Enter MACBETH, BANQUuo, Rosse, and ANGUS.

The sin of my ingratitude even now
Was heavy on me: Thou art so far before,
That swiftest wing of recompence is slow

To overtake thee. 'Would thou hadst less deserv'd;

That the proportion both of thanks and payment
Might have been mine! only I have left to say,
More is thy due than more than all can pay.
Macb. The service and the loyalty I owe,
In doing it, pays itself. Your Highness' part
Is to receive our duties and our duties
Are to your throne and

state, children, and serv

ants;

Which do but what they should, by doing every

thing

Safe toward your love and honour.

Dun.

Welcome hither:

I have begun to plant thee, and will labour
To make thee full of growing.

Noble Banquo,

That hast no less deserv'd, nor must be knowa No less to have done so, let me infold thee,

And hold thee to my heart.

Ban. There if I grow,

The harvest is your own.

Dun. My plenteous joys,

Wanton in fulness, seek to hide themselves

And you whose places are the nearest, know,
We will establish our estate upon

Our eldest, Malcolm; whom we name hereafter,
The Prince of Cumberland: which honour must
Not, unaccompanied, invest him only,

But signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine

14

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On all deservers.

From hence to Inverness,

And bind us further to you.

Macb. The rest is labour, which is not us'd for you:

I'll be myself the harbinger, and make joyful
The hearing of my wife with your approach:
So, humbly take my leave.

Dun. My worthy Cawdor!

Macb. The Prince of Cumberland!

a step,

That is

On which I must fall down, or else o'er-leap,

[Aside. For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires! Let not light see my black and deep desires: The eye wink at the hand! yet let that be, Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see. [Exit. Dun. True, worthy Banquo; he is full so

valiant;

And in his commendations I am fed;

It is a banquet to me. Let us after him,

Whose care is gone before to bid us welcome:. It is a peerless kinsman.

SCENE

[Flourish. Exeunt.

V.

Inverness. A room in Macbeth's Castle.

--

Enter Lady MACBETH, reading a letter. Lady M. They met me in the day of success; and I have learned by the perfectest report, they have more in them than mortal know ledge. When I burn'd in desire to question them further, they made themselves air, into

which they vanish'd. Whiles I stood rapt in the wonder of it, came missives from the King; who all-hail'd me, Thane of Cawdor; by which title, before, these weird sisters saluted me, and referr'd me to the coming on of time, with, Hail, King that shalt be! This have I thought good to deliver thee, my dearest partner of greatness; that thou might'st not lose the dues of rejoicing, by being ignorant of what greatness is promised thee. Lay it to thy heart, and farewell.

Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be
What thou art promis'd:

Yet do I fear thy

nature;

It is too full o'the milk of human kindness,
To catch the nearest way: Thou would'st be great;
Art not without ambition; but without

The illness should attend it. What thou would'st

highly,

That would'st thou hoiily; would'st not play false, And yet would'st wrongly win: thoud'st have, great Glamis,

That which cries, Thus thou must do, if thou have it;

And that which rather thou dost fear to do,
Than wishest should be undone. Hie thee hither,
That I may pour my spirit, in thine ear;
And chastise with the valour of my tongue
All that impedes thee from the golden round,
Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem
To have thee crown'd withal. What is your

tidings?

Atten.

Enter an Attendant.

The King comes here to uight.

Lady M. Thou'rt mad to say it,

Is not thy master with him? who, wer't so,
Would have inform'd for preparation.

Atten. So please you, it is true; our Thane is coming:

One of my fellows had the speed of him;

Who, almost dead for breath, had scarcely more Than would make up his message.

Lady M. Give him tending,

He brings great news. The raven himself is hoarse,

[Exit Attendant.

That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan

Under my battlements. Come, come, you spirits
That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here;
And fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full
Of direst cruelty! make thick my blood,
Stop up the access and passage to remorse;
That no compunctious visitings of nature

Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between
The effect, and it! Come to my woman's breasts,
And take my milk for gall, you murd'ring mi-
nisters,

Wherever in your sightless substances

You wait on nature's mischief: Come, thick night,
And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell!
That my keen knife see not the wound it makes;
Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark,
To cry, Hold, hold!

Great Glamis! worthy Cawdor!

Enter

Enter MACBETH.

Greater than both, by the all-hail hereafter!
Thy letters have transported me beyond
This ignorant present, and I feel now
The future in the instant.

Macb. My dearest love,
Duncan comes here to-night.

Lady M. And when goes hence?

Macb. To-morrow,

Lady M. O, never

as he purposes.

Shall sun that morrow sce!

Your face, my Thane, is as a book, where men
May read strange matters : To beguile the time,
Look like the time; bear welcome in your cye,
Your hand, your tongue: look like the innocent
flower,

But be the serpent under it. He that's coming
Must be provided for: and you shall put
This night's great business into my despatch:
Which shall to all our nights and days to come
Give solely sovereign sway and masterdom.

Macb. We will speak further.
Lady M. Only look up clear;

To alter favour ever is to fear:

Leave all the rest to me.

SCENE

[Exeunt.

VI.

The same. Before the Castle.

Hautboys. Servants of Macbeth attending. Enter DUNCAN, MALCOLM, DONALBAIN, BANquo, LENOX, MACDUFF, ROSSE, ANGUS, and

Attendants.

Dun. This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air

Vol. VII.