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 Lady M. Who was it that thus cried? Why, the porter. Opens the gate. worthy thane, You do unbend your noble strength, to think Macb. I'll go no more: Lady M. [Exit. Knocking within. Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood 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: Hath left you unattended.-[Knocking.] Hark! Get on your night-gown, lest occasion call us, Macb. To know my deed,-'twere best not Enter Macduff and Lenox. Macd. Was it so late, friend, ere you went to bed, That you do lie so late? second cock: and drink, sir, is a great provoker Port. 'Faith, sir, we were carousing till the of three things. Macd. What three things does drink especially provoke? Port. Marry, sir, nose-painting, sleep, and urine. Lechery, sir, it provokes, and unprovokes: it provokes the desire, but it takes away the performance. Therefore, 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. I Macd. Is thy master stirring ? Our knocking has awak'd him; here he comes. Len. Good-morrow, noble sir! I'll bring you to him. Macb. The labour we delight in, physics' pain.. This is the door. Macd. [Exit Macd. Goes the king I'll make so bold to call, For 'tis my limited service." [Knock. Len. Wake Duncan with thy knocking! Ay, 'would thou could'st! [Exeunt. 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. 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 to 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 n-pkins3 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. Re-enter Marduff. Macd. O horror! horror! horror! Tongue, nor Cannot conceive, nor name thee!" heart, Macb. Len. What's the matter? Macd. Confusion now hath made his masterpiece! Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope The Lord's anointed temple, and stole thence The life o'the building. Macb. What is't you say? the life? With a new Gorgon :-Do not bid me speak Enter Lady Macbeth. Macd. O, gentle lady 'Tis not for you to hear what I can speak : The repetition, in a woman's ear, Would murder as it fell.--O Banquo! Banquo! What, in our house? Ban. Wo, alas! Too cruel, any where.Dear Duff, I pr'ythee, contradict thyself, And say, it is not so. Re-enter Macbeth and Lenox. Macb. Had I but died an hour before this chance, I had liv'd a blessed time; for, from this instant, There's nothing serious in mortality: All is but toys: renown, and grace, is dead; The wine of life is drawn, and the mere lees Is left this vault to brag of. Enter Malcolm and Donalbain. Don. What is amiss? Macb. You are, and do not know it: The spring, the head, the fountain of your blood Is stopp'd; the very source of it is stopp'd. Macd. Your royal father's murder'd." Mal. O, by whom? Len. Those of his chamber, as it seem'd, had done't: Their hands and faces were all badg'd with blood, So were their daggers, which, unwip'd, we found Upon their pillows: They star'd, and were distracted; no man's life Was to be trusted with them. Macb. O, yet I do repent me of my fury, That I did kill them. Macd. Wherefore did you so? Macb. Who can be wise, amaz'd, temperate, and furious, Loyal and neutral, in a moment? No man: Out-ran the pauser reason.-Here lay Duncan, That had a heart to love, and in that heart (1) Covered with blood to their hilt. SCENE IV.-Without the castle. Enter Rosse and an Old Man. Old M. Threescore and ten I can remember well: Within the volume of which time, I have seen Ah, good father, Thou see'st, the heavens, as troubled with man's act, Threaten his bloody stage: by the clock, 'tis day, Rosse. And Duncan's horses, (a thing most Enter Macduff. How goes the world, sir, now? Ban. As far, my lord, as will fill up the time Why, see you not? I must become a borrower of the night, Macd. Those that Macbeth hath slain. Rosse. Alas, the day! What good could they pretend?1 Maca. They were suborn'd: Malcolm, and Donalbain, the king's two sons, Are stol'n away and fled; which puts upon them Suspicion of the deed. Rosse. 'Gainst nature still: Thriftless ambition, that wilt ravin up Thine own life's means!-Then 'tis most like, The sovereignty will fall upon Macbeth. Macd. He is already nam'd; and gone to Scone, To be invested. Rosse. Where is Duncan's body? Macd. Carried to Colmes-kill; The sacred storehouse of his predecessors, And guardian of their bones. Rosse. Will you to Scone? Macd. No, cousin, I'll to Fife. Rosse. Well, I will thither. Macd. Well, may you see things well done there;-adieu! Lest our old robes sit easier than our new! Old M. God's benison go with you; and with those Ban. Thou hast it now, King, Cawdor, Glamis, all, As the weird's women promis'd; and, I fear, But that myself should be the root, and father And set me up in hope? But, hush; no more. Macb. Here's our chief guest. If he had been forgotten, Fail not our feast. Ban. My lord, I will not. Macb. We hear, our bloody cousins are bestow'd In England, and in Ireland; not confessing Their cruel parricide, filling their hearers With strange invention: But of that to-morrow; When, therewithal, we shall have cause of state, Craving us jointly. Hie you to horse: Adieu, Till you return at night. Goes Fleance with you? Ban. Ay, my good lord: our time does call upon us. Farewell. 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 palacegate. Macb. Bring them before us.-[Exit Atten.] But to be safely thus:-Our fears in Banquo And, to that dauntless temper of his mind, there? Re-enter Attendant, with two Murderers. Now to the door, and stay there till we call. [Erit Attendant. Was it not yesterday we spoke together? 1 Mur. It was, so please your highness. Let your highness__Mucb. Well then, now Macb. Ride you this afternoon? Macb. We should have else desir'd your good advice (Which still hath been both grave and prosperous,) In this day's council; but we'll take to-morrow. Is't far you ride? (1) Intend to themselves. (2) Commit. you, How you were borne in hand; how cross'd; the instruments; Who wrought with them; and all things else, that might, (5) Challenge me to extremities. You made it known to us. 1 Mur. We are men, my liege. Shoughs, water-rugs, and demi-wolves, are cleped3 That writes them all alike: and so of men. 2 Mur. 1 Mur. And I another, So weary with disasters, tugg'de with fortune, Macb. Both of you Know, Banquo was your enemy. 2 Mur. True, my lord. Macb. So is he mine: and in such bloody dis tance, That every minute of his being thrusts 2 Mur. We shall, my lord, Perform what you command us. 1 Mur. Though our livesMacb. Your spirits shine through you. Within this hour, at most, I will advise you where to plant yourselves. (1) Are you so obedient to the precept of the Gospel. (3) Called. (2) Wolf-dogs. (4) Title, description. (6) Worried. Because of. (5) Careless. (7) Mortal enmity. Most melancholy. I'll come to you anon. Lady M. Is Banquo gone from court? How now, my lord? why do you keep alone, done. Macb. We have scotch'd the snake, not kill'd it; The frame of things disjoint, both the worlds suffer, In restless ecstasy. 10 Duncan is in his grave; Lady M. Come on; Gentle my lord, sleek o'er your rugged looks; Be bright and jovial 'mong your guests to-night. Macb. So shall I, love; and so, I pray, be you: Must lave our honours in these flattering streams; mons, The shard-borne beetle, 13 with his drowsy hums, What's to be done? Macb. Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, 14 Till thou applaud the deed. Come, seeling" night, (10) Agony. (11) Do him the highest honours. (12) i. e. The copy, the lease, by which they hold their lives from nature, has its time of termination. (13) The beetle borne in the air by its shards o scaly wings. (14) A term of endearment. (15) Blinding. Cancel, and tear to pieces, that great bond Both sides are even: Here I'll sit i'the midst : Which keeps me pale!-Light thickens; and the Be large in mirth; anon, we'll drink a measure crow The table round.-There's blood upon thy face. Macb. 'Tis better thee without, than he within. Mur. My lord, his throat is cut; that I did for him. Macb. Thou art the best o'the cut-throats: Yet he's good, SCENE III.-The same. A park or lawn, with That did the like for Fleance: if thou didst it, a gate leading to the palace. Enter three Mur derers. Thou art the nonpareil. Mur. Fleance is 'scap'd. Most royal sir, Macb. Then comes my fit again: I had else Whole as the marble, founded as the rock; The least a death to nature. Macb. Thanks for that:- row We'll hear, ourselves again. [Exit Murderer. Lady M. My royal lord, You do not give the cheer: the feast is sold, That is not often vouch'd, while 'tis a making, 'Tis given with welcome: To feed, were best at home; Enter Banquo and Fleance, a servant with a torch From thence, the sauce to meat is ceremony: 2 Mur. 3 Mur. preceding them. A light, a light! "Tis he. Let it come down. Ban. O, treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly; Thou may'st revenge.- -O slave! Was't not the way? And last, the hearty welcome. Our hostess keeps her state; but, in best time, Lady M. Pronounce it for me, sir, to all our For my heart speaks, they are welcome. Enter first Murderer, to the door. Macb. See, they encounter thee with their hearts' thanks: Meeting were bare without it. May it please your highness sit? [The Ghost of Banquo rises, and sits in Macbeth's place. Macb. Here had we now our country's honour Were the grac'd person of our Banquo present; Rosse. His absence, sir, To grace us with your royal company? Len. Macb. Where? Len. Here's a place reserv'd, sir. Here, my lord. What is't that moves your highness? Rosse. Gentlemen, rise; his highness is not well. thus, The fit is momentary; upon a thoughts He will again be well: If much you note him, Macb. Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on that (1) i. e. They who are set down in the list of (2) Continues in her chair of state. guests, and expected to supper. (3) As quick as thought. (4) Prolong his suffering. |