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And you whose places are the nearest, know,
We will establish our estate upon

Our eldest, Malcolm, whom we name hereafter
The Prince of Cumberland: which honour must
Not unaccompanied invest him only,

But signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine

On all deservers.

From hence to Inverness,

And bind us further to you.

Macb. The rest is labour, which is not used for you:
I'll be myself the harbinger, and make joyful
The hearing of my wife with your approach;
So humbly take my leave.

Dun.

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My worthy Cawdor! Macb. [Aside] The Prince of Cumberland! that is a

step

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On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap, For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires : The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see. [Exit. Dun. True, worthy Banquo; he is full so valiant,

And in his commendations I am fed ;

It is a banquet to me. Let's after him,

Whose care is gone before to bid us welcome :
It is a peerless kinsman.

[Flourish. Exeunt.

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Enter Lady Macbeth, reading a letter.

Lady M. They met me in the day of success; and I have learned by the perfectest report, they have more in them than mortal knowledge. When I burned in desire to question them further, they made themselves air, into which they vanished. Whiles I stood rapt in the wonder of it, came missives from the king, whoall-hailed me "Thane of Cawdor; " by which title, before, these weird sisters saluted me, and referred me to the coming on of time, with "Hail, king that shalt be! This have I thought good to deliver thee, my dearest partner of greatness, that thou mightst not lose the dues of rejoicing, by being ignorant of what greatness is promised thee. Lay it to thy heart, and farewell.'

Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be

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What thou art promised: yet do I fear thy nature;
It is too full o' the milk of human kindness

To catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be great;
Art not without ambition, but without

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The illness should attend it: what thou wouldst

highly,

That wouldst thou holily; wouldst not play false,
And yet wouldst wrongly win: thou'ldst have,
great Glamis,

That which cries 'Thus thou must do, if thou have it;
And that which rather thou dost fear to do
Than wishest should be undone.' Hie thee hither,
That I may pour my spirits in thine ear,
And chastise with the valour of my tongue
All that impedes thee from the golden round,
Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem
To have thee crown'd withal.

Enter a Messenger.

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What is your tidings?

Mess. The king comes here to-night.

Lady M.

Thou 'rt mad to say it:

Is not thy master with him? who, were 't so,
Would have inform'd for preparation.

Mess. So please you, it is true: our thane is coming:
One of my fellows had the speed of him,

Who, almost dead for breath, had scarcely more
Than would make up his message.

Lady M,

He brings great news.

Give him tending;

[Exit Messenger.

The raven himself is hoarse

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That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan
Under my battlements. Come, you spirits
That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here,
And fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full
Of direst cruelty! make thick my blood,
Stop up the access and passage to remorse,
That no compunctious visitings of nature
Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between
The effect and it! Come to my woman's breasts,
And take my milk for gall, you murdering ministers,
Wherever in your sightless substances
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You wait on nature's mischief! Come, thick night,
And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell,
That my keen knife see not the wound it makes,
Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark,
To cry Hold, hold!'

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Enter Macbeth.

Great Glamis! worthy Cawdor!
Greater than both, by the all-hail hereafter !
Thy letters have transported me beyond
This ignorant present, and I feel now
The future in the instant.

Macb.

My dearest love,

Duncan comes here to-night.

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Your face, my thane, is as a book where men
May read strange matters. To beguile the time,
Look like the time; bear welcome in your eye,
Your hand, your tongue: look like the innocent flower,
But be the serpent under 't. He that's coming
Must be provided for: and you

shall put

This night's great business into my dispatch;
Which shall to all our nights and days to come 70
Give solely sovereign sway and masterdom.

Mach. We will speak further.

Lady M.

Only look

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To alter favour ever is to fear :

Leave all the rest to me.

Scene VI.

Before Macbeth's castle.

Hautboys and torches. Enter Duncan, Malcolm, Donalbain,
Banquo, Lennox, Macduff, Ross, Angus, and Attendants.

Dun. This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air
Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself

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