Languages & literature > Key to the drama

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counts of the cataftrophe, and then di-
re&ed me to fummon the nobility to af-
femble at Scoon the day following.
‘ Macbeth and Bancho were amongft the
foremoft at Scoon; they both appeared in
mourning, and affe&ed fo well a con¬
cern for the death of the King, that it
would have been impoflible, without being
in the fecret, to have fuipe<5ted them. Some
of the nobles faluted Macbeth as King up¬
on his firft appearance, which he as imme¬
diately put a ftop to, declaring, that he
pretended to no right but what the voice of
the nobles, with the concurrence of the
people, Ihould give him : that in point of
kinfhip to the deceafed King, his coufm
Bancho's pretenfions were little worfe than
his; and he even went fo far as to fay,
that in many rel'pedts Bancho had fuperior
qualifications for governing; but withal,
he artfully concluded, that in fuch a criti¬
cal conjuncture, when it was by no means
the right of fuccefiion, but the diilrefied
fituation of the country, that was to guide
them in their choice, die hoped they would
ail think as he did, and freely give their
voices for that man whom they Ihould ac¬
count the molt likely to redrefs their
grievances, and to reftore to the kingdom
that credit and reputation which a reign of
too much indolence had deprived it of.