Enter Banquo and Fleance, with a torch.

2 Mur. A light, a light.

3 Mur. 'Tis he.

I Mur. Stand to't.

Ban. It will be rain to-night.

I Mur. Let it come down.
Ban. Oh, treachery!

Fly, Fleance, fly, fly, fly;

Thou may'ft revenge. Oh flave!

[They affault Banquo.

[Dies. Fleance efcapes.

3 Mur. Who did ftrike out the light? I Mur. Was't not the way?

3 Mur. There's but one down; the fon Is fled.

2 Mur. We've loft best half of our affair.

1 Mur. Well, let's away, and say how much is done.

[Exeunt.

SCENE V. Changes to a room of flate in the cafle. A banquet prepar'd. Enter Macbeth, Lady Roffe, Lenox, Lords, and Attendants.

Macb. You know your own degrees, fit down; And first and laft, the hearty welcome.

Lords. Thanks to your Majefty.

Macb. Ourfelf will mingle with fociety,

And play the humble hoft.

Our hoftefs keeps her state, but in best time

We will require her welcome.

[They fit.

Lady. Pronounce it for me, Sir, to all our friends,

For my heart fpeaks they're welcome.

Enter firft Murtherer.

Macb. See they encounter thee with their hearts' Both fides are even: here I'll fit i' th' midft. [thanks. Be large in mirth, anon we'll drink a measure The table round- -There's blood upon thy face.

[To the Murtherer, afde, at the door.

Mur. 'Tis Banquo's then.

Mach. 'Tis better thee without, than he within. Is he dispatch'd?

Mur.

Mur. My Lord, his throat is cut, that I did for him. Macb. Thou art the best of cut-throats; yet he's good, That did the like for Fleance: if thou didst it, Thou art the non-pareil.

Mur. Moft Royal Sir,

Fleance is 'fcap'd.

Macb. "Then comes my fit again. I had elfe been perfect;

"Whole as the marble, founded as the rock;

"As broad and gen'ral as the cafing air :

"But now I'm cabbin'd, cribb'd, confin'd, bound in "To faucy doubts and fears.

But Banquo's fafe ?— Mur. Ay, my good Lord: fafe in a ditch he bides, With twenty trenched gafhes on his head;

The leaft a death to Nature.

Macb. Thanks for that;

"There the grown ferpent lies: the worm that's fled, "Hath nature that in time will venom breed ;

"No teeth for th' prefent. Get thee gone, to-morrow We'll hear thee ourselves again.

Lady. My royal Lord,

[Exit Murtherer.

You do not give the cheer; the feaft is cold,

That is not often vouched, while 'tis making

'Tis given with welcome. To feed, were best at home; From thence, the fauce to meat is ceremony;

Meeting were bare without it.

[The Ghost of Banquo rifes, and fits in Macbeth's place.

Mach. Sweet remembrancer!

Now good digeftion wait on appetite,

And health on both!

Len. May't please your Highnefs fit?

Macb. Here had we now our country's honour roof'd, Were the grac'd perfon of our Banquo prefent,

(Whom may I rather challenge for unkindnefs,

Than pity for mischance!)

Roffe. His abfence, Sir,

Lays blame upon his promife. Pleafe't your Highness

To grace us with your royal company?

Nacb. The table's full.

Len. Here's a place referv'd, Sir.

Macb. Where?

Len. Here, my good Lord.

[Starting

What

What is't that moves your Highness?

Macb. "Which of you have done this?
Lords. What, my good Lord?

Macb. "Thou canst not fay I did it: never shake "Thy goary locks at me."

Roffe. Gentlemen, rife; his Highness is not well.
Lady. Sit, worthy friends, my Lord is often thus,
And hath been from his youth. Pray you keep feat.
The fit is momentary, on a thought

He will again be well. If much you note him,
You fhall offend him, and extend his paffion;
Feed, and regard him not.

-Are you a man?

[To Macbeth afide.

Macb. Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on that, Which might appal the devil.

Lady. O proper ftuff!

"This is the very painting of your fear; [Afide. "This is the air drawn dagger, which you faid "Led you to Duncan. Oh, these flaws and ftarts "(Impoftors of true fear) would well become "A woman's flory at a winter's fire,

"Authoris'd by her grandam. Shame itself! Why do you make fuch faces? when all's done, You look but on a stool.

Mach. Pr'ythee fee there!

Behold! look! lo! How fay you?

[Pointing to the Ghoft. "Why, what care I? if thou canst nod, speak too. If charnel-houfes and our graves muft fend

Those that we bury back, our monuments
Shall be the maws of kites.

[The Ghost vanishes.

Lady. What? quite unmann'd in folly ?
Mach. If I ftand here, I faw him.-

Lady. Fie, for fhame!

Macb. "Blood hath been fhed ere now i' th' olden "Ere human ftatute purg'd the gen'ral weal;

[time,

"Ay, and fince too, murthers have been perform'd
"Too terrible for th' ear. The times have been,
That, when the brains were out, the man would die,
And there an end; but now they rife again
With twenty mortal murthers on their crowns,
And push us from our ftools. This is more strange
VOL. VI.

Than

Do not mufe at me, my moft worthy friends;
I have a strange infirmity, which is nothing
To thofe that know me. Come, love and health to all!
Then I'll fit down: give me fome wine, fill full-
I drink to th' general joy of the whole table,
And to our dear friend Banquo, whom we mifs;
Would he were here! to all, and him, we thirst,
And all to all.

Lords. Our duties, and the pledge.

[The Ghoft rifes again. Mach. Avaunt, and quit my fight! Let the earth hide

thee!

"Thy bones are marrowlefs, thy blood is cold;
"Thou haft no fpeculation in those
"Which thou doft glare with."

eyes

Lady. Think of this, good Peers,
But as a thing of custom; 'tis no other;
Only it fpoils the pleafure of the time.
Macb. What man dare, I dare:

Approach thou like the rugged Ruffian bear,
The arm'd rhinoceros, or Hyrcanian tyger;
"Take any shape but that, and my firm nerves
«Shall never tremble: or be alive again,
"And dare me to the defart with thy fword;
If trembling I inhibit*, then proteft me
"The baby of a girl. Hence, horrible fhadow !
"Unreal mock'ry, hence! Why fo,—being gone,
[The Ghoft vanifbes.
The Lords rife.
Lady. ou have difplac'd the mirth, broke the good
meeting

I am a man again. Pray you fit ftill.

With moft auto a diforder. Can't fuch things be,
And overcome t`us like a fummer's cloud,

Without our fpecial wonder?

Macb. You make me strange

* inhibit, for refuse.

overcome is used for deceive.

"Ev'n

"Ev'n to the difpofition that I owe *,

"Now when I think you can behold fuch fights,
"And keep the natural ruby of your cheeks,
"When mine is blanch'd with fear.".

Roffe. What fights, my Lord?

Lady. I pray you fpeak not; he grows worse and Queftion enrages him at once good night,

Stand not upon

But go at once.

the order of your going,

Len. Good night, and better health

Attend his Majesty!

Lady. Good night to all.

[worfe;

[Exeunt Lords.

Macb. It will have blood; they fay, blood will have

blood;

Stones have been known to move, and trees to speak ;
Augurs, that understood relations †, have

By magpies, and by choughs, and rooks, brought forth
The fecret'it man of blood.- -What is the night?
Lady. Almoft at odds with morning, which is which.
Macb. How fay'ft thou, that Macduff denies his
At our great bidding?

Lady. Did you send to him, Sir?

per

[fon

Macb. I hear it by the way; but I will fend. There's not a Thane of them, but in his houfe I keep a fervant fee'd. I will to-morrow (Betimes I will) unto the weyward fifters: More fhall they speak: for now I'm bent to know, By the worst means, the worst, for mine own good. All caufes fhall give way; I am in blood Stept in fo far, that, fhould I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as going o'er. Strange things I have in head, that will to hand; Which must be acted ere they may be scann'd. Lady. You lack the season of all natures, fleep. Mach. Come, we'll to fleep; my ftrange and felf-abufe Is the initiate fear, that wants hard use † :

We're but young in deed.

Ꮓ 2

Exeunt.

SCENE

* Which in plain English, is only, You make me just mad.

By relations is meant the relation one thing is supposed to bear to another.

initiate fear, for that fear which attends those who are but newly initiated in ill; and hard ufe, for ufe that makes hardy.