What hands are here? Ha! they pluck out mine Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood [eyes. Clean from my hand? No; this my hand will The multitudinous seas incarnardine, [rather Making the green-one red.

48

Re-enter Lady Macbeth.

Lady M. My hands are of your colour; but I shamespot [knocking

15

To wear a heart so white. [knock] I hear a
At the south entry;-retire we to our chamber.
A little water clears us of this deed:

4

SCENE III. THE SAME. 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: O, 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: never at quiet! What are you? But this place is too cold for hell. I'll devil-porter it no further: I had thought to have let in some of all professions, that go the primrose way to the everlasting bonfire. {knocking.] Anon, anon; I pray you, remember the porter.

dato [opens the gate. Enter Macduff and Lenox. Macd. Was it so late, friend, ere you went to bed, that you do lle so late?

Steen dow

18x432

Port. 'Faith, sir, we were carousing till the second cock 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. Lechery, air, it provokes and unprovokes: it pro vokes 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 persuade 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

Re-enter Macduff.

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 masterMost sacrilegious murder hath broke ope [piece! The Lord's anointed temple, and stole thence The life o'the building.

Macb. What is't you say? the life?
Len. Mean you his majesty?

[sight
Macd. Approach the chamber, and destroy your
With a new Gorgon: do not bid me speak';
See,

and then speak yourselves. Awake! Awake!- 1244 [exeunt Macbeth and Lenor. Ring the alarum bell:-murder! and treason! Banquo, and Donalbain! Malcolm! awake! Shake off this downy sleep, death's counterfeit, 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, To countenance this horror! [bell rings. Enter Lady Macbeth. Lady M. What's the business, That such a hideous trumpet calls to parley The sleepers of the house! speak, speak!

Macd. O, gentle lady, ond 'Tis not for you to hear what I can speak: fr The repetition, in a woman's ear, Would murder as it fell. O Banquo! Banguo! Enter Banquo. Our royal master's murder'd Lady M. Woe, alas! What, in our house?

An Wode of

Ban. 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?

[done't:

Len. Those of his chamber, as it seem'd, had Their hands and faces were all badg'd with blood, So were their daggers, which, unwip'd, we founá 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?

[furious,

Macb. Who can be wise, amaz'd, temperate, and Loyal and neutral, in a moment? No man: The expedition of my violent love Out-ran the pauser, reason. -Here lay Duncan, His silver skin lac'd with his golden blood; And his gash'd stabs look'd like a breach in nature, For ruin's wasteful entrance; there, the murderers, Steep'd in the colours of their trade, their daggers Unmannerly breech'd with gore. Who could That had a heart to love, and in that heart [refrain, Courage, to make his love known?

Lady M. Help me hence, ho!

Macd. Look to the lady.

Mal. Why do we hold our tongues, That most may claim this argument for ours? Don. What should be spoken here, Where our fate, hid within an augre-hole, May rush, and seize us? Let's away; our tears Are not yet brew'd.

Mal. Nor our strong sorrow on The foot of motion.

Ban. Look to the lady:- [Lady M. carried out.
And when we have our naked frailties hid,
That suffer in exposure, let us meet,

And question this most bloody piece of work,
To know it further. Fears and scruples shake us:
In the great hand of God I stand; and thence,
Against the undivulg'd pretence I fight
Of treasonous malice.

Macb. And so do I.

All. So all.

Macb. Let's briefly put on manly readiness, And meet i'the hall together

All. Well contented. [ex. all but Malc. and Don. Mal. What will you do? Let's not consort with To show an unfelt sorrow, is an office [them. Which the false man does casy: I'll to England. Don. To Ireland, I; our separated fortune Shall keep us both the safer; where we are,

Old M. Threescore and ten I can remember well: Within the volume of which time I have seen Hours dreadful, and things strange; but this sore Hath trifled former knowings. [night [act,

Rosse. Ah, good father,

Thou see'st, the heavens, as troubled with man's
Threaten his bloody stage; by the clock, 'tis day,
And yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp:
Is it night's predominance, or the day's shame,
That darkness does the face of earth entomb,
When living light should kiss it?
Old M. 'Tis unnatural,

Even like the deed that's done. On Tuesday last,
A falcon, tow'ring in her pride of place,
Was by a mousing owl hawk'd at, and kill'd.
Rosse. And Duncan's horses (a thing most
strange and certain,)

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. [eyes, Rosse. They did so; to the amazement of mine That look'd upon't. Here comes the good Macduff:- Enter Macduff

How goes the world, sir, now?
Macd. Why, see you not?

[deed?
Rosse. Is't known who did this more than bloody
Macd. Those that Macbeth hath slain.
Rosse. Alas, the day!

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.

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. [-adieu!-
Macd. Well, may you see things well done there;
Lest our old robes sit easier than our new!
Rosse. Father, farewell.

(those

Old M. God's benison go with you; and with That would make good of bad, and friends of foes! [exeunt.

Macb. Ride you this afternoon?
Ban. Ay, my good lord.

[advice Macb. We should have else desir'd your good (Which still hath been both grave and prosperous,) In this day's council; but we'll take to-morrow. ls't far you ride?

Ban. As far, my lord, as will fill up the time Twixt this and supper: go not my horse the I must become a borrower of the night, [better, For a dark hour or twain.

Macb. 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. [foot; Macb. I wish your horses swift, and sure of 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 [you. Till supper-time alone: while then, God be with [exeunt Lady Macbeth, Lords, Ladies, &c. Sirrah, a word. Attend those men our pleasure? Atten. 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 [dares:
Reigns that, which would be fear'd: 'Tis much he
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,
My genius is rebuk'd; as, it is said, [sisters
Mark Anthony's was by Cesar. He chid the
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 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 fill'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!-

-Who's

there?

Re-enter Attendant, with two Murderers. Now to the door, and stay there till we call. [exit At. Was it not yesterday we spoke together?

1 Mur. It was, so please your highness. Macb. Well then, now

Have you consider'd 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,
How you were borne in hand; how cross'd; the
instruments;
[might,
Who wrought with them; and all things else, that
To half a soul, and 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 nov 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 this 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 men; [curs, As hounds, and greyhounds, mongrels, spaniels, Shoughs, water-rugs, and demi-wolves, are clep'd 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, And 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 worl

Have so incens'd, that I am reckless what I do, to spite the world.

1 Mur. And I another,

So weary with disasters, tugg'd with fortune, That I would set my life on any chance,

To mend it, or be rid on't.

Macb. Both of you

Know, Banquo was your enemy. 2 Mur. True, my lord.

[tance,

Macb. So is he mine: and in such bloody disThat every minute of his being thrusts Against my near'st of life: and though I could With barefac'd power sweep him from my sight, And bid my will avouch it; yet I must not, For certain friends that are both his and mine, Whose loves I may not drop, but wail his fall Whom I myself struck down: and thence it is, That I to your assistance do make love; Masking the business from the common eye, For sundry weighty reasons.

2 Mur. We shall, my lord, Perform what you command us.

1 Mur. Though our lives

Macb. Your spirits shine through you. Within this hour, at most,

I will advise you where to plant yourselves.
Acquaint you with the perfect spy o'the time,
The moment on't; for't must be done to-night,
And something from the palace; always thought
That I require a clearness: and with him,
(To leave no rubs, nor botches, in the work,)
Fleance, his son, that keeps him company,
Whose absence is no less material to me
Than is his father's, must embrace the fate
Of that dark hour. Resolve yourselves apart;
I'll come to you anon.

2 Mur. We are resolv'd, my lord.

Macb. I'll call upon you straight; abide within. It is concluded:- -Banquo, thy soul's flight, If it find heaven, must find it out to-night. [exeunt.

[leisure [exit.

Serv. Madam, I will.

Lady M. Nought's had, all's spent, Where our desire is got without content: 'Tis safer to be that which we destroy,. Than, by destruction, dwell in doubtful joy. Enter Macbeth, How now, my lord? why do you keep alone, Of sorriest fancies your companions making? [died Using those thoughts, which should indeed have With them they think on? Things, without remedy, Should be without regard: what's done, is done.

Macb. We have scotch'd the snake, not kill'd it; She'll close, and be herself; whilst our poor malice Remains in danger of her former tooth. But let

Art

The frame of things disjoint, both the worlds suffer,
Ere we will eat our meal in fear, and sleep
In the affliction of these terrible dreams,
That shake us nightly: better be with the dead,

Lady M. What's to be done?

Macb. Be innocent of the knowleage, dearest chuck,

'Till thou applaud the deed. Come, sealing night,
Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day;
And, with thy bloody and invisible hand,
Cancel, and tear to pieces, that great bond
Which keeps me pale.-Light thickens; and the
Makes wing to the rooky wood:
[crow
Good things of day begin to droop and drowse;
Whiles night's black agents to their prey do rouse.
Thou marvell'st at my words; but hold thee still;
Things, bad begun, make strong themselves by ill:
So, pr'ythee, go with me.
[exeunt

SCENE III. THE SAME. A PARK OR LAWN, WITH
A GATE LEADING TO THE PALACE.

Enter three Murderers.

1 Mur. But who did bid thee join with us? 8 Mur. Macbeth.

2 Mur. He needs not our mistrust; since he delivers

3