throne of Britain after the death of Lear, is needless
here to narrate; Lear and his Three Daughters being dead, whose
adventures alone concern our story.

MACBETH

When Duncan the Meek reigned king of Scotland, there lived a great
thane, or lord, called Macbeth. This Macbeth was a near kinsman to the
king, and in great esteem at court for his velour and conduct in the
wars; an example of which he had lately given, in defeating a rebel
army assisted by the troops of Norway in terrible numbers.

The two Scottish generals, Macbeth and Banquo, returning victorious
from this great battle, their way lay over a blasted heath, where they
were stopped by the strange appearance of three figures like women,
except that they had beards, and their withered skins and wild attire
made them look not like any earthly creatures. Macbeth first addressed
them, when they, seemingly offended, laid each one her choppy finger
upon her skinny lips, in token of silence; and the first of them
saluted Macbeth with the title of thane of Glamis. The general was not
a little startled to find himself known by such creatures; but how much
more, when the second of them followed up that salute by giving him the
title of thane of Cawdor, to which honour he had no pretensions; and
again the third bid him 'All hail! king that shalt be hereafter!' Such
a prophetic greeting might well amaze him, who knew that while the
king's sons lived he could not hope to succeed to the throne. Then
turning to Banquo, they pronounced him, in a sort of riddling terms, to
be lesser than Macbeth and greater! not so happy, but much happier! and
prophesied that though he should never reign, yet his sons after him
should be kings in Scotland. They then turned into air, and vanished:
by which the generals knew them to be the weird sisters, or witches.

While they stood pondering on the strangeness of this adventure, there
arrived certain messengers from the king, who were empowered by him to
confer upon Macbeth the dignity of thane of Cawdor: an event so
miraculously corresponding with the prediction of the witches
astonished Macbeth, and he stood wrapped in amazement, unable to make
reply to the messengers; and in that point of time swelling hopes arose
in his mind that the prediction of the third witch might in like manner
have its accomplishment, and that he should one day reign king in
Scotland.

Turning to Banquo, he said: 'Do you not hope that your children sh