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! what

I do, to spite the world.

1 Mur.

And I another,

So weary with disasters, tugg'd2 with fortune,
That I would set my life on any chance,

To mend it, or be rid on't.

Macb.

Both of you

Know, Banquo was your enemy.

2 Mur.

True, my lord.

Macb. So is he mine: and in such bloody dis

tance,3

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.

Perform what you command us.

1 Mur.

We shall, my lord,

Though our lives—

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

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,

(1) Careless.
(3) Mortal enmity.

(2) Worried.

(4) Because of

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. Resolve yourselves apart;
I'll come to you anon.

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. [Exe.
SCENE II.-The same. Another room. Enter
Lady Macbeth, and a Servant.

Lady M. Is Banquo gone from court?

Serv. Ay, madam, but returns again to-night. Lady M. Say to the king, I would attend his leisure

For a few words.

Serv.

Lady M.

Nought's had, all's spent,

Where our desire is got without content:
'Tis safer to be that which we destroy,
Than, by destruction, dwell in doubtful joy.

Enter Macbeth.

How now, my lord? why do you keep alone,
Of sorriest fancies your companions making?
Using those thoughts, which should indeed have died
With them they think on? Things without remedy,
Should be without regard: what's done, is done.

Macb. We have scotch'd the snake, not kill'd it; She'll close, and be herself; whilst our poor malice Remains in danger of her former tooth.

But let

The frame of things disjoint, both the worlds suffer, Ere we will eat our meal in fear, and sleep

(1) Most melancholy.

VOL. III.

2 B

In the affliction of these terrible dreams,

That shake us nightly: Better be with the dead,
Whom we, to gain our place, have sent to peace,
Than on the torture of the mind to lie

In restless ecstasy. Duncan is in his grave;
After life's fitful fever, he sleeps well;

Treason has done his worst: nor steel, nor poison,
Malice domestic, foreign levy, nothing,

Can touch him further!

Lady M. Come on;

Gentle my lord, sleek o'er your rugged looks; Be bright and jovial 'mong your guests to-night. Macb. So shall I, love; and so, I

pray, be you :

Let your remembrance apply to Banquo;

Present him eminence,2 both with eye and tongue : Unsafe the while, that we

Must lave our honours in these flattering streams; And make our faces vizards to our hearts,

You must leave this.

Disguising what they are.
Lady M.
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.3
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 sum-
mons,

The shard-borne beetle,4 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? Macb. Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck,5

(1) Agony. (2) Do him the highest honours. (3) i. e. The copy, the lease, by which they hold their lives from nature, has its time of termination. (4) The beetle borne in the air by its shards or scaly wings.

(5) A term of endearment.

Till thou applaud the deed. Come, seeling1 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.

SCENE III.-The same. A park or lawn, with a gate leading to the palace. Enter three Murderers.

1 Mur. But who did bid thee join with us? 3 Mur.

Macbeth.

2 Mur. He needs not our mistrust; since he de

livers

Our offices, and what we have to do,

To the direction just.

1 Mur.

Then stand with us.

The west yet glimmers with some streaks of day.

Now spurs the lated traveller арасе,

To gain the timely inn; and near approaches

The subject of our watch.

3 Mur.

Ban. [Within.] Give us a light there, ho!

2 Mur.

Hark! I hear horses.

Then it is he; the rest

His horses go about

That are within the note of expectation,2
Already are i'the court.

1 Mur.

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

(1) Binding.

(2) i. e. They who are set down in the list of guests, and expected to supper.

Enter Banquo and Fleance, a servant with a torch

preceding them.

[Assaults Banquo.

Ban. O, treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly,

fly;

Thou may'st revenge.--O slave!

[Dies. Fleance and servant escape. 3 Mur. Who did strike out the light?

1 Mur. Was't not the way? 3 Mur. There's but one down; the son is fled. 2 Mur. We have lost best half of our affair.

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

done.

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; 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:

(1) Continues in her chair of state.