A Room in the Palace.

Flourish. Enter DUNCAN, MALCOLM, Donalbain, LENOX, and Attendants.

Duncan.

S execution done on Cawdor yet?
Are not those in commission yet return'd?
Mal. They are not yet come back.

I have spoke

With one that saw him die: who did report,
That very frankly he confess'd his treasons;
Implor'd your highness' pardon; and set forth
A deep repentance. Nothing in his life
Became him, like the leaving it; he died
As one that had been studied in his death,
To throw away the dearest thing he ow'd,
As 'twere a careless trifle.

Dun.

There's no art,

To find the mind's construction in the face:
He was a gentleman on whom I built

An abs❜lute trust.

But

Enter MACBETH, BANQUO, ROSSE, and ANGUS.

O my most worthy cousin!

The sin of my ingratitude ev'n now
Was heavy on me. Would, thou'dst less desèrv'd
That the proportion both of thanks and payment
Might have been mine! I have but left to say,
More is thy dùe than more than all can pay.
Macb. The service and the loyalty I owe,
In doing, pays itself. Your highness' part
Is to receive our duties: and our duties

Are to your throne and state, children, and servants;

Which do but what they should, by doing every thing

Safe tow'rd 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 known No less to have done so ; let me enfold thee, And hold thee to my heart.

Ban.

The harvest is your own.

Dun.

There if I grow,

My plenteous joys,

Wanton in fulness, seek to hide themselves

In drops of sorrow.-Sons, kinsmen, and thanes,
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
On all deservers.-Hence to Inverness,

And bind us further to you.

Macb. The rest is làbour, if 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.
[Exeunt Duncan and the rest.

The prince of Cumberland!—That is a step,
On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap;
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.

Inverness.

A Room in Macbeth's Castle.
Enter Lady MACBETH, reading a Letter.

Lady Macbeth.

HEY met me in the day of success; and I have learn'd by the perfectest report, they have

more in them than mortal knowledge. When I burned in desire to question them further, they made themselves-àir, 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 woùld'st be grèat ;
Art not without ambition; but without

The illness should attend it. Hie thee hither,
That I may pour my spirits 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.

Enter an Attendant.

What is your tidings?

Attend. The king comes here to-night.

Lady M.

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

Attend. 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. [Exit Attendant.] The raven himself is hoarse,

That croaks the fatal entrance of Dùncan
Under my battlements. Come, all you spirits
That tend on mortal thoughts, unsèx me here;
And fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full
Of direst cruelty! make thick my bloòd,
Stop up
th' 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 ministers,
Wherever in your sightless substances

You wait on nature's mischief! Come, thick night!
That my keen knife seè not the wound it makes;
Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark,
To cry, Hold, hold!

Enter MACBETH.

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

Macb.

Duncan comes here to-night.

Dearest love,

Lady M.

And when goes hènce?

Mach. To-morrow,-as he purposes.

Lady M.

Shall sun that morrow sèe !

O, never

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 eye,
Your hand, your tongue: look like the innocent
flower,

But bè 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.
Mach. We will speak further.
Lady M.

To alter favour ever is to fear:

Leave all the rest to me.

Only look up clear;

[Exeunt.

Before the Castle.

Hautboys. Servants of Macbeth attending.

Enter DUNCAN, MALCOLM, DONALBAIN, BANQUO, LENOX, MACDUFF, ROSSE, ANGUS, and Attendants.

Duncan.

HIS castle hath a pleasant seat: the air
Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself
Unto our senses.

Enter Lady MACBETH.

See! our honour'd hostess

The love that greets ùs, sometimes is our trouble,