Sirrah, a word: attend those men our pleasure ?
Atten. They are, my lord, without the palace gate.
Macb. Bring them before us.-[Exit Atten.] 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 it 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 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. 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,

In our last coference; pass'd in probation with

you,

How you were borne in hand; how cross'd; the instruments;

Nobleness.

Challenge me to extremities.
Deluded.

For defiled.

§ Proved.

Who wrought with them; and all things else, that

might,

To half a soul, and a notion crazed,
Say, Thus did Banquo.

1 Mur. You made it known to us.

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, And beggar'd yours for ever?

1 Mur. We are men, my liege.

Macb. Ay, in the catalogue ye go for men ; As hounds, and greyhounds, mongrels, spaniels,

curs,

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 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,

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 incensed, that I am reckless ý what
I do, to spite the world.

1 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.

Macb. Both of you

Know, Banquo was your enemy.

2 Mur. True, my lord.

Macb. So is he mine: and in such bloody dis

Against my near'st of life: and though I could
With bare-faced 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 as. 1 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 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 yon anon.

2 Mur. We are resolved, 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. [Exeunt.

SCENE II.-The same.-Another Room.

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.

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 f
Using those thoughts, which should indeed have

died

With them they think on? Things without 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 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!

Lady M. Come on;

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 eminencet, 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 eternet. 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 sum

mons,

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,

• Agony. + Do him the highest honours. ti. e. The copy, the lease, by which they hold their lives from nature, has its time of termination. The beetle borne in the air by its shards or scaly wings. Blinding.

A term of endearment.

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

crow

Makes wing to the rooky wood:

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.

Enter three MURDERERS.

1 Mur. But who did bid thee join with us? 3 Mur. Macbeth.

2 Mur. He needs not our mistrust; since he delivers

Our offices, and what we have to do,

To the direction just.

1 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.

3 Mur. Hark, I hear horses.

Ban. [Within.] Give us a light there, ho!
2 Mur. Then it is he; the rest

That are within the note of expectation,
Already are i' the court.

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.

2 Mur. A light, a light!

3 Mur. "Tis he.

1 Mur. Stand to't.

Ban. It will be rain to-night.

1 Mur. Let it come down.

[Assaults Banquò.

Ban. O treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly; Thou may'st revenge.-O slave!

[Dies.-Fleance and Servant escape.

i. e. They who are set down in the list of guests, and expected to supper.