Enter MACBETH and BANQUO.

Mac. So foul and fair a day I have not seen.

Ban. How far is't call'd to Fores* ?-What are these, So wither'd, and so wild in their attire; That look not like the inhabitants o’the earth, 130 And yet are on't?-_Live you? or are you aught *That man may question? You seem to understand me, By each at once her choppy finger laying Upon her skinny lips :-You should be women, And yet your beards #forbid me to interpret That you are so.

Mac. Speak, if you can ;—What are you? 1 Witch. All hail, Macbeth* ! hail to thee, thane

of Glamis* ! 2 Witch. All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane

Cawdor* ! 3 Witch. All hail, Macbeth! that shalt be king hereafter.

140 Ban. Good Sir, why do you start; and seem to fear Things that do sound so fair ?-I'the name of truth, *Are ye fantastical, or that indeed Which outwardly ye shew? My noble partner You greet with present grace, and great prediction Of noble having*, and of royal hope, That he seems rapt withal; to me you speak not: If you can look into the seeds of time, And say, which grain will grow, and which will not; Speak then to me, who neither beg, nor fear, Your favours, nor your hate.

1 Witch,

150

1 Witch. Hail !
2 Witch. Hail !
3 Witch. Hail !
1 Witch. Lesser than Macbeth, and greater.
2 Witch. Not so happy, yet much happier.

3 Witch. Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none: So, all hail, Macbeth, and Banquo !

1 Witch. Banquo, and Macbeth, all hail ! 159

Mac. Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more : * By Sinel's death, I know, am thane of Glamis; But how of Cawdor ? the thane of Cawdor lives, A prosperous gentleman ; and, to be king, Stands not within the prospect of belief, No more than to be Cawdor. Say, from whence You owe this strange intelligence? or why U on this blasted heath you stop our way With such prophetick greeting !--Speak, I charge you.

[Witches vanilh. Ban. The earth hath bubbles, as the water has, 169 And these are of them :-Whither are they vanish d ?

Mac. Into the air; and what seem'd corporal, melted As breath into the wind.-'Would they had staid !

Ban. Were such things here, as we do speak about?
Or have we *eaten of the insane root,
That takes the reason prisoner ?

Mac. Your children shall be kings.
Ban. You shall be king.
Mac. And thane of Cawdor too; went it not so ?
Ban. To the self-same tune, and words. Who's
here?
Bij

Enter

Enter Rosse, and ANGUS.

Rosse. The king hath happily receiv’d, Macbeth, 180
The news of thy success : and when he reads
Thy personal venture in the rebel's fight,
His wonders and his praises do contend,
Which should be thine, or his* : Silenc'd with that,
In viewing o'er the rest o' the self-same day,
He finds thee in the stout Norweyan ranks,
Nothing afraid of what thyself didst make,
Strange images of death. *As thick as tale;
Came post with post; and every one did bear
Thy praises in his kingdom's great defence, 190
And pour’d them down before him.

Ang. We are sent,
To give thee, from our royal master, thanks ;
Only to herald thee into his sight,
Not pay thee.

Rosse. And, for an earnest of a greater honour,
He bade me, from him, call thee thane of Cawdor :
In which addition, hail, most worthy thane !
For it is thine.

Ban. What, can the devil speak true?
Mac. The thane of Cawdor lives : Why do you

dress me In borrow'd robes ?

Ang. Who was the thane, lives yet ;
But under heavy judgment bears that life,
Which he deserves to lose. Whether he was.
Combin'd *with Norway; or did line the rebel

205

210

220

With hidden help and vantage; or that with both
He labour'd in his country's wreck, I know not;
But treasons capital, confess’d, and prov'd,
Have overthrown him.

Mac. Glamis, and thane of Cawdor :
The greatest is behind.—Thanks for your pains.
Do

you not hope your children shall be kings, When those that gave the thane of Cawdor to me, Promis'd no less to them?

Ban. That, trusted home*, * Might yet enkindle you unto the crown, Besides the thane of Cawdor.

But 'tis strange: And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, The instruments of darkness tell us truths; Win us with honest trifles, to betray us In deepest consequence.-Cousins, a word I pray you.

Mac. Two truths are told, As happy prologues to the *swelling act Of the imperial theme.-I thank you, gentlemen. * This supernatural soliciting Cannot be ill; cannot be good :--If ill, Why hath it given me earnest of success, Commencing in a truth ? I am thane of Cawdor: If good, *why do I yield to that suggestion 230 Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair, And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, Against the use of nature? Present fears * Are less than horrible imaginings : My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, Shakes so my *single state of man, that *function В ііі

1$

pon him

Is smother'd in surmise; and nothing is,
But what is not.

Ban. Look, how our partner's rapt.
Mac. If chance will have me king, why, chance
may crown me,

240 Without

my

stir. Ban. New honours come Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mould, But with the aid of use.

Mac. Come what come may ; *Time and the hour runs through the roughest day.

Ban. Worthy Macbeth, we stay upon your leisure. Mac. Give me your favour :-*my dull brain was

wrought With things forgotten. Kind gentlemen, your pains Are register'd where every day I turn The leaf to read them.—Let us toward the king.

what hath chanc'd ; and, at more time, The interim having weigh'd it', let us speak Our free hearts each to other.

Ban. Very gladly.
Mac. 'Till then, enough.-Come, friends. [Exeunt.

250

Think upon

SCENE I.

Flourish. Enter King, MALCOL11, DONALBAIN,

LENOx, and Attendants.
King. Is execution done on Cawdor? Are not
Those in commission yet return ú?
Mal. My liege,

They