Ross.

Well, I will thither. Macd. Well, may you see things well done

there: adieu !
Lest our old robes sit easier than our new

Ross. 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 THE THIRD.

SCENE I.
Forres.

The palace.

Enter BANQUO.
Ban. Thou hast it now: king, Cawdor, Glamis, all,
As the weird women promised, and, I fear,
Thou play'dst 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, LENNOX, Ross, 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-thing 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 desired 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: go not my horse the better, I must become a borrower of the night For a dark hour or twain. МАСв. .

Fail not our feast.
Ban. My lord, I will not.

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
Craving us jointly. Hie you to horse : adieu,
Till you return at night. Goes Fleance with you?

BAN. Ay, my good lord: our time does call upon's.
MacB. I wish your horses swift and sure of foot;

And so I do commend you to their backs.
Farewell.

[Exit BANQUO.
Let every man be master of his time
Till seven at night: to make society
The sweeter welcome, we will keep ourself
Till supper-time alone: while then, God be with you!

[Exeunt all but Macbeth, and an Attendant. Sirrah, a word with you: attend those men Our pleasure ?

ATTEN. They are,mylord, without the palace gate.
MacB. Bring them before us.

[Exit Attendant.

To be thus is nothing; But to be safely 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 wisdom that doth guide his valour
To act in safety. There is none but he
Whose being I do fear: and, under him,
My Genius is rebuked; as, it is said,
Mark Antony's was by Cæsar. He chid the sisters
When first they put the name of king upon me,
And bade them speak to him: then prophet-like
They hail'd him father to a line of kings:
Upon my

head they placed a fruitless crown,
And put a barren sceptre in my gripe,
Thence to be wrench'd with an unlineal hand,
No son of mine succeeding. If 't be so,
For Banquo's issue have I filed my

mind ; For them the gracious Duncan have I murder'd;

Put rancours in the vessel of my peace
Only for them; and mine eternal jewel
Given to the common enemy of man,
To make them kings, the seed of Banquo kings !
Rather than so, come fate into the list,
And champion me to the utterance! Who's there?

Re-enter Attendant, with two Murderers.
Now
go to the door, and stay there till we call.

[Exit Attendant. Was it not yesterday we spoke together?

FIRST Mur. It was, so please your highness.
MacB.

Well then, now
Have you consider'd of my speeches? Know
That it was he in the times past which held you
So under fortune, which you thought had been
Our innocent self: this I made good to you

our last conference, pass'd in probation with you, How you were borne in hand, how cross'd, the

instruments, Who wrought with them, and all things else that To half a soul and to a notion crazed (might Say Thus did Banquo. FIRST Mur.

You made it known to us. MACB. I did so, and went further, which is now Our point of

nd meeting. Do you find Your patience so predominant in your nature That you can let this go? Are you so gospell’d To

pray for this good man and for his issue, Whose heavy hand hath bow'd you to the grave And beggar'd yours for ever? First Mur.

We are men, my liege.

y't:

Macb. Ay, in the catalogue ye go

for

men; As hounds and greyhounds, mongrels, spaniels,curs, Shoughs, water-rugs and demi-wolves, are clept All by the name of dogs: the valued file Distinguishes the swift, the slow, the subtle, The housekeeper, the hunter, every one According to the gift which bounteous nature Hath in him closed; whereby he does receive Particular addition, from the bill That writes them all alike: and so of men. Now, if you have a station in the file, Not i' the worst rank of manhood, say 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. Sec. Mur.

I am one, my liege, Whom the vile blows and buffets of the world Have so incensed that I am reckless what I do to spite the world. FIRST MUR.

And I another
So

weary with disasters, tugg'd with fortune,
That I would set my life on any chance,
To mend it, or be rid on't.
МАСВ. .

Both of you
Know Banquo was your enemy.
Both Mur.

True, my

lord. Macb. So is he mine; and in such bloody distance, That every minute of his being thrusts