The Tragedy Of Macbeth

1 Enter Lennox and another Lord.
2 LENNOX.
3 My former speeches have but hit your thoughts,
4 Which can interpret farther: only, I say,
5 Thing’s have been strangely borne. The gracious Duncan
6 Was pitied of Macbeth:—marry, he was dead:—
7 And the right valiant Banquo walk’d too late;
8 Whom, you may say, if’t please you, Fleance kill’d,
9 For Fleance fled. Men must not walk too late.
10 Who cannot want the thought, how monstrous
11 It was for Malcolm and for Donalbain
12 To kill their gracious father? damned fact!
13 How it did grieve Macbeth! did he not straight,
14 In pious rage, the two delinquents tear
15 That were the slaves of drink and thralls of sleep?
16 Was not that nobly done? Ay, and wisely too;
17 For ’twould have anger’d any heart alive,
18 To hear the men deny’t. So that, I say,
19 He has borne all things well: and I do think,
20 That had he Duncan’s sons under his key
21 (As, and’t please heaven, he shall not) they should find
22 What ’twere to kill a father; so should Fleance.
23 But, peace!—for from broad words, and ’cause he fail’d
24 His presence at the tyrant’s feast, I hear,
25 Macduff lives in disgrace. Sir, can you tell
26 Where he bestows himself?
27 LORD.
28 The son of Duncan,
29 From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth,
30 Lives in the English court and is receiv’d
31 Of the most pious Edward with such grace
32 That the malevolence of fortune nothing
33 Takes from his high respect. Thither Macduff
34 Is gone to pray the holy king, upon his aid
35 To wake Northumberland, and warlike Siward
36 That, by the help of these (with Him above
37 To ratify the work), we may again
38 Give to our tables meat, sleep to our nights;
39 Free from our feasts and banquets bloody knives,
40 Do faithful homage, and receive free honours,
41 All which we pine for now. And this report
42 Hath so exasperate the King that he
43 Prepares for some attempt of war.
44 LENNOX.
45 Sent he to Macduff?
46 LORD.
47 He did: and with an absolute “Sir, not I,”
48 The cloudy messenger turns me his back,
49 And hums, as who should say, “You’ll rue the time
50 That clogs me with this answer.”
51 LENNOX.
52 And that well might
53 Advise him to a caution, t’ hold what distance
54 His wisdom can provide. Some holy angel
55 Fly to the court of England, and unfold
56 His message ere he come, that a swift blessing
57 May soon return to this our suffering country
58 Under a hand accurs’d!
59 LORD.
60 I’ll send my prayers with him.
61 [_Exeunt._]