Nothing afeard of what thyself didst make, Ang. We are sent To give thee, from our royal master, thanks; Rosse. And, for an earnest of a greater honour, He bade me, from him, call thee thane of Cawdor: In which addition, hail, most worthy thane! For it is thine. Ban. What, can the devil speak true? Macb. The thane of Cawdor lives: why do you dress me In borrow'd robes ? Ang. Who was the thane, lives yet; But under heavy judgment bears that life Which he deserves to lose. Whether he was combin'd With those of Norway, or did line the rebel With hidden help and vantage, or that with both He labour'd in his country's wreck, I know not; Macb. [Aside.] Glamis, and thane of Cawdor: The greatest is behind.-[Aloud.] Thanks for your pains. Do you not hope your children shall be kings, When those that gave the thane of Cawdor to me. Promis'd no less to them? Ban. That, trusted home, Might yet enkindle you unto the crown, Besides the thane of Cawdor. But 'tis strange: And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, The instruments of darkness tell us truths; Win us with honest trifles, to betray us Cousins, a word, I pray you. Macb. [Aside.] Two truths are told, As happy prologues to the swelling act Of the imperial theme.-[Aloud.] I thank you, gentlemen.— [Aside.] This supernatural soliciting Cannot be ill; cannot be good :—if ill, Why hath it given me earnest of success, Commencing in a truth? I am thane of Cawdor: If good, why do I yield to that suggestion My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, But what is not. Ban. Look, how our partner's rapt. 9 Macb. [Aside.] If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, Without my stir. Ban. New honours come upon him, Like our strange garments,-cleave not to their mould, But with the aid of use. Macb. [Aside.] Come what come may, Time and the hour runs through the roughest day. Ban. Worthy Macbeth, we stay upon your leisure. Mach. Give me your favour: my dull brain was wrought With things forgotten.-Kind gentlemen, your pains Are register'd where every day I turn The leaf to read them.-Let us toward the king.→ [Aside to BANQUo.] Think upon what hath chanc'd; and, at more time, The interim having weigh'd it, let us speak Our free hearts each to other. Ban. Very gladly. Macb. Till then, enough.--Come, friends. SCENE IV.-FORES. A Room in the Palace. Flourish. Enter DUNCAN, MALCOLM, DONALBAIN, LENOX, and Attendants. Dun. Is execution done on Cawdor? Are not Those in commission yet return'd? My liege, Mal. [Exeunt. To throw away the dearest thing he ow'd, To find the mind's construction in the face: He was a gentleman on whom I built An absolute trust. Enter MACBETH, BANQUO, ROSSE, and ANGUS. The sin of my ingratitude even now Was heavy on me: thou art so far before, To overtake thee. Would thou hadst less deserv'd: In doing it, pays itself. Is to receive our duties Your highness' part and our duties Are to your throne and state, children and servants; 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 Ban. The harvest is your own. Dun. There if I grow, My plenteous joys Wanton in fulness, seek to hide themselves Our eldest, Malcolm; whom we name hereafter, But signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine On all deservers.-From hence to Inverness, And bind us farther to you. Mach. 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. [Aside.] The prince of Cumberland! that is a step, Let us after him, Whose care is gone before to bid us welcome: It is a banquet to me. It is a peerless kinsman. [Exit. [Flourish. Exeunt. SCENE 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 knowledge. When I burned in desire to question them farther, they made themselves air, into which they vanished. Whiles I stood rapt in the wonder of it, came missives from the king, who all-hailed me, 'Thane of Cawdor;' by which title, before, these weird sisters saluted me, and referred 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 mightest 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 wouldst be great; Art not without ambition; but without The illness should attend it: what thou wouldst highly, 、 And yet wouldst wrongly win: thou'dst have, great Glamis, And that which rather thou dost fear to do, Than wishest should be undone." Hie thee hither, That I may pour my spirits in thine ear; Enter an Attendant. What is your tidings? Atten. The king comes here to-night. Lady M. Thou 'rt mad to say it: Is not thy master with him? who, were '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.-[Exit Attendant.] The raven himself is hoarse That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan You wait on nature's mischief! Come, thick night, That my Enter MACBETH. Great Glamis! worthy Cawdor! Greater than both, by the all-hail hereafter! Shall sun that morrow see! Your face, my thane, is as a book where men |