Against my near’st of life: and though I could
With barefaced 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
Who 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.
Sec. Mur.

We shall, my lord,
Perform what you command us.
FIRST MUR.

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, And something from the palace; always thought That I require a clearness: and with himTo leave no rubs nor botches in the workFleance 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. Both MUR.

We are resolved, my lord. MACB. I'll call upon you straight: abide within.

[Exeunt Murderers. It is concluded. Banquo, thy soul's flight, If it find heaven, must find it out to-night. [Evit.

SCENE II.

The palace.
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.
Madam, I will

[Exit. 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 all

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 In the affliction of these terrible dreams That shake us nightly: better be with the dead, Whom we, to gain our peace, 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 among your guests to-night.

Macb. So shall I, love; and so, I pray, be you: Let your remembrance apply to Banquo; Present him eminence, 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, Disguising what they are. LADY M.

You must leave this. 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.

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 summons The shard-borne beetle 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. Bę innocent of the knowledge, dearest

chuck, Till thou applaud the deed. Come, seeling night, Scarf 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 preys do rouse.
Thou marvell’st at my words: but hold thee still:
Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill.
So, prithee, go with me.

[Eveunt.

SCENE III.
A park near the palace.

Enter three Murderers.
FIRST MUR. But who did bid thee join with us?
THIRD MUR,

Macbeth. Sec. Mur. He needs not our mistrust, since he

delivers
Our offices and what we have to do
To the direction just.
FIRST MUR.

Then stand with us.
The west yet glimmers with some streaks of day:
Now
spurs

the lated traveller apace
To gain the timely inn; and near approaches
The subject of our watch.
THIRD MUR.

Hark! I hear horses.
Ban. [Within] Give us a light there, ho!
Sec. MUR.

Then 'tis he: the rest That are within the note of expectation Already are i' the court.

d the

use.

till

:

int

FIRST Mur.

His horses go about.
THIRD Mur. Almost a mile: but he does usually,
So all men do, from hence to the palace gate
Make it their walk.
Sec. Mur.

A light, a light!
Enter BANQUO, and FLEANCE with a torch.
THIRD MUR.

'Tis he.
FIRST MUR. Stand to't.
Ban. It will be rain to-night.
FIRST Mur.

Let it come down.

[They set upon BANQUO. Ban. O, treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly! Thou mayst revenge.

O slave!

[Dies. FLEANCE escapes. THIRD MUR. Who did strike out the light? FIRST MUR.

Was't not the
THIRD Mur. There's but one down; the son is fled.
Sec. MUR.

We have lost
Best half of our affair.
FIRST MUR. Well, let's away,

and

say how much is done.

[Exeunt.

way?

The same.

SCENE IV.

Hall in the palace.
A banquet prepared. Enter MACBETH, LADY
MACBETH, Ross, LENNOX, Lords, and Attendants.
MACB. You know your own degrees; sit down:

at first
And last the hearty welcome.
LORDS.

Thanks to your majesty