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We will establish our estate upon `
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Our eldest, Malcolm, whom we name hereafter `
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The Prince of Cumberland; which honor must `
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Not unaccompanied invest him only, `
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But signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine `
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On all deservers. From hence to Inverness, `
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And bind us further to you. `
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MACBETH. The rest is labor, which is not used for you. `
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I'll be myself the harbinger, and make joyful `
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The hearing of my wife with your approach; `
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So humbly take my leave. `
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DUNCAN. My worthy Cawdor! `
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MACBETH. [Aside.] The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step `
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On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap, `
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For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; `
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Let not light see my black and deep desires. `
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The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be `
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Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see. Exit. `
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DUNCAN. True, worthy Banquo! He is full so valiant, `
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And in his commendations I am fed; `
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It is a banquet to me. Let's after him, `
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Whose care is gone before to bid us welcome. `
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It is a peerless kinsman. Flourish. Exeunt. `
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SCENE V. `
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Inverness. Macbeth's castle. `
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Enter Lady Macbeth, reading a letter. `
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LADY MACBETH. "They met me in the day of success, and I have `
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learned by the perfectest report they have more in them than `
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mortal knowledge. When I burned in desire to question them `
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further, they made themselves air, into which they vanished. `
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Whiles I stood rapt in the wonder of it, came missives from `
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the `
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King, who all-hailed me 'Thane of Cawdor'; by which title, `
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before, these weird sisters saluted me and referred me to the `
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coming on of time with 'Hail, King that shalt be!' This have `
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I `
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thought good to deliver thee, my dearest partner of `
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greatness, `
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that thou mightst not lose the dues of rejoicing, by being `
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ignorant of what greatness is promised thee. Lay it to thy `
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heart, `
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and farewell." `
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Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be `
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What thou art promised. Yet do I fear thy nature. `
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It is too full o' the milk of human kindness `
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To catch the nearest way. Thou wouldst be great; `
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Art not without ambition, but without `
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The illness should attend it. What thou wouldst highly, `
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That wouldst thou holily; wouldst not play false, `
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And yet wouldst wrongly win. Thou'ldst have, great Glamis, `
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That which cries, "Thus thou must do, if thou have it; `
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And that which rather thou dost fear to do `
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Than wishest should be undone." Hie thee hither, `
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That I may pour my spirits in thine ear, `
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And chastise with the valor of my tongue `
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All that impedes thee from the golden round, `
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Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem `
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To have thee crown'd withal. `
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Enter a Messenger. `
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What is your tidings? `
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MESSENGER. The King comes here tonight. `
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LADY MACBETH. Thou'rt mad to say it! `
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Is not thy master with him? who, were't so, `
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Would have inform'd for preparation. `
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MESSENGER. So please you, it is true; our Thane is coming. `
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One of my fellows had the speed of him, `
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Who, almost dead for breath, had scarcely more `
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Than would make up his message. `
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LADY MACBETH. Give him tending; `
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He brings great news. Exit Messenger. `
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The raven himself is hoarse `
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That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan `
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Under my battlements. Come, you spirits `
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That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here `
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And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full `
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Of direst cruelty! Make thick my blood, `
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Stop up the access and passage to remorse, `
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That no compunctious visitings of nature `
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Shake my fell purpose nor keep peace between `
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The effect and it! Come to my woman's breasts, `
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And take my milk for gall, your murthering ministers, `
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Wherever in your sightless substances `
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You wait on nature's mischief! Come, thick night, `
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And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell `
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That my keen knife see not the wound it makes `
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Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark `
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To cry, "Hold, hold!" `
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Enter Macbeth. `
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Great Glamis! Worthy Cawdor! `
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Greater than both, by the all-hail hereafter! `
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Thy letters have transported me beyond `
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This ignorant present, and I feel now `
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The future in the instant. `
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MACBETH. My dearest love, `
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Duncan comes here tonight. `
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LADY MACBETH. And when goes hence? `
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MACBETH. Tomorrow, as he purposes. `
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LADY MACBETH. O, never `
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Shall sun that morrow see! `
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Your face, my Thane, is as a book where men `
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May read strange matters. To beguile the time, `
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Look like the time; bear welcome in your eye, `
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Your hand, your tongue; look like the innocent flower, `
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But be the serpent under it. He that's coming `
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Must be provided for; and you shall put `
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This night's great business into my dispatch, `
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Which shall to all our nights and days to come `
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Give solely sovereign sway and masterdom. `
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MACBETH. We will speak further. `
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LADY MACBETH. Only look up clear; `
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To alter favor ever is to fear. `
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Leave all the rest to me. Exeunt. `
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SCENE VI. `
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Before Macbeth's castle. Hautboys and torches. `
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Enter Duncan, Malcolm, Donalbain, Banquo, Lennox, Macduff, Ross, `
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Angus, `
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and Attendants. `
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DUNCAN. This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air `
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Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself `
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Unto our gentle senses. `
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BANQUO. This guest of summer, `
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The temple-haunting martlet, does approve `
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By his loved mansionry that the heaven's breath `
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Smells wooingly here. No jutty, frieze, `
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Buttress, nor coign of vantage, but this bird `
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Hath made his pendant bed and procreant cradle; `
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Where they most breed and haunt, I have observed `
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The air is delicate. `
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Enter Lady Macbeth. `
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DUNCAN. See, see, our honor'd hostess! `
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The love that follows us sometime is our trouble, `
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Which still we thank as love. Herein I teach you `
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How you shall bid God 'ield us for your pains, `
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And thank us for your trouble. `
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LADY MACBETH. All our service `
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In every point twice done, and then done double, `
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Were poor and single business to contend `
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Against those honors deep and broad wherewith `
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Your Majesty loads our house. For those of old, `
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And the late dignities heap'd up to them, `
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We rest your hermits. `
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DUNCAN. Where's the Thane of Cawdor? `
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We coursed him at the heels and had a purpose `
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To be his purveyor; but he rides well, `
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And his great love, sharp as his spur, hath holp him `
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To his home before us. Fair and noble hostess, `
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We are your guest tonight. `
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LADY MACBETH. Your servants ever `
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Have theirs, themselves, and what is theirs, in compt, `
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To make their audit at your Highness' pleasure, `
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Still to return your own. `
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DUNCAN. Give me your hand; `
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Conduct me to mine host. We love him highly, `
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And shall continue our graces towards him. `
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By your leave, hostess. Exeunt. `
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SCENE VII `
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Macbeth's castle. Hautboys and torches. `
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Enter a Sewer and divers Servants with dishes and service, who `
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pass over `
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the stage. Then enter Macbeth. `
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MACBETH. If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well `
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It were done quickly. If the assassination `
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Could trammel up the consequence, and catch, `
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With his surcease, success; that but this blow `
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Might be the be-all and the end-all -here, `
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But here, upon this bank and shoal of time, `
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We'ld jump the life to come. But in these cases `
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We still have judgement here, that we but teach `
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Bloody instructions, which being taught return `
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To plague the inventor. This even-handed justice `
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Commends the ingredients of our poison'd chalice `
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To our own lips. He's here in double trust: `
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First, as I am his kinsman and his subject, `
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Strong both against the deed; then, as his host, `
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Who should against his murtherer shut the door, `
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Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan `
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