Excerpts from

Holinshed's Chronicles, Volume V: Scotland

[Shakespeare's primary source for Macbeth was Raphael Holinshed's Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland, first published in 1577. The outlines of Shakespeare's story are derived from Holinshed's account of Kings Duncan and Macbeth. In addition, Shakespeare seems to have taken many particulars from Holinshed's account of King Duffe, who died eighty years before Macbeth did.]

Source of these excerpts:
Holinshed, Raphael. Holinshed's Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland, 5.
     London: J. Johnson, et al, 1808.


Notes: To see a note on the notes to this text, click the asterisk.*


Index:

King Duncan and King Macbeth:

King Duffe: