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But to be fafely thus-Our fears in Banque
Stick deep; and in his royalty of nature

Reigns that, which would be fear'd. "Tis much he dares
And to that dauntless temper of his mind,

He hath a wisdom that doth guide his valour
To act in fafety. There is none but he,
Whose being I do fear: and, under him,
My genius is rebuk'd; m as, it is faid,

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" Mark Anthony's was by Cafar. He chid the fifters,
When first they put the name of King upon me,
And bad them fpeak to him; then, prophet-like,
They hail'd him father to a line of kings.
Upon my head they plac'd a fruitless crown,
And put a barren fcepter in my gripe,
Thence to be wrench'd with an unlineal hand,
No fon of mine fucceeding. If 't be fo,
For Banquo's iffue have I fil'd my mind;
For them the gracious Duncan have I murther'd;
Put rancours 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 feed of Banque Kings.

in 7. proposes rejecting the following words, as, it is faid, Mark Anthony's was by Cæfar.

P. makes the following fentences interrogative, as far as—Banquo kings ? But the words If 't be so prove them

n P. and all after, except C. omit be affirmative. Mark.

• H. Cafar's.

P P. and all after, except C. If 'tis

The two laft fo's, fill'd for fikd

W. 'filed, i. e. defiled.

The fo's and R. Seeds.

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Rather than fo, come Fate into the lift,

And champion me to th' utterance!-Who's there?
Enter Servant, and two Murtherers.

Now go to the door, and stay there, 'till we call.

Was it not yesterday we spoke together?
Murth. It was, fo please your Highness.
Mach. Well then, now

[Exit Servant.

Have you confider'd of my speeches? know
That it was he, in the times paft, which held you
So under fortune, which you thought had been
Our innocent felf; this I made good to you

In our laft conference, paft in probation with you,
How you were born in hand; how croft; the inftruments;
Who wrought with them; and all things elfe that might
To half a foul, and to a notion craz❜d,

Say, thus did Banquo.

1 Mur. * You made it known to us.

Mach. I did fo; and went further, which is now

This paffage will be best explained by translating it into the language from whence the only word of difficulty in it is borrowed. Que la deftinée se rende en hee, et qu'elle me donne un defi à l' outrance. A challenge, or combat à l'outrance, to extremity, was a fixed term in the law of arms, used when the combatants engaged with an odium internecinum, an intention to deftroy each other, in oppofition to trials of kill at feftivals, or on other occafions, where the conted was only for reputation or

a

prize. The fenfe therefore is, Let fate,
that has fore-doom'd the exaltation of the
fons of Banquo, enter the lifts against me,
with the utmost animofity, in defence of its
own decrees, which I will endeavour to
invalidate, whatever be the danger. J.
u P. and all after, except C. omit
Now.

w The two laft fo's, R. P. T. H. W. and F. You bave, for Have you.

* This fpeech P. alters thus, True, you made it known; followed by all after, except C,

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Our point of fecond meeting. Do you find
Your patience fo predominant in your nature,
That you can let this go? are you fo gospell'd,
To pray for this good man and for his iffue,
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, mungrels, fpaniels, curs,
Showghes, water rugs, and demy-wolves are cleped
All by the name of dogs; the valued file
Diftinguishes the swift, the flow, the fubtle,
The houfe-keeper, the hunter; every one
According to the gift which bounteous nature
Hath in him clos'd; whereby he does receive
Particular addition, from the bill

That writes them all alike: and fo of men.
Now, if you have a ftation in the file,

a

z Not i' th' worft rank of manhood, fay 't;
And I will put that bufinefs in your bofoms,
Whose execution takes your enemy off;
Grapples you to the heart and love of us,
Who wear our health but fickly in his life,
Which in his death were perfect.

b

2 Mur. I am one, my Liege,

Whom the vile blows and buffets of the world

y All before T. clipt for cleped. z So the fo's; all after, And not in the worst rank of manhood, fay it, &c.

a The two laft fo's, R. P. and H. the for that.

b P. and all after, except C, omit my. Liege

C

Have fo incens'd, that I am reckless what

I do to fpight the world.

So

1 Mur. And I another,

d

weary with difafters, tugg'd with fortune, That I would fet my life on any chance,

To inend it, or be rid on 't.

Mach. Both of you

Know, Banque was your enemy.

Mur. True, my Lord.

Mach. So is he inine: and in fuch bloody diftance,
That every minute of his being thrufts

Against my near'ft of life; and though I could
With bare-fac'd power fweep him from my fight,
And bid my will avouch it; yet I must not,
For certain friends that are both his and mine,
Whofe loves I may not drop; but wail his fall,
• Whom I myself ftruck down; and thence it is,
That I to your affiftance do make love,
Masking the business from the common eye
For fundry weighty reasons.

2 Mur. We fhall, my Lord,

Perform what you command us.

1 Mur. Though our lives

Mach. Your fpirits fhine through you.

hour, at most,

f Within this

I will advise you where to plant yourselves;
Acquaint you with the perfect fpy o' th' time,"
The moment on 't; for 't must be done to-night,

Fo's, Hath for Have.

d W. difaftrous tuggs with, &c. Fo's, R, and C. Who.

E 4

f P. and all after, except C. In of Within.

And

And fomething from the palace: ( always thought,
That I require a clearness) and with him,
(To leave no rubs nor botches in the work)
Fleance his fon, that keeps him company,
Whose absence is no less material to me

Than is his father's, muft embrace the fate
Of that dark hour. Refolve yourselves apart;

h

I'll come to you anon.
Mur. We are refolv'd,
Mach. I'll call upon you ftraight.

my Lord.

Abide within.

[Exeunt Murtherers,

Exit.

It is concluded.--Banquo, thy foul's flight,
If it find heaven, muft find it out to-night,

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Lady. Is Banque gone from court?

Serv. Ay, madam, but returns again to-night. Lady. Say to the King, I would attend his leifure For a few words.

g Macbeth means that the murtherers must in every ftep remember, he requires not to be fufpected of the fact;

to ftand clear from all imputations,

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* No description of the scene before

which might affect him in the opinions T. who gives the above.

of the people.

P. omits thi sparenthefis.

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