SCENE VI.

The same. Before the castle.

Hautboys. Servants of Macbeth attending.

Enter DUNCAN, MALCOLM, DONALBAIN, BANQUO, LENOX, MACDuff, rosse, aNGUS, and Attendants.

Dun. This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself

Unto our gentle senses.

Ban.

This guest of summer,

The temple-haunting martlet, does approve,

By his loved mansionry, that the heaven's breath
Smells wooingly here: no jutty, frieze,

Buttress, nor coigne of vantage,1 but this bird

Hath made his pendent bed, and procreant cradle : Where they most breed and haunt, I have observed, The air is delicate.

Dun.

Enter LADY MACBETH.

See, see! our honor'd hostess !

The love that follows us, sometime is our trouble, Which still we thank as love. Herein I teach you, How you shall bid God yield 2 us for your pains, And thank us for your trouble.

All our service

L. Macb. In every point twice done, and then done double,

1 Convenient corner.

2 Reward.

Were poor

and single business, to contend

Against those honors 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.1

Dun.

Where's the thane of Cawdor? We coursed 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.

L. Macb.

Your servants ever

Have theirs, themselves, and what is theirs, in

compt,2

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.

[Exeunt.

1 Hermits, for beadsmen.

Subject to account.

SCENE VII.

The same. A room in the castle.

Hautboys and torches. Enter, and pass over the stage, a Sewer,1 and divers Servants with dishes and service. Then enter MACBETH.

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

shoal of time,—

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
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

A servant, whose office it was to place the dishes on the table.

The deep damnation of his taking-off:
And pity, like a naked new-born babe,
Striding the blast, or heaven's cherubin, horsed
Upon the sightless couriers of the air,1
1
Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye,
That tears shall drown the wind.

I have no spur

To prick the sides of my intent, but only

Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself,

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

Enter LADY MACBETH.

L. Macb. He has almost supp'd: why have you left the chamber?

Macb. Hath he ask'd for me?

L. Macb.

Know you not, he has ?

Macb. We will proceed no farther in this busi

ness:

He hath honor'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.

L. Macb.

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?

Such I account thy love.

From this time,

Art thou afeard

To be the same in thine own act and valor,

As thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have that

The invisible winds.

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.

L. Macb.

What beast was 't 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,1 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,

Have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums,
And dash'd the brains out, had I so sworn, as

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

1 Cobere.