LENNOX But peace; for from broad words, and ’cause he failed
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 received
Of the most pious Edward with such grace
That the malevolence of fortune nothing
Takes from his high respect. (3.6.21-29)
Lennox retreats, slightly—but peace—a glance over his shoulder, perhaps a gesture from his companion—is he saying too much, speaking too freely, even though he’s being so guarded? His reticence is justified by his change in direction: for from broad words, because he spoke too freely, made his opinions too generally known, and because he didn’t turn up to the banquet, failed his presence at the tyrant’s feast, I hear Macduff lives in disgrace.He’s well out of favour. This is neatly done: Lennox has spent the first part of the scene saying, without saying explicitly, that Macbeth has become a tyrant, and worse. He doesn’t use the word. But at this point, when he’s actually talking about Macduff, he slips it in: the tyrant’s feast. (There’s also a slight slipperiness with the time-scheme here: in plot terms, this is the morning after the disastrous banquet, but Lennox’s words suggest that there’s been time for people to gossip about Macduff, and for it to be known that he lives in disgrace as a result of his snub, and so suspected disloyalty, to Macbeth.) Sir, can you tell where he bestows himself? Do you know where Macduff is? This is not, it will become apparent, merely a request for information about Macduff.
The anonymous Lord (although it could, in performance, be Ross, or indeed Angus) is emboldened to speak more plainly, initially sharing information that’s even more significant than the current whereabouts of Macduff. The son of Duncan, from whom this tyrant holds the due of birth, lives in the English court. He’s unequivocal in naming Macbeth (or rather not even speaking his name) as a tyrant and also as a usurper, having seized the throne, withheld the birth-right of the crown, the due of birth from Malcolm, the rightful heir. (There are quibbles about the nature of the medieval monarchy in Scotland, but it’s firmly established that Malcolm was formally named as heir.) So, Malcolm is safe in England, and he’s been made welcome there by the most pious Edward, Edward the Confessor, a devout and holy king. The contrast with Macbeth is obvious, and the saintliness of King Edward, who never appears in the play, is readily applied, in retrospect, to Duncan, too: both are the opposite of Macbeth. Even though Malcolm is a prince in exile, down on his luck, he has been received at the English court with such grace that the malevolence of fortune nothing takes from his high respect. He is treated as a prince, a king in waiting, and he behaves as one.
