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Mess. So please you, it is true: our thane is Where they most breed and haunt, I have coming;

observ'd One of my fellows had the speed of him, The air is delicate. Who, almost dead for breath, had scarcely

Enter Lady MACBETH, Than would make up his message.

Dun.

See, see, our honour'd hostess ! Lady M.

Give him tending : The love that follows us sometime is our trouble, He brings great news.

Exit Messenger. Which still we thank as love. Herein I teach you

The raven himself is hoarse How you shall bid God 'ild us for your pains. That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan And thank us for your trouble. Under my battlements. Come, you spirits Lady M.

All our service, That tend on mortal thoughts! unsex me here, In every point twice done, and then done double, And fill me from the crown to the toe top full Were poor and single business, to contend Of direst cruelty; make thick my blood, Against those honours deepand broad, wherewith Stop up the access and passage to remorse, Your majesty loads our house : for those of old, That no compunctious visitings of nature And the late dignities heap'd up to them, Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between We rest your hermits. The effect and it ! Come to my woman's breasts, Dun. Where's the Thane of Cawdor ? And take my milk for gall, you murdering We cours'd him at the heels, and had a purpose ministers,

To be his purveyor ; but he rides well, Wherever in your sightless substances

And his great love, sharp as his spur, hath holp You wait on nature's mischief! Come, thick him night,

50 To his home before us. Fair and noble hostess, And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, We are your guest to-night. That my keen knife see not the wound it makes, Lady M.

Your servants ever Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark, Have theirs, themselves, and what is theirs, in To cry 'Hold, hold !

compt,

To make their audit at your highness' pleasure,
Enter MACBETH.

Still to return your own.
Great Glamis! worthy Cawdor! Dun.

Give me your hand ; Greater than both, by the all-hail hereafter ! Conduct me to mine host : we love him highly, Thy letters have transported me beyond And shall continue our graces towards him. This ignorant present, and I feel now

By your leave, hostess,

Exeunt. The future in the instant. Macb.

My dearest love, Duncan comes here to-night.

SCENE VII.-The Same. A Room in the Castle. Lady M.

And when goes hence ? Maco, To-morrow, as he purposes.

Hautboys and torches. Enter, and pass over the Lady M.

0! never

stage, a Sewer, and divers Servants with dishes

and service. Then enter MACBETH. Shall sun that morrow see. Your face, my thane, is as a book where men Macb. If it were done when 'tis done, then May read strange matters. To beguile the time, 'twere well Look like the time; bear welcome in your eye, It were done quickly; if the assassination Your hand, your tongue: look like the innocent Could trammel up the consequence, and catch flower,

With his surcease success; that but this blow But be the serpent under 't. He that 's coming Might be the be-all and the end-all here, Must be provided for ; and you shall put But here, upon this bank and shoal of time, This night's great business into my dispatch; We'd jump the life to come. But in these cases Which shall to all our nights and days to come We still have judgment here ; that we but teach Give solely sovereign sway and masterdom. 70 Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return Macb. We will speak further.

To plague the inventor; this even-handed justice Lady M.

Only look up clear; Commends the ingredients of our poison'dchalice To alter favour ever is to fear.

To our own lips. He's here in double trust : 12 Leave all the rest to me.

Exeunt. First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,

Strong both against the deed; then, as his

host, SCENE VI.-The Same. Before the Castie. Who should against his murderer shut the door, Hautboys and torches.

Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan Enter DUNCAN, MAL

Hath borne bis faculties so meek, hath been COLM, DONALBAIN, BANQUO, LENNOX, MAC

So clear in his great office, that his virtues DUFF, Ross, ANGUS, and Attendants.

Will plead like angels trumpet-tongued against Dun. This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air The deep damnation of his taking-off ; Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself

And pity, like a naked new-born babe, Unto our gentle senses.

Striding the blast, or heaven's cherubin, hors'd Ban.

This guest of summer, Upon the sightless couriers of the air, The temple haunting martlet, does approve Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye, By his lov'd mansionry that the heaven's breath That tears shall drown the wind. I have no spur Smells wooingly here : no jutty, frieze,

To prick the sides of my intent, but only Buttress, nor coign of vantage, but this bird Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself Hath made his pendent bed and procreant cradle: 'And falls on the other

61

20 Dess:

31

Enter Lady MACBETH.

Each corporal agent to this terrible feat.

Away, and mock the time with fairest show : How now! what news? False face must hide what the false heart doth Lady M. He has almost supp'd : why have you know.

Excunt. left the chamber ? Macb. Hath he ask'd for me?

ACT II. Lady M.

Know you not he has ? Macb. We will proceed no further in this busi- Scene I.-Inverness. Court roithin the Castle. He hath honour'd me of late ; and I have bought

Enter BANQUO, and FLEANCE bearing a Golden opinions from all sorts of people,

torch before him. Which would be worn now in their newest gloss, Ban. How goes the night, boy! Not cast aside so soon.

Ple. The moon is down; I have not heard the Lady M.

Was the hope drunk clock. Wherein you dress'd yourself? hath it slept Ban. And she goes down at twelve. since,

Fle.

I take't, 'tis later, sir. And wakes it now, to look so green and pale Ban. Hold, take my sword. There's hus. At what it did so freely? From this time

bandry in heaven ; Such I account thy love, Art thou afeard Their candles are all out. Take thee that too. To be the same in thine own act and valour A heavy summons lies like lead upon me, As thou art in desire ? Would'st thou have And yet I would not sleep: merciful powers! that

Restrain in me the cursed thoughts that nature Which thou esteem'st the ornament of life, Gives way to in repose. And live a coward in thine own esteem, Letting 'I dare not' wait upon ‘I would,'

Enter MACBETH, and a Servant with a torck. Like the poor cat i' the adage ?

Give me my sword. Macb.

Prithee, peace. Who's there? I dare do all that may become a man;

Macb. A friend. Who dares do more is none.

Ban. What, sir ! not yet at rest! The king's Lady M.

What beast was 't then a-bed : That made you break this enterprise to me? He hath been in unusual pleasure, and When you durst do it then you were a man; Sent forth great largess to your offices. And, to be more than what you were, you would This diamond he greets your wife withal, Be so much more the man. Nor time nor By the name of most kind hostess; and shut up place

In measureless content. Did then adhere, and yet you would make both: Mach.

Being unprepar'a, They have made themselves, and that their fit. Our will became the servant to defect,

Which else should free have wrought. Does unmake you. I have given suck, and know Ban.

All's well How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me : I dreamt last night of the three weird sisters : I would, while it was smiling in my face, To you they have show'd some truth. Have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums, Mach.

I think not of them: And dash'd the brains out, bad I so sworn as you Yet, when we can entreat an hour to serve, Have done to this.

We would spend it in some words upon that Mucb. If we should fail,

business, Lady M.

We fail. If you would grant the time. But screw your courage to the sticking-place, 60 Ban.

At your kind’st leisure. And we'll not fail. When Duncan is asleep, Mach. If you shall cleave to my consent, Whereto the rather shall his day's hard journey when 'tis, Soundly invite him, his two chamberlains It shall make honour for you. Will I with wine and wassail so convince

Ban.

So I lose node That memory, the warder of the brain,

In seeking to augment it, but still keep Shall be a fume, and the receipt of reason My bosom franchis'd and allegiance clear, A limbeck only ; when in swinish sleep

I shall be counsell’d. Their drenched natures lie as in a death,

Macb.

Good repose the while ! What cannot rou and I perform upon

Ban. Thanks, sir : the like to you, The unguarded Duncan? what not put upon 70

Exeunt BANQUO and FLEANCE. His spongy officers, who shall bear the guilt Macb. Go bid thy mistress, when my drink is Of our great quell?

ready Macb. Bring forth men-children only ; She strike upon the bell. Get thee to bed. For thy undaunted mettle should compose

Erit Serpant. Nothing but males. Will it not be receiv'd, Is this a dagger which I see before me, When we have mark'd with blood those sleepy The handle toward my hand 1 Come, let me two

clutch thee : Of his own chamber and us'd their very daggers, I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. That they have done 't ?

Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible Who dares receive it other, To feeling as to sight! or art thou but As we shall make our griefs and clamour roar A dagger of the mind, a false creation, Upon his death?

Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain ? Macb.

I am settled, and bend up I see thee yet, in form as palpable

51

ness now

Lady M.

As this which now I draw.

Thou marshall'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; 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 like a ghost. Thou sure and firm-set earth,
Hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear
Thy very stones prate of my whereabout,
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.

60

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.

51

SCENE II. The Same.
Enter Lady MACBETH.

Lady M. That which hath made them drunk
hath made me bold,

What hath quench'd them hath given me fire.

Hark! Peace!

When?

It was the owl that shriek'd, the fatal bellman,
Which gives the stern'st good-night. He is

Now.

about it:

The doors are open, and the surfeited grooms
Do mock their charge with snores: I have
drugg'd their possets,

That death and nature do contend about them,
Whether they live or die.

Mach. 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 'em. Had he not resembled
My father as he slept I had done 't. My husband!
Enter MACBETH.

That they did wake each other: I stood and heard them;

As I descended?

But they did say their prayers, and address'd them

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? 40
Macb. Still it cried 'Sleep no more!' to all
the house :
Exit. 'Glamis hath murder'd sleep, and therefore
Cawdor

Shall sleep no more, Macbeth shall sleep no
more !'

Lady M. Ay.

Mach. Hark!

Who lies i' the second chamber?

Donalbain.

20

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

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!'

"

Mach.

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.
I'll go no more: 50
I am afraid to think what I have done;
Look on 't again I dare not.
Give me the daggers. The sleeping and the dead
Lady M.
Infirm of purpose!
Are but as pictures; 'tis the eye of childhood
If he do bleed,
That fears a painted devil.
I'll gild the faces of the grooms withal;
For it must seem 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.

Macb. I have done the deed. Didst thou not

hear a noise?

14

Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood Lady M. I heard the owl scream and the Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will crickets cry.

rather

61

Did not you speak?

Macb.

Lady M.
Macb.

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!

30

Lady M. Who was it that thus cried? Why, worthy thane,

The multitudinous seas incarnadine,
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. Knocking within
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 within.
Hark! more knocking.

a

Get on your night-gown, lest occasion call us, 70 Macd. He did command me to call timely on And show us to be watchers. Be not lost

him : So poorly in your thoughts.

I have almost slipp'd the hour. Macb. To kuow my deed 'twere best not know Macb.

I'll bring you to him. myself.

K’nocking within. Macd. I know this is a joyful trouble to you; Wake Duncan with thy knocking! I would thou But yet 'tis one. could'st!

Exeunt. Macb. The labour we delight in physics pain.

This is the door.
SCENE III.-The Same,

Macd.

I'll make so bold to call, For 'tis my limited service.

Exit. Knocking within. Enter a Porler.

Len. Goes the king hence to-day? Porter. Here's a knocking indeed! If a man

Macb.

He does : he did appoint so. were porter of hell-gate he should have old turn- Len. The night has been unruly: where we lay, ing the key.

Knocking within. Our chimneys were blown down; and, as they say, Knock, knock, knock! Who's there, i' the name Lamentings heard i' the air; strange screams of Beelzebub? Here's a farmer that hanged

of death, himself on the expectation of plenty : come in And prophesying with accents terrible time; have napkins enough about you; here Of dire combustion and confus'd events you 'll sweat for 't.

Knocking within. New hatch'd to the woeful tine. The obscure Knock, knock! Who's there, i' the other devil's

bird name? Faith, here's an equivocator, that could Clamour'd the livelong night: some say the earth swear in both the scales against either scale ; | Was feverous and did shake. who committed treason enough for God's sake,

Macb.

'Twas a rough night. yet could not equivocate to heaven : 0! come Len. My young remembrance cannot parallel in, equivocator.

knocking within. A fellow to it. Knock, knock, knock! Who's there? Faith,

Re-enter MACDUFF. here's an English tailor come hither for steal. ing out of a French hose : come in, tailor; here Macd. O horror! horror] horror! Tongue you may roast your goose. Knocking within. nor heart Knock, knock! never at quiet! What are you? Cannot conceive nor name thee ! But this place is too cold for hell. I'll devil- Macb., Len.

What's the matter! porter it no further : I had thought to have let in Macd. Confusion now hath made his mastersome of all professions, that go the primrose way piece! to the everlasting bonfire. Knocking within. Most sacrilegious murder bath broke ope Anon, anon ! I pray you, remember the porter. The Lord's anointed temple, and stole thence

Opens the gate. The life o' the building.
Enter MACDUFF and LENNOX.

Macb.

What is 't you say ! the life!

Len. Mean you his majesty ? Macd. Was it so late, friend, ere you went to

Macd. Approach the chamber, and destroy bed,

your sight That you do lie so late ?

With a new Gorgon : do not bid me speak; Port. Faith, sir, we were carousing till the See, and then speak yourselves. second cock; and drink, sir, is a great provoker

E.ceunt MACBETH and LENNOX of three things.

Awake! awake! Macd. What three things does drink especially Ring the alarum-bell. Murder and treason! provoke?

31 Banquo and Donalbain! Malcolm ! awake! Port. Marry, sir, nose-painting, sleep, and Shake off this downy sleep, death's counterfeit, urine. Lechery, sir, it provokes, and unprovokes; And look on death itself l up, up, and see it provokes the desire, but it takes away the The great doom's image! Malcolm! Banqno! performance. Therefore, much drink may be As from your graves rise up, and walk likesprites, said to be an equivocator with lechery ; it makes To countenance this horror! Ring the beli. him, and it mars him ; it sets him on, and it

Bell ringe. takes him off ; it persuades him, and disheartens him ; makes him stand to, and not stand to;

Enter Lady MACBETH. in conclusion, equivocates him in a sleep, and, Lady M. What's the business, giving him the lie, leaves him.

That such a hideous trumpet calls to parley Macd. I believe drink gave thee the lie last The sleepers of the house? speak, speak! night.

Macd.

O gentle lady! Port. That it did, sir, i' the very throat o' me:

'Tis not for you to hear what I can speak; but I requited him for his lie ; and, I think, The repetition in a woman's ear being too strong for him, though he took up my Would murder as it fell. legs sometime, yet I made a shift to cast him. Macd. Is thy master stirring ?

Enter BANQUO.
Enter MACBETH.

O Banquo! Banquo!

Our royal master 's murder'd ! Our knocking has awak'd him; here he comes. Lady M.

Woe, alas! Len. Good morrow, noble sir.

What! in our house ?
Macb.
Good morrow, both. 60 Ban.

Too cruel any where.
Macd. Is the king stirring, worthy thane? Dear Duff, I prithee, contradict thyself,
Macb.

Not yet. | And say it is not so.

41

100

150

110

well;

Re-enter MACBETH and LENNOX.

And meet i' the hall together.
AU.

Well contented. Macb. Had I but died an hour before this

Ereunt all but MALCOLM and DONALBAIN. chance I had liv'd a blessed time ; for, from this instant,

Mal. What will you do? Let's not consort with them :

142 There's nothing serious in mortality,

To show an unfelt sorrow is an office All is but toys, renown and grace is dead,

Which the false man does easy. I'll to England. The wine of life is drawn, and the mere lees Is left this vault to brag of.

Don. To Ireland, I; our separated fortune

Shall keep us both the safer : where we are, Enter MALCOLM and DONALBAIN.

There's daggers in men's smiles : the near in

blood, Don. What is amiss ?

The nearer bloody. Mach.

You are, and do not know't: Mal. This murderous shaft that's shot The spring, the head, the fountain of your blood Hath not yet lighted, and our safest way Is stopp'd; the very source of it is stopp'd. Is to avoid the aim : therefore, to horse ; Macd. Your royal father's murder'd.

And let us not be dainty of leave-taking, Mal.

01 by whom? But shift away: there's warrant in that theft Len. Those of his chamber, as it seem'd, had | Which steals itself when there's no mercy left. done't:

Exeunt. Their hands and faces were all badg'd with blood :

SCENE IV.-Without the Castle.
So were their daggers, which unwip'd we found
Upon their pillows:

Enter Ross and an old Man.
They star'd, and were distracted; no man's life

Old Man. Threescore and ten I can remember Was to be trusted with them.

Macb. O! yet I do repent me of my fury, Within the volume of which time I have seen That I did kill them.

Hours dreadful and things strange, but this sore Macd.

Wherefore did you so ?
Macb. Who can be wise, amaz'd, temperate Hath trifled former knowings.

night and furious,

Ross.

Ah! good father, Loyal and neutral, in a moment? No man:

Thou seest, the heavens, as troubled with The expedition of my violent love

man's act, Outrun the pauser, reason. Here lay Duncan,

Threaten his bloody stage: by the clock 'tis day, His silver skin lac'd with his golden blood;

And yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp. And his gash'd stabs look'd like a breach in Is 't night's predominance, or the day's shame, nature

120 That darkness does the face of earth entomb, For ruin's wasteful entrance: there, the When living light should kiss it? murderers,

Old Man.

'Tis unnatural, Steep'd in the colours of their trade, their Even like the deed that's done. On Tuesday daggers

last, Unmannerly breech'd with gore : who could A falcon, towering in her pride of place, refrain,

Was by a mousing owl hawk'd at and kill'd. That had a heart to love, and in that heart

Ross. And Duncan's horses, a thing most Courage to make's love known ?

strange and certain, Lady M.

Help me hence, ho! Beauteous and swift, the minions of their race, Macd. Look to the lady.

Turn'd wild in nature, broke their stalls, flung Mal. Aside to DONALBAIN. Why do we hold

out, our tongues,

Contending 'gainst obedience, as they would That most may claim this argument for ours? make Don. Aside to MALCOLM. What should be war with mankind. spoken

Old Man. 'Tis said they eat each other. Here, where our fate, hid in an auger-hole,

Ross. They did so; to the amazement of mine May rush and seize us? Let's away : our tears

eyes, Are not yet brew'd.

That 'look'd upon't. Here comes the good Mal. Aside to DONALBAIN. Nor our strong

Macduff.

Enter MACDUFF.
Upon the foot of motion.
Ban.

Look to the lady: How goes the world, sir, now?
Lady MACBETH is carried out. Macd.

Why, see you not? And when we have our naked frailties hid,

Ross. Is 't known who did this more than That suffer in exposure, let us meet,

bloody deed ? And question this most bloody piece of work, Macd. Those that Macbeth hath slain. To know it further. Fears and scruples shake Ross.

Alas the day!

What good could they pretend ? In the great hand of God I stand, and thence Macd.

They were suborn'd. Against the undivulg'd pretence I fight

Malcolm and Donalbain, the king's two sons, of treasonous malice.

Are stol'n away and fled, which puts upon them Mach. And so do I.

Suspicion of the deed. AU.

So all. Ross.

'Gainst nature still ! Macb. Let's briefly put on manly readiness, | Thriftless ambition, that wilt ravin up

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sorrow

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us: