Lady. Give him tending,

He brings great news. The raven himself is hoarfe,
[Exit Mef.

That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan
Under my battlements. Come, you fpirits
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 paffage to remorse;
That no compunctious vifitings of nature

Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between

The effect, and it ! Come to my woman's breafts,
And take my milk for gall 3, you murd'ring

minifters,"

King. See, fee! our honour'd hoftefs!
The love that follows us, fometime is our trouble,
Which ftill we thank as love. Herein I teach you,
How you shall bid God yield us for your pains,

And thank us for your trouble.

Lady. All our fervice

In every point twice done, and then done double,
Were poor and fingle business, to contend

Againft those honours deep and broad, wherewith
Your majesty loads our houfe: For those of old,
And the late dignities heap'd up to them,

We rett your hermits 12.

King. Where's the thane of Cawdor?
We cours'd him at the heels, and had a purpose
To be his purveyor; but he rides well;
[him
And his great love, sharp as his fpur, hath holp
To his home before us: Fair and noble hoftess,
We are your guest to-night.
Lady. Your fervants ever

[compt 13,

Have theirs, themselves, and what is theirs, in
To make their audit at your highnefs' pleasure,
Still to return your own.

King. Give me your hand:

May read strange matters: - To beguile the time, Conduct me to mine host; we love him highly,

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

flower,

But be the ferpent under it. He that's coming
Must be provided for and you thall put
This night's great business into my difpatch;
Which shall to'all our nights and days to come
Give folely fovereign sway and masterdom.

Mach. We will speak further.
Lady. Only look up clear;

To alter favour ever is to fear:

5 i. e.

And shall continue our graces towards him.
By your leave, hoftefs.

SCENE VII.

[Exeunt.

Hautboys and Torches. Enter a Sewer14, and divers
Servants with diskes and fervice over the fluge.
Then enter Macbeth.

Mach. If it were done, when 'tis done, then
'twere well

It were done quickly: If the affaffination

"whofo

That is, murtherous, or deadly defigns. 2 i. e. nor delay the execution of my purpose. 3 i. c. Take away my nilk, and put gall into the place. 4 Nature's mischief is mischief done to nature. wrap thyfelf in a pall, which was a robe of state, as well as a covering thrown over the dead. The word knife was anciently used to exprefs a fword. 7 Mr. Tollet explains this paffage thus: The thought is taken from the old military laws, which inflicted capital punifaiment upon ever shall strike stroke at his adverfary, either in the heat or otherwise, if a third do cry hold, to the intent to part them; except that they did fight a combat in a place inclosed and then no man shall be fo hardy as to bid hold, but the general." 8 i. e. unknowing. 9 i. e. our calm compofed fenfes. to Meaning, convenient corner. fon fuggefts, protect us. 12 Hermits, for beadimen. of a fewer was to place the dishes in order at a fealt. round his arm.

i.e. God reward; or, perhaps, as Dr. John13 i. e. fubjet to accou't. 14 The office His chief mark of dift action was a towel

Could

Could trammel up the consequence, and catch,
With his furcease, success; that but this blow
Might be the be-all and the end-all here,
But here, upon this bank and froal of time, -
We'd jump the life to come. But, in these cafes,
We still have judgment here; that we but teach
Bloody inftructions, which, being taught, return
To plague the inventor: This even-handed justice
Commends the ingredients of our poifon'd chalice
To our own lips 1. He's here in double truft:
First, as I am his kinfman and his fubject,

Strong both against the deed; then, as his hoft,
Who should 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-tongu'd, againft
The deep damnation of his taking-off;
And pity, like a naked new-born babe,
Striding the blaft, or heaven's cherubin, hors'd
Upon the fightless couriers of the air 2,

Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye,

Mach. Pr'ythee, peace:

I dare do all that may become a man;
Who dares do more, is none.

Lady. What beast was it then,
That made you break this enterprize to me a
When you durft do it, then you were a man;
And, to be more than what you were, you would
Be so much more the man. Nor time, not place,
Did then adhere, and yet you would make both :
They have made themselves, and that their fitness

now

Does unmake you. I have given fuck; and know
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 boneleis gurus,
And dash'd the brains out, had I but so sworn
As you have done to this.

Mach. If we should fail,

Lady. We fail!

But screw your courage to the sticking place,
And we'll not fail. When Duncan is afleep,
(Whereto the rather shall his day's hard journey

That tears shall drown the wind. I have no spur Soundly invite him) his two chamberlains

To prick the fides of my intent, but only

Vaulting ambition, which o'er-leaps itself,

And falls on the other-How now! what news?

Enter Lady.

Lady. He has almost supp'd; Why have you left the chamber?

Mach. Hath he afk'd for me?

Lady. Know you not, he has?

Mach. We will proceed no farther in this business:
He hath honour'd me of late; and I have bought
Golden opinions from all forts of people,

Which would be worn now in their newest glofs,
Not caft alide fo foon.

Lady. Was the hope drunk,
Wherein you dreft yourself? hath it slept since?
And wakes it now, to look fo green and pale
At what it did fo freely? From this time,
Such I account thy love. Art thou afraid
To be the fame in thine own act and valour,
As thou art in defire? Wouldft thou have that
Which thou esteem'ft the ornament of life,
And live a coward in thine own efteem;
Letting I dare not wait upon I would,
Like the poor cat i' the adage 3 ?

Will I with wine and waffel 4 fo convince 5,
That memory, the warder of the brain,
Shall be a fume, and the receipt 7 of reafon
A limbeck only: When in fwinish fleep
Their drenched natures lie, as in a death,
What cannot you and I perform upon
The unguarded Duncan? what not put upon
His spungy officers; who shall bear the gunt
Of our great quell9?

Mach. Bring forth men-children only!
For thy undaunted mettle should compote
Nothing but males.
Will it not be receiv'd,

When we have mai k'd with blood those fleepy two
Of his own chamber, and us'd their very dagger,
That they have done 't?

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

Mach. I am fettled, and bend up
Each corporal agent to this terrible feat.
Away, and mock the time with fairest show :
Falfe face muft hide what the falfe heart doth know.
[Exrunt.

This obfcure foliloquy, about the meaning of which none of the readers of Shakspeare agree, Dr. Johnfon explains thus: "If that which I am about to do, when it is once done and executed, were done and ended without any foliowing effects, it would then be best to do it quickly; if the murder could terminate in itself, and restrain the regular course of confequences; it its fuccefs could fecure its furccafe, if being once done fuccessfully, without detection, it could fix a period to all vengeance and enquiry, fo that this blow might be all that I have to do, and this anxiety all that I have to fuffer; if this could be my condition, even here in this world, in this contracted period of temporal existence, on this narrow bank in the ocean of eternity, I would jump the life to come, I would venture upon the deed without care of any future ftate. But this is one of thefe cafes in which judgment is pronounced and vengeance inflicted upon us here in our prefent life. We teach others to do as we have done, and are punished by our own example." 2 Couriers of air mean winds, air in motion. Sightiess is invmpile. 3 The proverb alluded to is, "The cat loves fish, but dares no' wet her feet." 4 Waffel or Waffuit is a word itill in ufe in Staffordshire, and the adjoining counties, and fignifies at present what is called Lanabs Wool, 1, e roafted apples in itrong beer, with fugar and tpice. Waffel, however, may be here put for riot or intemperance.

power of fubdue.

51. c. ever

Or, the centinel. 7 i. e. the receptacle. 8 Meaning, it shall be

niy a veffel to emit fumes of vapours.

9 Quell is murder.

ACT

Enter Banquo, and Fleance, with a torch before bint.

Ban.

H

OW goes the night, boy?

Fle. The moon is down;
heard the clock.

Ban. And the goes down at twelve.
Fle. I take't, 'tis later, fir.

I have not

II.

Thou marshal'ft me the way that I was going;
And fuch an inftrument I was to use.

Mine eyes are made the fools o'the other fenfes,

Or elfe worth all the reft: I fee thee still;
And on thy blade, and dudgeon 3, gouts 4 of blood,
Which was not fo before. There's no fuch thing:
It is the bloody business, which informs
Thus to mine eyes.-Now o'er the one half world

Ban. Hold, take my fword:-There's husban- Nature feems dead, and wicked dreams abuse dry in heaven,

Their candles are all out. - Take thee that too.
A heavy fummons lies like lead upon me,
And yet I would not fleep: Merciful powers !
Restrain in me the curfed thoughts, that nature
Gives way to in repofe - Give me my fword ;-
Enter Macbeth, and a fervant with a torch.

Who's there?

Mach. A friend.

Ban. What, fir, not yet at rest? The king'sa-bed: He hath been in unufual pleafure, and

Sent forth great largefs to your officers :

This diamond he greets your wife withal,

By the name of moft kind hoftess; and shut up
In meafureless content.

Macb. Being unprepar'd,

Our will became the fervant to defect;
Which elfe fhould free have wrought.

Ban. All's well.

I dreamt laft night of the three weird fifters :
To you they have thew'd fome truth.

Mach. I think not of them:

Yet, when we can intreat an hour to ferve, [nefs,
We would fpend it in fome words upon that bufi-
If you would grant the time.

Ran. At your kind'ît leifure.

The curtain'd fleep; now witchcraft celebrates
Pale Hecate's offerings; and wither'd murder,
Alarum'd by his fentinel, the wolf,

Whofe howl's his watch, thus with his stealthy pace,
With Tarquin's ravithing strides, towards his design
Moves like a ghoft.-Thou fure and firm-fet earth,
Hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear
Thy very ftones prate of my where-about,
And take the present horror from the time,
Which now fuits with it. While I threat, he lives:
Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives.

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

It was the owl that shriek'd, the fatal bell-man,
Which gives the ftern'ft good-night. He is about it :
The doors are open; and the furfeited grooms

['tis, Do mock their charge with fnores: I have drugg'd
their poffets,

Mach. If you thall cleave to my confent, when

It fhall make honour for you.
Ban. So I love none,

In feeking to augment it, but ftill keep
My bosom fran his'd, and allegiance clear,
I shall be counfelt'd.

Mach. Good repose, the while !
Bun. Thank, fit; The like to you! [Exit Ban.
Mach. Go, bid thy mittress, when my drink is
ready,

She strike upon the hell. Get thee to bed. [Exit Sev.
Is this a dagger, which I fee before me,
The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch

thee:

I have thee not; and vet I fee thee film.
Art thou not, fatal vifion, fenfible

To feeling, as to fight or art thou but

A dagger of the mind; a falfe creation,

Proceeding from the heat-oppreffed brain ?
I fee thee yet, in form as palpable

As this which now I draw.

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

Mach. [Wiubin.] Who's there?-what, ho!
Lady. Alack! I am afraid they have awak'd,
And 'tis not done: the attempt, and not the deed,
Confounds us:-Hark!-I laid their daggers ready,
He could not miss them.-Had he not resembled
My father as he fslept, I had done't-My husband?
Enter Macbeth.

Mach. I have done the deed:- Didft thou not
hear a noite?
[cry.

Lady. I heard the owl scream, and the crickets

Did not you fpeak ?

Mach. When?

Lady. Now.

Macb. As I defcended ?

Lady. Ay.

Macb. Hark!-Wholies i' the fecond chamber?
Lady. Donalbain.

Ma.b. This is a forry fight. [Looking on his hands

• To shut up, is to conclude. 2 Confent for will. 3 Dudgeon properly means the haft or handle of a dagger, and is ufed for that particular fort of handle which has fome ornament carved on the top of it. 4 i. e. foots: the phrafe is borrowed from heraldry. 5 It was the general custom in thole days to eat poffets jutt before bed-time.

Bb

Lady.

A little water clears us of this deed:
How easy is it then! Your confiancy
Hath left you unattended.-Hark! more knocking :
[Knock.

Get on your night-gown, left occafion call us,
And fhew us to be watchers :- Be not lott
So poorly in your thoughts.

Mach. To know my deed, 'Twere best not
know myfelf +.
[Knock.
Wake Duncan with thy knocking! I would, thou

Mach. Still it cry'd, "Sleep no more !" to all the fake, yet could not equivocate to heaven: oh, " Glamis hath murder'd fleep; and thereforeCawdor come in, equisccator. [Knock.] Knock, krock, " Shall fleep no more, Macbeth fhall fleep no more!" knock: Who's there? 'Faith, here's an English Lady. Who was it, that thus cry'd? Why, taylor come hither, for stealing out of a French worthy thane,

That is, listening to their fear. 2 A skein of filk is called a fleave of filk. 3 To incarnardine, is to ftain any thing of a flesh colour, or red. 4 i. e. while I have the thoughts of this deed, it were beft not know, or le luft to, myfelf. 5 i. e. handkerchiefs. 6 Meaning, a jefuit; an order so trou. biefome to the ftate in queen Elizabeth and king James the first's time, the inventors of the execrable doctrine of equivolution.

Lady. Woe, alas!

What, in our house?

Ban. Too cruel, arty where.

Dear Duff, I pr'ythee, contradict thyself,
And fay, it is not fo.

Re-enter Macbeth and Lenox.

Marb. Had 1 but dy'd an hour before this chance, I had liv'd a blessed time; for, from this inftant,

[Exit Macduff- There's nothing ferious in mortality:

Len. Goes the king hence to-day?
Mach. He does: he did appont fo.

Len. The night has been unruly: Where we lay,
Our chimneys were blown down: and, as they fay,
Lamentings heardi'the air; ftrange screams of death;
And prophefying with accents terrible,
Of dire combuftion, and confus'd events,
New hatch'd to the woeful time: The obfcure bird
Clamour'd the live-long night: fome fay the earth
Was feverous, and did fhake.

Mach. 'Twas a rough night.

Len. My young remembrance cannot parallel A fellow to it.

Re-enter Macduff.

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 amifs ?

Mach. You are, and do not know it:
The spring, the head, the fountain of your blood
Is stopt; the very fource of it is stopt.
Macd. Your roval father's murder'd.

Mal. Oh, by whom?

[done't: Len. Those of his chamber, as it form'd, had Their hands and faces were all badg'd with blood, So were their daggers, which, unwip'd, we found Upon their pillows; they stardand were distracted;

Macd. O horror! horror! horror! Tongue No man's life was to be trufted with them.

nor heart

Cannot conceive, nor name thee!

Mach. and Len. What's the matter?
[piece!
Mard. Confufion now hath made his mafter.

Moft facrilegious murder hath broke ope
The Lord's anointed temple, and itole thence
The life o' the building.

Mach. What is't you say? the life?

Len. Mean you his majeity?

[fight

Macb. O, yet I do repent me of my fury,

That I did kill them.

Maed. Wherefore did you fo?

Mach, Who can be wife; amaz'd, temperate,

and furiou.,

Loyal and neutral in a moment? No man :
The expedition of my violent love
Out-ran the paufer reafon.----Here lay Duncan,
His filver skin lac'd with his golden blood;

Macd. Approach the chamber, and deftroy your | And his gash'd stabs look'd like a breach in nature,
With a new Gorgon:-Do not bid me fpeak;
See, and then fpeak yourselves.- Awake! awake!
[Exeunt Macbeth and Lenox.

Ring the alarum-bell :---Murder! and treafon!
Banquo, and Donalbain! Malcolın! awake!
Shake off this downy fleep, death's counterfeit,
And look on death itielf!-up, up, and fee
The great doom's image!-Malcolm 1 Banquo!
As from your graveerife up, and walk like fprights,
To countenance this fiorror!-Ring the bell.

For ruin's wasteful entrance: there, the murderers
Steep'd in the colours of their trade, their daggers
Unmannerly breech'd 3 with gore: Who could
refrain,

That had a heart to love, and in that heart
Courage, to make his love known?
Lady. Heip me hence, hol
Macd. Look to the lady.

Mal. Why do we hold our tongues,
That most may clairn this argument for ours ?

• To cast him up, to ease my stomach of him. 2 i. e. appointed. 3 Upon this pailage, which has been deemed the trux criticorum, almost every commentator has differed in opinion. Dr. Johnfon proposes, instead of breeched, to read, drenched with gore. Dr. Warburton thinks retched (i. e. foiled with a dark yellow) should be fubitituted for breeched, as well as unmarly for unmannerly. Mr. Steevens fuppofes, that the expreffion may mean, that the daggers were covered with blood quite to their breeches, i. e. their hits or handles; the lower end of a cannon being called the breech of it. Warton pronounces, that whether the word which follows be reech'd, bre ch'd, hitch'd, or drench'd, he is at least of opinion, that unmannerly is the genuine reading, which he construes to mean unJeemly. Dr. Farmer fays, that the fenfe in plain language is, "Daggers filthily-in a fout mannertheath'd with blood.".