ut on your nightgown; look not so pale: — I tell you yet again, Banquo’s buried; he cannot come out of his grave.
Even so!
To bed, to bed; there’s knocking at the gate. Come, come, come, come, give me your hand. What’s done, cannot be undone: To bed, to bed, to bed.
Directly.