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' th' Adage.
Mach. Pr'ythee, peace:

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

Lady. What beaft was't then,

That made you break this enterprize to me?
When you durft do it, then you were a man ;
And (to be more than what you were) you would
Be. fo much more the man. Nor time, nor place

Did then co-here, and yet you would make both :
They've 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 fmiling in my face,
Have pluckt my nipple from his boneless gums,
And dafht the brains out, had I but fo fworn
As you have done to this.

Macb. If we fhould fail ?-
Lady. We fail!

But fkrew your courage to the flicking place,
And we'll not fail. When Duncan is afleep,
(Whereto the rather fhall his day's hard journey
Soundly invite him) his two chamberlains
Will I with wine and waffel fo convince,
That memory (the warder of the brain).
Shall be a fume; and the receipt of reafon
A limbeck only; when in fwinish fleep
Their drenched natures lie as in a death,
What cannot you and I perform upon
Th' unguarded Duncan ? what not put upon
His fpungy officers, who shall bear the guilt
Of our great quell?

Macb. Bring forth men-children only!.
For thy undaunted metal fhould compofe
Nothing but males. Will it not be receiv'd,
When we have mark'd with blood thofe fleepy two
Of his own chamber, and us'd their very daggers,

That:

That they have don't?

Lady. Who dare's receive it other,

As we fhall make our griefs and clamour roar,
Upon his death ?.

Macb. I'm fettled, and bend up

Each corporal agent to this terrible feat.

Aw

Away, and mock the time with faireft fhow:

Falfe face must hide what the falfe heart doth know.

A CT

II.

[Exeunt.

SCENE, A Hall in Macbeth's Caftle.

Enter Banquo, and Fleance with a torch before him.

H

BANQUO.

OW goes the night, boy?

Fle. The moon is down: I have not heard the clock. Ban. And he goes down at twelve.

Fle. I take't, 'tis later, Sir.

Ban. Hold, take my fword. There's husbandry in heav'n, Their candles are all out.-Take thee that too.

A heavy fummons jies like lead upon me,
And yet I would not fleep; Merciful powr's!
Reftrain in me the curfed thoughts, that nature
Gives way to in repofe.

Enter Macbeth, and a Servant with a torch.

Give me my fword: who's there?

Macb. A friend.

Ban. What, Sir, not yet at reft? the King's a-bed. He hath to-night been in unufual pleasure,

And fent great largess to your officers;

This diamond he greets your wife withal,

By the name of most kind Hostess, and shut up
In measurelefs content.

Macb. Being unprepar'd,

Our

Our will became the fervant to defect ;
Which elfe fhould free have wrought.
Ban. All's well.

I dreamt last night of the three weïrd fifters:
To you they've fhew'd fome truth.

Macb. I think not of them;

Yet when we can intreat an hour to ferve,
Would spend it in fome words upon that business;
If you would grant the time.

Ban. At your kind leisure.

Mach. If you fhall cleave to my consent, when 'tis, It fhall make honour for you.

Ban. So I lofe none

In feeking to augment it, but ftill keep
My bofom franchis'd and allegiance clear,

I fhall be counsell'd.

Macb. Good repofe the while!

Ban. Thanks, Sir; the like to you.

[Exeunt Banquo, and Fleance.

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

She strike upon the bell.

Get thee to bed.

Is this a dagger which I fee before me,

[Exit Servant:

The handle tow'rd my hand? come, let me clutch thee,

I have thee not, and yet I fee thee ftill.

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.-

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'th' other fenfes,
Or elfe worth all the rest-I see thee ftill;
And on thy blade and dudgeon, gouts of blood,
Which was not fo before.-There's no fuch thing.-
It is the bloody business, which informs

Thus to my eyes. Now o'er one half the world
Nature feems dead, and wicked dreams abuse

The

The curtain's fleep? now witchcraft celebrates
Pale Hecate's offerings: and wither'd murder,
(Alarum'd by his centinel, the wolf,

Whofe howl's his watch) thus with his ftealthy pace,
With Tarquin's ravishing ftrides, tow'rds his defign
Moves like a ghoft.-Thou found 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.-Whilft I threat, he lives
[A Bell rings.
Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives.
I go, and it is done; the bell invites me.
Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell
That fummons thee to heaven, or to hell.

Enter Lady.

[Exit.

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

What hath quench'd them, hath giv'n 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,

Do mock their charge with fnores. I've drugg'd their poffets,

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

Enter Macbeth.

Macb. Who's there? what ho!

Lady. Alack! I am afraid, they have awak'd; And 'tis not done; th' attempt, and not the deed, Confounds us-hark!-I laid their daggers ready, He could not mifs 'em.-Had he not resembled My father as he slept, I had don't-My husband! Macb. I've done the deed-didst not thou hear a noise? Lady. I heard the owl scream, and the crickets cry. Did not you speak?

Macb. When?

Lady.

Macb. Hark!-who lies i' the' second chamber?

Lady. Donalbain.

Macb. This is a forry fight.

Lady. A foolish thought, to fay,

[Looks on his hands.

a forry fight.

Macb. There's one did laugh in's fleep, and one cry'd, Murder!

They wak'd each other; and I ftood and heard them ; But they did fay their prayers, and address them Again to fleep.

Lady. There are two lodg'd together.

Macb. One cry'd, God blefs us! and Amen, the other; As they had feen me with thefe hangman's hands. Liftening their fear, I could not say, Amen,

When they did fay, God blefs us.

Lady. Confider it not fo deeply.

Macb. But wherefore could not I pronounce Amen ? I had moft need of bleffing, and Amen

Stuck in my throat.

Lady. Thefe deeds must not be thought,

After thefe ways; fo, it will make us mad.

Mach. Methought, I heard a voice cry, Sleep no more! Macbeth doth murder fleep; the innocent fleep; Sleep, that knits up the ravell'd fleeve of care, The death of each day's life, fore labour's bath, Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second courfe, Chief nourisher in life's feast.

Lady. What do you mean?

Macb. Still it ery'd, fleep no more, to all the house; Glamis hath murder'd fleep, and therefore Cawdor Shall fleep no more; Macbeth fhall fleep no more! Lady. Who was it, that thus cry'd? why, worthy Thane, You do unbend your noble strength, to think So brain-fickly of things; go, get fome water, And wash this filthy witnefs from your hand. Why did you bring these daggers from the place? They must lie there. Go, carry them, and smear The fleepy grooms with blood.

Mach.