Let every man be master of his time

Till seven at night; to make society

The sweeter welcome, we will keep ourself Till supper-time alone; while then, God be with you.

[Exeunt Lady Macbeth, Lords, Ladies, &c. Sirrah, a word with you. Attend those men

Our pleasure?

-[Exit Att.] To

Att. They are, my lord, without the palace gate. Macb. Bring them before us.be thus, is nothing;

But to be safely thus.-Our fears in Banquo
Stick deep; and in his royalty 1 of nature

1

Reigns that, which would be fear'd.

dares ;

'Tis much he

And, to that dauntless temper of his mind,
He hath a wisdom that doth guide his valor
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 't be so,

I Nobleness.

For Banquo's issue have I filed1 my mind;

For them the gracious Duncan have I murder'd;
Put rancors 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! 2- -Who's there?—

Re-enter Attendant, with TWO MURDERERS.

Now go 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 conference; pass'd in probation with

you,

How you were borne in hand; 3 how cross'd; the instruments;

Who wrought with them; and all things else, that

might,

To half a soul, and to a notion crazed,

1 For defiled.

2 Challenge me to extremities.

3 Proved how you were deluded.

Say, Thus did Banquo.

1 Mur.

You made it known to us.

Macb. I did so; and went farther, 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 gospel'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,1 water-rugs, and demi-wolves, are cleped?
All by the name of dogs: the valued file 3
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,
Not i' 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,

3 The catalogue, with prices annexed to it.

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 what

I do, to spite the world.

So

1 Mur.

weary

And I another,

with disasters, tugg'd with 1 fortune,

That I would set my life on any chance,
To mend it, or be rid on 't.

Macb.

Both of you

True, my lord.

Know, Banquo was your enemy.

2 Mur.

Macb. So is he mine; and in such bloody distance,2

That every minute of his being thrusts

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 3 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.

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 you anon.

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 SERVANT.

L. Macb. Is Banquo gone from court?
Ser. Ay, madam; but returns again to-night.
L. Macb. Say to the king, I would attend his
leisure