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And bade them speak to him; then, prophet-like,
They hail'd him father to a line of kings:
Upon my head they plac'd a fruitless crown,
And put a barren sceptre in my gripe,
Thence to be wrench'd with an unlineal hand,
No son of mine succeeding. If it be so,
For Banquo's issue have I fil'd 7 my mind;
For them the gracious Duncan have I murder'd;
Put rancours in the vessel of my peace
Only for them; and mine eternal jewel
Given to the common enemy of man,

To make them kings, the seed of Banquo kings!
Rather than so, come, fate, into the list,
And champion me to the utterance! 8.

there?

Who's

Re-enter Attendant, with Two Murderers. Now to the door, and stay there till we call.

[Erit Attendant.

Was it not yesterday we spoke together?
1 Mur. It was, so please your highness.
Macb.
Well then, now
Have you consider'd of my speeches? Know,
That it was he, in the times past, which held you
So under fortune; which, you thought, had been
Our innocent self: this I made good to you
In our last conference; pass'd in probation9 with you,
How you were borne in hand; how cross'd; the
instruments;

Who wrought with them; and all things else, that might,

To half a soul, and a notion craz'd,
Say, Thus did Banquo.

1 Mur.
You made it known to us.
Macb. I did so; and went further, which is now
Our point of second meeting. Do you find
Your patience so predominant in your nature,
That you can let this go? Are you so gospell'd,
To pray for that good man, and for his issue,
Whose heavy hand hath bow'd you to the grave,
And beggar'd yours for ever?

1 Mur.

We are men, my liege.
Macb. Ay, in the catalogue ye go for men;
As hounds, and greyhounds, mongrels, spaniels, curs,
Shoughs, water-rugs, and demi-wolves, are cleped?
All by the name of dogs: the valued file
Distinguishes the swift, the slow, the subtle,
The house-keeper, the hunter, every one
According to the gift which bounteous nature
Hath in him clos'd; whereby he does receive
Particular addition 3, from the bill

That writes them all alike: And so of men.
Now, if you have a station in the file,

And not in the worst rank of manhood, say it;
And I will put that business in your bosoms,
Whose execution takes your enemy off;
Grapples you to the heart and love of us,
Who wear our health but sickly in his life,
Which in his death were perfect.

2 Mur.
I am one, my liege,
Whom the vile blows and buffets of the world
Have so incens'd that I am reckless 4 what
I do, to spite the world.

1 Mur.

And I another,

So weary with disasters, tugg'd with fortune, That I would set my life on any chance,

To mend it, or be rid on't.

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True, my lord,

Know, Banquo was your enemy.

2 Mur.

Macb. So is he mine: and in such bloody distance, That every minute of his being thrusts Against my near'st of life: And though I could With bare-fac'd power sweep him from my sight, And bid my will avouch it; yet I must not, For certain friends that are both his and mine, Whose loves I may not drop, but wail his fall Whom I myself struck down: and thence it is, That I to your assistance do make love; Masking the business from the common eye, For sundry weighty reasons.

2 Mur.

We shall, my lord,

Perform what you command us.

1 Mur.

Though our lives

Macb. Your spirits shine through you. this hour, at most,

Within

I will advise you where to plant yourselves,
Acquaint you with the perfect spy o'the time,
The moment on't; for't must be done to-night,
And something from the palace; always thought,
That I require a clearness: And with him,
(To leave no rubs, nor botches, in the work,)
Fleance his son, that keeps him company,
Whose absence is no less material to me
Than is his father's, must embrace the fate
Of that dark hour.
I'll come to you anon.
Resolve yourselves apart;

2 Mur.
We are resolv'd, my lord.
Macb. I'll call upon you straight; abide within.
It is concluded : —— Banquo, thy soul's flight,
If it find heaven, must find it out to-night. [Exeunt.

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2 Called.

4 Careless.

5 Because of. 6 Most melancholy.

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Macb. O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife! Thou know'st, that Banquo, and his Fleance, lives. Lady M. But in them nature's copy's not eterne. 9 Macb. There's comfort yet; they are assailable; Then be thou jocund: Ere the bat hath flown His cloister'd flight; ere, to black Hecate's summons, The shard-borne beetle ', with his drowsy hums, Hath rung night's yawning peal, there shall be done A deed of dreadful note.

Lady M.

What's to be done?

2

Macb. Beinnocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, Till thou applaud the deed. Come, seeling night, Skarf up the tender eye of pitiful day; And, with thy bloody and invisible hand, Cancel, and tear to pieces, that great bond Which keeps me pale! - Light thickens; and the crow Makes wing to the rooky wood:

Good things of day begin to droop and drowse; Whiles night's black agents to their prey do rouse. Thou marvell'st at my words; but hold thee still; Things, bad begun, make strong themselves by ill: So, pr'ythee, go with me.

[Exeunt.

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3 Mur. Almost a mile: but he does usually, So all men do, from hence to the palace gate Make it their walk.

Ban. O, treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly; Thou mayst revenge. O slave!

[Dies. FLEANCE and Servant escape. 3 Mur. Who did strike out the light? 1 Mur. 3 Mur. There's but one down; the son has fled. 2 Mur. We have lost best half of our affair.

Was't not the way?

1 Mur. Well, let's away, and say how much is done. [Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

A Room of State in the Palace. A Banquet prepared. Enter MACBETH, Lady MACBETH, ROSSE, LENOX, Lords, and Attendants. Macb. You know your own degrees, sit down:

at first

And last, the hearty welcome.

Lords.
Thanks to your majesty.
Macb. Ourself will mingle with society,
And play the humble host.

Our hostess keeps her state 3; but, in best time,
We will require her welcome.

Lady M. Pronounce it for me, sir, to all our friends;

For my heart speaks, they are welcome.

Enter First Murderer, to the door.

Macb. See, they encounter thee with their hearts' thanks :

Both sides are even: Here I'll sit i'the midst : Be large in mirth; anon, we'll drink a measure The table round. There's blood upon thy face. Mur. 'Tis Banquo's then.

Macb. 'Tis better thee without, than he within. Is he despatch'd?

Mur. My lord, his throat is cut; that I did for him. Macb. Thou art the best o'the cut-throats: Yet

he's good,

That did the like for Fleance: if thou didst it, Thou art the nonpareil.

Mur.

Fleance is 'scap'd.

Most royal sir,

Macb. Then comes my fit again: I had else been

perfect;

Whole as the marble, founded as the rock;

As broad, and general, as the casing air:
But now,

I am cabin'd, cribb'd, confin'd, bound in
To saucy doubts and fears. But Banquo's safe?
Mur. Ay, my good lord, safe in a ditch he bides,
With twenty trenched gashes on his head;
The least a death to nature.

Macb.

Thanks for that: There the grown serpent lies; the worm, that's fled, Hath nature that in time will venom breed, No teeth for the present. Get thee gone; to

morrow

We'll hear ourselves again.

[Exit Murderer. Lady M. My royal lord, You do not give the cheer: the feast is sold, Enter BANQUO and FLEANCE, a Servant with a torch That is not often vouch'd, while 'tis a making,

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Len.

May it please your highness sit? [The Ghost of BANQUO rises, and sits in MACBETH'S place.

Macb. Here had we now our country's honour
roof'd,

Were the grac'd person of our Banquo present;
Who may I rather challenge for unkindness,
Than pity for mischance!

Rosse.

His absence, sir,

Lays blame upon his promise. Please it your high

ness

To grace us with your royal company?

Macb. The table's full.
Len.

Macb. Where?

Len.

Here's a place reserv'd, sir.

Ghost rises.

And to our dear friend Banquo, whom we miss :
Would he were here! to all, and him, we thirst,
And all to all. 6
Lords.
Our duties, and the pledge.
Macb. Avaunt! and quit my sight! Let the earth
hide thee!

Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold;
Thou hast no speculation in those eyes
Which thou dost glare with!
Lady M.

Think of this, good peers,
But as a thing of custom: 'tis no other;
Only it spoils the pleasure of the time.
Macb. What man dare, I dare :
Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear,

Here my lord. What is't that The arm'd rhinoceros, or the Hyrcan tiger,
moves your highness?

Macb. Which of you have done this?
Lords.
What, my good lord?
Macb. Thou canst not say, I did it: never shake
Thy gory locks at me.

Rosse. Gentlemen, rise; his highness is not well.
Lady M. Sit, worthy friends: my lord is often
thus,

-

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how say you?

Why, what care I? If thou canst nod, speak too.
If charnel-houses, and our graves, must send
Those that we bury, back, our monuments
Shall be the maws of kites. [Ghost disappears.
Lady M.
What! quite unmann'd in foily?
Macb. If I stand here, I saw him.
Lady M.

Fye, for shame! Macb. Blood hath been shed ere now, i'the olden time,

Ere human statute purg'd the gentle weal;
Ay, and since too, murders have been perform'd
Too terrible for the ear: the times have been,
That, when the brains were out, the man would die,
And there an end: but now, they rise again,
With twenty mortal murders on their crowns,
And push us from our stools: This is more strange
Than such a murder is.

Lady M.

My worthy lord,

Your noble friends do lack you.

Macb.

I do forget:
Do not muse 5 at me, my most worthy friends;
I have a strange infirmity, which is nothing
To those that know me. Come, love and health
to all;
Give me some wine, fill

Then I'll sit down:

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Take any shape but that, and my firm nerves
Shall never tremble: Or, be alive again,
And dare me to the desert with thy sword;
If trembling I inhibit 7 thee, protest me
The baby of a girl. Hence, horrible shadow!
[Ghost disappears.
- being gone,

Unreal mockery, hence!-Why so ;-
I am a man again. — Pray you, sit still.
Lady M. You have displac'd the mirth, broke the
good meeting,

With most admired disorder.

Macb.

Can such things be,

And overcome 8 us like a summer's cloud,

Without our special wonder? You make me strange
Even to the disposition that I owe 9,

When now I think you can behold such sights,
And keep the natural ruby of your checks,
When mine are blanch'd with fear.

Rosse.

What sights, my lord?

Lady M. I pray you, speak not; he grows worse

and worse:

:

Question enrages him at once, good night:
Stand not upon the order of your going,
But go at once.

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Lady M. Did you send to him, sir? Macb. I hear it by the way; but I will send : There's not a one of them, but in his house I keep a servant fee'd. I will to-morrow, (Betimes I will,) unto the weird sisters: More shall they speak; for now I am bent to know, By the worst means, the worst: for mine own good, All causes shall give way; I am in blood Stept in so far, that, should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o'er; Strange things I have in head, that will to hand; Which must be acted, ere they may be scann'd.2 6 ie All good wishes to all. 7 Forbid. 8 Pass over. 9 Possess. 1 Magpies. 2 Examined nicely.

Lady M. You lack the season of all natures, sleep. | Which can interpret further: only, I say,
Mach. Come, we'll to sleep: My strange and Things have been strangely borne: The gracious

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1 Witch. Why, how now, Hecate? you look angerly.

Hec. Have I not reason, beldams, as you are, Saucy, and overbold? How did you dare

To trade and traffick with Macbeth,

In riddles and affairs of death;

And I, the mistress of your charms,
The close contriver of all harms,
Was never call'd to bear my part,
Or show the glory of our art?
And, which is worse, all you have done
Hath been but for a wayward son,
Spiteful, and wrathful; who, as others do,
Loves for his own ends, not for you.
But make amends now: Get you gone,
And at the pit of Acheron,
Meet me i'the morning; thither he
Will come to know his destiny.
Your vessels, and your spells, provide,
Your charms, and every thing beside :
I am for the air: this night I'll spend
Unto a dismal-fatal end.

Great business must be wrought ere noon;
Upon the corner of the moon

There hangs a vaporous drop profound 3;
I'll catch it ere it come to ground:
And that distill'd by magick slights,
Shall raise such artificial sprights,
As by the strength of their illusion,
Shall draw him on to his confusion :
He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear

His hopes 'bove wisdom, grace, and fear :
And you all know, security

Is mortal's chiefest enemy.

Duncan

Was pitied of Macbeth :- marry, he was dead :—
And the right-valiant Banquo walk'd too late;
Whom, you may say, if it please you, Fleance kill'd,
For Fleance fled. Men must not walk too late.
Who cannot want the thought, how monstrous
It was for Malcolm, and for Donalbain,
To kill their gracious father? damned fact!
How it did grieve Macbeth! did he not straight,
In pious rage, the two delinquents tear,
That were the slaves of drink, and thralls of sleep?
Was not that nobly done? Ay, and wisely too;
For 'twould have anger'd any heart alive,
To hear the men deny it. So that, I say,

He has borne all things well: and I do think,

That, had he Duncan's sons under his key,
(As, an't please heaven, he shall not,) they should find
What 'twere to kill a father; so should Fleance.
But, peace! - for from broad words, and 'cause he

fail'd

His presence at the tyrant's feast, I hear,
Macduff lives in disgrace: Sir, can you tell
Where he bestows himself?

Lord.
The son of Duncan,
From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth,
Lives in the English court; and is receiv'd
Of the most pious Edward with such grace,
That the malevolence of fortune nothing
Takes from his high respect: Thither Macduff
Is gone to pray the holy king, on his aid

To wake Northumberland, and warlike Siward:
That, by the help of these, (with Him above
To ratify the work,) we may again

Give to our tables meat, sleep to our nights;
Free from our feasts and banquets bloody knives;
Do faithful homage, and receive free honours *,
All which we pine for now: And this report
Hath so exasperate the king, that he
Prepares for some attempt of war

Len.

Sent he to Macduff? Lord. He did and with an absolute, Sir, not I, The cloudy messenger turns me his back,

:

SONG. [Within.] Come away, come away, &c. And hums; as who should say, You'll rue the time

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