Where is Duncan's body?
Macd. Carried to Colmes-kill;
The sacred storehouse of his predecessors,
And guardian of their bones.
Macd. No, cousin, I'll to Fife. Rosse.
Well, I will thither. Macd. Well, may you see things well done there;
Lest our old robes sit easier than our new! Rosse. Father, farewell.
Old M. God's benison go with you; and with
That would make good of bad, and friends of foes! [Exeunt.
SCENE I.-Fores. A Room in the Palace. Enter BANQUO.
Ban. Thou hast it now, King, Cawdor, Glamis, As the weird women promis'd; and, I fear, [all, 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. Senet sounded. Enter MACBETH, as King; Lady MACBETH, as Queen; LENOX, ROSSE, Lords, Ladies, and Attendants.
Macb. Here's our chief guest. If he had been forgotten, Lady M. It had been as a gap in our great feast, And all things unbecoming. Mach. 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 desir'd 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 bet- I must become a borrower of the night, For a dark hour, or twain. Macb.
Ban. My lord, I will not. Mach. 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
Macb. I wish your horses swift, and sure of foot; And so I do commend you to their backs. Farewell.-
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
[Exeunt Lady Macbeth, Lords, Ladies, &c. Sirrah, a word: Attend those men our pleasure? Attend. They are, my lord, 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
And, to that dauntless temper of his mind, He hath a wisdom that doth guide his valour but he To act in safety. There is Whose being I do fear: and, under him, My genius is rebuk'd; as, it is said, Mark Antony's was by Cæsar. He chid the sis- 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 plac'd 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 it be so, For Banquo's issue have I fil'd 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 to the door, and stay there till we call. [Exit Attendant.
Was it not yesterday we spoke together? 1 Mur. It was, so please your highness. Macb.
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 In our last conference; pass'd in probation with [instruments; How you were borne in hand; how cross'd; the Who wrought with them; and all things else, that [might, To half a soul, and a notion craz'd, Say, Thus did Banquo. You made it known to us. i Mur. Macb. I did so; and went further, which is now Our point of second 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, for ever? And beggar'd yours We are men, my liege. S 18
Macb. Ay, in the catalogue ye go for men; As hounds, and greyhounds, mongrels, spaniels,
Shoughs, water-rugs, and demi-wolves, are cleped All by the name of dogs: the valued file Distinguishes the swift, the slow, the subtle, 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 so of men. Now, if you have a station in the file,
And not in the worst rank of manhood, say it; 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.
2 Mur. I am one, my liege, Whom the vile blows and buffets of the world Have so incens'd, that I am reckless what
I do, to spite the world.
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. Macb.
Both of you Know, Banquo was your enemy. 2 Mur. True, my lord. Macb. So is he mine: and in such bloody dis- That every minute of his being thrusts [tance, Against my near'st of life: And though I could With bare-fac'd 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 Whom 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.
2 Mur. We shall, my lord, Perform what you command us. 1 Mur. 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 him, (To leave no rubs, nor botches, in the work,) Fleance 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.
2 Mur. We are resolv'd, my lord. Macb. I'll call upon you straight; abide within. It is concluded:- -Banquo, thy soul's flight, If it find heaven, must find it out to-night.
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 iu fear, and sleep In the affliction of these terrible dreams, That shake us nightly: Better be with the dead, Whom we, to gain our place, have sent to peace, Than on the torture of the mind to lie
In restless ecstacy. 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!
Gentle my lord, sleek o'er your rugged looks; Be bright and jovial 'mong 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
Thou know'st that Banquo, and his Fleance, live. 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 bath flown His cloister'd flight; ere, to black Hecate's sum-
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. Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, Till thou applaud the deed. Come, seeling night, Skarf 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 Makes wing to the rooky wood: [crow
Good things of day begin to droop and drowse; Whiles night's black agents to their prey do rouse. Thou marvell'st at my words: but hold thee still; Things, bad begun, make strong themselves by ill: So, pr'ythee, go with me. [Exeunt.
SCENE III. The same. A Park or Lawn, with a Gate leading to the Palace.
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.
Ban. (Within.) Give us a light there, ho! 2 Mur. Then it is he; the rest Already are i'the court. That are within the note of expectation,
1 Mur. His horses go about. 3 Mur. Almost a mile: but he does usually, So all men do, from hence to the palace gate Make it their walk.
Enter BANQUO and FLEANCE, a Servant with a torch preceding them. A light, a light!
SCENE 4.]
I Mur. Stand to't.
Ban. It will be rain to-night.
Let it come down. (Assaults Banquo.)
Ban. O, treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly; Thou may'st revenge.-O slave!
(Dies. Fleance and Servant escape.) 3 Mur. Who did strike out the light? Was't not the way? 1 Mur. 3 Mur. There's but one down; the son is fled. 2 Mur. We have lost best half of our affair. 1 Mur. Well, let's away, and say how much is [Exeunt. done. SCENE IV.-A Room of State in the Palace. A Banquet prepared.
Enter MACBETH, Lady MACBETH, ROSSE, LENOX, Lords, and Attendants.
Macb. You know your own degrees, sit down: [at first And last, the hearty welcome. Lords. Thanks to your majesty. Macb. Ourself will mingle with society, And play the humble host.
Our hostess keeps her state; but, in best time, We will require her welcome.
[friends; Lady M. Pronounce it for me, sir, to all our For my heart speaks, they are welcome.
Enter first Murderer, to the door.
Macb. See, they encounter thee with their hearts' thanks:-
Both sides are even: Here I'll sit i'the mid'st: Be large in mirth; anon, we'll drink a measure The table round.-There's blood upon thy face. Mur. 'Tis Banquo's then.
Macb. 'Tis better thee without, than he within. Is he despatch'd?
Mur. My lord, his throat is cut; that I did for [he's good, him. Macb. Thou art the best o'the cut-throats: Yet That did the like for Fleance: if thou didst it, Thon art the nonpareil. Mur.
[perfect; Fleance is 'scap'd. Macb. Then comes my fit again: I had else been Whole as the marble, founded as the rock; As broad, and general, as the casing air: But now, I am cabin'd, cribb'd, confin'd, bound in To saucy doubts and fears. But Banquo's safe? Mur. Ay, my good lord: safe in a ditch he bides, With twenty trenched gashes on his head; The least a death to nature.
Macb. The table's full.
Len. Here's a place reserv'd, sir. Macb. Where?
Here, my lord. What is't that moves your highness? Macb. Which of you have done this? What, my good lord? Lords. Macb. Thou canst not say, I did it never shake Thy gory locks at me.
Rosse. Gentlemen, rise; his highness is not well. Lady M. Sit, worthy friends :-my lord is often [seat; thus, And hath been from his youth: 'pray you, keep The fit is momentary; upon a thought He will again be well: If much you note him, You shall offend him, and extend his passion; Feed, and regard him not.-Are you a man? Macb. Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on that Which might appal the devil. O proper stuff! Lady M. This is the very painting of your fear: This is the air-drawn dagger, which, you said, Led you to Duncan. O, these flaws, and starts, (Impostors to true fear,) would well become A woman's story, at a winter's fire, Authoriz'd by her grandam. Shame itself! When all's done, Why do you make such faces? You look but on a stool. Macb. Pr'ythee, see there! behold! look! lo! how say you?-
Why, what care I? If thou canst nod, speak too.- If charnel-houses, and our graves, must send Those that we bury, back, our monuments (Ghost disappears.) Shall be the maws of kites. Lady M. What! quite unmann'd in folly? Macb. If I stand here, I saw him.
Lady M. Macb. Blood hath been shed ere now, time,
Ere human statute purg'd the gentle weal; Ay, and since too, murders have been perform'd Too terrible for the ear: the times have been, That, when the brains were out, the man would die, And there an end; but now, they rise again, With twenty mortal murders on their crowns, And push us from our stools: This is more strange Than such a murder is. My worthy lord, Lady M. Your noble friends do lack you. Macb.
I do forget:- Do not muse at me, my most worthy friends; I have a strange infirmity, which is nothing Come, love and health To those that know me." Thanks for that:- [full:- to all; -Give me some wine, fill Then I'll sit down :- I drink to the general joy of the whole table, Ghost rises.
There the grown serpent lies; the worm, that's fled, Hath nature that in time will venom breed, No teeth for the present.-Get thee gone; to- [morrow We'll hear, ourselves again. [Exit Murderer. My royal lord, Lady M. You do not give the cheer: the feast is sold, That is not often vouch'd, while 'tis a making, 'Tis given with welcome: To feed, were best at
From thence, the sauce to meat is ceremony; Meeting were bare without it.
Now, good digestion wait on appetite, And health on both!
May it please your highness sit? (The Ghost of Banquo rises, and sits in Macbeth's place.) Macb. Here had we now our country's honour roof'd,
Were the grac'd person of our Banquo present; Who may I rather challenge for unkindness Than pity for mischance! His absence, sir, Rosse. Lays blame upon his promise. Please it your high- [ness To grace us with your royal company?
And to our dear friend Banquo, whom we miss; Would he were here! to all, and him, we thirst, And all to all. Our duties, and the pledge. Lords. Macb. Avaunt! and quit my sight! Let the earth hide thee!
Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold; Thou hast no speculation in those eyes Which thou dost glare with!
Think of this, good peers,
Lady M. But as a thing of custom: 'tis no other; Only it spoils the pleasure of the time.
Macb. What man dare, I dare: Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear, The arm'd rhinoceros, or the Hyrcan tiger, Take any shape but that, and my firm nerves Shall never tremble: Or, be alive again, And dare me to the desert with thy sword; If trembling I inhibit thee, protest me The baby of a girl. Hence, horrible shadow! (Ghost disappears.)
Good night, and better health
Attend his majesty! Lady M. A kind good night to all! [Exeunt Lords and Attendants. Macb. It will have blood; they say, blood will have blood: [speak; Stones have been known to move, and trees to Augurs, and understood relations, have By magot-pies, and choughs, and rooks, brought forth
The secret'st man of blood.-What is the night? Lady M. Almost at odds with morning, which is which.
Macb. How say'st thou, that Macduff denies his At our great bidding? [person, Lady M. Did you send to him, sir? Macb. I hear it by the way; but I will send: There's not a one of them, but in his house I keep a servant fee'd. I will to-morrow, (Betimes I will,) unto the weird sisters: More shall they speak; for now I am bent to know, By the worst means, the worst: for mine own good,
All causes shall give way; I am in blood Stept in so far, that, should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o'er: Strange things I have in head, that will to hand; Which must be acted, ere they may be scann'd. Lady M. You lack the season of all natures, sleep. [self-abuse Macb. Come, we'll to sleep: My strange and Is the initiate fear, that wants hard use:- We are yet but young in deed.
SCENE V.-The Heath. Thunder. Enter HECATE, meeting the three Witches.
1 Witch. Why, how now, Hecate? you look angerly.
Her. Have I not reason, beldams, as you are, Saucy, and overbold? How did you dare To trade and traffic with Macbeth,
In riddles, and affairs of death;
And I, the mistress of your charms,
The close contriver of all harms,
Was never call'd to bear my part, Or show the glory of our art?
And, which is worse, all you have done Hath been but for a wayward son, Spiteful, and wrathful; who, as others do, Loves for his own ends, not for you.
But make amends now: Get you gone, And at the pit of Acheron Meet me i'the morning; thither he Will come to know his destiny. Your vessels, and your spells, provide, Your charms, and every thing beside: I am for the air; this night I'll spend Unto a dismal-fatal end.
Great business must be wrought ere noon : Upon the corner of the moon
There hangs a vaporous drop profound; I'll catch ere it come to ground: And that, distill'd by magic slights, Shall raise such artificial sprights, As, by the strength of their illusion, Shall draw him on to his confusion: He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and hear His hopes 'bove wisdom, grace, and fear: And you all know, security Is mortals' chiefest enemy.
SONG. (Within.) Come away, come away, &c. Hark, I am call'd; my little spirit, see, Sits in a foggy cloud, and stays for me. [Exit. 1 Witch. Come, let's make haste; she'll soon be back again. [Exeunt.
Was pitied of Macbeth :-marry, he was dead :- And the right-valiant Banquo walk'd too late; Whom, you may say, if it please you, Fleance kill'd,
For Fleance fled. Men must not walk too late. Who cannot want the thought, how monstrous It was for Malcolm, and for Donalbain, To kill their gracious father? damned fact! How it did grieve Macbeth! did he not straight, In pious rage, the two delinquents tear, That were the slaves of drink, and thralls of sleep? Was not that nobly done? Ay, and wisely too; For 'twould have anger'd any heart alive, To hear the men deny it. So that, I say, He has borne all things well: and I do think, That, had he Duncan's sons under his key, (As, an't please heaven, he shall not,) they should
What 'twere to kill a father: so should Fleance. But, peace!-for from broad words, and 'cause he fail'd
His presence at the tyrant's feast, I hear, Macduff lives in disgrace: Sir, can you tell Where he bestows himself? The son of Duncan, From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth, Lives in the English court; and is receiv'd Of the most pious Edward with such grace, That the malevolence of fortune nothing Takes from his high respect: Thither Macduff Is gone to pray the holy king, on his aid To wake Northumberland, and warlike Siward: That, by the help of these, (with Him above To ratify the work,) we may again
Give to our tables meat, sleep to our nights; Free from our feasts and banquets bloody knives; Do faithful homage, and receive free honours, All which we pine for now: And this report
Hath so exasperate the king, that he
Prepares for some attempt of war.
Len. Lord. He did and with an absolute, Sir, not I, The cloudy messenger turns me his back, And hums; as who should say, You'll rue the time That clogs me with this answer.
Len. And that well might Advise him to a caution, to hold what distance His wisdom can provide. Some holy angel Fly to the court of England, and unfold His message ere he come; that a swift blessing May soon return to this our suffering country Under a hand accurs'd!
My prayers with him! [Exeunt.
SCENE I.-A dark Cave. In the middle, a Cauldron boiling. Thunder.
Enter the three Witches.
1 Witch. Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd.
2 Witch. Thrice; and once the hedge-pig whin'd. 3 Witch. Harper cries:-'Tis time, 'tis time.
1 Witch. Round about the cauldron go;
In the poison'd entrails throw.——- Toad, that under coldest stone, Days and nights hast thirty-one Swelter'd venom sleeping got, Boil thou first i'the charmed pot! All. Double, double toil and trouble; Fire, burn; and, cauldron, bubble. 2 Witch. Fillet of a fenny snake, In the cauldron boil and bake: Eye of newt, and toe of frog, Wool of bat, and tongue of dog, Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting, Lizard's leg, and owlet's wing, For a charm of powerful trouble, Like a hell-broth boil and bubble. All. Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire, burn; and, cauldron, bubble. 3 Witch. Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf; Witches' mummy; maw, and gulf, Of the ravin'd salt-sea shark; Root of hemlock, digg'd i'the dark; Liver of blaspheming Jew; Gall of goat, and slips of yew, Sliver'd in the moon's eclipse; Nose of Turk, and Tartar's lips; Finger of birth-strangled babe, Ditch-deliver'd by a drab, Make the gruel thick and slab: Add thereto a tiger's chawdron, For the ingredients of our cauldron. All. Double, double toil and trouble; Fire, burn; and, cauldron, bubble. 2 Witch. Cool it with a baboon's blood, Then the charm is firm and good.
Enter HECATE, and the other three Witches. Hec. O, well done! I commend your pains; And every one shall share i'the gains.
And now about the cauldron sing, Like elves and fairies in a ring, Enchanting all that you put in.
Macb. How now, you secret, black, and mid- [night hags? What is't you do? A deed without a name. All. Macb. I cóujure you, by that which you profess, (Howe'er you come to know it,) answer me: Though you untie the winds, and let them fight Against the churches; though the yesty waves- Confound and swallow navigation up; Though bladed corn be lodg'd, and trees blown down; Though castles topple on their warders' heads; Though palaces, and pyramids, do slope Their heads to their foundations; though the treasure Of nature's germins tumble all together, Even till destruction sicken, answer me To what I ask you.
1 Witch. Say, if thou'dst rather hear it from our Or from our masters'? Mach.
Call them, let me see them. 1 Witch. Pour in sow's blood, that hath eaten that's sweaten Her nine farrow; grease,
From the murderer's gibbet, throw
Thyself, and office, deftly show.
Thunder. An Apparition of an armed Head rises.
Macb. Tell me, thou unknown power,
Hear his speech, but say thou nought.
App. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! beware Macduff';
Beware the thane of Fife.-Dismiss me :-)
Macb. Whate'er thou art, for thy good caution,
[more:-Thou hast harp'd my fear aright:-But one word 1 Witch. He will not be commanded: Here's [another, More potent than the first.
Thunder. An Apparition of a bloody Child rises. Arp. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!- Macb. Had I three ears, I'd hear thee. App.
Be bloody, bold, And resolute; laugh to scorn the power of man, For none of woman born shall harm Macbeth.
(Descends.) Mach. Then live, Macduff; What need I fear
But yet I'll make assurance double sure, And take a bond of fate: thou shalt not live; That I may tell pale-hearted fear, it lies,
And sleep in spite of thunder.-What is this, Thunder. An Apparition of a Child crowned, with a tree in his hand, rises.
That rises like the issue of a king; And wears upon his baby brow the round And top of sovereignty?
Listen, but speak not. App. Be lion-mettled, proud; and take no care Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are: Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be, until Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill Shall come against him.
Who can impress the forest; bid the tree Unfix his earth-bound root? sweet bodements! good! Rebellious head, rise never, till the wood Of Birnam rise, and our high-plac'd Macbeth Shall live the lease of nature, pay his breath To time, and mortal custom.-Yet my heart Throbs to know one thing; Tell me, (if your art Can tell so much,) shall Banquo's issue ever Reign in this kingdom?
Seek to know no more. Macb. I will be satisfied: deny me this, And an eternal curse fall on you! Let me know:- Why sinks that cauldron? and what noise is this? (Hautboys.)
1 Witch. Show! 2 Witch. Show! 3 Witch. Show! All. Show his eyes, and grieve his heart; Come like shadows, so depart.
order; the last with a glass in his hand; BANQUO Eight Kings appear, and pass over the Stage-in following.
Macb. Thou art too like the spirit of Banquo;
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