Macd.

Wherefore did you so?

Macb. Who can be wise, amaz'd, temperate and

furious,

Loyal and neutral, in a moment? No man :

The expedition of my violent love

Out-ran the pauser reason. Here lay Duncan,
His silver skin lac'd with his golden blood;
And his gash'd stabs look'd like a breach in nature,
For ruin's wasteful entrance: there, the murtherers,
Steep'd in the colours of their trade, their daggers
Unmannerly breech'd with gore. Who could refrain,
That had a heart to love, and in that heart
Courage, to make 's love known?

Lady M.

Macd. Look to the lady.

Help me hence, ho!

Mal. Why do we hold our tongues, that most

may claim

This argument for ours?

Don.

What should be spoken.

Here, where our fate, hid in an auger-hole,

May rush, and seize us? Let's away: our tears

Aside to each other.

[Lady MACBETH is carried out.

And when we have our naked frailties hid,

That suffer in exposure, let us meet,

And question this most bloody piece of work,

To know it farther. Fears and scruples shake us: In the great hand of God I stand; and, thence, Against the undivulg'd pretence I fight

Of treasonous malice.

Macd.
All.

And so do I.

So all.

Macb.

Let's briefly put on manly readiness,

And meet i̇' th' hall together.

All.

Well contented.

[Exeunt all but MAL. and Don.

Mal. What will you do? Let's not consort with

them :

To shew an unfelt sorrow is an office

Which the false man does easy.

I'll to England.

Don. To Ireland I: our separated fortune Shall keep us both the safer; where we are, There's daggers in men's smiles: the near in blood, The nearer bloody.

Mal.

This murtherous shaft that's shot

:

Hath not yet lighted, and our safest way
Is to avoid the aim therefore, to horse;
And let us not be dainty of leave-taking,
But shift away. There's warrant in that theft
Which steals itself, when there's no mercy left.

Within the volume of which time I have seen

Hours dreadful, and things strange; but this sore

night

Hath trifled former knowings.

Rosse.

Ah! good father,

Thou seest, the heavens, as troubled with man's act,

Threaten his bloody stage: by th' clock 'tis day,

And yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp.
Is't night's predominance, or the day's shame,
That darkness does the face of Earth entomb,
When living light should kiss it?

Old M. 'Tis unnatural, Even like the deed that's done. On Tuesday last,

A falcon, tow'ring in her pride of place,

Was by a mousing owl hawk'd at and kill'd.

Rosse.

And Duncan's horse, (a thing most strange and certain,)

Beauteous and swift, the minions of their race,
Turn'd wild in nature, broke their stalls, flung out,
Contending 'gainst obedience, as they would
Make war with mankind.

Old M.

'Tis said, they ate each other. Rosse. They did so; to th' amazement of mine

eyes,

That look'd upon 't. Here comes the good Mac

duff.

Enter MACduff.

How goes the world, sir, now?

Macd.

Why, see you not?

Rosse. Is't known who did this more than bloody

Malcolm and Donalbain, the King's two sons,

Are stol'n away and fled; which puts upon them
Suspicion of the deed.

Rosse.

'Gainst nature still :

Thriftless ambition, that will ravin up

Thine own life's means! Then, 'tis most like,

The sovereignty will fall upon Macbeth.

Macd. He is already nam'd, and gone to Scone To be invested.

Rosse.

Where is Duncan's body?

Macd. Carried to Colme-kill;

The sacred store-house of his predecessors,

And guardian of their bones.

Rosse.

Will you to Scone?

Well, I will thither.

Macd. No, cousin; I'll to Fife.
Rosse.

Macd. Well, may you see things well done there:

adieu

Lest our old robes sit easier than our new!

Rosse. Farewell, father.

Old M. God's benison go with you; and with

those,

That would make good of bad, and friends of foes!

[Exeunt.

ACT III.

SCENE I. Forres. A Room in the Palace.

Enter BANQUO.

BANQUO.

HOU hast it now, King, Cawdor, Glamis, all,

TH

As the weird women promis'd; and, I fear, Thou play'd'st most foully for 't. Yet it was said, It should not stand in thy posterity;

But that myself should be the root and father
Of many kings. If there come truth from them,
(As upon thee, Macbeth, their speeches shine,)
Why, by the verities on thee made good,

May they not be my oracles as well,

And set me up in hope? But, hush; no more.

Sennet sounded.

Enter MACBETH, as King; Lady MACBETH, as Queen; LENOX, ROSSE, Lords, Ladies,

and Attendants.

Macb. Here's our chief guest.

Lady M.

If he had been forgotten,

It had been as a gap in our great feast,

And all things unbecoming.

Macb. To-night we hold a solemn supper, sir,

And I'll request your presence.

Ban.

Let your Highness

Command upon me, to the which my duties

Are with a most indissoluble tie

For ever knit.

Macb. Ride you this afternoon?

Ban. Ay, my good lord.

Macb. We should have else desir'd your good

advice

(Which still hath been both grave and prosperous) In this day's council; but we'll take to-morrow. Is't far you ride?

Ban. As far, my lord, as will fill up the time "Twixt this and supper:

better,

go not my horse the

I must become a borrower of the night

For a dark hour, or twain.

Macb.

Ban. My lord, I will not.

Fail not our feast.

Macb. We hear, our bloody cousins are bestow'd In England and in Ireland; not confessing

Their cruel parricide, filling their hearers

With strange invention. But of that to-morrow;

When, therewithal, we shall have cause of state