He brings great news.

Give him tending; [Exit Attendant.

The raven himself is hoarse

4

That croaks the fatal entrance2 of Duncan 40
Under my battlements. Come, you spirits
That tend on mortal3 thoughts, unsex me here,
And fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full
Of direst cruelty! make thick my blood,
Stop up the accéss and passage to remorse,
That no compunctious visitings of nature
Shake
my fell purpose, nor keep peace between
The effect and it! Come to my woman's breasts,
And take my milk for gall, you murdering
ministers,

Wherever in your sightless substances

50

But be the serpent under't. He that's coming
Must be provided for: and you shall put
This night's great business into my dispatch;
Which shall to all our nights and days to come
Give solely sovereign sway and masterdom.
Macb. We will speak further.
Lady M.

6

Enter LADY MACBETH.

With his surcease, success; that but this blow
Might be the be-all and the end-all here,
But here, upon this bank and shoal of time,
We'd jump? the life to come. But in these

11

cases

10

2

Dun. See, see, our honour'd hostess! The love that follows us sometime is our

trouble, Which still we thank as love. [Herein I teach

you How you shall bid God 'ild us for your pains, And thank us for your trouble. ] Lady M.

All our service In every point twice done, and then done

double, Were poor and singlel business to contend Against those honours deep and broad where

with Your majesty loads our house: for those of old, And the late dignities heap'd up to them, a We rest your hermits.3

Dun. Where's the thane of Cawdor? We cours'd him at the heels, and had a purpose To be his púrveyor: but he rides well, And his great love, sharp as his spur, hath

holp him To his home before us. Fair and noble hostess, We are your guest to-night. Lady M.

Your servants ever Have theirs, themselves, and what is theirs, in

compt, To make their audit at your highness' pleasure, Still to return your own. Dun.

Give me your hand; Conduct me to mine host: we love him highly, And shall continue our graces towards him. By your leave, hostess.

[E.ceunt.

We still have judgment here; that we but teach Bloody instructions, which, being taught, re

turn To plague th' inventor: this even - handed

justice Commends th' ingredients of our poison'd

chalice To our own lips. He's here in double trust: First, as I am his kinsman and his subject, Strong both against the deed; then, as his host, Whoshould against his murderer shut the door, Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this

Duncan Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been So clear in his great office, that his virtues Will plead like angels, trumpet - tongued,

against
The deep damnation of his taking-off;
And pity, like a naked new-born babe,
Striding the blast, or heaven's cherubin hors'd
Upon the sightless couriers of the air,
Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye,
That tears shall drown the wind. I have no

spur
To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself,
And falls on the other.-

22

20

SCENE VII.

The same.

A lobby in Macbeth's castle.

Enter LADY MACBETH.

How now! what news? Lady M. He has almost supp'd: why have

you left the chamber? Macb. Hath he ask'd for me? Lady M.

Know you not he has? Macb. We will proceed no further in this

business: He hath honour'd me of late; and I have

bought Golden opinions from all sorts of people, Which would be worn now in their newest

Hautboys and torches. Enter and pass over, a

Sewer, and divers Servants with dishes and

service. Then enter MACBETH. Macb. If it were done when 't is done, then

't were well. It were done quickly if th'assassination Could trammel upó the consequence, and catch,

But screw your courage to the sticking-place,
And we'll not fail. When Duncan is asleep,-
Whereto the rather shall his day's hard journey
Soundly invite him,-his two chamberlains
Will I with wine and wassail2 so convince,3
That memory, the warder of the brain,
Shall be a fume, and the receipt of reason
A limbeck 5 only:
: when in swinish sleep
Their drenched natures lie as in a death,
What cannot you and I perform upon
The unguarded Duncan? what not put upon
His spongy officers, who shall bear the guilt
Of our great quell?6

Macb.

69

Bring forth men-children only! For thy undaunted mettle should compose Nothing but males. Will it not be receiv'd, When we have mark'd with blood those sleepy two

Of his own chamber, and us'd their very daggers,

That they have done 't?
Lady M.
Who dares receive it other,
As we shall make our griefs and clamour roar
Upon his death?

Ban. Hold, take my sword. There's husbandry in heaven,

Their candles are all out. Take thee that too. A heavy summons lies like lead upon me, And yet I would not sleep. Merciful powers, Restrain in me the cursed thoughts that

nature

Gives way to in repose!

Wassail, carousing.

4 Receipt, receptacle.

5 Limbeck, alembic.

7 Husbandry, economy

Macb. Go bid thy mistress, when my drink is ready,

She strike upon the bell. Get thee to bed. [Exit Servant.

Is this a dagger which I see before me,
The handle toward my hand? Come, let me
clutch thee:-

I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.
Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible
To feeling as to sight? or art thou but
A dagger of the mind, a false creation,
Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?
I see thee yet, in form as palpable

As this which now I draw.

40

Thou marshall'st me the way that I was going; And such an instrument I was to use.

gives.

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.

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!"

30

Lady M. Consider it not so deeply. Macb. But wherefore could not I pronounce "Amen?"