Macbeth (1623 First Folio Edition)

Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. Macbeth (1623 First Folio Edition)
Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library
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Scene i

980: Actus Tertius. Scena Prima.
981: [ Enter Banquo.]

982:
Banq.
Thou hast it now, King, Cawdor, Glamis, all,
983: As the weyard Women promis'd, and I feare
984: Thou playd'st most fowly for't: yet it was saide
985: It should not stand in thy Posterity,
986: But that my selfe should be the Roote, and Father
987: Of many Kings. If there come truth from them,
988: As vpon thee Macbeth, their Speeches shine,
989: Why by the verities on thee made good,
990: May they not be my Oracles as well,
991: And set me vp in hope. But hush, no more.
992: [ Senit sounded. Enter Macbeth as King, Lady Lenox,
Rosse, Lords, and Attendants]

994:
Macb.
Heere's our chiefe Guest.
995:
La.
If he had beene forgotten,
996: It had bene as a gap in our great Feast,
997: And all-thing vnbecomming.
998:
Macb.
To night we hold a solemne Supper sir,
999: And Ile request your presence.
1000:
Banq.
Let your Highnesse
1001: Command vpon me, to the which my duties
1002: Are with a most indissoluble tye
1003: For euer knit.
1004:
Macb.
Ride you this afternoone?
1005:
Ban.
I, my good Lord.
1006:
Macb.
We should haue else desir'd your good aduice
1007: (Which still hath been both graue, and prosperous)
1008: In this dayes Councell: but wee'le take to morrow.
1009: Is't farre you ride?
1010:
Ban.
As farre, my Lord, as will fill vp the time
1011: 'Twixt this, and Supper. Goe not my Horse the better,
1012: I must become a borrower of the Night,
1013: For a darke houre, or twaine.
1014:
Macb.
Faile not our Feast.
1015:
Ban.
My Lord, I will not.
1016:
Macb.
We heare our bloody Cozens are bestow'd
1017: In England, and in Ireland, not confessing
1018: Their cruell Parricide, filling their hearers
1019: With strange inuention. But of that to morrow,
1020: When therewithall, we shall haue cause of State,
1021: Crauing vs ioyntly. Hye you to Horse:
1022: Adieu, till you returne at Night.
1023: Goes Fleance with you?
1024:
Ban.
I, my good Lord: our time does call vpon's.
1025:
Macb.
I wish your Horses swift, and sure of foot:
1026: And so I doe commend you to their backs.
1027: Farwell. [ Exit Banquo.]

1028: Let euery man be master of his time,
1029: Till seuen at Night, to make societie
1030: The sweeter welcome:
1031: We will keepe our selfe till Supper time alone:
1032: While then, God be with you. [ Exeunt Lords.]

1033: Sirrha, a word with you: Attend those men
1034: Our pleasure?
1035:
Seruant.
They are, my Lord, without the Pallace
1036: Gate.
1037:
Macb
Bring them before vs. [ Exit Seruant.]

1038: To be thus, is nothing, but to be safely thus
1039: Our feares in Banquo sticke deepe,
1040: And in his Royaltie of Nature reignes that
1041: Which would be fear'd. 'Tis much he dares,
1042: And to that dauntlesse temper of his Minde,
1043: He hath a Wisdome, that doth guide his Valour,
1044: To act in safetie. There is none but he,
1045: Whose being I doe feare: and vnder him,
1046: My Genius is rebuk'd, as it is said
1047: Mark Anthonies was by Caesar. He chid the Sisters,
1048: When first they put the Name of King vpon me,
1049: And bad them speake to him. Then Prophet-like,
1050: They hayl'd him Father to a Line of Kings.
1051: Vpon my Head they plac'd a fruitlesse Crowne,
1052: And put a barren Scepter in my Gripe,
1053: Thence to be wrencht with an vnlineall Hand,
1054: No Sonne of mine succeeding: if't be so,
1055: For Banquo's Issue haue I fil'd my Minde,
1056: For them, the gracious Duncan haue I murther'd,
1057: Put Rancours in the Vessell of my Peace
1058: Onely for them, and mine eternall Iewell
1059: Giuen to the common Enemie of Man,
1060: To make them Kings, the Seedes of Banquo Kings.
1061: Rather then so, come Fate into the Lyst,
1062: And champion me to th' vtterance.
1063: Who's there?
1064: [ Enter Seruant, and two Murtherers.]

1065: Now goe to the Doore, and stay there till we call.
1066: [ Exit Seruant.]

1067: Was it not yesterday we spoke together?
1068:
Murth.
It was, so please your Highnesse.
1069:
Macb.
Well then,
1070: Now haue you consider'd of my speeches:
1071: Know, that it was he, in the times past,
1072: Which held you so vnder fortune,
1073: Which you thought had been our innocent selfe.
1074: This I made good to you, in our last conference,
1075: Past in probation with you:
1076: How you were borne in hand, how crost:
1077: The Instruments: who wrought with them:
1078: And all things else, that might
1079: To halfe a Soule, and to a Notion craz'd,
1080: Say, Thus did Banquo.
1081:
1.Murth.
You made it knowne to vs.
1082:
Macb.
I did so:
1083: And went further, which is now
1084: Our point of second meeting.
1085: Doe you finde your patience so predominant,
1086: In your nature, that you can let this goe?
1087: Are you so Gospell'd, to pray for this good man,
1088: And for his Issue, whose heauie hand
1089: Hath bow'd you to the Graue, and begger'd
1090: Yours for euer?
1091:
1.Murth.
We are men, my Liege.
1092:
Macb.
I, in the Catalogue ye goe for men,
1093: As Hounds, and Greyhounds, Mungrels, Spaniels, Curres,
1094: Showghes, Water-Rugs, and Demy-Wolues are clipt
1095: All by the Name of Dogges: the valued file
1096: Distinguishes the swift, the slow, the subtle,
1097: The House-keeper, the Hunter, euery one
1098: According to the gift, which bounteous Nature
1099: Hath in him clos'd: whereby he does receiue
1100: Particular addition, from the Bill,
1101: That writes them all alike: and so of men.
1102: Now, if you haue a station in the file,
1103: Not i'th' worst ranke of Manhood, say't,
1104: And I will put that Businesse in your Bosomes,
1105: Whose execution takes your Enemie off,
1106: Grapples you to the heart; and loue of vs,
1107: Who weare our Health but sickly in his Life,
1108: Which in his Death were perfect.
1109:
2.Murth.
I am one, my Liege,
1110: Whom the vile Blowes and Buffets of the World
1111: Hath so incens'd, that I am recklesse what I doe,
1112: To spight the World.
1113:
1.Murth.
And I another,
1114: So wearie with Disasters, tugg'd with Fortune,
1115: That I would set my Life on any Chance,
1116: To mend it, or be rid on't.
1117:
Macb.
Both of you know Banquo was your Enemie.
1118:
Murth.
True, my Lord.
1119:
Macb.
So is he mine: and in such bloody distance,
1120: That euery minute of his being, thrusts
1121: Against my neer'st of Life: and though I could
1122: With bare-fac'd power sweepe him from my sight,
1123: And bid my will auouch it; yet I must not,
1124: For certaine friends that are both his, and mine,
1125: Whose loues I may not drop, but wayle his fall,
1126: Who I my selfe struck downe: and thence it is,
1127: That I to your assistance doe make loue,
1128: Masking the Businesse from the common Eye,
1129: For sundry weightie Reasons.
1130:
2.Murth.
We shall, my Lord,
1131: Performe what you command vs.
1132:
1.Murth.
Though our Liues===
1133:
Macb.
Your Spirits shine through you.
1134: Within this houre, at most,
1135: I will aduise you where to plant your selues,
1136: Acquaint you with the perfect Spy o'th' time,
1137: The moment on't, for't must be done to Night,
1138: And something from the Pallace: alwayes thought,
1139: That I require a clearenesse; and with him,
1140: To leaue no Rubs nor Botches in the Worke:
1141:
Fleans
, his Sonne, that keepes him companie,
1142: Whose absence is no lesse materiall to me,
1143: Then is his Fathers, must embrace the fate
1144: Of that darke houre: resolue your selues apart,
1145: Ile come to you anon.
1146:
Murth.
We are resolu'd, my Lord.
1147:
Macb.
Ile call vpon you straight: abide within,
1148: It is concluded: Banquo, thy Soules flight,
1149: If it finde Heauen, must finde it out to Night. [ Exeunt.]