When In Act IV Sc.1 Macbeth meets the witches he demands that they answer his question: "Shall Banquo's issue ever/Reign in this kingdom?" Initially the witches refuse but just before they vanish they remark, "Show his eyes and grieve his heart." immediately, "Eight kings appear, and pass over in order,the last with a glass in his hand; with Banquo following."
Shakespeare does not name the eight kings, because historically not much is known about Banquo, in fact some historians even doubt his very existence! However in Shakespeare's own time King James I of England was believed to have been a direct descendant of Banquo. Macbeth's speech, "Thou art too like the spirit of Banquo.....And points at them for his" is thus meant to flatter the new Stuart King James I.
After Queen Elizabeth died childless, King James VI of Scotland a Stuart was crowned the King of England as King James I. Two coronations were held, one in Scotland where one scepter was used and one in England where two scepters were used: "That two-fold balls and treble scepters carry." Scholars also interpret "treble scepter" to mean that King James' coronation united the three kingdoms of Scotland, England and Ireland.
Thus, the eight kings would refer to all the monarchs of the Stuart dynasty who ruled England from 1603-1714. However,historically there were only six Stuart kings.
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