Macd. No, coufin, I'll to Fife.

Roffe. Well, I will thither.

Macd. Well! may you fee things well done there! adien Left our old robes fit eafier than our new.

Roffe. Farewel, father.

Old M. God's benifon go with you, and with those That would make good of bad, and friends of foes. [Exeunt.

ACT III.

SCENE I.

A Royal Apartment.

Enter Banquo..

Hou haft it now; King, Cawdor, Glamis, all
The weird women promis'd; and I fear

Thou plaid'st moft foully for't: yet it was faid

It should not stand in thy pofterity,

But that my felf fhould be the root, and father
Of many Kings. If there come truth from them,
As upon thee, Macbeth, their fpeeches fhine,
Why, by the verities on thee made good,

May they not be my oracles as well,

And fet me up in hope? but hufh, no more.

Trumpets found. Enter Macbeth as King, Lady Macbeth, Lenox, Roffe, Lords and Attendants.

Mach. Here's our chief gueft.

Lady. If he had been forgotten,

It had been as a gap in our great feaft,

And all things unbecoming.

Mach. To-night we hold a folemn fupper, Sir,

And I'll request your prefence.

Ban. Lay your Highness'

Command upon me, to the which my

duties

Are

Are with a most indiffoluble tye

For ever knit.

Mach. Ride you this afternoon?"

Ban. Ay, my good Lord.

Mach. We fhould have elfe defir'd

Your good advice (which ftill hath been both grave
And profperous) in this day's council; but
We'll take to-morrow. Is it far you ride?
Ban. As far, my Lord, as will fill up the time
Twixt this and fupper. Go not my horfe the better,
I muft become a borrower of the night

For a dark hour or twain.

Macb. Fail not our feaft.

Ban. My Lord, I will not.

Mach. We hear, our bloody coufins are bestow'd
In England, and in Ireland, not confeffing
Their cruel parricide, filling their hearers
With ftrange invention; but of that to-morrow;
When therewithal we fhall have cause of state,
Craving us jointly. Hie to horfe: adieu,

'Till you return at night. Goes Fleance with you?
Ban. Ay, my good Lord; our time does call upon us,
Mach. I with your horfes fwift, and fure of foot:

And fo I do commend you to their backs.

Farewel.

Let ev'ry man be mafter of his time

'Till feven at night; to make fociety

[Exit Banquo,

The sweeter welcome, we will keep our felf

'Till fupper-time alone: 'till then, God be with you!

[Exeunt Lady Macbeth, and Lords.

S CE N E II.

Manent Macbeth and a Servant.

Sirrah, a word with you: attend thofe men

Our pleasure ?

Ser. They are, my Lord, without the palace gate.

Ii 2

Mach.

Macb. Bring them before us-To be thus, is nothing,

[Exit Servan

But to be fafely thus: our fears in Banquo
Stick deep, and in his royalty of nature
Reigns that which would be fear'd. 'Tis much he dares,
And to that dauntless temper of his mind,
He hath a wifdom that doth guide his valour
To act in fafety. There is none but he,
Whose being I do fear: and under him
My genius is rebuk'd; as it is faid

8

Antony's was by 'Cafar's. He chid the fifters,
When first they put the name of King upon me,
And bad them fpeak 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 scepter in my gripe,
Thence to be wrench'd with an unlineal hand,
No fon of mine fucceeding. If 'tis fo,

For Banquo's iffue have I'fil'd my mind:

For them, the gracious Duncan have I murther'd;
Put rancours in the veffel of my peace

Only for them; and mine eternal jewel
Giv'n to the common enemy of man,

To make them Kings; the feed of Banquo Kings:
Rather than fo, come fate into the list,

And champion me to th' utterance!

who's there?

Enter Servant, and two Murtherers.

Go to the door, and ftay there 'till we call. [Exit Servani. Was it not yesterday we fpoke together?

Mur. It was, fo please your Highness.

Macb. Well then, now

You have confider'd of my fpeeches? know
That it was he, in the times paft, which held you
So under fortune, which you thought had been
Our innocent felf; this I made good to you
In our laft conf'rence, paft in probation with you

8 Cafar.

How

How you were born in hand, how croft; the inftruments, Who wrought with them: and all things else that might To half a foul, and to a notion craz❜d,

Say, Thus did Banquo.

1 Mur. True, you made it known.

Mach. I did fo; and went further, which is now
Our point of second meeting. Do you find
Your patience fo predominant in your nature,
That you can let this go? are you fo gofpell'd,
To pray for this good man and for his iffue,
Whofe heavy hand hath bow'd you to the grave,
And beggar'd yours for ever?

I Mur. We are men, my Liege.

Mach. Ay, in the catalogue ye go for men,
As hounds, and greyhounds, mungrels, fpaniels, curs,
Showghes, water-rugs, and demy-wolves are clep'd
AN by the name of dogs; the valued file
Distinguishes the fwift, the flow, the fubtle,
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, from the bill

That writes them all alike: and fo of men.
Now, if you have a ftation in the file,

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

2 Mur. I am one,

Whom the vile blows and buffets of the world
Have fo incens'd, that I am reckless what

I do, to fpite the world.

1 Mur. And I another,

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

To mend it, or be rid on't.

. Mach. Both of you

Know Banque was your enemy.
Mur. True, my Lord.

Mach. So is he mine: and in fuch bloody diftance,
That every minute of his being thrusts

Againft my near'ft of life; and though I could
With bare-fac'd power fweep him from my fight,
And bid my will avouch it; yet I must not,
For certain friends that are both his and mine,
Whofe loves I may not drop; but wail his fall
Whom I my felf ftruck down: and thence it is,
That I to your affistance do make love,
Masking the bufinefs from the common eye
For fundry weighty reasons.

2 Mur. We fhall, my Lord, Perform what you command us..

1 Mur. Though our lives

[moft,

Mach. Your fpirits fhine through you. In this hour, I

I will advise you where to plant your felves,
Acquaint you with the perfect fpy o' th' time,
The moment on't, for't must be done to-night,
And fomething from the palace: (always thought
That I require a clearness) and with him,
(To leave no rubs nor botches in the work)
Fleance his fon that keeps him company,
(Whofe abfence is no lefs material to me,
Than is his father's) muft embrace the fate
Of that dark hour. Refolve your felves a-part,
I'll come to you anon.

Mur. We are 9'refolv'd.

Mach. I'll call upon you ftraight; abide within.
It is concluded; Banquo, thy foul's flight,
If it find heav'n, muft find it out to-night.

9 refolv'd, my lord.

[Exeunt.

SCENE