Chapter: SCENE VI.

Forres. A Room in the Palace.

[Enter Lennox and another Lord.]

LENNOX.
My former speeches have but hit your thoughts,
Which can interpret further: only, I say,
Thing's have been strangely borne. The gracious Duncan
Was pitied of Macbeth:--marry, he was dead:--
And the right valiant Banquo walk'd too late;
Whom, you may say, if't please you, Fleance kill'd,
For Fleance fled. Men must not walk too late.
Who cannot want the thought, how monstrous
It was for Malcolm and for Donalbain
To kill their gracious father? damned fact!
How it did grieve Macbeth! did he not straight,
In pious rage, the two delinquents tear
That were the slaves of drink and thralls of sleep?
Was not that nobly done? Ay, and wisely too;
For 'twould have anger'd any heart alive,
To hear the men deny't. So that, I say,
He has borne all things well: and I do think,
That had he Duncan's sons under his key,--
As, an't please heaven, he shall not,--they should find
What 'twere to kill a father; so should Fleance.
But, peace!--for from broad words, and 'cause he fail'd
His presence at the tyrant's feast, I hear,
Macduff lives in disgrace. Sir, can you tell
Where he bestows himself?

LORD.
The son of Duncan,
From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth,
Lives in the English court and is receiv'd
Of the most pious Edward with such grace
That the malevolence of fortune nothing
Takes from his high respect: thither Macduff
Is gone to pray the holy king, upon his aid
To wake Northumberland, and warlike Siward:
That, by the help of these,--with Him above
To ratify the work,--we may again
Give to our tables meat, sleep to our nights;
Free from our feasts and banquets bloody knives;
Do faithful homage, and receive free honours,--
All which we pine for now: and this report
Hath so exasperate the king that he
Prepares for some attempt of war.

LENNOX.
Sent he to Macduff?

LORD.
He did: and with an absolute "Sir, not I,"
The cloudy messenger turns me his back,
And hums, as who should say, "You'll rue the time
That clogs me with this answer."

LENNOX.
And that well might
Advise him to a caution, to hold what distance
His wisdom can provide. Some holy angel
Fly to the court of England, and unfold
His message ere he come; that a swift blessing
May soon return to this our suffering country
Under a hand accurs'd!

LORD.
I'll send my prayers with him.

[Exeunt.]

 This short scene takes place at the palace at Forres, but its purpose is to give the audience information on the state of affairs outside the palace walls. The noble Lennox is conversing with an unnamed lord  and states that as of late "things have been strangely borne. " It is still generally believed that Malcolm and Donaldbain murdered Duncan, their father. In a like manner it is believed that Fleance killed Banquo since he also has fled. Lennox, who speaks in a sarcastic tone, is not certain that Malcolm, Donaldbain, and Fleance are murderers. Their relative crimes are pinned on them because they have fled the country, but why wouldn't they flee to save their own lives in the face of imminent danger. Lennox also questions Macbeth's motives in killing Duncan's accused chamberlains, "for 'twould have angered any heart alive to hear the men  deny it ." Furthermore, Lennox doubts that drunken men could truly have committed the brutal execution. Lennox is also fearful for Malcolm, Donaldbain, and Fleance, for he believes that if Macbeth has the chance, he will kill them. Lennox then changes the subject to Macduff, who he has heard lives in Macbeth's disgrace for missing the royal banquet. He asks the other lord if he knows the whereabouts of Macduff. The lord explains that he has gone to England to petition the "holy king" and to visit with Malcolm, the rightful heir to the Scottish throne. Malcolm, since his flight, has been living in the English court and is treated with grace by King Edward. Macduff is there to convince Edward to help in an insurrection against Macbeth, who has become a tyrant king that the citizens greatly fear. Macduff particularly wants the aid of the warlike Siward and his strong men of Northumberland. The lord then reports that Macbeth has heard about Macduff's petition to the English King and is preparing for war. He also tells how Macbeth sent for Macduff, but the nobleman curtly replied to the king, "Sir, not I." Lennox closes the scene by asking "Some holy angel  fly to the court of England....that a swift blessing may soon return to this our suffering country under a hand accursed!" Macbeth, obviously, is not a popular king! He has reigned for a short period of time, but his evil has already inflicted the land.

