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 devilporter 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, [Opens the Gate. Enter Macduff and Lenox.

Macd. Was it so late, friend, ere you went to bed, That you do lie so late?

Porter. '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 ?

Mach. Len. What's the matter? Macd. Confusion now hath made his master-piece! 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? 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![Exeunt Macbeth and Lenox. 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, [Bell rings. To countenance this horror! Enter Lady Macbeth.

"Tis not for you to hear what I can speak :
The repetition, in a woman's ear,
Would murder as it fell.-0 Banquo! Banquo!
Enter Banquo.

Our royal master's murder'd!
Lady M.
What, in our house?

Woe, alas!

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.

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.

Macd. Is thy master stirring ?-
Our knocking has awak'd him; here he comes.
Enter Macbeth.

Len. Good-morrow, noble sir!
Macb.

Good-morrow, both!
Macd. Is the king stirring, worthy thane?
Mach.
Not yet.
Macd. He did command me to call timely on him;
I 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, physics pain.
This is the door.
Macd.
I'll make so bold to call,
For 'tis my limited service.
Len.
From hence to-day?
Macb.

Goes the king

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
Loyal and neutral, in a moment? No man: [furious,
The expedition of my violent love

Out-ran the pauser reason. Here lay Duncan,
His siver 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 refrain,
That had a heart to love, and in that heart
Courage, to make his love known?
Lady M.

Macd. Look to the lady. Mal.

He does he did appoint it so.
Len. The night has been unruly: Where we lay,
Our chimneys were blown down: and, as they say,
Lamentings heard i'the air; strange screams of death;
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 earth
Was feverous, and did shake.
Macb.

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

Re-enter Macduff.

Macd. O horror! horror! horror! Tongue, nor Cannot conceive, nor name thee! [heart,

Mal.

The foot of motion.

Nor our strong sorrow on

Ban. Look to the lady :[Lady Macbeth is 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. All.

And so do I.

So all.

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
Hours dreadful, and things strange; but this sore
Hath trifled former knowings.
[night
Rosse.
Ah, good father,
Thou seest the heavens, as troubled with man's act,
Threaten his bloody stage: by the clock, 'tis day,
And yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp:
Is't 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.
Rosse. They did so; to the amazement of mine eyes,
That look'd upon't. Here comes the good Macduff:-
Enter Macduff.
How goes the world, sir, now?
Macd.
Why, see you not?
Kosse. Is't known who did this more than bloody
Macd. Those that Macbeth hath slain. [deed?
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.

Rosse.

'Gainst nature still

May they not be my 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, La dies, 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 unbecoming.
Mach. 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.

Mach. Ride you this afternoon ?
Ban.

Ay, my good lord. 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?

Ban. As far, my lord, as will fill up the time 'Twixt this and supper: go not my horse the better, I must become a borrower of the night, 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, tilling 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 yon?
Ban. Ay, my good lord: our time does call upon us.
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 you.
Sirrah, a word: Attend those men our pleasure!
[Exeunt Lady Macbeth, Lords, Ladies, &c.
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,
Mark Antony's was by Cæsar. He chid the sisters,
When first they put the name of king upon ine,
And bade them speak to him; then, prophet-like,
They hail'd him father to a line of kings:
Upon my head they placed 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 Ifil'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 yon,
How you were borne in hand; how cross'd; the in-
struments;
[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. Mach. I did so; and went further, which is now Our point of second meeting. Do you find Your patience so predominant in your nature,

U

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.
Mach. Ay, in the catalogue ye go for men;
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,

And not in the worst rank of manhood, say it;
And I will put that business in your hosoms,
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,

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.

Mach.

Both of you

Know, Banquo was your enemy. 2 Mur.

True, my lord. Macb. So is he mine: and in such bloody distance, That 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. We shall, my lord,

2 Mur.

Perform what you command us.

1 Mur.

Within

Though our lives-
Macb. Your spirits shine through you.
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.

Whom we, to gain our place, have sent to peace,
Than on the torture of the mind to lie
In restless ecstasy. Duncan is in his grave;
After life's fitful fever, he sleeps well;
Treason has done his worst: nor steel, nor poison,
Malice domestic, foreign levy, nothing
Can touch him farther!

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:
Let your remembrance apply to Banquo;
Present him eminence, both with eye and tongue:
Unsafe the while, that we

Must lave our honours in these flattering streams;
And make our faces vizards to our hearts,
Disguising what they are.

Lady M. You must leave this. Macb. O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife! Thou know'st, that Banquo, and his Fleance, live. Lady M. But in them nature's copy's not eterne. Macb. There's comfort yet; they are assailable; Then be thou jocund: Ere the bat hath flown His cloister'd flight; ere, to black Hecate's summons, The shard-borne beetle, with his drowsy hums, Hath rung night's yawning peal, there shall be done A deed of dreadful note.

Lady M.

What's to be done?
Mach. Be innocent of the knowledge,dearest chuck,
Till thou applaud the deed. Come, seeling night,
Skarf 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 crow
Makes wing to the rooky wood:

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.

3 Mur. Almost a mile: but he does usually, So all men do, from hence to the palace gate Make it their walk.

Enter Banquo and Fleance, a Servant with a Torch preceding them. A light, a light!

2 Mur.

3 Mur.

1 Mur. Stand to't. Ban. It will be rain to-night.

1 Mur.

"Tis he.

Let it come down. [Assaults Banquo.

Ban. O, treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly; Thou mayst revenge. O slave!

[Dies. Fleance and Servant escape.

3 Mur. Who did strike out the light?

1 Mur.

Was't not the way?

3 Mur. There's but one down; the son is fled. 2 Mur. We have lost best half of our affair.

1 Mur. Well, let's away, and say how much is done. [Exeunt.

SCENE IV. A Room of State in the Palace,

A Banquet prepared. Enter Macbeth, Lady Mac-
beth, Rosse, Lenox, Lords, and Attendants.
Macb. You know your own degrees, sit down: at
And last, the hearty welcome.
[ first
Thanks to your majesty.
Macb. Ourself will mingle with society,
And play the humble host.

Lords.

Hec. Have I not reason, beldams, as you are, Saucy, and overbold? How did you dare

To trade and traffic with Macbeth,

In riddles and affairs of death;

And I, the mistress of your charms,

The close contriver of all harms,
Was never call'd to bear my part,
Or show the glory of our art?

And, which is worse, all you have done
Hath been but for a wayward son,

Spiteful, and wrathful; who, as others do,
Loves for his own ends, not for you.

But make amends now: Get you gone,
And at the pit of Acheron,

Meet me i'the morning; thither he
Will come to know his destiny.
Your vessels, and your spells, provide,
Your charms, and every thing beside:
I am for the air; this night I'll spend
Unto a dismal, fatal end."

Great business must be wrought ere noon :
Upon the corner of the moon

There hangs a vaporous drop profound;
I'll catch it ere it come to ground:
And that, distill'd by magic slights,
Shall raise such artificial sprights,
As, by the strength of their illusion,
Shall draw bim on to his confusion:

He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear

His hopes 'bove wisdom, grace, and fear:
And you all know, security

Is mortals' chiefest enemy.

Song. [Within.] Come away, come away, &c. Hark, I am call'd; my little spirit, see, Sits in a foggy cloud, and stays for me. 1 Witch. Come, let's make haste; she'll back again.

[Exit.

soon be [Exeunt.

SCENE VI. Fores. A Room in the Palace.
Enter Lenox and another Lord.

Len. My former speeches have but hit your thoughts,
Which can interpret further: only, I say,
Things have been strangely borne: The gracious
Duncan

Was pitied of Macbeth :-marry, he was dead :-
And the right-valiant Banquo walk'd too late;
Whom, you may say, if it please you, Fleance kill'd,
For Fleance fled. Men must not walk too late.
Who cannot want the thought, how monstrous
It was for Malcolm and for Donalbain,
To kill their gracious father? damned fact!
How it did grieve Macbeth! did he not straight,
In pious rage, the two delinquents tear,

That were the slaves of drink, and thrails of sleep?
Was not that nobly done? Ay, and wisely too;
For 'twould have anger'd any heart alive,
To hear the men deny it. So that, I say,
He has borne all things well: and I do think,
That, had he Duncan's sons under his key,

(As, an't please heaven, he shall not,) they should find
What 'twere to kill a father; so should Fleance.
But, peace! for from broad words, and 'cause he fail'd
His presence at the tyrant's feast, I hear
Macduff lives in disgrace: Sir, can you tell
Where he bestows himself?
Lord.
The son of Duncan,
From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth,
Lives in the English court; and is received
Of the most pious Edward with such grace,
That the malevolence of fortune nothing
Takes from his high respect: Thither Macduff
Is gone to pray the holy king, on his aid

To wake Northumberland, and warlike Siward:
That by the help of these (with Him above
To ratify the work,) we may again
Give to our table meat, sleep to our nights;
Free from our feasts and bauquets bloody knives;
Do faithful homage, and receive free honours,
All which we pine for now: And this report
Hath so exasperate the king, that he
Prepares for some attempt of war.
Len.
Sent he to Macduff?
Lord. He did and with an absolute, Sir, not I,
The cloudy messenger turns me his back,
And hums; as who should say, You'll rue the time
That clogs me with this answer.

Len. And that well might Advise him to a caution, to hold what distance His wisdom can provide. Some holy angel Fly to the court of England, and unfold

SCENE I. A dark Cave. In the middle a Cauldron boiling.

Thunder. Enter three Witches.

1 Witch. Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd.

2 Witch. Thrice; and once the hedge-pig whin'd.

3 Witch. Harper cries:-"Tis time, 'tis time.

1 Witch. Round about the cauldron go;

In the poison'd entrails throw.—
Toad, that under coldest stone,
Days and nights hast thirty-one
Swelter'd venom sleeping got,
Boil thou first i'the charmed pot!

All. Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire, burn; and, cauldron, bubble.

2 Witch. Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the cauldron boil and bake:
Eye of newt, and toe of frog,
Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting,
Lizard's leg, and owlet's wing,
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

All. Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire, burn; and, cauldron, bubble.

3 Witch. Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf;
Witches' mummy; maw, and gulf,
Of the ravin'd salt-sea shark;
Root of hemlock, digg'd i'the dark;
Liver of blaspheming Jew;
Gall of goat, and slips of yew,
Sliver'd in the moon's eclipse;
Nose of Turk, and Tartar's lips;
Finger of birth-strangled babe,
Ditch-deliver'd by a drab,
Make the gruel thick and slab:
Add thereto a tiger's chaudron,
For the ingredients of our cauldron.

All. Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire, burn; and, cauldron, bubble.

2 Witch. Cool it with a baboon's blood, Then the charm is firm and good.

Enter Hecate, and the other three Witches.
Hec. 0, well done! I commend your pains;
And every one shall share i'the gains.
And now about the cauldron sing,
Like elves and fairies in a ring,
Enchanting all that you put in.

SONG.

Black spirits and white,
Red spirits and grey;
Mingle, mingle, mingle,
You that mingle may.

2 Witch. By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes: Open, locks, whoever knocks.

Enter Macbeth.

Macb. How now, you secret, black, and midnight
What is't you do?
[hags ?
All.
A deed without a name.
Macb. I conjure you, by that which you profess,
(Howe'er you come to know it,) answer me:
Though you untie the winds, and let them fight
Against the churches; though the yesty waves
Confound and swallow navigation up;

Though bladed corn be lodg'd, and trees blown down;
Though castles topple on their warders' heads:
Though palaces, and pyramids, do slope
Their heads to their foundations; though the treasure
Of nature's germins tamble all together,
Even till destruction sicken, answer me
To what I ask you.

1 Witch.

2 Witch.

3 Witch.

Speak.

Demand.

We'll answer.

1 Witch. Say, if thou'dst rather hear it from our Or from our masters'?

Macb.

[mouths, Call them, let me see them. 1 Witch. Pour in sow's blood, that hath eaten Per nine farrow; grease, that's sweaten