more!

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

I'll go no more:
I 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 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!

Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood
Clean from my hand? No; this my hand will

rather

The multitudinous seas incarnardine,
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 nightgown, lest occasion call us,
And show us to be watchers:-be not lost
So poorly in your thoughts.

Mach. To know my deed,-'twere best not
know myself.
[Knock.
Wake Duncan with thy knocking! I would,
[Exeunt.

thou could'st?

SCENE III. The same.

Enter Macduff and Lenox.

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

That you do lie so late 7

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

Macd. What three things does drink especially provoke

Port. Marry, sir, nose paintings, 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. 1 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 7

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

I

Len. Good-morrow, noble sir!
Macb.

Good-morrow, both!
Macd. Is the king stirring, worthy thane ?
Macb.
Not yet.
Macd. He did command me to call timely on
him;
have almost slipp'd the hour.
Macb.

I'll bring you to him
Macd. I know, this is a joyful trouble to you;
But yet, 'tis one.

Macb.' The labour, we delight in, physicks
pain.
This is the door.

Macd.
I'll make so bold to call,
For 'tis my limited service. [Exit Macduff.
Len. Goes the king hence to-day?
Mach.
He does ;-he did appoint so.
Len. The night has been unruly; Where we
lay,

Our chimneys were blown down: and, as they
say,

of death;

Lamentings heard i' the air; strange screams
And prophesying, with accents terrible,
Of dire combustion, and confus'd events,
New hatch'd to the woful time. The obscure
bird

Clamour'd the livelong night: some say, the
Was feverous, and did shake.

earth

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

nor heart,

Re-enter Macduff.

Macd. O horror! horror! horror! Tongue,
Cannot conceive, nor name thee!
Macb. Len.
What's the matter?
Macd. Confusion now hath made his master-
piece!

Enter a Porter. [Knocking within Porter. Here's a knocking, indeed! If a man were porter of hell-gate, he should have old turning the key. [Knocking.] Knock, knock, knock: Who's there, i'the name of Belzebub? Here's a farmer, that hanged himself on the expectation of 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 ? '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. [Knock- Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope ing.] Knock, knock, knock: Who's there? 'Faith, The Lord's anointed temple, and stole thence here's an English tailor come hither, for stealing The life o'the building. out of a French hose: Come in, tailor; here you Macb. What is't you say 7 the life 7 may roast your goose. [Knocking. Knock, Len. Mean you his majesty'? knock: Never at quiet! What are you ?-But Macd. Approach the chamber, and destroy this place is too cold for hell. I'll devil-porter it your sight no further: I had thought to have let in some With a new Gorgon :-Do not bid me speak; of all professions, that go the primrose way to See, and then speak yourselves.-Awake! the everlasting bonfire. [Knocking.] Anon, [Exeunt Macb. and Len. anon; I pray you, remember the porter. Ring the alarum-bell: Murder! and treason! [Opens the gate. Banquo, and Donalbain! Malcolm! awake!

awake!

Shake off this downy sleep, death's counterfeit, To know it further. Fears and scruples shake
And look on death itself!-up, up, and see
The great doom's image!Malcolm! Banquo!
As from your graves rise up, and walk like
sprights,

What good could they pretend?
Macd.
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.
'Gainst nature still:
:-Thriftless ambition, that will 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 Colme-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!
Rosse. Father, farewell.

Old M. God's benison go with yon: and with

those

That would make good of bad, and friends of
foes!
[Exeunt.

ACT III.

Atten. They are, my lord, without the palace
gate.

Macb. Bring them before us.-[Exit Attend.
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 valeur
To act in safety. There is none, but he
Whose being I do fear: and, under him,
My genius is rebuk'd; as, it is said,
Mark Antony's was by Cæsar. He chid the
sisters,

When first they put the name of King upon me,
And bade them speak to him; then, prophetlike

SCENE I. Fores. A Room in the Palace. They hail'd him father to a line of kings:

Enter Banquo.

Ban. Thou hast it now, King, Cawdor, Gla-
mis, all,

As the weird women promis'd; and, I fear,
Thou played'st most foully for't; yet it was said,
It should not stand in thy posterity:
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 the oracles as well,

And set me up in hope? But, hush; no more.
Senet sounded. Enter Macbeth, as King;
Lady Macbeth, as Queen; Lenox, Rosse,
Lords, Ladies, and Attendants.
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 nubecoming.
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. I wish your horses swift, and sure of
foot;

And so I do commend you to their backs.
Farewell.-

[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

Upon my head they plac'd 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'd 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!
Rather than so, come, fate, into the list,
And champion me to the utterance

there ?

Who's

Now to the door, and stay there till we call.
[Exit Attendant.
Was it not yesterday we spoke together 7
1 Mur. It was, so please your highness.
Macb.
Well then, now
Have you considered of my speeches? Know,
That it was he, in the times past, which held you
So under fortune; which, you thought, had been
Our innocent self: this I made good to you
In our last conference, pass'd in probation with
you,

Re-enter Attendant, with two Murderers.

How you were borne in hand; how cross'd; the
instruments;

Who wrought with them; and all things else,
that might,
To half a soul, and to a notion craz❜d,
Say, Thus did Banquo.
1 Mur.
You made it known to us.
Macb. I did so: and went further, which is now
Our point of second meeting. Do you find
Your patience so predominant in your nature,
That you can let this go? Are you so gospell'd
To pray for that good man, and for his issue,
Whose heavy hand hath bow'd you to the grave,
And beggar'd yours for ever?
1 Mur.
We are men, my liege.
Macb. Ay, in the catalogue ye go for menį
As hounds, and greyhounds, mongrels, spaniels,

curs,

Shoughs, water-rugs, and demi-wolves, are
cleped

All by the name of dogs: the valued file -
Distinguishes the swift, the slow, the subtle,
The house-keeper, the hunter, every one
According to the gift which bounteous nature
Hath in him clos'd; whereby he does receive
Particular addition, from the bill
That writes them all alike: and so of men.
Now, if you have a station in the file,
Not in the worst rank of manhood, say it;
And I will put that business in your bosoms,
Whose execution takes your enemy off;
Grapples you to the heart and love of us,
Who wear our health but sickly in his life,
Which in his death were perfect.
2 Mur.
I am one, my liege.
Whom the vile blows and buffets of the world
Have so incens'd, that I am reckless what
I do, to spite the world.

1 Mur.

And I another,

Was 't not the way? 3 Mur. There's but one down: the son is fled.

Bleek o'er your rugged looks; be bright and 2 Mur. We have lost best half of our affair.

SCENE IV. A Room of State in the Palace.
A Banquet prepared.

Enter Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Rosse, Lenox,
Lords, and Attendants.

Macb. You know your own degrees, sit down:
at first

And last, the hearty welcome.

Lords.
Thanks to your majesty.
Macb. Ourself will mingle with society,
And play the humble host.
Our hostess keeps her state; but, in best time,
We will require her welcome.

Lady M. Pronounce it for me, sir, to all our
friends;

For my heart speaks, they are welcome.

Enter first Murderer, to the door.
Macb. See, they encounter thee with their
heart's thanks :-

Both sides are even: Here I'll sit i' the midst
Be large in mirth; anon, we'll drink a measure
The table round.-There's blood upon thy face.
Mur. 'Tis Banquo's then.

Macb. "Tis better thee without, than he within.
Is he despatch'd?

Mur. My lord, his throat is cut; that I did for
him.

Mach. Thou art the best o' the cut-throats:
Yet he's good,

That did the like for Fleance: if thou didst it,
Thou art the nonpareil.
Mur.

Fleance is 'scap'd.

Most royal sir,

Macb. Then comes my fit again: I had else
been perfect;

Whole as the marble, founded as the rock;
As broad, and general, as the casing air:
But now, I am cabin'd, cribb'd, confin'd, bound

in

To saucy doubts and fears. But Banquo's safe?
Mur. Ay, my good lord: safe in a ditch he
bides,

With twenty trenched gashes on his head;
The least a death to nature.
Macb.
Thanks for that:

There the grown serpent lies; the worm, that's
fled,

Hath nature that in time will venom breed,
No teeth for the present.-Get thee gone; to-

morrow

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;

From thence, the sauce to meat is ceremony;
Meeting were bare without it.
Macb.

Now, good digestion wait on appetite,
And health on both!
Len.

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
roof'd,

The fit is momentary; upon a thought
He will again be well: If much you note him,
You shall offend him, and extend his passion;
Feed, and regard him not.-Are you a man?
Mact Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on
that

Which might appal the devil.
Lady M.

O proper stuff!
This is the very painting of your fear:
This is the air-drawn dagger, which, you said,
Led you to Duncan. O, these flaws, and starts,
(Impostors to true fear,) would well become
A woman's story at a winter's fire,

Authoriz'd by her grandam. Shame itself!
Why do you make such faces? When all's done,
You look but on a stool.

Macb. Pr'ythee, see there! behold! look! lo
how say you?

Why, what care 1? If thou canst nod, speak too.➡
If charnel-houses, and our graves, must send
Those that we bury, back, our monuments
Shall be the maws of kites. [Ghost disappears
Lady M What! quite unmann'd in folly?
Mach. If I stand here, I saw him.
Lady M.

Fyc, for shame! Macb. Blood hath been shed ere now, i'the olden time,

Ere human statute purg'd the gentle weal;
Ay, and since too, murders have been perform'd
Too terrible for the ear: the times have been,
That, when the brains were out, the man would
die,

And there an end: but now, they rise again,
With twenty mortal murders on their crowns,
And push us from our stools: This is more strange
Than such a murder is.
Lady M.
My worthy lord,
Your noble friends do lack you.
Mach.

I do forget:

Do not muse at me, my most worthy friends;
I have a strange infirmity, which is nothing
To those that know me. Come, love and health

Sweet remembrancer!-Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold;
Thou hast no speculation in those eyes
Which thou dost glare with!
Lady M.
Think of this, good peers,
But as a thing of custom: 'tis no other;
Only it spoils the pleasure of the time.
Macb. What man dare, I dare:
Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear,
The arm'a rhinoceros, or the Hyrcan tiger,
Take any shape but that, and my firm nerves
Shal. never tremble: Or, be alive again,
And dare me to the desert with thy sword:
If trembling I inhibit thee, protest me
The baby of a girl. Hence, horrible shadow !
[Ghost disappears,
Unreal mockery, hence!-Why, so;-being gone,
I am a man again -'Pray you, sit still.
Lady. M. You have displac'd the mirth, broke
the good meeting,
With most admir'd disorder.
Macb.

Were the grac'd person of our Banquo present;
Who may I rather challenge for unkindness,
Than pity for mischance!
Rosse.
Lays blame upon his promise. Please it your
highness

His absence, sir,

To grace us with your royal company 7
Macb. The table's full.

Len.

Macb.

Here's a place reserv'd, sir.
Where?
Len. Here, my good lord. What is't that moves
your highness?

Mach. Which of you have done this?
Lords.

What, my good lord?
Macb, Thou canst not say, I did it never shake
Thy gory locks at me.

Can such things be,
And overcome us like a summer's cloud,
Without our special wonder? You make ma

strange