MENU
View Image Assets
MS Ashmole 208, folio 207 verso
Click image to enlarge

Institution Rights and Document Citation

Terms of use
The Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, has graciously contributed images of materials in its collections to Shakespeare Documented under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International licence.  Images used within the scope of these terms should cite the Bodleian Libraries as the source.  For any use outside the scope of these terms, visitors should contact Bodleian Libraries Imaging Services at imaging@bodleian.ox.ac.uk.

Document-specific information
Creator: Simon Forman
Title: The Bocke of Plaies and Notes therof per forman for Common Pollicie
Date: 1611
Repository: Bodleian Library, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
Call number and opening: MS Ashmole 208, fol. 200-207v 

Modernized/Translated transcription

[fol. 207v]

[other to] Wales to save themselves. They being fled they were supposed guilty of the murder of their father, which was nothing so. Then was Macbeth crowned king, and then he, for fear of Banquo, his old companion, that he should beget kings but be no king himself, he contrived the death of Banquo and caused him to be murdered on the way as he rode. The next night being at supper with his noblemen, whom he had bid to a feast (to the which also Banquo should have come), he began to speak of noble Banquo and to wish that he were there. And as he thus did, standing up to drink a carouse to him, the ghost of Banquo came and sat down in his chair behind him. And he turning about to sit down again saw the ghost of Banquo which fronted him so that he fell into a great passion of fear and fury, uttering many words about his murder, by which when they heard that Banquo was murdered they suspected Macbeth.

Then Macduff fled to England to the king's son, and so they raised an army and came into Scotland, and at Dunsinane overthrew Macbeth. In the meantime, while Macduff was in England, Macbeth slew Macduff's wife and children, and after, in the battle, Macduff slew Macbeth. Observe also how Macbeth's queen did rise in the night in her sleep and walk and talked and confessed all, and the doctor noted her words.

Semi-diplomatic transcription

[fol. 207v]

[other to] Walles to saue them selues. they beinge

fled they were supposed guilty of the mur

der of their father which was nothinge soe

Then was Mackbeth. Crowned kinge

and then he for feare of Banko his old

Companion that he should beget kinges

but be no kinge him self. he contriued

the death of Banko and caused him

to be Murdred on the way as he Rode

The next night beinge at supper with

his noble Men whom he had bid to a

feaste to the which also Bancco should haue

com.) he began to speake of Noble Ba

nco and to wish that he wer ther. And

as he thus did standing vp to drincke a

Carouse to him. the ghoste of Banco

came and sate down in his cheier be

hind him. And he turninge About to

sit down Again sawe the goste of banco

which fronted him so. that he fell in to a

great passion of fear & fury. Vtteringe

many wordes about his murder by which

when they hard that Banco was Murdred

they Suspected Mackbet.

Then Mack Dove fled to England to the kinges

sonn. and soe they Raised an Army And cam

into scotland. and at dunston Anyse over

thrue Mackbet. In the meantyme whille

Mackdoue was in England Mackbet slewe

Mackdoues wife & children. and after in

the battelle Mackdoue slewe Mackbet.

Obserue Also howe Mackbetes quen did Rise in

the night in her slepe & walke and talked and

confessed all & the docter noted her wordes.

Item Creator
Simon Forman
Item Title
The Bocke of Plaies and Notes therof per forman for Common Pollicie
Item Date
1611
Repository
Bodleian Library, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
Call Number
MS Ashmole 208, fol. 207v