Macb. And Enter Lady Macbeth.
Ban. To v

See, see! our honour'd hostess!
that follows us, sometime is our trouble,
still we thank as love. Herein I teach you,
you shall bid God yield' us for your pains,
Rf thank us for your trouble.
TrLady M.
All our service

In every point twice done, and then done double,
Were poor and single business, to contend
Against those honours deep and broad, wherewith
Your majesty loads our house: For those of old,
And the late dignities heap'd up to them,
We rest your hermits.2
Dun.
Where's the thane of Cawdor?
We cours'd him at the heels, and had a purpose
To be his purveyor: but he rides well;
And his great love, sharp as his spur, hath holp him
To his home before us: Fair and noble hostess,
We are your guest to-night.

Lady M.
Your servants ever
Have theirs, themselves, and what is theirs, in
J
compt,

To make their audit at your highness' pleasure,
Still to return your own.

Dun.

Give me your hand:

Conduct me to mine host; we love him highly,
And shall continue our graces towards him.
By your leave, hostess."

SCENE VII.-The same.
Hautboys and torches.

[Exeunt.

He hath honour'd me of late; and I have bought
Golden opinions from all sorts of people,
Which would be worn now in their newest gloss,
Not cast aside so soon..
Lady M.
Was the hope drunk,
Wherein you dress'd yourself? hath it slept since ?
And wakes it now, to look so green and pale
At what it did so freely? From this time,
Such I account thy love. Art thou afeard
To be the same in thine own act and valour,
As thou art in desire? Would'st thou have that
Which thou esteem'st the ornament of life,
And live a coward in thine own esteem;
Letting I dare not wait upon I would,
Like the poor cat i'the adage?

Macb.

Pr'ythee, peace:

I dare do all that may become a man;
Who dares do more, is none.
Lady M.

What beast was it then,
That made you break this enterprise to me?
When you durst do it, then you were a man;
And, to be more than what you were, you would
Be so much more the man Nor time, nor place,
Did then adhere, and yet you would make both:
They have made themselves, and that their fitness

now

Does unmake you. I have given suck; and know
How tender 'tis, to love the babe that milks me:
I would, while it was smiling in my face,
A room in the castle. Have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums,
Enter, and pass over And dash'd the brains out, had I so sworn, as you

the stage, a Sewer, and divers Servants with Have done to this.
dishes and service. Then enter Macbeth.

Macb. If it were done, when 'tis done, then
'twere well

It were done quickly: If the assassination
Could trammel up the consequence, and catch,
With his surcease, success; that but this blow
Might be the be-all and the end-all here,
But here, upon this bank and shoal of time,-
We'd jump the life to come.-But, in these cases,
We still have judgment here; that we but teach
Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return
To plague the inventor: This even-handed justice
Commends the ingredients of our poison'd chalice
To our own lips. He's here in double trust:
First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,
Strong both against the deed; then, as his host,
Who should against his murderer shut the door,
Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan
Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been
So clear in his great office, that his virtues
Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued, against
The deep damnation of his taking-off":
And pity, like a naked new-born babe,
Striding the blast, or heaven's cherubin, hors'd
Upon the sightless couriers' of the air,
Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye,

We fail!

8

Macb.
If we should fail,-
Lady M.
But screw your courage to the sticking-place,
And we'll not fail. When Duncan is asleep,
(Whereto the rather shall his day's hard journey
Soundly invite him,) his two chamberlains
Will I with wine and wassel" so convince,
That memory, the warder of the brain,
Shal! be a fume, and the receipt of reason
A limbeck only: When in swinish sleep
Their drenched natures lie, as in a death,
What cannot you and I perform upon
The unguarded Duncan? what not put upon
His spongy officers; who shall bear the guilt
Of our great quell?10

Macb.

Bring forth men children only !
For thy undaunted mettle should compose
Nothing but males. Will it not be received, 11
When we have mark'd with blood those sleepy two
Of his own chamber, and us'd their very daggers,
That they have done't?
Lady M.
Who dares receive it other,
As we shall make our griefs and clamour roar
Upon his death?
I am settled, and bend up
Each corporal agent to this terrible feat.

Macb.

That tears shall drown the wind.-I have no spur Away, and mock the time with fairest show;

To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting ambition, which o'er-leaps itself,

And falls on the other.-How now, what news?

False face must hide what the false heart doth know. [Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE I.-The same. Court within the castle. Enter Banquo and Fleance, and a servant, with a torch before them.

Ban. How goes the night, boy?

(5) Winds; sightless is invisible.
(6) In the same sense as cohere.

Intemperance.
(8) Overpower.
Sentinel. (10) Murder. (11) Apprehended.

Fle. The moon is down; I have not heard the Hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear

clock.

Ban. And she goes down at twelve.
Fle.
I take't, 'tis later, sir.
Ban. Hold, take my sword:-There's husbandry'
in heaven,

Their candles are all out.-Take thee that too.
A heavy summons lies like lead upon me,
And yet I would not sleep: Merciful powers!
Restrain in me the cursed thoughts, that nature
Gives way to in repose!-Give me my sword ;-
Enter Macbeth, and a servant with a torch.
Who's there?

Macb. A friend.

Ban. What, sir, not yet at rest? The king's a-bed:
He hath been in unusual pleasure, and
Sent forth great largess2 to your offices:3
This diamond he greets your wife withal,

In measureless content.

Macb.

By the name of most kind hostess; and shut up
Being unprepar'd,
Our will became the servant to defect;
Which else should free have wrought.
Ban.

All's well.
I dreamt last night of the three weird sisters:
To you they have show'd come truth.

Mach.
I think not of them;
Yet, when we can entreat an hour to serve,
Would spend it in some words upon that business,
If you would grant the time.
Ban.
At your kind'st leisure.
Macb. If you shall cleave to my consent,-when
'tis,

It shall make honour for you.
Ban.

So I lose none,
In seeking to augment it, but still keep
My bosom franchis'd, and allegiance clear,
I shall be counsel'd.

Mach.

Good repose, the while!

Ban. Thanks, sir; The like to you! [Ex. Ban.
Macb. Go, bid thy mistress, when my drink is

ready,

She strike upon the bell. Get thee to-bed. [Ex. Ser.
Is this a dagger, which I see before me,

The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch
thee:-

I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.
Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible
To feeling, as to sight? or art thou but
A dagger of the mind; a false creation,
Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?
I see thee yet, in form as palpable,
As this which now I draw.

Thou marshal'st me the way that I was going;
And such an instrument I was to use.
Mine eyes are made the fools o'the other senses,
Or else worth all the rest: I see thee still;
And on thy blade, and dudgeon,' gouts of blood,
Which was not so before.-There's no such thing:
It is the bloody business, which informs
Thus to mine eyes.-Now o'er the one half world
Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse
The curtain'd sleep; now witchcraft celebrates
Pale Hecate's offerings; and wither'd murder,
Alarum'd by his sentinel, the wolf,

Whose howl's his watch, thus with his stealthy
pace,

With Tarquin's ravishing strides, towards his design

Moves likes a ghost.—Thou sure and firm set earth,

(1) Thrift.
(2) Bounty.
(3) The rooms appropriated to servants.

The very stones prate of my where-about,
And take the present horror from the time,
Which now suits with it.-Whiles I threat, he lives;
Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives.
[A bell rings.
I go, and it is done; the bell invites me.
Hear it not, Duncan; for it is a knell,
That summons thee to heaven, or to hell.
SCENE II.-The same. Enter Lady Macbeth.
Lady M. That which hath made them drunk,
hath made me bold:

[Exit.

What hath quench'd them, hath given me fire :-
Hark!-Peace!

It was the owl that shriek'd, the fatal bellman,
Which gives the stern'st good-night. He is about it:
The doors are open; and the surfeited grooms
Do mock their charge with snores: I have drugg'd
That death and nature do contend about them,
their possets,

Whether they live or die.

Macb. [Within.] Who's there?-what, ho!

Lady M. Alack! I am afraid they have awak'd, And 'tis not done :-the attempt, and not the deed, Confounds us:-Hark!-I laid their daggers ready, He could not miss them.-Had he not resembled My father as he slept, I had don't.-My husband? Enter Macbeth.

Macb. I have done the deed :-Didst thou not hear a noise?

Lady M. I heard the owl scream, and the crick. ets cry. Did not you speak?

Mach.
Lady M.

Macb.

Lady M. Ay.

Macb. Hark!

When?

Now.

As I descended?

Who lies i'the second chamber?
Lady M.

Macb. This is a sorry sight.

Donalbain.

[Looking on his hands. Lady M. A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight. Macb. There's one did laugh in his sleep, and

one cried, murder!

That they did wake each other; I stood and heard

them:

But they did say their prayers, and address'd them
Again to sleep.
Lady M.

There are two lodg'd together. Macb. One cried, God bless us! and, Amen, the other;

As they had seen me, with these hangman's hands.
Listening their fear, I could not say, amen,
When they did say, God bless us.
Lady M.
Consider it not so deeply.
Macb. But wherefore could not I pronounce,
amen ?

I had most need of blessing, and amen
Stuck in my throat.
Lady M. These deeds must not be thought
After these ways; so, it will make us mad.
Macb. Methought, I heard a voice cry, Sleep no
more!

Macbeth does murder sleep, the innocent sleep;
Sleep, that knits up the ravell'd sleave of care,
The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath,
Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course,
Chief nourisher in life's feast ;-

Lady M.
What do you mean? ver at quiet! What are you?-But this place is too
Macb. Still it cried, Sleep no more! to all the cold for hell. I'll devil-porter it no further: I had
house:
thought to have let in some of all professions, that
Glamis hath murder'd sleep; and therefore Cawdor go the primrose way to the everlasting bonfire.
Shall sleep no more, Macbeth shall sleep no more! [Knocking.] Anon, anon; I pray you, remember
Opens the gate.
Lady M. Who was it that thus cried? Why, the porter.

worthy thane,

You do unbend your noble strength, to think
So brainsickly of things:-Go, get some water,
And wash this filthy witness from your hand.-
Why did you bring these daggers from the place?
They must lie there: Go, carry them; and smear
The sleepy grooms with blood.

Macb.
I'll go no more:
am afraid to think what I have done;
Look on't again, I dare not,

Lady M.
Infirm of purpose!
Give me the daggers: The sleeping and the dead,
Are but as pictures: 'tis the eye of childhood,
That fears a painted devil. If he do bleed,
I'll gild the faces of the grooms withal,
For it must, scem their guilt.

[Exit. Knocking within.
Macb.
Whence is that knocking?
How is't with me, when every noise appals me?
What hands are here? Ha! they pluck out mine
eyes!

Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood
Clean from my hand? No; this my hand will rather
The multitudinous seas incarnardine,1

Making the green one red.

Re-enter Lady Macbeth.

Lady M. My hands are of your colour; but I shame

To wear a heart so white. [Knock.] I hear a
knocking

At the south entry:-retire we to our chamber:
A little water clears us of this deed:
How easy is it then! Your constancy
Hath left you unattended.-[Knocking.] Hark!
more knocking:

Get on your night-gown, lest occasion call us,
And show us to be watchers :-Be not lost
So poorly in your thoughts.

Enter Macduff and Lenox.

Macd. Was it so late, friend, ere you went to

bed,

That you do lie so late?

Port. 'Faith, sir, we were carousing till the second cock:4 and drink, sir, is a great provoker of three things.

Macd. What three things does drink especially provoke?

Port. Marry, sir, nose-painting, sleep, and urine. vokes the desire, but it takes away the performance. Lechery, sir, it provokes, and unprovokes: it proTherefore, much drink may be said to be an equivocator with lechery: it makes him, and it mars him; it sets him on, and it takes him off; it persuades him, and disheartens him; makes him stand to, and not stand to: in conclusion, equivocates him in a sleep, and, giving him the lie, leaves him.

Macd. I believe, drink gave thee the lie last night. Port. That it did, sir, i'the very throat o'me: But I requited him for his lie; and, I think, being too strong for him, though he took up my legs sometime, yet I made a shift to cast him.

Macd. Is thy master stirring ?

Our knocking has awak'd him; here he comes.
Enter Macbeth.

For 'tis my limited service. [Knock. Len.

Macb. To know my deed,-'twere best not know myself.

Wake Duncan with thy knocking! Ay, 'would thou could'st!

From hence to-day?
Macb.

He does:-he did appoint it so. Len. The night has been unruly: Where we lay, SCENE III-The same. Enter a Porter. Our chimneys were blown down: and, as they say, Lamentings heard i'the air; strange screams of death;

[Knocking within.]

Macb.
'Twas a rough night.
Len. My young remembrance cannot parallel
fellow to it.

Porter. Here's a knocking, indeed! If a man And prophesying, with accents terrible, were porter of hell-gate, he should have old turn-Of dire combustion, and confus'd events, ing the key. [Knocking.] Knock, knock, knock: New hatch'd te the woful time. The obscure bird Who's there, 'the name of Belzebub? Here's a Clamour'd the livelong night: some say, the earth farmer, that hanged himself on the expectation of Was feverous, and did shake. plenty: Come in time; have napkins enough about you; here you'll sweat for't. [Knocking.] Knock, knock: Who's there, i'the other devil's name?-A 'Faith, here's an equivocator, that could swear in both the scales against either scale; who committed treason enough for God's sake, yet could not equivocate to Heaven: 0, come in, equivocator. [Knocking.] Knock, knock, knock: Who's there? 'Faith, here's an English tailor come hither, for stealing out of a French hose: Come in, tailor; here you may roast your goose. [Knocking.] Knock, knock: Ne

(1) To incarnardine is to stain of a flesh-colour.
Frequent. (3) Handkerchiefs.
Cock-crowing.
i. e. Affords a cordial to it.

Re-enter Marduff.

Macd. O horror! horror! horror! Tongue, nor
heart,
Cannot conceive, nor name thee!*

Macb. Len.
What's the matter?
Macd. Confusion now hath made his master-
piece!

Ah, good father, Thou see'st, the heavens, as troubled with man's act,

Threaten his bloody stage: by the clock, 'tis day, And yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp: Is't night's predominance, or the day's shame, That darkness does the face of earth intomb, When living light should kiss it?

Beauteous and swift, the minions of their race, Turn'd wild in nature, broke their stalls, flung out, Contending 'gainst obedience, as they would make War with mankind.

Old M. 'Tis said, they eat each other. Rosse. They did so; to the amazement of mine eyes,

That look'd upon't.-Here comes the good Mao duff:

That would make good of bad, and friends of foes!

ACT III.

[Exeunt.

SCENE I.-Fores. A room in the palace. ter Banquo.

En

Ban. Thou hast it now, King, Cawdor, Glamis,
all,

As the weird's women promis'd; and, I fear,
Thou play'dst most foully for't: yet it was said,
It should not stand in thy posterity;

Farewell.

upon us.

Macb. I wish your horses swift, and sure of foot;
And so I do commend you to their backs.
[Exit Banquo.
Let every man be master of his time
Till seven at night; to make society
The sweeter welcome, we will keep ourself
Till supper-time alone: while then, God be with you.
[Exeunt Lady Macbeth, Lords, Ladies, &c.
Sirrah, a word: Attend those men our pleasure?
Allen. They are, my lord, without the palace-
gate.

Macb. Bring them before us.-[Exit Atten.]
To be thus, is nothing;

But to be safely thus:-Our fears in Banquo
Stick deep; and in his royalty of nature
Reigns that, which would be fear'd: "Tis much
he dares;

And, to that dauntless temper of his mind, He hath a wisdom that doth guide his valour To act in safety. There is none, but he, Whose being I do fear: and, under him, Mark Antony's was by Cæsar. He chid the sisters, My genius is rebuk'd; as, it is said, When first they put the name of king upon me, And bade them speak to him; then, prophet-like, They hail'd him father to a line of kings: Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown, And put a barren sceptre in my gripe, Thence to be wrench'd with an unlineal hand, No son of mine succeeding. If it be so, For Banquo's issue have I fil'd4 my mind; For them the gracious Duncan have I murder'd; Put rancours in the vessel of my peace Only for them; and mine eternal jewel Given to the common enemy of man, To make them kings, the seed of Banquo kings! Senet sounded. Enter Macbeth, as king; Lady Rather than so, come, fate, into the list, Macbeth, as queen; Lenox, Rosse, Lords, La- And champion me to the utterance!"dies, and attendants.

But that myself should be the root, and father
Of many kings. If there come truth from them
(As upon thee, Macbeth, their speeches shine,)
Why, by the verities on thee made good,
May they not be my oracles as well,
And set me up in hope? But, hush; no more.

Macb. Here's our chief guest.

Lady M.

If he had been forgotten,
It had been as a gap in our great feast,
And all things unbecoming.

Macb. To-night we hold a solemn supper, sir,
And I'll request your presence.
Ban.

Let your highness
Command upon me; to the which, my duties
Are with a most indissoluble tie
For ever knit.

Macb. Ride you this afternoon?
Ban.
Ay, my good lord.
Macb. We should have else desir'd your good

advice

there?

-Who's