The Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare

We will establish our estate upon [ter, Our eldest, Malcolm; whom we name hereafThe prince of Cumberland: which honour Not, unaccompanied, investhim only, [must But signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine On all deservers. From hence to Inverness, And bind us further to you.

Mucb. The rest is labour, which is not us'd for you:

I'll be myself the harbinger, and make joyful The hearing of my wife with your approach; So, humbly take my leave.

Dun. My worthy Cawdor?

Macb. The prince of Cumberland!-That is
a step,

On which I must fall down, or else o'er-leap,
[Aside.
For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires!
Let not light see my black and deep desires:
The eye wink at the hand! yet let that be,
Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see.
[Exit.
Dun. True, worthy Banquo; he is full so va-
And in his commendations I amfed; [liant;*
It is a banquet to me. Let us after him,
Whose care is gone before to bid us welcome;
It is a peerless kinsman. [Flourish. Exeunt.
SCENE V.-Inverness-A Room in
MACBETH'S Castle.

Enter Lady MACBETH, reading a letter. Lady M. They met me in the day of success; and I have learned by the perfectest report, they have more in them than mortal knowledge. When I burned in desire to question them further, they made themselves—air, into which they vanished. Whiles I stood rapt in the wonder of it, came missives from the king, who all-hailed me, Thane of Cawdor; by which tile, before, these weird sisters saluted me, and referred me to the coming on of time, with Hail, king that shall be! This have I thought good to deliver thee, my dearest partner of greatness; that thou mightest not lose the dues of rejoicing, by being ignorant of what greatness is promised thee. Lay it to thy heart, and farewell.

Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be What thou art promis'd:-Yet do I fear thy

nature;

It is too full o'the milk of human kindness,
To catch the nearest way: Thou would'st be
Art not without ambition; but without [great;
The illness should attend it. What thou
would'st highly,
[false,
That would'st thou holily; would'st not play
And yet would'st wrongly win: thou'st have,
great Glamis,
[have it;
That which cries, Thus thou must do, if thou
And that which rather thou dost fear to do,
Than wish st should be undone. Hie thee hither,
That I may pour my spirits in thine ear;
And chastise with the valour of my tongue
All that impedes thee from the golden round,
Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem
To have thee crown'd withal.What is your
tidings?

Enter an ATTENDANT.
Attend. The King comes here to-night.
Lady. M. Thou'rt mad to say it :

Is not thy master with him? who, wer't so,
Would have inform'd for preparation.
Attend. So please you, it is true; our thane

is coming:

*Full as valiant as described. The best intelligence. : Messengers. 6 Diadem. Supernatural.

One of my fellows had the speed of him;
Who, almost dead for breath, had scarcely
Than would make up his message. [more
Lady M. Give him tending,
He brings great news. The raven himself is
Exit ATTENDANT
That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan
Under my battlements. Come, come, you
spirits

hoarse.

That tend on mortal* 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 access and passsage to remorse;
That no compunctions visiting of nature
Shake my full purpose, nor keep pace between
The effect, and it! Come to my woman's breasts
And take my milk for gall, you murd'ring
ministers,

Wherever in your sightless substances
You wait on nature's mischief! Come, thick
night,

And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell! That my keen knife see not the wound it makes ; dark, Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the To cry, Hold, Hold!- -Great Glamis! worthy Cawdor!

Enter MACBETH.

Greater than both, by the all-hail hereafter! Thy letters have transported me beyond The future in the instant.

Macb. My dearest love,
Duncan comes here to-night.

Lady M. And when goes hence ?
Macb. To-morrow as he purposes.
Lady M O, never

Shall sun that morrow see!
Your face my thane, is as a book, where men
May read strange matters;-To beguile the

time,

Look like the time; bear welcome in your eye, Your hand your tougue: look like the innocent flower,

But be the serpent under it. He that's coming
Must be provided for: and you shall put
This night's great business into my despatch;
Which shall to all our nights and days to come
Give solely sovereign sway and masterdom,
Macb. We will speak further.
Lady M. Only look up clear;
To alter favour¶ ever is to fear:
Leave all the rest to me.
[Exeunt.
SCENE VI-The same.-Before the Castle.
Hautboys.--Servants of MACBETH attending.
Enter DUNCAN, MALCOLM, DONALBAIN, BAN-
QUO, LENOX, MACDUFF, ROSSE, AGNUS, and
Attendants.

Dun. This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air
Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself
Unto our gentle senses.

Ban. This guest of summer, The temple-haunting marlet, does approve, By his lov'd masonary, that the heaven's

breath,

Most breed and haunt, I have observ'd, the air | To prick the sides of my intent, but only Is delicate.

Enter Lady MACBETH.

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

trouble,

[you, Which still we thank as love. Herein I teach How you shall bid God yield* us for your And thank us for your trouble. [pains, Lady M. All our service [ble, In every point twice done, and then done douWere poor and single business, to contend Against those honours deep and broad, wherewith

Yor majesty loads our house: For those of old,
And the late dignities heap'd up to them,
We rest your hermits.t

Dun. Where's the thane of Cawdor?
We cours'd him at the heels, and had a pur-
To be his purveyor: but he rides well; [pose
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 [compt, Have theirs, themselves, and what is theirs, in 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. [Exeunt. SCENE VII.The same.-A Room in the Castle.

Hautboys and torches. Enter, and pass over the stage, a Sewer, and divers Servants with dishes and service. Then enter MACBETH. Macb. If it were done, when 'tis done, then 'twere well

It were done quickly: If the assassination Could trammel upon the consequence, and catch,

Vaulting ambition, which o'er-leaps itself, And falls on the other. How now, what news!

Enter Lady MACBETH.

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:

[bought He hath honour'd me of late; and I have Golden opinions from all sorts of people, Which would be worn now in their newest Not cast aside so soon. [gloss,

Lady M, Was the hope drunk, Jsince? Wherein you dress'd yourself? hath it slept And wakes it now, to look so green and pale At what it did so freely? From this time, Such I account thy love. Art thou afeard To be the same in thine own act and valour, As thou art in desire? Would'st thou have

that

Which thou esteem'st the ornament of life,
And live a coward in thine own esteem;
Letting I dare not wait upon I would,
Like the poor cat i'the adage?

Macb. Pr'ythee, peace:

I dare do all that may become a man;
Who dares do no more, is none.

Lady M. What beast was it then,
That made you break this enterprize to me?
When you durst do it, then you were a man ;
And, to be more than what you were, you
[place,
Be so much more the man. Nor time, nor
Did then adhere, and yet you would make
both:

would

ness now

They have made themselves, and that their fit[know Does unmake you. I have given suck; and How tender'tis, to love the babe that milks me: I would, while it was smiling in my face, Have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums,

[you And dash'd the brains out, had I so sworn, as Have done to this.

Macb. If we should fail,-
Lady M. We fail!

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 jour

ney

Soundly invite him,) his two chamberlains
Will I with wine and wasselt so convince,
That memory, the warders of the brain,
Shall be a fume, and the receipt of reason
A limbeck 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?

Macb. 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

[gers,

Of his own chamber, and us'd their very dagThat they have don't?

Lady M. Who dares receive it other, As we shall make our griefs and clamour roar Upon his death?

Macb. I am settled, and bend up

In the same sense as cohere, + Overpower. Murder,

Intemperacne. Sentinel.

Apprehended.

Each corporal agent to this terrible feat. Away, and mock the time with fairest show: False face must hide what the false heart doth know. [Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE I.--The same.--Court within the Castle. Enter BANQUO and FLEANCE, and a Servant, with a torch before them.

Ban. How goes the night, boy?

Fle. The moon is down; I have not heard the clock.

Ban. And she goes down at twelve.
Fle. I take't, 'tis later, Sir.

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!-Give me my sword;Enter MACBETH, and Servant with a torch. Who's there?

Macb. A friend.

Ban. What, Sir, not yet at rest? The king's a-bed:

He hath been in unusual pleasure, and
Sent forth great largesst to your offices;
This diamond he greets your wife withal, [up
By the name of most kind hostess; and shut
In measureless content.

Macb. Being unprepar'd,

Our will became the servant to defect;
Which else should free have wrought.

Ban. All's well.

I dreamt last night of the three weird sisters: To you they have show'd some truth.

Macb. I think not of them:

Yet, when we can entreat an hour to serve, Would spend it in some words upon that busi

ness,

If you would grant the time.

Ban. At your kind'st leisure.

Which was not so before.-There's no such thing;

It is the bloody business, which informs Thus to mine eyes.-Now o'er the one half world

The curtain'd sleep; now witchcraft celebrates Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse Pale Hecate's offerings; and wither'd murder, Alarm'd by his sentinel, the wolf, [pace, Whose howl's his watch, thus with his stealthy With Tarquin's ravishing strides, towards his design

Moves like a ghost.—Thou sure and firm-set earth, [fear Hear not my steps, which way they walk, for The very stones prate of my where-about, And take the present horror from the time, Which now suits with it.-Whiles I threat, he lives;

Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath
gives.
A bell rings.

I 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.

SCENE II.-The same.

Enter Lady MACBETH.

Exit.

Lady M. That which hath made them drunk, hath made me bold:

What hath quench'd them, hath given me fire: -Hark!-Peace!

It was the owl that shriek'd, the fatal bellman, Which gives the stern'st good-night. He is about it:

The doors are open; and the surfeited grooms To mock their charge with snores: I have drugg'd their possets,

That death and nature do contend about them, Whether they live, or die.

acb. [Within.] Who's there?-What, ho! Lady M. Alack! I am afraid they have awak'd,

[deed, And 'tis not done:-the attempt, and not the

Macb. If you shall cleave to my consent, Confounds us :-Hark! I laid their daggers

when 'tis,

It shall make honour for you.

Ban. So I lose none,

In seeking to augment it, but still keep
My bosom franchis'd, and allegiance clear,

I shall be counsel'd.

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.

Thou marshal st me the way that I was going;
And such an instrument I was to use.
[ses,
Mine eyes are made the fools o' the other sen-
Or else worth all the rest: I see thee still;

And on thy blade, and dudgeon, gouts of blood,

ready,

[bled

He could not miss them.-Had he not resemMy father as he slept, I had done't- My hus

band?

Enter MACBETH

Who lies i'the second chamber?
Lady M. Donalbain.
Macb. This is a sorry sight.

[Looking on his hands. Lady M. A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight.

Macb. There's one did laugh in his sleep, and one cried, murder !

heard them:

That they did wake each other; I stood and [them But they did say their prayers, and address'd Again to sleep.

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 | knock: Who's there, the name of Belzebub?

hands.

Listening their fear, I could not say, Amen,
When they did say, God bless us.

Lady M. Consider it not so deeply.
Macb. But Wherefore could not I pronounce,
Amen?

I had most need of blessing, and Anten
Stuck in my throat.

Lady M. These deeds must not bethought
After these ways; so, it will make us mad
Macb. I thought, I heard a voice cry, Sleep
no more!

Miebeth does murder sleep, the innocent sleep;
Step, not kuits up the railia sracet of care,
The

th of each day's life, sore labour's bath, Balm of hrt minds, great nature's second course, Chief nourisher in life's feast ;

Lady M. What do you mean?

Macb. Still it cried, Sleep no more! to all the
house:
[dor
Glamis hath murder'd sleep; and therefore Cau-
Shail sleep no more. Macbeth shait sleep no 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?
[smear

They must lie there: Go carry then; and
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!

[dead,

Give me the daggers: The sleeping, and the
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.

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 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 equivo-
cate 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 horse: 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. [Opens the gate.

Enter MACDUFF and LENOX.
That you do lie so late?
Mucd. Was it so late, friend, ere you went to

[bed, Port. 'Faith, Sir, we were carousing till the second cock :† and drink, Sir, is a great pro

voker of three things.

Macd. What three things does drink espe cially provoke?

urine. Lechery, Sir, it provokes, and unpro Port. Marry, Sir, nose-painting, sleep, and vokes 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, heartens him; makes him stand to, and not and it takes him off; it persuades him, and disstand 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.
[Exit. Knocking within.

Maeb. 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
The multitudinous seas incarnardine,‡ [rather
Making the green-one red.

Re-enter Lady MACBETH.

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

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:
How easy is it then? Your constancy
Hath left you unattended.--[ Knocking.] Hark!
more knocking:

Get on your night gown, lest occasion call us,
And show us to be watchers:-Be not lost
So poorly in your thoughts.

Macb. To know my deed,-'twere best not
know myself.

[Knock.

Wake Duncan with thy knocking! Ay, would [Exeunt.

thou could'st!

SCENE III.-The same. Enter a PORTER.—[Knocking within ] Port. Here's a knocking, indeed! If a man were porter of hell-gate, he should have old turning the key. [Knocking.] Knock, knock,

* As if

Sleave is unwrought silk.

To incarnardine is to stain of a flesh colour.
Frequent.
VOL. I. Se

Port. That it did, Sir, i'the very throat o'me: But 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.

Our knocking has awak'd him; here he comes.
Maed. Is thy master stiring?--

Enter MACBETH.

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 ;

I have almost slipp'd the hour.

Mach. 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
This is the door.

[pain.

Macd. I'll make so bold to call,
For 'tis my limited service. [Exit MACDUFF.
Len. Goes the king

From hence to-day?

Macb. He does:-He did appoint it so.
Len. The night has been unruly: Where

we lay,

[say,

Our chimneys were blown down: and, as they,
Lamentings heard i'the air; strange screams
of death;

And prophesying, with accents terrible,
Of dire combustion, and confus'd events.
Handkerchiefs.
Cockcrowing.
I.. Affords a cordial to it. Appointed service.

Now hatch'd to the wotul time. The obscure
bird
[earth
Clamour'd the livelong night: some say, the
Was feverous, and did shake.

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

Re-enter MACDUFF.

Macb. O, yeti 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,

(can,

paral-Loyal and neutral, in a moment? No man:
[le! The expedition ofmy violent love
Out-ran the pauser reason.-Here lay Dun-
His silver skin lac'd with his golden blood;

Macd. O horror! horror! horror! Tongue. And his gash'd stabs look'd like a breach in

nor heart,

Cannot conceive, nor name thee!*

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.

Mach. What is you say? the life?
Len. Mean you his majesty!

Macd. Approach the chamber, and destroy your sight

With a new Gorgon :-Do not bid me speak : Sce, and then speak yourselves.--Awake!

awake!--

[Exeunt MACBETH and LENOX. Ring the alarm-bell:--Murder! and treason! Bauquo, 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? [sprights, As from your graves rise up, and walk like To countenance this horror! [Bell rings.

Enter Lady MACBETH.

Lady M. What's the business.

That such a hideious trumpet calls to parley The sleepers of the house? speak, speak.Macd O, gentle lady,

'Tis not for you to hear what I can speak: The repetition, in a woman's ear,

[[quo!

Would murder as it fell.-O Banquo! Ban

Enter BANQUO.

Our royal master's murder'd!
Lady M. Woe, alas!

What, in our house?

Ban. Too eruel, 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 meer 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:

[blood, Their hands and faces were all badg'd with 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.

*The use of two negatives, not to make an affirmative, how to deny inore strongly, is common in our author.

nature,

[derers, For ruin's wasteful entrance: there the murSteep'd in the colours of their trade, their

daggers

[refrain, Unmannerly breech'd with gore:* Who could That had a heart to love, and in that heart Courage, to make his love known? Lady M. Help me hence, ho? Mecd. 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? Le'ts away; our tears Are not yet brew'd.

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

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 [thence. In the great hand of God I stand; and, Against the undivulg'd pretence‡ I fight Of treasonous malice.

us:

with them:

To show an unfelt sorrow, is an office [land.
Which the false man does easy: I'll to Eng-
Don. To Ireland, I; our separated fortune
Shall keep us both the safer: where we are,
There's daggers in men's smiles: the near in
The nearer bloody.
[blood,

Mal. This murderous shaft that's short,
Hath not yet lighted; and our safest way
Therefore, to horse;
Is, to avoid the aim.
And let us not be dainty of leave-taking,
But shift away: There's warrant in that theft
Which steals itself, when there's no mercy leit.
[Exeun

SCENE IV.-Without the Castle.
Enter RossE and an old MAN.

Old M. Threescore and ten I can remember

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The Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare: From the Text of ..., Volume 1