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  • Title: Macbeth (Folio 1, 1623)
  • Editor: Anthony Dawson

    • ISBN: 978-1-55058-528-5

    Copyright Anthony Dawson. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Anthony Dawson
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Macbeth (Folio 1, 1623)

    The Tragedie of Macbeth. 133
    In which addition, haile most worthy Thane,
    For it is thine.
    Banq. What, can the Deuill speake true?
    Macb. The Thane of Cawdor liues:
    215Why doe you dresse me in borrowed Robes?
    Ang. Who was the Thane, liues yet,
    But vnder heauie Iudgement beares that Life,
    Which he deserues to loose.
    Whether he was combin'd with those of Norway,
    220Or did lyne the Rebell with hidden helpe,
    And vantage; or that with both he labour'd
    In his Countreyes wracke, I know not:
    But Treasons Capitall, confess'd, and prou'd,
    Haue ouerthrowne him.
    225Macb. Glamys, and Thane of Cawdor:
    The greatest is behinde. Thankes for your paines.
    Doe you not hope your Children shall be Kings,
    When those that gaue the Thane of Cawdor to me,
    Promis'd no lesse to them.
    230Banq. That trusted home,
    Might yet enkindle you vnto the Crowne,
    Besides the Thane of Cawdor. But 'tis strange:
    And oftentimes, to winne vs to our harme,
    The Instruments of Darknesse tell vs Truths,
    235Winne vs with honest Trifles, to betray's
    In deepest consequence.
    Cousins, a word, I pray you.
    Macb. Two Truths are told,
    As happy Prologues to the swelling Act
    240Of the Imperiall Theame. I thanke you Gentlemen:
    This supernaturall solliciting
    Cannot be ill; cannot be good.
    If ill? why hath it giuen me earnest of successe,
    Commencing in a Truth? I am Thane of Cawdor.
    245If good? why doe I yeeld to that suggestion,
    Whose horrid Image doth vnfixe my Heire,
    And make my seated Heart knock at my Ribbes,
    Against the vse of Nature? Present Feares
    Are lesse then horrible Imaginings:
    250My Thought, whose Murther yet is but fantasticall,
    Shakes so my single state of Man,
    That Function is smother'd in surmise,
    And nothing is, but what is not.
    Banq. Looke how our Partner's rapt.
    255Macb. If Chance will haue me King,
    Why Chance may Crowne me,
    Without my stirre.
    Banq. New Honors come vpon him
    Like our strange Garments, cleaue not to their mould,
    260But with the aid of vse.
    Macb. Come what come may,
    Time, and the Houre, runs through the roughest Day.
    Banq. Worthy Macbeth, wee stay vpon your ley-
    sure.
    265Macb. Giue me your fauour:
    My dull Braine was wrought with things forgotten.
    Kinde Gentlemen, your paines are registred,
    Where euery day I turne the Leafe,
    To reade them.
    270Let vs toward the King: thinke vpon
    What hath chanc'd: and at more time,
    The Interim hauing weigh'd it, let vs speake
    Our free Hearts each to other.
    Banq. Very gladly.
    275Macb. Till then enough:
    Come friends. Exeunt.


    Scena Quarta.


    Flourish. Enter King, Lenox, Malcolme,
    Donalbaine, and Attendants.

    280King. Is execution done on Cawdor?
    Or not those in Commission yet return'd?
    Mal. My Liege, they are not yet come back.
    But I haue spoke with one that saw him die:
    Who did report, that very frankly hee
    285Confess'd his Treasons, implor'd your Highnesse Pardon,
    And set forth a deepe Repentance:
    Nothing in his Life became him,
    Like the leauing it. Hee dy'de,
    As one that had beene studied in his death,
    290To throw away the dearest thing he ow'd,
    As 'twere a carelesse Trifle.
    King. There's no Art,
    To finde the Mindes construction in the Face:
    He was a Gentleman, on whom I built
    295An absolute Trust.
    Enter Macbeth, Banquo, Rosse, and Angus.
    O worthyest Cousin,
    The sinne of my Ingratitude euen now
    Was heauie on me. Thou art so farre before,
    300That swiftest Wing of Recompence is slow,
    To ouertake thee. Would thou hadst lesse deseru'd,
    That the proportion both of thanks, and payment,
    Might haue beene mine: onely I haue left to say,
    More is thy due, then more then all can pay.
    305Macb. The seruice, and the loyaltie I owe,
    In doing it, payes it selfe.
    Your Highnesse part, is to receiue our Duties:
    And our Duties are to your Throne, and State,
    Children, and Seruants; which doe but what they should,
    310By doing euery thing safe toward your Loue
    And Honor.
    King. Welcome hither:
    I haue begun to plant thee, and will labour
    To make thee full of growing. Noble Banquo,
    315That hast no lesse deseru'd, nor must be knowne
    No lesse to haue done so: Let me enfold thee,
    And hold thee to my Heart.
    Banq. There if I grow,
    The Haruest is your owne.
    320King. My plenteous Ioyes,
    Wanton in fulnesse, seeke to hide themselues
    In drops of sorrow. Sonnes, Kinsmen, Thanes,
    And you whose places are the nearest, know,
    We will establish our Estate vpon
    325Our eldest, Malcolme, whom we name hereafter,
    The Prince of Cumberland: which Honor must
    Not vnaccompanied, inuest him onely,
    But signes of Noblenesse, like Starres, shall shine
    On all deseruers. From hence to Envernes,
    330And binde vs further to you.
    Macb. The Rest is Labor, which is not vs'd for you:
    Ile be my selfe the Herbenger, and make ioyfull
    The hearing of my Wife, with your approach:
    So humbly take my leaue.
    335King. My worthy Cawdor.
    Macb. The Prince of Cumberland: that is a step,
    On which I must fall downe, or else o're-leape,
    mm For
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