The Tragedy of Macbeth Shakespeare homepage | Macbeth | Entire play

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2 3 ACT I

4 SCENE I. A desert place. 5 Thunder and lightning. Enter three Witches 6 First Witch 7 When shall we three meet again 8 In thunder, lightning, or in rain? 9 Second Witch 10 When the hurlyburly's done, 11 When the battle's lost and won. 12 Third Witch 13 That will be ere the set of sun. 14 First Witch 15 Where the place? 16 Second Witch 17 Upon the heath. 18 Third Witch 19 There to meet with Macbeth. 20 First Witch 21 I come, Graymalkin! 22 Second Witch 23 Paddock calls. 24 Third Witch 25 Anon. 26 ALL 27 Fair is foul, and foul is fair: 28 Hover through the fog and filthy air. 29 Exeunt

30 SCENE II. A camp near Forres. 31 Alarum within. Enter DUNCAN, MALCOLM, DONALBAIN, LENNOX, with 32 Attendants, meeting a bleeding Sergeant 33 34 35 DUNCAN 36 What bloody man is that? He can report, 37 As seemeth by his plight, of the revolt 38 The newest state. 39 MALCOLM 40 This is the sergeant 41 Who like a good and hardy soldier fought 42 'Gainst my captivity. Hail, brave friend! 43 Say to the king the knowledge of the broil 44 As thou didst leave it. 45 Sergeant 46 Doubtful it stood; 47 As two spent swimmers, that do cling together 48 And choke their art. The merciless Macdonwald-- 49 Worthy to be a rebel, for to that 50 The multiplying villanies of nature 51 Do swarm upon him--from the western isles 52 Of kerns and gallowglasses is supplied; 53 And fortune, on his damned quarrel smiling, 54 Show'd like a rebel's whore: but all's too weak: 55 For brave Macbeth--well he deserves that name-- 56 Disdaining fortune, with his brandish'd steel, 57 Which smoked with bloody execution, 58 Like valour's minion carved out his passage 59 Till he faced the slave; 60 Which ne'er shook hands, nor bade farewell to him, 61 Till he unseam'd him from the nave to the chaps, 62 And fix'd his head upon our battlements. 63 DUNCAN 64 O valiant cousin! worthy gentleman! 65 Sergeant 66 As whence the sun 'gins his reflection 67 Shipwrecking storms and direful thunders break, 68 So from that spring whence comfort seem'd to come 69 Discomfort swells. Mark, king of Scotland, mark: 70 No sooner justice had with valour arm'd 71 Compell'd these skipping kerns to trust their heels, 72 But the Norweyan lord surveying vantage, 73 With furbish'd arms and new supplies of men 74 Began a fresh assault. 75 DUNCAN 76 Dismay'd not this 77 Our captains, Macbeth and Banquo? 78 Sergeant 79 Yes; 80 As sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion. 81 If I say sooth, I must report they were 82 As cannons overcharged with double cracks, so they 83 Doubly redoubled strokes upon the foe: 84 Except they meant to bathe in reeking wounds, 85 Or memorise another Golgotha, 86 I cannot tell. 87 But I am faint, my gashes cry for help. 88 DUNCAN 89 So well thy words become thee as thy wounds; 90 They smack of honour both. Go get him surgeons. 91 Exit Sergeant, attended 92 Who comes here? 93 Enter ROSS 94 MALCOLM 95 The worthy thane of Ross. 96 LENNOX 97 What a haste looks through his eyes! So should he look 98 That seems to speak things strange. 99 ROSS 100 God save the king! 101 DUNCAN 102 Whence camest thou, worthy thane? 103 ROSS 104 From Fife, great king; 105 Where the Norweyan banners flout the sky 106 And fan our people cold. Norway himself, 107 With terrible numbers, 108 Assisted by that most disloyal traitor 109 The thane of Cawdor, began a dismal conflict; 110 Till that Bellona's bridegroom, lapp'd in proof, 111 Confronted him with self-comparisons, 112 Point against point rebellious, arm 'gainst arm. 113 Curbing his lavish spirit: and, to conclude, 114 The victory fell on us. 115 DUNCAN 116 Great happiness! 117 ROSS 118 That now 119 Sweno, the Norways' king, craves composition: 120 Nor would we deign him burial of his men 121 Till he disbursed at Saint Colme's inch 122 Ten thousand dollars to our general use. 123 DUNCAN 124 No more that thane of Cawdor shall deceive 125 Our bosom interest: go pronounce his present death, 126 And with his former title greet Macbeth. 127 ROSS 128 I'll see it done. 129 DUNCAN 130 What he hath lost noble Macbeth hath won. 131 Exeunt

132 SCENE III. A heath near Forres. 133 Thunder. Enter the three Witches 134 First Witch 135 Where hast thou been, sister? 136 Second Witch 137 Killing swine. 138 Third Witch 139 Sister, where thou? 140 First Witch 141 A sailor's wife had chestnuts in her lap, 142 And munch'd, and munch'd, and munch'd:-- 143 'Give me,' quoth I: 144 'Aroint thee, witch!' the rump-fed ronyon cries. 145 Her husband's to Aleppo gone, master o' the Tiger: 146 But in a sieve I'll thither sail, 147 And, like a rat without a tail, 148 I'll do, I'll do, and I'll do. 149 Second Witch 150 I'll give thee a wind. 151 152 First Witch 153 Thou'rt kind. 154 Third Witch 155 And I another. 156 First Witch 157 I myself have all the other, 158 And the very ports they blow, 159 All the quarters that they know 160 I' the shipman's card. 161 I will drain him dry as hay: 162 Sleep shall neither night nor day 163 Hang upon his pent-house lid; 164 He shall live a man forbid: 165 Weary se'nnights nine times nine 166 Shall he dwindle, peak and pine: 167 Though his bark cannot be lost, 168 Yet it shall be tempest-tost. 169 Look what I have. 170 Second Witch 171 Show me, show me. 172 First Witch 173 Here I have a pilot's thumb, 174 Wreck'd as homeward he did come. 175 Drum within 176 Third Witch 177 A drum, a drum! 178 Macbeth doth come. 179 ALL 180 The weird sisters, hand in hand, 181 Posters of the sea and land, 182 Thus do go about, about: 183 Thrice to thine and thrice to mine 184 And thrice again, to make up nine. 185 Peace! the charm's wound up. 186 Enter MACBETH and BANQUO 187 MACBETH 188 So foul and fair a day I have not seen. 189 BANQUO 190 How far is't call'd to Forres? What are these 191 So wither'd and so wild in their attire, 192 That look not like the inhabitants o' the earth, 193 And yet are on't? Live you? or are you aught 194 That man may question? You seem to understand me, 195 By each at once her chappy finger laying 196 Upon her skinny lips: you should be women, 197 And yet your beards forbid me to interpret 198 That you are so. 199 MACBETH 200 Speak, if you can: what are you? 201 First Witch 202 All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Glamis! 203 Second Witch 204 All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, thane of Cawdor! 205 Third Witch 206 All hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter! 207 BANQUO 208 Good sir, why do you start; and seem to fear 209 Things that do sound so fair? I' the name of truth, 210 Are ye fantastical, or that indeed 211 Which outwardly ye show? My noble partner 212 You greet with present grace and great prediction 213 Of noble having and of royal hope, 214 That he seems rapt withal: to me you speak not. 215 If you can look into the seeds of time, 216 And say which grain will grow and which will not, 217 Speak then to me, who neither beg nor fear 218 Your favours nor your hate. 219 First Witch 220 Hail! 221 Second Witch 222 Hail! 223 Third Witch 224 Hail! 225 First Witch 226 Lesser than Macbeth, and greater. 227 Second Witch 228 Not so happy, yet much happier. 229 Third Witch 230 Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none: 231 So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo! 232 First Witch 233 Banquo and Macbeth, all hail! 234 MACBETH 235 Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more: 236 By Sinel's death I know I am thane of Glamis; 237 But how of Cawdor? the thane of Cawdor lives, 238 A prosperous gentleman; and to be king 239 Stands not within the prospect of belief, 240 No more than to be Cawdor. Say from whence 241 You owe this strange intelligence? or why 242 Upon this blasted heath you stop our way 243 With such prophetic greeting? Speak, I charge you. 244 Witches vanish 245 BANQUO 246 The earth hath bubbles, as the water has, 247 And these are of them. Whither are they vanish'd? 248 MACBETH 249 Into the air; and what seem'd corporal melted 250 As breath into the wind. Would they had stay'd! 251 BANQUO 252 Were such things here as we do speak about? 253 Or have we eaten on the insane root 254 That takes the reason prisoner? 255 MACBETH 256 Your children shall be kings. 257 BANQUO 258 You shall be king. 259 MACBETH 260 And thane of Cawdor too: went it not so? 261 BANQUO 262 To the selfsame tune and words. Who's here? 263 Enter ROSS and ANGUS 264 ROSS 265 The king hath happily received, Macbeth, 266 The news of thy success; and when he reads 267 Thy personal venture in the rebels' fight, 268 His wonders and his praises do contend 269 Which should be thine or his: silenced with that, 270 In viewing o'er the rest o' the selfsame day, 271 He finds thee in the stout Norweyan ranks, 272 Nothing afeard of what thyself didst make, 273 Strange images of death. As thick as hail 274 Came post with post; and every one did bear 275 Thy praises in his kingdom's great defence, 276 And pour'd them down before him. 277 ANGUS 278 We are sent 279 To give thee from our royal master thanks; 280 Only to herald thee into his sight, 281 Not pay thee. 282 ROSS 283 And, for an earnest of a greater honour, 284 He bade me, from him, call thee thane of Cawdor: 285 In which addition, hail, most worthy thane! 286 For it is thine. 287 BANQUO 288 What, can the devil speak true? 289 MACBETH 290 The thane of Cawdor lives: why do you dress me 291 In borrow'd robes? 292 ANGUS 293 Who was the thane lives yet; 294 But under heavy judgment bears that life 295 Which he deserves to lose. Whether he was combined 296 With those of Norway, or did line the rebel 297 With hidden help and vantage, or that with both 298 He labour'd in his country's wreck, I know not; 299 But treasons capital, confess'd and proved, 300 Have overthrown him. 301 MACBETH 302 [Aside] Glamis, and thane of Cawdor! 303 The greatest is behind. 304 To ROSS and ANGUS 305 Thanks for your pains. 306 To BANQUO 307 Do you not hope your children shall be kings, 308 When those that gave the thane of Cawdor to me 309 Promised no less to them? 310 BANQUO 311 That trusted home 312 Might yet enkindle you unto the crown, 313 Besides the thane of Cawdor. But 'tis strange: 314 And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, 315 The instruments of darkness tell us truths, 316 Win us with honest trifles, to betray's 317 In deepest consequence. 318 Cousins, a word, I pray you. 319 MACBETH 320 [Aside] Two truths are told, 321 As happy prologues to the swelling act 322 Of the imperial theme.--I thank you, gentlemen. 323 [Aside] Cannot be ill, cannot be good: if ill, 324 Why hath it given me earnest of success, 325 Commencing in a truth? I am thane of Cawdor: 326 If good, why do I yield to that suggestion 327 Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair 328 And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, 329 Against the use of nature? Present fears 330 Are less than horrible imaginings: 331 My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, 332 Shakes so my single state of man that function 333 Is smother'd in surmise, and nothing is 334 But what is not. 335 BANQUO 336 Look, how our partner's rapt. 337 MACBETH 338 [Aside] If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, 339 Without my stir. 340 BANQUO 341 New horrors come upon him, 342 Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mould 343 But with the aid of use. 344 345 346 MACBETH 347 [Aside] Come what come may, 348 Time and the hour runs through the roughest day. 349 BANQUO 350 Worthy Macbeth, we stay upon your leisure. 351 MACBETH 352 Give me your favour: my dull brain was wrought 353 With things forgotten. Kind gentlemen, your pains 354 Are register'd where every day I turn 355 The leaf to read them. Let us toward the king. 356 Think upon what hath chanced, and, at more time, 357 The interim having weigh'd it, let us speak 358 Our free hearts each to other. 359 BANQUO 360 Very gladly. 361 MACBETH 362 Till then, enough. Come, friends. 363 Exeunt

364 SCENE IV. Forres. The palace. 365 Flourish. Enter DUNCAN, MALCOLM, DONALBAIN, LENNOX, and 366 Attendants 367 DUNCAN 368 Is execution done on Cawdor? Are not 369 Those in commission yet return'd? 370 MALCOLM 371 My liege, 372 They are not yet come back. But I have spoke 373 With one that saw him die: who did report 374 That very frankly he confess'd his treasons, 375 Implored your highness' pardon and set forth 376 A deep repentance: nothing in his life 377 Became him like the leaving it; he died 378 As one that had been studied in his death 379 To throw away the dearest thing he owed, 380 As 'twere a careless trifle. 381 DUNCAN 382 There's no art 383 To find the mind's construction in the face: 384 He was a gentleman on whom I built 385 An absolute trust. 386 Enter MACBETH, BANQUO, ROSS, and ANGUS 387 O worthiest cousin! 388 The sin of my ingratitude even now 389 Was heavy on me: thou art so far before 390 That swiftest wing of recompense is slow 391 To overtake thee. Would thou hadst less deserved, 392 That the proportion both of thanks and payment 393 Might have been mine! only I have left to say, 394 More is thy due than more than all can pay. 395 MACBETH 396 The service and the loyalty I owe, 397 In doing it, pays itself. Your highness' part 398 Is to receive our duties; and our duties 399 Are to your throne and state children and servants, 400 Which do but what they should, by doing every thing 401 Safe toward your love and honour. 402 DUNCAN 403 Welcome hither: 404 I have begun to plant thee, and will labour 405 To make thee full of growing. Noble Banquo, 406 That hast no less deserved, nor must be known 407 No less to have done so, let me enfold thee 408 And hold thee to my heart. 409 BANQUO 410 There if I grow, 411 The harvest is your own. 412 DUNCAN 413 My plenteous joys, 414 Wanton in fulness, seek to hide themselves 415 In drops of sorrow. Sons, kinsmen, thanes, 416 And you whose places are the nearest, know 417 We will establish our estate upon 418 Our eldest, Malcolm, whom we name hereafter 419 The Prince of Cumberland; which honour must 420 Not unaccompanied invest him only, 421 But signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine 422 On all deservers. From hence to Inverness, 423 And bind us further to you. 424 MACBETH 425 The rest is labour, which is not used for you: 426 I'll be myself the harbinger and make joyful 427 The hearing of my wife with your approach; 428 So humbly take my leave. 429 DUNCAN 430 My worthy Cawdor! 431 MACBETH 432 [Aside] The Prince of Cumberland! that is a step 433 On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap, 434 For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; 435 Let not light see my black and deep desires: 436 The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be, 437 Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see. 438 Exit 439 DUNCAN 440 True, worthy Banquo; he is full so valiant, 441 And in his commendations I am fed; 442 It is a banquet to me. Let's after him, 443 Whose care is gone before to bid us welcome: 444 It is a peerless kinsman. 445 Flourish. Exeunt

446 SCENE V. Inverness. Macbeth's castle. 447 Enter LADY MACBETH, reading a letter 448 449 LADY MACBETH 450 'They met me in the day of success: and I have 451 learned by the perfectest report, they have more in 452 them than mortal knowledge. When I burned in desire 453 to question them further, they made themselves air, 454 into which they vanished. Whiles I stood rapt in 455 the wonder of it, came missives from the king, who 456 all-hailed me 'Thane of Cawdor;' by which title, 457 before, these weird sisters saluted me, and referred 458 me to the coming on of time, with 'Hail, king that 459 shalt be!' This have I thought good to deliver 460 thee, my dearest partner of greatness, that thou 461 mightst not lose the dues of rejoicing, by being 462 ignorant of what greatness is promised thee. Lay it 463 to thy heart, and farewell.' 464 Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be 465 What thou art promised: yet do I fear thy nature; 466 It is too full o' the milk of human kindness 467 To catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be great; 468 Art not without ambition, but without 469 The illness should attend it: what thou wouldst highly, 470 That wouldst thou holily; wouldst not play false, 471 And yet wouldst wrongly win: thou'ldst have, great Glamis, 472 That which cries 'Thus thou must do, if thou have it; 473 And that which rather thou dost fear to do 474 Than wishest should be undone.' Hie thee hither, 475 That I may pour my spirits in thine ear; 476 And chastise with the valour of my tongue 477 All that impedes thee from the golden round, 478 Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem 479 To have thee crown'd withal. 480 Enter a Messenger 481 What is your tidings? 482 Messenger 483 The king comes here to-night. 484 LADY MACBETH 485 Thou'rt mad to say it: 486 Is not thy master with him? who, were't so, 487 Would have inform'd for preparation. 488 Messenger 489 So please you, it is true: our thane is coming: 490 One of my fellows had the speed of him, 491 Who, almost dead for breath, had scarcely more 492 Than would make up his message. 493 LADY MACBETH 494 Give him tending; 495 He brings great news. 496 Exit Messenger 497 The raven himself is hoarse 498 That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan 499 Under my battlements. Come, you spirits 500 That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, 501 And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full 502 Of direst cruelty! make thick my blood; 503 Stop up the access and passage to remorse, 504 That no compunctious visitings of nature 505 Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between 506 The effect and it! Come to my woman's breasts, 507 And take my milk for gall, you murdering ministers, 508 Wherever in your sightless substances 509 You wait on nature's mischief! Come, thick night, 510 And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, 511 That my keen knife see not the wound it makes, 512 Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark, 513 To cry 'Hold, hold!' 514 Enter MACBETH 515 Great Glamis! worthy Cawdor! 516 Greater than both, by the all-hail hereafter! 517 Thy letters have transported me beyond 518 This ignorant present, and I feel now 519 The future in the instant. 520 MACBETH 521 My dearest love, 522 Duncan comes here to-night. 523 LADY MACBETH 524 And when goes hence? 525 MACBETH 526 To-morrow, as he purposes. 527 LADY MACBETH 528 O, never 529 Shall sun that morrow see! 530 Your face, my thane, is as a book where men 531 May read strange matters. To beguile the time, 532 Look like the time; bear welcome in your eye, 533 Your hand, your tongue: look like the innocent flower, 534 But be the serpent under't. He that's coming 535 Must be provided for: and you shall put 536 This night's great business into my dispatch; 537 Which shall to all our nights and days to come 538 Give solely sovereign sway and masterdom. 539 MACBETH 540 We will speak further. 541 LADY MACBETH 542 Only look up clear; 543 To alter favour ever is to fear: 544 Leave all the rest to me. 545 Exeunt

546 SCENE VI. Before Macbeth's castle. 547 Hautboys and torches. Enter DUNCAN, MALCOLM, DONALBAIN, 548 BANQUO, LENNOX, MACDUFF, ROSS, ANGUS, and Attendants 549 550 DUNCAN 551 This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air 552 Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself 553 Unto our gentle senses. 554 BANQUO 555 This guest of summer, 556 The temple-haunting martlet, does approve, 557 By his loved mansionry, that the heaven's breath 558 Smells wooingly here: no jutty, frieze, 559 Buttress, nor coign of vantage, but this bird 560 Hath made his pendent bed and procreant cradle: 561 Where they most breed and haunt, I have observed, 562 The air is delicate. 563 Enter LADY MACBETH 564 DUNCAN 565 See, see, our honour'd hostess! 566 The love that follows us sometime is our trouble, 567 Which still we thank as love. Herein I teach you 568 How you shall bid God 'ild us for your pains, 569 And thank us for your trouble. 570 LADY MACBETH 571 All our service 572 In every point twice done and then done double 573 Were poor and single business to contend 574 Against those honours deep and broad wherewith 575 Your majesty loads our house: for those of old, 576 And the late dignities heap'd up to them, 577 We rest your hermits. 578 DUNCAN 579 Where's the thane of Cawdor? 580 We coursed him at the heels, and had a purpose 581 To be his purveyor: but he rides well; 582 And his great love, sharp as his spur, hath holp him 583 To his home before us. Fair and noble hostess, 584 We are your guest to-night. 585 LADY MACBETH 586 Your servants ever 587 Have theirs, themselves and what is theirs, in compt, 588 To make their audit at your highness' pleasure, 589 Still to return your own. 590 DUNCAN 591 Give me your hand; 592 Conduct me to mine host: we love him highly, 593 And shall continue our graces towards him. 594 By your leave, hostess. 595 Exeunt

596 SCENE VII. Macbeth's castle. 597 Hautboys and torches. Enter a Sewer, and divers Servants with dishes and 598 service, and pass over the stage. Then enter MACBETH 599 600 MACBETH 601 If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well 602 It were done quickly: if the assassination 603 Could trammel up the consequence, and catch 604 With his surcease success; that but this blow 605 Might be the be-all and the end-all here, 606 But here, upon this bank and shoal of time, 607 We'ld jump the life to come. But in these cases 608 We still have judgment here; that we but teach 609 Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return 610 To plague the inventor: this even-handed justice 611 Commends the ingredients of our poison'd chalice 612 To our own lips. He's here in double trust; 613 First, as I am his kinsman and his subject, 614 Strong both against the deed; then, as his host, 615 Who should against his murderer shut the door, 616 Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan 617 Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been 618 So clear in his great office, that his virtues 619 Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued, against 620 The deep damnation of his taking-off; 621 And pity, like a naked new-born babe, 622 Striding the blast, or heaven's cherubim, horsed 623 Upon the sightless couriers of the air, 624 Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye, 625 That tears shall drown the wind. I have no spur 626 To prick the sides of my intent, but only 627 Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself 628 And falls on the other. 629 Enter LADY MACBETH 630 How now! what news? 631 LADY MACBETH 632 He has almost supp'd: why have you left the chamber? 633 MACBETH 634 Hath he ask'd for me? 635 LADY MACBETH 636 Know you not he has? 637 MACBETH 638 We will proceed no further in this business: 639 He hath honour'd me of late; and I have bought 640 Golden opinions from all sorts of people, 641 Which would be worn now in their newest gloss, 642 Not cast aside so soon. 643 LADY MACBETH 644 Was the hope drunk 645 Wherein you dress'd yourself? hath it slept since? 646 And wakes it now, to look so green and pale 647 At what it did so freely? From this time 648 Such I account thy love. Art thou afeard 649 To be the same in thine own act and valour 650 As thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have that 651 Which thou esteem'st the ornament of life, 652 And live a coward in thine own esteem, 653 Letting 'I dare not' wait upon 'I would,' 654 Like the poor cat i' the adage? 655 MACBETH 656 Prithee, peace: 657 I dare do all that may become a man; 658 Who dares do more is none. 659 LADY MACBETH 660 What beast was't, then, 661 That made you break this enterprise to me? 662 When you durst do it, then you were a man; 663 And, to be more than what you were, you would 664 Be so much more the man. Nor time nor place 665 Did then adhere, and yet you would make both: 666 They have made themselves, and that their fitness now 667 Does unmake you. I have given suck, and know 668 How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me: 669 I would, while it was smiling in my face, 670 Have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums, 671 And dash'd the brains out, had I so sworn as you 672 Have done to this. 673 MACBETH 674 If we should fail? 675 LADY MACBETH 676 We fail! 677 But screw your courage to the sticking-place, 678 And we'll not fail. When Duncan is asleep-- 679 Whereto the rather shall his day's hard journey 680 Soundly invite him--his two chamberlains 681 Will I with wine and wassail so convince 682 That memory, the warder of the brain, 683 Shall be a fume, and the receipt of reason 684 A limbeck only: when in swinish sleep 685 Their drenched natures lie as in a death, 686 What cannot you and I perform upon 687 The unguarded Duncan? what not put upon 688 His spongy officers, who shall bear the guilt 689 Of our great quell? 690 MACBETH 691 Bring forth men-children only; 692 For thy undaunted mettle should compose 693 Nothing but males. Will it not be received, 694 When we have mark'd with blood those sleepy two 695 Of his own chamber and used their very daggers, 696 That they have done't? 697 LADY MACBETH 698 Who dares receive it other, 699 As we shall make our griefs and clamour roar 700 Upon his death? 701 MACBETH 702 I am settled, and bend up 703 Each corporal agent to this terrible feat. 704 Away, and mock the time with fairest show: 705 False face must hide what the false heart doth know. 706 Exeunt

707 ACT II

708 SCENE I. Court of Macbeth's castle. 709 Enter BANQUO, and FLEANCE bearing a torch before him 710 BANQUO 711 How goes the night, boy? 712 FLEANCE 713 The moon is down; I have not heard the clock. 714 BANQUO 715 And she goes down at twelve. 716 FLEANCE 717 I take't, 'tis later, sir. 718 BANQUO 719 Hold, take my sword. There's husbandry in heaven; 720 Their candles are all out. Take thee that too. 721 A heavy summons lies like lead upon me, 722 And yet I would not sleep: merciful powers, 723 Restrain in me the cursed thoughts that nature 724 Gives way to in repose! 725 Enter MACBETH, and a Servant with a torch 726 Give me my sword. 727 Who's there? 728 MACBETH 729 A friend. 730 BANQUO 731 What, sir, not yet at rest? The king's a-bed: 732 He hath been in unusual pleasure, and 733 Sent forth great largess to your offices. 734 This diamond he greets your wife withal, 735 By the name of most kind hostess; and shut up 736 In measureless content. 737 MACBETH 738 Being unprepared, 739 Our will became the servant to defect; 740 Which else should free have wrought. 741 BANQUO 742 All's well. 743 I dreamt last night of the three weird sisters: 744 To you they have show'd some truth. 745 MACBETH 746 I think not of them: 747 Yet, when we can entreat an hour to serve, 748 We would spend it in some words upon that business, 749 If you would grant the time. 750 BANQUO 751 At your kind'st leisure. 752 MACBETH 753 If you shall cleave to my consent, when 'tis, 754 It shall make honour for you. 755 BANQUO 756 So I lose none 757 In seeking to augment it, but still keep 758 My bosom franchised and allegiance clear, 759 I shall be counsell'd. 760 MACBETH 761 Good repose the while! 762 BANQUO 763 Thanks, sir: the like to you! 764 Exeunt BANQUO and FLEANCE 765 MACBETH 766 Go bid thy mistress, when my drink is ready, 767 She strike upon the bell. Get thee to bed. 768 Exit Servant 769 Is this a dagger which I see before me, 770 The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee. 771 I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. 772 Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible 773 To feeling as to sight? or art thou but 774 A dagger of the mind, a false creation, 775 Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain? 776 I see thee yet, in form as palpable 777 As this which now I draw. 778 Thou marshall'st me the way that I was going; 779 And such an instrument I was to use. 780 Mine eyes are made the fools o' the other senses, 781 Or else worth all the rest; I see thee still, 782 And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood, 783 Which was not so before. There's no such thing: 784 It is the bloody business which informs 785 Thus to mine eyes. Now o'er the one halfworld 786 Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse 787 The curtain'd sleep; witchcraft celebrates 788 Pale Hecate's offerings, and wither'd murder, 789 Alarum'd by his sentinel, the wolf, 790 Whose howl's his watch, thus with his stealthy pace. 791 With Tarquin's ravishing strides, towards his design 792 Moves like a ghost. Thou sure and firm-set earth, 793 Hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear 794 Thy very stones prate of my whereabout, 795 And take the present horror from the time, 796 Which now suits with it. Whiles I threat, he lives: 797 Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives. 798 A bell rings 799 I go, and it is done; the bell invites me. 800 Hear it not, Duncan; for it is a knell 801 That summons thee to heaven or to hell. 802 Exit

803 SCENE II. The same. 804 Enter LADY MACBETH 805 806 807 LADY MACBETH 808 That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold; 809 What hath quench'd them hath given me fire. 810 Hark! Peace! 811 It was the owl that shriek'd, the fatal bellman, 812 Which gives the stern'st good-night. He is about it: 813 The doors are open; and the surfeited grooms 814 Do mock their charge with snores: I have drugg'd 815 their possets, 816 That death and nature do contend about them, 817 Whether they live or die. 818 MACBETH 819 [Within] Who's there? what, ho! 820 LADY MACBETH 821 Alack, I am afraid they have awaked, 822 And 'tis not done. The attempt and not the deed 823 Confounds us. Hark! I laid their daggers ready; 824 He could not miss 'em. Had he not resembled 825 My father as he slept, I had done't. 826 Enter MACBETH 827 My husband! 828 MACBETH 829 I have done the deed. Didst thou not hear a noise? 830 LADY MACBETH 831 I heard the owl scream and the crickets cry. 832 Did not you speak? 833 MACBETH 834 When? 835 LADY MACBETH 836 Now. 837 MACBETH 838 As I descended? 839 LADY MACBETH 840 Ay. 841 MACBETH 842 Hark! 843 Who lies i' the second chamber? 844 LADY MACBETH 845 Donalbain. 846 MACBETH 847 This is a sorry sight. 848 Looking on his hands 849 LADY MACBETH 850 A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight. 851 MACBETH 852 There's one did laugh in's sleep, and one cried 853 'Murder!' 854 That they did wake each other: I stood and heard them: 855 But they did say their prayers, and address'd them 856 Again to sleep. 857 LADY MACBETH 858 There are two lodged together. 859 MACBETH 860 One cried 'God bless us!' and 'Amen' the other; 861 As they had seen me with these hangman's hands. 862 Listening their fear, I could not say 'Amen,' 863 When they did say 'God bless us!' 864 LADY MACBETH 865 Consider it not so deeply. 866 MACBETH 867 But wherefore could not I pronounce 'Amen'? 868 I had most need of blessing, and 'Amen' 869 Stuck in my throat. 870 LADY MACBETH 871 These deeds must not be thought 872 After these ways; so, it will make us mad. 873 MACBETH 874 Methought I heard a voice cry 'Sleep no more! 875 Macbeth does murder sleep', the innocent sleep, 876 Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleeve of care, 877 The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath, 878 Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course, 879 Chief nourisher in life's feast,-- 880 LADY MACBETH 881 What do you mean? 882 883 884 885 MACBETH 886 Still it cried 'Sleep no more!' to all the house: 887 'Glamis hath murder'd sleep, and therefore Cawdor 888 Shall sleep no more; Macbeth shall sleep no more.' 889 LADY MACBETH 890 Who was it that thus cried? Why, worthy thane, 891 You do unbend your noble strength, to think 892 So brainsickly of things. Go get some water, 893 And wash this filthy witness from your hand. 894 Why did you bring these daggers from the place? 895 They must lie there: go carry them; and smear 896 The sleepy grooms with blood. 897 MACBETH 898 I'll go no more: 899 I am afraid to think what I have done; 900 Look on't again I dare not. 901 LADY MACBETH 902 Infirm of purpose! 903 Give me the daggers: the sleeping and the dead 904 Are but as pictures: 'tis the eye of childhood 905 That fears a painted devil. If he do bleed, 906 I'll gild the faces of the grooms withal; 907 For it must seem their guilt. 908 Exit. Knocking within 909 MACBETH 910 Whence is that knocking? 911 How is't with me, when every noise appals me? 912 What hands are here? ha! they pluck out mine eyes. 913 Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood 914 Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather 915 The multitudinous seas in incarnadine, 916 Making the green one red. 917 Re-enter LADY MACBETH 918 LADY MACBETH 919 My hands are of your colour; but I shame 920 To wear a heart so white. 921 Knocking within 922 I hear a knocking 923 At the south entry: retire we to our chamber; 924 A little water clears us of this deed: 925 How easy is it, then! Your constancy 926 Hath left you unattended. 927 Knocking within 928 Hark! more knocking. 929 Get on your nightgown, lest occasion call us, 930 And show us to be watchers. Be not lost 931 So poorly in your thoughts. 932 MACBETH 933 To know my deed, 'twere best not know myself. 934 Knocking within 935 Wake Duncan with thy knocking! I would thou couldst! 936 Exeunt

937 SCENE III. The same. 938 Knocking within. Enter a Porter 939 Porter 940 Here's a knocking indeed! If a 941 man were porter of hell-gate, he should have 942 old turning the key. 943 Knocking within 944 Knock, 945 knock, knock! Who's there, i' the name of 946 Beelzebub? Here's a farmer, that hanged 947 himself on the expectation of plenty: come in 948 time; have napkins enow about you; here 949 you'll sweat for't. 950 Knocking within 951 Knock, 952 knock! Who's there, in the other devil's 953 name? Faith, here's an equivocator, that could 954 swear in both the scales against either scale; 955 who committed treason enough for God's sake, 956 yet could not equivocate to heaven: O, come 957 in, equivocator. 958 Knocking within 959 Knock, 960 knock, knock! Who's there? Faith, here's an 961 English tailor come hither, for stealing out of 962 a French hose: come in, tailor; here you may 963 roast your goose. 964 Knocking within 965 Knock, 966 knock; never at quiet! What are you? But 967 this place is too cold for hell. I'll devil-porter 968 it no further: I had thought to have let in 969 some of all professions that go the primrose 970 way to the everlasting bonfire. 971 Knocking within 972 Anon, anon! I pray you, remember the porter. 973 Opens the gate

974 Enter MACDUFF and LENNOX 975 MACDUFF 976 Was it so late, friend, ere you went to bed, 977 That you do lie so late? 978 Porter 979 'Faith sir, we were carousing till the 980 second cock: and drink, sir, is a great 981 provoker of three things. 982 MACDUFF 983 What three things does drink especially provoke? 984 Porter 985 Marry, sir, nose-painting, sleep, and 986 urine. Lechery, sir, it provokes, and unprovokes; 987 it provokes the desire, but it takes 988 away the performance: therefore, much drink 989 may be said to be an equivocator with lechery: 990 it makes him, and it mars him; it sets 991 him on, and it takes him off; it persuades him, 992 and disheartens him; makes him stand to, and 993 not stand to; in conclusion, equivocates him 994 in a sleep, and, giving him the lie, leaves him. 995 MACDUFF 996 I believe drink gave thee the lie last night. 997 Porter 998 That it did, sir, i' the very throat on 999 me: but I requited him for his lie; and, I 1000 think, being too strong for him, though he took 1001 up my legs sometime, yet I made a shift to cast 1002 him. 1003 MACDUFF 1004 Is thy master stirring? 1005 Enter MACBETH 1006 Our knocking has awaked him; here he comes. 1007 LENNOX 1008 Good morrow, noble sir. 1009 MACBETH 1010 Good morrow, both. 1011 MACDUFF 1012 Is the king stirring, worthy thane? 1013 MACBETH 1014 Not yet. 1015 MACDUFF 1016 He did command me to call timely on him: 1017 I have almost slipp'd the hour. 1018 MACBETH 1019 I'll bring you to him. 1020 MACDUFF 1021 I know this is a joyful trouble to you; 1022 But yet 'tis one. 1023 MACBETH 1024 The labour we delight in physics pain. 1025 This is the door. 1026 MACDUFF 1027 I'll make so bold to call, 1028 For 'tis my limited service. 1029 Exit 1030 LENNOX 1031 Goes the king hence to-day? 1032 MACBETH 1033 He does: he did appoint so. 1034 LENNOX 1035 The night has been unruly: where we lay, 1036 Our chimneys were blown down; and, as they say, 1037 Lamentings heard i' the air; strange screams of death, 1038 And prophesying with accents terrible 1039 Of dire combustion and confused events 1040 New hatch'd to the woeful time: the obscure bird 1041 Clamour'd the livelong night: some say, the earth 1042 Was feverous and did shake. 1043 MACBETH 1044 'Twas a rough night. 1045 LENNOX 1046 My young remembrance cannot parallel 1047 A fellow to it. 1048 Re-enter MACDUFF 1049 MACDUFF 1050 O horror, horror, horror! Tongue nor heart 1051 Cannot conceive nor name thee! 1052 MACBETH LENNOX 1053 What's the matter. 1054 MACDUFF 1055 Confusion now hath made his masterpiece! 1056 Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope 1057 The Lord's anointed temple, and stole thence 1058 The life o' the building! 1059 MACBETH 1060 What is 't you say? the life? 1061 LENNOX 1062 Mean you his majesty? 1063 MACDUFF 1064 Approach the chamber, and destroy your sight 1065 With a new Gorgon: do not bid me speak; 1066 See, and then speak yourselves. 1067 Exeunt MACBETH and LENNOX 1068 Awake, awake! 1069 Ring the alarum-bell. Murder and treason! 1070 Banquo and Donalbain! Malcolm! awake! 1071 Shake off this downy sleep, death's counterfeit, 1072 And look on death itself! up, up, and see 1073 The great doom's image! Malcolm! Banquo! 1074 As from your graves rise up, and walk like sprites, 1075 To countenance this horror! Ring the bell. 1076 Bell rings

1077 Enter LADY MACBETH 1078 LADY MACBETH 1079 What's the business, 1080 That such a hideous trumpet calls to parley 1081 The sleepers of the house? speak, speak! 1082 MACDUFF 1083 O gentle lady, 1084 'Tis not for you to hear what I can speak: 1085 The repetition, in a woman's ear, 1086 Would murder as it fell. 1087 Enter BANQUO 1088 O Banquo, Banquo, 1089 Our royal master 's murder'd! 1090 LADY MACBETH 1091 Woe, alas! 1092 What, in our house? 1093 BANQUO 1094 Too cruel any where. 1095 Dear Duff, I prithee, contradict thyself, 1096 And say it is not so. 1097 Re-enter MACBETH and LENNOX, with ROSS 1098 MACBETH 1099 Had I but died an hour before this chance, 1100 I had lived a blessed time; for, from this instant, 1101 There 's nothing serious in mortality: 1102 All is but toys: renown and grace is dead; 1103 The wine of life is drawn, and the mere lees 1104 Is left this vault to brag of. 1105 Enter MALCOLM and DONALBAIN 1106 DONALBAIN 1107 What is amiss? 1108 1109 1110 MACBETH 1111 You are, and do not know't: 1112 The spring, the head, the fountain of your blood 1113 Is stopp'd; the very source of it is stopp'd. 1114 MACDUFF 1115 Your royal father 's murder'd. 1116 MALCOLM 1117 O, by whom? 1118 LENNOX 1119 Those of his chamber, as it seem'd, had done 't: 1120 Their hands and faces were an badged with blood; 1121 So were their daggers, which unwiped we found 1122 Upon their pillows: 1123 They stared, and were distracted; no man's life 1124 Was to be trusted with them. 1125 MACBETH 1126 O, yet I do repent me of my fury, 1127 That I did kill them. 1128 MACDUFF 1129 Wherefore did you so? 1130 MACBETH 1131 Who can be wise, amazed, temperate and furious, 1132 Loyal and neutral, in a moment? No man: 1133 The expedition my violent love 1134 Outrun the pauser, reason. Here lay Duncan, 1135 His silver skin laced with his golden blood; 1136 And his gash'd stabs look'd like a breach in nature 1137 For ruin's wasteful entrance: there, the murderers, 1138 Steep'd in the colours of their trade, their daggers 1139 Unmannerly breech'd with gore: who could refrain, 1140 That had a heart to love, and in that heart 1141 Courage to make 's love kno wn? 1142 LADY MACBETH 1143 Help me hence, ho! 1144 MACDUFF 1145 Look to the lady. 1146 MALCOLM 1147 [Aside to DONALBAIN] Why do we hold our tongues, 1148 That most may claim this argument for ours? 1149 1150 DONALBAIN 1151 [Aside to MALCOLM] What should be spoken here, 1152 where our fate, 1153 Hid in an auger-hole, may rush, and seize us? 1154 Let 's away; 1155 Our tears are not yet brew'd. 1156 MALCOLM 1157 [Aside to DONALBAIN] Nor our strong sorrow 1158 Upon the foot of motion. 1159 BANQUO 1160 Look to the lady: 1161 LADY MACBETH is carried out 1162 And when we have our naked frailties hid, 1163 That suffer in exposure, let us meet, 1164 And question this most bloody piece of work, 1165 To know it further. Fears and scruples shake us: 1166 In the great hand of God I stand; and thence 1167 Against the undivulged pretence I fight 1168 Of treasonous malice. 1169 MACDUFF 1170 And so do I. 1171 ALL 1172 So all. 1173 MACBETH 1174 Let's briefly put on manly readiness, 1175 And meet i' the hall together. 1176 ALL 1177 Well contented. 1178 Exeunt all but Malcolm and Donalbain. 1179 MALCOLM 1180 What will you do? Let's not consort with them: 1181 To show an unfelt sorrow is an office 1182 Which the false man does easy. I'll to England. 1183 DONALBAIN 1184 To Ireland, I; our separated fortune 1185 Shall keep us both the safer: where we are, 1186 There's daggers in men's smiles: the near in blood, 1187 The nearer bloody. 1188 1189 MALCOLM 1190 This murderous shaft that's shot 1191 Hath not yet lighted, and our safest way 1192 Is to avoid the aim. Therefore, to horse; 1193 And let us not be dainty of leave-taking, 1194 But shift away: there's warrant in that theft 1195 Which steals itself, when there's no mercy left. 1196 Exeunt

1197 SCENE IV. Outside Macbeth's castle. 1198 Enter ROSS and an old Man 1199 Old Man 1200 Threescore and ten I can remember well: 1201 Within the volume of which time I have seen 1202 Hours dreadful and things strange; but this sore night 1203 Hath trifled former knowings. 1204 ROSS 1205 Ah, good father, 1206 Thou seest, the heavens, as troubled with man's act, 1207 Threaten his bloody stage: by the clock, 'tis day, 1208 And yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp: 1209 Is't night's predominance, or the day's shame, 1210 That darkness does the face of earth entomb, 1211 When living light should kiss it? 1212 Old Man 1213 'Tis unnatural, 1214 Even like the deed that's done. On Tuesday last, 1215 A falcon, towering in her pride of place, 1216 Was by a mousing owl hawk'd at and kill'd. 1217 ROSS 1218 And Duncan's horses--a thing most strange and certain-- 1219 Beauteous and swift, the minions of their race, 1220 Turn'd wild in nature, broke their stalls, flung out, 1221 Contending 'gainst obedience, as they would make 1222 War with mankind. 1223 Old Man 1224 'Tis said they eat each other. 1225 ROSS 1226 They did so, to the amazement of mine eyes 1227 That look'd upon't. Here comes the good Macduff. 1228 Enter MACDUFF 1229 How goes the world, sir, now? 1230 MACDUFF 1231 Why, see you not? 1232 ROSS 1233 Is't known who did this more than bloody deed? 1234 MACDUFF 1235 Those that Macbeth hath slain. 1236 ROSS 1237 Alas, the day! 1238 What good could they pretend? 1239 MACDUFF 1240 They were suborn'd: 1241 Malcolm and Donalbain, the king's two sons, 1242 Are stol'n away and fled; which puts upon them 1243 Suspicion of the deed. 1244 ROSS 1245 'Gainst nature still! 1246 Thriftless ambition, that wilt ravin up 1247 Thine own life's means! Then 'tis most like 1248 The sovereignty will fall upon Macbeth. 1249 MACDUFF 1250 He is already named, and gone to Scone 1251 To be invested. 1252 ROSS 1253 Where is Duncan's body? 1254 MACDUFF 1255 Carried to Colmekill, 1256 The sacred storehouse of his predecessors, 1257 And guardian of their bones. 1258 ROSS 1259 Will you to Scone? 1260 MACDUFF 1261 No, cousin, I'll to Fife. 1262 ROSS 1263 Well, I will thither. 1264 MACDUFF 1265 Well, may you see things well done there: adieu! 1266 Lest our old robes sit easier than our new! 1267 ROSS 1268 Farewell, father. 1269 Old Man 1270 God's benison go with you; and with those 1271 That would make good of bad, and friends of foes! 1272 Exeunt

1273 ACT III

1274 SCENE I. Forres. The palace. 1275 Enter BANQUO 1276 1277 BANQUO 1278 Thou hast it now: king, Cawdor, Glamis, all, 1279 As the weird women promised, and, I fear, 1280 Thou play'dst most foully for't: yet it was said 1281 It should not stand in thy posterity, 1282 But that myself should be the root and father 1283 Of many kings. If there come truth from them-- 1284 As upon thee, Macbeth, their speeches shine-- 1285 Why, by the verities on thee made good, 1286 May they not be my oracles as well, 1287 And set me up in hope? But hush! no more. 1288 Sennet sounded. Enter MACBETH, as king, LADY MACBETH, as queen, 1289 LENNOX, ROSS, Lords, Ladies, and Attendants 1290 MACBETH 1291 Here's our chief guest. 1292 LADY MACBETH 1293 If he had been forgotten, 1294 It had been as a gap in our great feast, 1295 And all-thing unbecoming. 1296 MACBETH 1297 To-night we hold a solemn supper sir, 1298 And I'll request your presence. 1299 BANQUO 1300 Let your highness 1301 Command upon me; to the which my duties 1302 Are with a most indissoluble tie 1303 For ever knit. 1304 MACBETH 1305 Ride you this afternoon? 1306 BANQUO 1307 Ay, my good lord. 1308 MACBETH 1309 We should have else desired your good advice, 1310 Which still hath been both grave and prosperous, 1311 In this day's council; but we'll take to-morrow. 1312 Is't far you ride? 1313 BANQUO 1314 As far, my lord, as will fill up the time 1315 'Twixt this and supper: go not my horse the better, 1316 I must become a borrower of the night 1317 For a dark hour or twain. 1318 MACBETH 1319 Fail not our feast. 1320 BANQUO 1321 My lord, I will not. 1322 MACBETH 1323 We hear, our bloody cousins are bestow'd 1324 In England and in Ireland, not confessing 1325 Their cruel parricide, filling their hearers 1326 With strange invention: but of that to-morrow, 1327 When therewithal we shall have cause of state 1328 Craving us jointly. Hie you to horse: adieu, 1329 Till you return at night. Goes Fleance with you? 1330 BANQUO 1331 Ay, my good lord: our time does call upon 's. 1332 MACBETH 1333 I wish your horses swift and sure of foot; 1334 And so I do commend you to their backs. Farewell. 1335 Exit BANQUO 1336 Let every man be master of his time 1337 Till seven at night: to make society 1338 The sweeter welcome, we will keep ourself 1339 Till supper-time alone: while then, God be with you! 1340 Exeunt all but MACBETH, and an attendant 1341 Sirrah, a word with you: attend those men 1342 Our pleasure? 1343 ATTENDANT 1344 They are, my lord, without the palace gate. 1345 MACBETH 1346 Bring them before us. 1347 Exit Attendant 1348 To be thus is nothing; 1349 But to be safely thus.--Our fears in Banquo 1350 Stick deep; and in his royalty of nature 1351 Reigns that which would be fear'd: 'tis much he dares; 1352 And, to that dauntless temper of his mind, 1353 He hath a wisdom that doth guide his valour 1354 To act in safety. There is none but he 1355 Whose being I do fear: and, under him, 1356 My Genius is rebuked; as, it is said, 1357 Mark Antony's was by Caesar. He chid the sisters 1358 When first they put the name of king upon me, 1359 And bade them speak to him: then prophet-like 1360 They hail'd him father to a line of kings: 1361 Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown, 1362 And put a barren sceptre in my gripe, 1363 Thence to be wrench'd with an unlineal hand, 1364 No son of mine succeeding. If 't be so, 1365 For Banquo's issue have I filed my mind; 1366 For them the gracious Duncan have I murder'd; 1367 Put rancours in the vessel of my peace 1368 Only for them; and mine eternal jewel 1369 Given to the common enemy of man, 1370 To make them kings, the seed of Banquo kings! 1371 Rather than so, come fate into the list. 1372 And champion me to the utterance! Who's there! 1373 Re-enter Attendant, with two Murderers 1374 Now go to the door, and stay there till we call. 1375 Exit Attendant 1376 Was it not yesterday we spoke together? 1377 First Murderer 1378 It was, so please your highness. 1379 MACBETH 1380 Well then, now 1381 Have you consider'd of my speeches? Know 1382 That it was he in the times past which held you 1383 So under fortune, which you thought had been 1384 Our innocent self: this I made good to you 1385 In our last conference, pass'd in probation with you, 1386 How you were borne in hand, how cross'd, 1387 the instruments, 1388 Who wrought with them, and all things else that might 1389 To half a soul and to a notion crazed 1390 Say 'Thus did Banquo.' 1391 First Murderer 1392 You made it known to us. 1393 MACBETH 1394 I did so, and went further, which is now 1395 Our point of second meeting. Do you find 1396 Your patience so predominant in your nature 1397 That you can let this go? Are you so gospell'd 1398 To pray for this good man and for his issue, 1399 Whose heavy hand hath bow'd you to the grave 1400 And beggar'd yours for ever? 1401 First Murderer 1402 We are men, my liege. 1403 MACBETH 1404 Ay, in the catalogue ye go for men; 1405 As hounds and greyhounds, mongrels, spaniels, curs, 1406 Shoughs, water-rugs and demi-wolves, are clept 1407 All by the name of dogs: the valued file 1408 Distinguishes the swift, the slow, the subtle, 1409 The housekeeper, the hunter, every one 1410 According to the gift which bounteous nature 1411 Hath in him closed; whereby he does receive 1412 Particular addition. from the bill 1413 That writes them all alike: and so of men. 1414 Now, if you have a station in the file, 1415 Not i' the worst rank of manhood, say 't; 1416 And I will put that business in your bosoms, 1417 Whose execution takes your enemy off, 1418 Grapples you to the heart and love of us, 1419 Who wear our health but sickly in his life, 1420 Which in his death were perfect. 1421 Second Murderer 1422 I am one, my liege, 1423 Whom the vile blows and buffets of the world 1424 Have so incensed that I am reckless what 1425 I do to spite the world. 1426 First Murderer 1427 And I another 1428 So weary with disasters, tugg'd with fortune, 1429 That I would set my lie on any chance, 1430 To mend it, or be rid on't. 1431 MACBETH 1432 Both of you 1433 Know Banquo was your enemy. 1434 Both Murderers 1435 True, my lord. 1436 MACBETH 1437 So is he mine; and in such bloody distance, 1438 That every minute of his being thrusts 1439 Against my near'st of life: and though I could 1440 With barefaced power sweep him from my sight 1441 And bid my will avouch it, yet I must not, 1442 For certain friends that are both his and mine, 1443 Whose loves I may not drop, but wail his fall 1444 Who I myself struck down; and thence it is, 1445 That I to your assistance do make love, 1446 Masking the business from the common eye 1447 For sundry weighty reasons. 1448 Second Murderer 1449 We shall, my lord, 1450 Perform what you command us. 1451 First Murderer 1452 Though our lives-- 1453 MACBETH 1454 Your spirits shine through you. Within this hour at most 1455 I will advise you where to plant yourselves; 1456 Acquaint you with the perfect spy o' the time, 1457 The moment on't; for't must be done to-night, 1458 And something from the palace; always thought 1459 That I require a clearness: and with him-- 1460 To leave no rubs nor botches in the work-- 1461 Fleance his son, that keeps him company, 1462 Whose absence is no less material to me 1463 Than is his father's, must embrace the fate 1464 Of that dark hour. Resolve yourselves apart: 1465 I'll come to you anon. 1466 Both Murderers 1467 We are resolved, my lord. 1468 MACBETH 1469 I'll call upon you straight: abide within. 1470 Exeunt Murderers 1471 It is concluded. Banquo, thy soul's flight, 1472 If it find heaven, must find it out to-night. 1473 Exit

1474 SCENE II. The palace. 1475 Enter LADY MACBETH and a Servant 1476 1477 LADY MACBETH 1478 Is Banquo gone from court? 1479 Servant 1480 Ay, madam, but returns again to-night. 1481 LADY MACBETH 1482 Say to the king, I would attend his leisure 1483 For a few words. 1484 Servant 1485 Madam, I will. 1486 Exit 1487 LADY MACBETH 1488 Nought's had, all's spent, 1489 Where our desire is got without content: 1490 'Tis safer to be that which we destroy 1491 Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy. 1492 Enter MACBETH 1493 How now, my lord! why do you keep alone, 1494 Of sorriest fancies your companions making, 1495 Using those thoughts which should indeed have died 1496 With them they think on? Things without all remedy 1497 Should be without regard: what's done is done. 1498 MACBETH 1499 We have scotch'd the snake, not kill'd it: 1500 She'll close and be herself, whilst our poor malice 1501 Remains in danger of her former tooth. 1502 But let the frame of things disjoint, both the 1503 worlds suffer, 1504 Ere we will eat our meal in fear and sleep 1505 In the affliction of these terrible dreams 1506 That shake us nightly: better be with the dead, 1507 Whom we, to gain our peace, have sent to peace, 1508 Than on the torture of the mind to lie 1509 In restless ecstasy. Duncan is in his grave; 1510 After life's fitful fever he sleeps well; 1511 Treason has done his worst: nor steel, nor poison, 1512 Malice domestic, foreign levy, nothing, 1513 Can touch him further. 1514 LADY MACBETH 1515 Come on; 1516 Gentle my lord, sleek o'er your rugged looks; 1517 Be bright and jovial among your guests to-night. 1518 MACBETH 1519 So shall I, love; and so, I pray, be you: 1520 Let your remembrance apply to Banquo; 1521 Present him eminence, both with eye and tongue: 1522 Unsafe the while, that we 1523 Must lave our honours in these flattering streams, 1524 And make our faces vizards to our hearts, 1525 Disguising what they are. 1526 LADY MACBETH 1527 You must leave this. 1528 MACBETH 1529 O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife! 1530 Thou know'st that Banquo, and his Fleance, lives. 1531 LADY MACBETH 1532 But in them nature's copy's not eterne. 1533 MACBETH 1534 There's comfort yet; they are assailable; 1535 Then be thou jocund: ere the bat hath flown 1536 His cloister'd flight, ere to black Hecate's summons 1537 The shard-borne beetle with his drowsy hums 1538 Hath rung night's yawning peal, there shall be done 1539 A deed of dreadful note. 1540 LADY MACBETH 1541 What's to be done? 1542 MACBETH 1543 Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, 1544 Till thou applaud the deed. Come, seeling night, 1545 Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day; 1546 And with thy bloody and invisible hand 1547 Cancel and tear to pieces that great bond 1548 Which keeps me pale! Light thickens; and the crow 1549 Makes wing to the rooky wood: 1550 Good things of day begin to droop and drowse; 1551 While night's black agents to their preys do rouse. 1552 Thou marvell'st at my words: but hold thee still; 1553 Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill. 1554 So, prithee, go with me. 1555 Exeunt

1556 SCENE III. A park near the palace. 1557 Enter three Murderers 1558 1559 First Murderer 1560 But who did bid thee join with us? 1561 Third Murderer 1562 Macbeth. 1563 Second Murderer 1564 He needs not our mistrust, since he delivers 1565 Our offices and what we have to do 1566 To the direction just. 1567 First Murderer 1568 Then stand with us. 1569 The west yet glimmers with some streaks of day: 1570 Now spurs the lated traveller apace 1571 To gain the timely inn; and near approaches 1572 The subject of our watch. 1573 Third Murderer 1574 Hark! I hear horses. 1575 BANQUO 1576 [Within] Give us a light there, ho! 1577 Second Murderer 1578 Then 'tis he: the rest 1579 That are within the note of expectation 1580 Already are i' the court. 1581 First Murderer 1582 His horses go about. 1583 Third Murderer 1584 Almost a mile: but he does usually, 1585 So all men do, from hence to the palace gate 1586 Make it their walk. 1587 Second Murderer 1588 A light, a light! 1589 Enter BANQUO, and FLEANCE with a torch 1590 Third Murderer 1591 'Tis he. 1592 First Murderer 1593 Stand to't. 1594 BANQUO 1595 It will be rain to-night. 1596 First Murderer 1597 Let it come down. 1598 They set upon BANQUO 1599 BANQUO 1600 O, treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly! 1601 Thou mayst revenge. O slave! 1602 Dies. FLEANCE escapes 1603 Third Murderer 1604 Who did strike out the light? 1605 First Murderer 1606 Wast not the way? 1607 Third Murderer 1608 There's but one down; the son is fled. 1609 Second Murderer 1610 We have lost 1611 Best half of our affair. 1612 First Murderer 1613 Well, let's away, and say how much is done. 1614 Exeunt

1615 SCENE IV. The same. Hall in the palace. 1616 A banquet prepared. Enter MACBETH, LADY MACBETH, ROSS, LENNOX, 1617 Lords, and Attendants 1618 1619 MACBETH 1620 You know your own degrees; sit down: at first 1621 And last the hearty welcome. 1622 Lords 1623 Thanks to your majesty. 1624 MACBETH 1625 Ourself will mingle with society, 1626 And play the humble host. 1627 Our hostess keeps her state, but in best time 1628 We will require her welcome. 1629 LADY MACBETH 1630 Pronounce it for me, sir, to all our friends; 1631 For my heart speaks they are welcome. 1632 First Murderer appears at the door 1633 MACBETH 1634 See, they encounter thee with their hearts' thanks. 1635 Both sides are even: here I'll sit i' the midst: 1636 Be large in mirth; anon we'll drink a measure 1637 The table round. 1638 Approaching the door 1639 There's blood on thy face. 1640 First Murderer 1641 'Tis Banquo's then. 1642 MACBETH 1643 'Tis better thee without than he within. 1644 Is he dispatch'd? 1645 First Murderer 1646 My lord, his throat is cut; that I did for him. 1647 1648 1649 1650 MACBETH 1651 Thou art the best o' the cut-throats: yet he's good 1652 That did the like for Fleance: if thou didst it, 1653 Thou art the nonpareil. 1654 First Murderer 1655 Most royal sir, 1656 Fleance is 'scaped. 1657 MACBETH 1658 Then comes my fit again: I had else been perfect, 1659 Whole as the marble, founded as the rock, 1660 As broad and general as the casing air: 1661 But now I am cabin'd, cribb'd, confined, bound in 1662 To saucy doubts and fears. But Banquo's safe? 1663 First Murderer 1664 Ay, my good lord: safe in a ditch he bides, 1665 With twenty trenched gashes on his head; 1666 The least a death to nature. 1667 MACBETH 1668 Thanks for that: 1669 There the grown serpent lies; the worm that's fled 1670 Hath nature that in time will venom breed, 1671 No teeth for the present. Get thee gone: to-morrow 1672 We'll hear, ourselves, again. 1673 Exit Murderer 1674 LADY MACBETH 1675 My royal lord, 1676 You do not give the cheer: the feast is sold 1677 That is not often vouch'd, while 'tis a-making, 1678 'Tis given with welcome: to feed were best at home; 1679 From thence the sauce to meat is ceremony; 1680 Meeting were bare without it. 1681 MACBETH 1682 Sweet remembrancer! 1683 Now, good digestion wait on appetite, 1684 And health on both! 1685 LENNOX 1686 May't please your highness sit. 1687 The GHOST OF BANQUO enters, and sits in MACBETH's place 1688 1689 MACBETH 1690 Here had we now our country's honour roof'd, 1691 Were the graced person of our Banquo present; 1692 Who may I rather challenge for unkindness 1693 Than pity for mischance! 1694 ROSS 1695 His absence, sir, 1696 Lays blame upon his promise. Please't your highness 1697 To grace us with your royal company. 1698 MACBETH 1699 The table's full. 1700 LENNOX 1701 Here is a place reserved, sir. 1702 MACBETH 1703 Where? 1704 LENNOX 1705 Here, my good lord. What is't that moves your highness? 1706 MACBETH 1707 Which of you have done this? 1708 Lords 1709 What, my good lord? 1710 MACBETH 1711 Thou canst not say I did it: never shake 1712 Thy gory locks at me. 1713 ROSS 1714 Gentlemen, rise: his highness is not well. 1715 LADY MACBETH 1716 Sit, worthy friends: my lord is often thus, 1717 And hath been from his youth: pray you, keep seat; 1718 The fit is momentary; upon a thought 1719 He will again be well: if much you note him, 1720 You shall offend him and extend his passion: 1721 Feed, and regard him not. Are you a man? 1722 MACBETH 1723 Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on that 1724 Which might appal the devil. 1725 LADY MACBETH 1726 O proper stuff! 1727 This is the very painting of your fear: 1728 This is the air-drawn dagger which, you said, 1729 Led you to Duncan. O, these flaws and starts, 1730 Impostors to true fear, would well become 1731 A woman's story at a winter's fire, 1732 Authorized by her grandam. Shame itself! 1733 Why do you make such faces? When all's done, 1734 You look but on a stool. 1735 MACBETH 1736 Prithee, see there! behold! look! lo! 1737 how say you? 1738 Why, what care I? If thou canst nod, speak too. 1739 If charnel-houses and our graves must send 1740 Those that we bury back, our monuments 1741 Shall be the maws of kites. 1742 GHOST OF BANQUO vanishes 1743 LADY MACBETH 1744 What, quite unmann'd in folly? 1745 MACBETH 1746 If I stand here, I saw him. 1747 LADY MACBETH 1748 Fie, for shame! 1749 MACBETH 1750 Blood hath been shed ere now, i' the olden time, 1751 Ere human statute purged the gentle weal; 1752 Ay, and since too, murders have been perform'd 1753 Too terrible for the ear: the times have been, 1754 That, when the brains were out, the man would die, 1755 And there an end; but now they rise again, 1756 With twenty mortal murders on their crowns, 1757 And push us from our stools: this is more strange 1758 Than such a murder is. 1759 LADY MACBETH 1760 My worthy lord, 1761 Your noble friends do lack you. 1762 MACBETH 1763 I do forget. 1764 Do not muse at me, my most worthy friends, 1765 I have a strange infirmity, which is nothing 1766 To those that know me. Come, love and health to all; 1767 Then I'll sit down. Give me some wine; fill full. 1768 I drink to the general joy o' the whole table, 1769 And to our dear friend Banquo, whom we miss; 1770 Would he were here! to all, and him, we thirst, 1771 And all to all. 1772 Lords 1773 Our duties, and the pledge. 1774 Re-enter GHOST OF BANQUO 1775 MACBETH 1776 Avaunt! and quit my sight! let the earth hide thee! 1777 Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold; 1778 Thou hast no speculation in those eyes 1779 Which thou dost glare with! 1780 LADY MACBETH 1781 Think of this, good peers, 1782 But as a thing of custom: 'tis no other; 1783 Only it spoils the pleasure of the time. 1784 MACBETH 1785 What man dare, I dare: 1786 Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear, 1787 The arm'd rhinoceros, or the Hyrcan tiger; 1788 Take any shape but that, and my firm nerves 1789 Shall never tremble: or be alive again, 1790 And dare me to the desert with thy sword; 1791 If trembling I inhabit then, protest me 1792 The baby of a girl. Hence, horrible shadow! 1793 Unreal mockery, hence! 1794 GHOST OF BANQUO vanishes 1795 Why, so: being gone, 1796 I am a man again. Pray you, sit still. 1797 LADY MACBETH 1798 You have displaced the mirth, broke the good meeting, 1799 With most admired disorder. 1800 MACBETH 1801 Can such things be, 1802 And overcome us like a summer's cloud, 1803 Without our special wonder? You make me strange 1804 Even to the disposition that I owe, 1805 When now I think you can behold such sights, 1806 And keep the natural ruby of your cheeks, 1807 When mine is blanched with fear. 1808 ROSS 1809 What sights, my lord? 1810 LADY MACBETH 1811 I pray you, speak not; he grows worse and worse; 1812 Question enrages him. At once, good night: 1813 Stand not upon the order of your going, 1814 But go at once. 1815 LENNOX 1816 Good night; and better health 1817 Attend his majesty! 1818 LADY MACBETH 1819 A kind good night to all! 1820 Exeunt all but MACBETH and LADY MACBETH 1821 MACBETH 1822 It will have blood; they say, blood will have blood: 1823 Stones have been known to move and trees to speak; 1824 Augurs and understood relations have 1825 By magot-pies and choughs and rooks brought forth 1826 The secret'st man of blood. What is the night? 1827 LADY MACBETH 1828 Almost at odds with morning, which is which. 1829 MACBETH 1830 How say'st thou, that Macduff denies his person 1831 At our great bidding? 1832 LADY MACBETH 1833 Did you send to him, sir? 1834 MACBETH 1835 I hear it by the way; but I will send: 1836 There's not a one of them but in his house 1837 I keep a servant fee'd. I will to-morrow, 1838 And betimes I will, to the weird sisters: 1839 More shall they speak; for now I am bent to know, 1840 By the worst means, the worst. For mine own good, 1841 All causes shall give way: I am in blood 1842 Stepp'd in so far that, should I wade no more, 1843 Returning were as tedious as go o'er: 1844 Strange things I have in head, that will to hand; 1845 Which must be acted ere they may be scann'd. 1846 LADY MACBETH 1847 You lack the season of all natures, sleep. 1848 MACBETH 1849 Come, we'll to sleep. My strange and self-abuse 1850 Is the initiate fear that wants hard use: 1851 We are yet but young in deed. 1852 Exeunt

1853 SCENE V. A Heath. 1854 Thunder. Enter the three Witches meeting HECATE 1855 1856 First Witch 1857 Why, how now, Hecate! you look angerly. 1858 HECATE 1859 Have I not reason, beldams as you are, 1860 Saucy and overbold? How did you dare 1861 To trade and traffic with Macbeth 1862 In riddles and affairs of death; 1863 And I, the mistress of your charms, 1864 The close contriver of all harms, 1865 Was never call'd to bear my part, 1866 Or show the glory of our art? 1867 And, which is worse, all you have done 1868 Hath been but for a wayward son, 1869 Spiteful and wrathful, who, as others do, 1870 Loves for his own ends, not for you. 1871 But make amends now: get you gone, 1872 And at the pit of Acheron 1873 Meet me i' the morning: thither he 1874 Will come to know his destiny: 1875 Your vessels and your spells provide, 1876 Your charms and every thing beside. 1877 I am for the air; this night I'll spend 1878 Unto a dismal and a fatal end: 1879 Great business must be wrought ere noon: 1880 Upon the corner of the moon 1881 There hangs a vaporous drop profound; 1882 I'll catch it ere it come to ground: 1883 And that distill'd by magic sleights 1884 Shall raise such artificial sprites 1885 As by the strength of their illusion 1886 Shall draw him on to his confusion: 1887 He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear 1888 He hopes 'bove wisdom, grace and fear: 1889 And you all know, security 1890 Is mortals' chiefest enemy. 1891 Music and a song within: 'Come away, come away,' & c 1892 Hark! I am call'd; my little spirit, see, 1893 Sits in a foggy cloud, and stays for me. 1894 Exit 1895 First Witch 1896 Come, let's make haste; she'll soon be back again. 1897 Exeunt

1898 SCENE VI. Forres. The palace. 1899 Enter LENNOX and another Lord 1900 1901 LENNOX 1902 My former speeches have but hit your thoughts, 1903 Which can interpret further: only, I say, 1904 Things have been strangely borne. The 1905 gracious Duncan 1906 Was pitied of Macbeth: marry, he was dead: 1907 And the right-valiant Banquo walk'd too late; 1908 Whom, you may say, if't please you, Fleance kill'd, 1909 For Fleance fled: men must not walk too late. 1910 Who cannot want the thought how monstrous 1911 It was for Malcolm and for Donalbain 1912 To kill their gracious father? damned fact! 1913 How it did grieve Macbeth! did he not straight 1914 In pious rage the two delinquents tear, 1915 That were the slaves of drink and thralls of sleep? 1916 Was not that nobly done? Ay, and wisely too; 1917 For 'twould have anger'd any heart alive 1918 To hear the men deny't. So that, I say, 1919 He has borne all things well: and I do think 1920 That had he Duncan's sons under his key-- 1921 As, an't please heaven, he shall not--they 1922 should find 1923 What 'twere to kill a father; so should Fleance. 1924 But, peace! for from broad words and 'cause he fail'd 1925 His presence at the tyrant's feast, I hear 1926 Macduff lives in disgrace: sir, can you tell 1927 Where he bestows himself? 1928 Lord 1929 The son of Duncan, 1930 From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth 1931 Lives in the English court, and is received 1932 Of the most pious Edward with such grace 1933 That the malevolence of fortune nothing 1934 Takes from his high respect: thither Macduff 1935 Is gone to pray the holy king, upon his aid 1936 To wake Northumberland and warlike Siward: 1937 That, by the help of these--with Him above 1938 To ratify the work--we may again 1939 Give to our tables meat, sleep to our nights, 1940 Free from our feasts and banquets bloody knives, 1941 Do faithful homage and receive free honours: 1942 All which we pine for now: and this report 1943 Hath so exasperate the king that he 1944 Prepares for some attempt of war. 1945 LENNOX 1946 Sent he to Macduff? 1947 Lord 1948 He did: and with an absolute 'Sir, not I,' 1949 The cloudy messenger turns me his back, 1950 And hums, as who should say 'You'll rue the time 1951 That clogs me with this answer.' 1952 LENNOX 1953 And that well might 1954 Advise him to a caution, to hold what distance 1955 His wisdom can provide. Some holy angel 1956 Fly to the court of England and unfold 1957 His message ere he come, that a swift blessing 1958 May soon return to this our suffering country 1959 Under a hand accursed! 1960 Lord 1961 I'll send my prayers with him. 1962 Exeunt

1963 ACT IV

1964 SCENE I. A cavern. In the middle, a boiling cauldron. 1965 Thunder. Enter the three Witches 1966 1967 First Witch 1968 Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd. 1969 Second Witch 1970 Thrice and once the hedge-pig whined. 1971 Third Witch 1972 Harpier cries 'Tis time, 'tis time. 1973 First Witch 1974 Round about the cauldron go; 1975 In the poison'd entrails throw. 1976 Toad, that under cold stone 1977 Days and nights has thirty-one 1978 Swelter'd venom sleeping got, 1979 Boil thou first i' the charmed pot. 1980 ALL 1981 Double, double toil and trouble; 1982 Fire burn, and cauldron bubble. 1983 Second Witch 1984 Fillet of a fenny snake, 1985 In the cauldron boil and bake; 1986 Eye of newt and toe of frog, 1987 Wool of bat and tongue of dog, 1988 Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting, 1989 Lizard's leg and owlet's wing, 1990 For a charm of powerful trouble, 1991 Like a hell-broth boil and bubble. 1992 ALL 1993 Double, double toil and trouble; 1994 Fire burn and cauldron bubble. 1995 Third Witch 1996 Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf, 1997 Witches' mummy, maw and gulf 1998 Of the ravin'd salt-sea shark, 1999 Root of hemlock digg'd i' the dark, 2000 Liver of blaspheming Jew, 2001 Gall of goat, and slips of yew 2002 Silver'd in the moon's eclipse, 2003 Nose of Turk and Tartar's lips, 2004 Finger of birth-strangled babe 2005 Ditch-deliver'd by a drab, 2006 Make the gruel thick and slab: 2007 Add thereto a tiger's chaudron, 2008 For the ingredients of our cauldron. 2009 ALL 2010 Double, double toil and trouble; 2011 Fire burn and cauldron bubble. 2012 Second Witch 2013 Cool it with a baboon's blood, 2014 Then the charm is firm and good. 2015 Enter HECATE to the other three Witches 2016 HECATE 2017 O well done! I commend your pains; 2018 And every one shall share i' the gains; 2019 And now about the cauldron sing, 2020 Live elves and fairies in a ring, 2021 Enchanting all that you put in. 2022 Music and a song: 'Black spirits,' & c

2023 HECATE retires 2024 Second Witch 2025 By the pricking of my thumbs, 2026 Something wicked this way comes. 2027 Open, locks, 2028 Whoever knocks! 2029 Enter MACBETH 2030 MACBETH 2031 How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags! 2032 What is't you do? 2033 ALL 2034 A deed without a name. 2035 MACBETH 2036 I conjure you, by that which you profess, 2037 Howe'er you come to know it, answer me: 2038 Though you untie the winds and let them fight 2039 Against the churches; though the yesty waves 2040 Confound and swallow navigation up; 2041 Though bladed corn be lodged and trees blown down; 2042 Though castles topple on their warders' heads; 2043 Though palaces and pyramids do slope 2044 Their heads to their foundations; though the treasure 2045 Of nature's germens tumble all together, 2046 Even till destruction sicken; answer me 2047 To what I ask you. 2048 First Witch 2049 Speak. 2050 Second Witch 2051 Demand. 2052 Third Witch 2053 We'll answer. 2054 First Witch 2055 Say, if thou'dst rather hear it from our mouths, 2056 Or from our masters? 2057 MACBETH 2058 Call 'em; let me see 'em. 2059 First Witch 2060 Pour in sow's blood, that hath eaten 2061 Her nine farrow; grease that's sweaten 2062 From the murderer's gibbet throw 2063 Into the flame. 2064 ALL 2065 Come, high or low; 2066 Thyself and office deftly show! 2067 Thunder. First Apparition: an armed Head 2068 MACBETH 2069 Tell me, thou unknown power,-- 2070 First Witch 2071 He knows thy thought: 2072 Hear his speech, but say thou nought. 2073 2074 First Apparition 2075 Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! beware Macduff; 2076 Beware the thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough. 2077 Descends 2078 MACBETH 2079 Whate'er thou art, for thy good caution, thanks; 2080 Thou hast harp'd my fear aright: but one 2081 word more,-- 2082 First Witch 2083 He will not be commanded: here's another, 2084 More potent than the first. 2085 Thunder. Second Apparition: A bloody Child 2086 Second Apparition 2087 Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! 2088 MACBETH 2089 Had I three ears, I'ld hear thee. 2090 Second Apparition 2091 Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn 2092 The power of man, for none of woman born 2093 Shall harm Macbeth. 2094 Descends 2095 MACBETH 2096 Then live, Macduff: what need I fear of thee? 2097 But yet I'll make assurance double sure, 2098 And take a bond of fate: thou shalt not live; 2099 That I may tell pale-hearted fear it lies, 2100 And sleep in spite of thunder. 2101 Thunder. Third Apparition: a Child crowned, with a tree in his hand 2102 What is this 2103 That rises like the issue of a king, 2104 And wears upon his baby-brow the round 2105 And top of sovereignty? 2106 ALL 2107 Listen, but speak not to't. 2108 Third Apparition 2109 Be lion-mettled, proud; and take no care 2110 Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are: 2111 Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be until 2112 Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill 2113 Shall come against him. 2114 Descends 2115 MACBETH 2116 That will never be 2117 Who can impress the forest, bid the tree 2118 Unfix his earth-bound root? Sweet bodements! good! 2119 Rebellion's head, rise never till the wood 2120 Of Birnam rise, and our high-placed Macbeth 2121 Shall live the lease of nature, pay his breath 2122 To time and mortal custom. Yet my heart 2123 Throbs to know one thing: tell me, if your art 2124 Can tell so much: shall Banquo's issue ever 2125 Reign in this kingdom? 2126 ALL 2127 Seek to know no more. 2128 MACBETH 2129 I will be satisfied: deny me this, 2130 And an eternal curse fall on you! Let me know. 2131 Why sinks that cauldron? and what noise is this? 2132 Hautboys 2133 First Witch 2134 Show! 2135 Second Witch 2136 Show! 2137 Third Witch 2138 Show! 2139 ALL 2140 Show his eyes, and grieve his heart; 2141 Come like shadows, so depart! 2142 A show of Eight Kings, the last with a glass in his hand; GHOST OF 2143 BANQUO following 2144 MACBETH 2145 Thou art too like the spirit of Banquo: down! 2146 Thy crown does sear mine eye-balls. And thy hair, 2147 Thou other gold-bound brow, is like the first. 2148 A third is like the former. Filthy hags! 2149 Why do you show me this? A fourth! Start, eyes! 2150 What, will the line stretch out to the crack of doom? 2151 Another yet! A seventh! I'll see no more: 2152 And yet the eighth appears, who bears a glass 2153 Which shows me many more; and some I see 2154 That two-fold balls and treble scepters carry: 2155 Horrible sight! Now, I see, 'tis true; 2156 For the blood-bolter'd Banquo smiles upon me, 2157 And points at them for his. 2158 Apparitions vanish 2159 What, is this so? 2160 First Witch 2161 Ay, sir, all this is so: but why 2162 Stands Macbeth thus amazedly? 2163 Come, sisters, cheer we up his sprites, 2164 And show the best of our delights: 2165 I'll charm the air to give a sound, 2166 While you perform your antic round: 2167 That this great king may kindly say, 2168 Our duties did his welcome pay. 2169 Music. The witches dance and then vanish, with HECATE 2170 MACBETH 2171 Where are they? Gone? Let this pernicious hour 2172 Stand aye accursed in the calendar! 2173 Come in, without there! 2174 Enter LENNOX 2175 LENNOX 2176 What's your grace's will? 2177 MACBETH 2178 Saw you the weird sisters? 2179 LENNOX 2180 No, my lord. 2181 MACBETH 2182 Came they not by you? 2183 LENNOX 2184 No, indeed, my lord. 2185 2186 2187 MACBETH 2188 Infected be the air whereon they ride; 2189 And damn'd all those that trust them! I did hear 2190 The galloping of horse: who was't came by? 2191 LENNOX 2192 'Tis two or three, my lord, that bring you word 2193 Macduff is fled to England. 2194 MACBETH 2195 Fled to England! 2196 LENNOX 2197 Ay, my good lord. 2198 MACBETH 2199 Time, thou anticipatest my dread exploits: 2200 The flighty purpose never is o'ertook 2201 Unless the deed go with it; from this moment 2202 The very firstlings of my heart shall be 2203 The firstlings of my hand. And even now, 2204 To crown my thoughts with acts, be it thought and done: 2205 The castle of Macduff I will surprise; 2206 Seize upon Fife; give to the edge o' the sword 2207 His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls 2208 That trace him in his line. No boasting like a fool; 2209 This deed I'll do before this purpose cool. 2210 But no more sights!--Where are these gentlemen? 2211 Come, bring me where they are. 2212 Exeunt

2213 SCENE II. Fife. Macduff's castle. 2214 Enter LADY MACDUFF, her Son, and ROSS 2215 2216 LADY MACDUFF 2217 What had he done, to make him fly the land? 2218 ROSS 2219 You must have patience, madam. 2220 LADY MACDUFF 2221 He had none: 2222 His flight was madness: when our actions do not, 2223 Our fears do make us traitors. 2224 2225 2226 ROSS 2227 You know not 2228 Whether it was his wisdom or his fear. 2229 LADY MACDUFF 2230 Wisdom! to leave his wife, to leave his babes, 2231 His mansion and his titles in a place 2232 From whence himself does fly? He loves us not; 2233 He wants the natural touch: for the poor wren, 2234 The most diminutive of birds, will fight, 2235 Her young ones in her nest, against the owl. 2236 All is the fear and nothing is the love; 2237 As little is the wisdom, where the flight 2238 So runs against all reason. 2239 ROSS 2240 My dearest coz, 2241 I pray you, school yourself: but for your husband, 2242 He is noble, wise, judicious, and best knows 2243 The fits o' the season. I dare not speak 2244 much further; 2245 But cruel are the times, when we are traitors 2246 And do not know ourselves, when we hold rumour 2247 From what we fear, yet know not what we fear, 2248 But float upon a wild and violent sea 2249 Each way and move. I take my leave of you: 2250 Shall not be long but I'll be here again: 2251 Things at the worst will cease, or else climb upward 2252 To what they were before. My pretty cousin, 2253 Blessing upon you! 2254 LADY MACDUFF 2255 Father'd he is, and yet he's fatherless. 2256 ROSS 2257 I am so much a fool, should I stay longer, 2258 It would be my disgrace and your discomfort: 2259 I take my leave at once. 2260 Exit 2261 LADY MACDUFF 2262 Sirrah, your father's dead; 2263 And what will you do now? How will you live? 2264 2265 Son 2266 As birds do, mother. 2267 LADY MACDUFF 2268 What, with worms and flies? 2269 Son 2270 With what I get, I mean; and so do they. 2271 LADY MACDUFF 2272 Poor bird! thou'ldst never fear the net nor lime, 2273 The pitfall nor the gin. 2274 Son 2275 Why should I, mother? Poor birds they are not set for. 2276 My father is not dead, for all your saying. 2277 LADY MACDUFF 2278 Yes, he is dead; how wilt thou do for a father? 2279 Son 2280 Nay, how will you do for a husband? 2281 LADY MACDUFF 2282 Why, I can buy me twenty at any market. 2283 Son 2284 Then you'll buy 'em to sell again. 2285 LADY MACDUFF 2286 Thou speak'st with all thy wit: and yet, i' faith, 2287 With wit enough for thee. 2288 Son 2289 Was my father a traitor, mother? 2290 LADY MACDUFF 2291 Ay, that he was. 2292 Son 2293 What is a traitor? 2294 LADY MACDUFF 2295 Why, one that swears and lies. 2296 Son 2297 And be all traitors that do so? 2298 LADY MACDUFF 2299 Every one that does so is a traitor, and must be hanged. 2300 Son 2301 And must they all be hanged that swear and lie? 2302 LADY MACDUFF 2303 Every one. 2304 2305 Son 2306 Who must hang them? 2307 LADY MACDUFF 2308 Why, the honest men. 2309 Son 2310 Then the liars and swearers are fools, 2311 for there are liars and swearers enow to beat 2312 the honest men and hang up them. 2313 LADY MACDUFF 2314 Now, God help thee, poor monkey! 2315 But how wilt thou do for a father? 2316 Son 2317 If he were dead, you'ld weep for 2318 him: if you would not, it were a good sign 2319 that I should quickly have a new father. 2320 LADY MACDUFF 2321 Poor prattler, how thou talk'st! 2322 Enter a Messenger 2323 Messenger 2324 Bless you, fair dame! I am not to you known, 2325 Though in your state of honour I am perfect. 2326 I doubt some danger does approach you nearly: 2327 If you will take a homely man's advice, 2328 Be not found here; hence, with your little ones. 2329 To fright you thus, methinks, I am too savage; 2330 To do worse to you were fell cruelty, 2331 Which is too nigh your person. Heaven preserve you! 2332 I dare abide no longer. 2333 Exit 2334 LADY MACDUFF 2335 Whither should I fly? 2336 I have done no harm. But I remember now 2337 I am in this earthly world; where to do harm 2338 Is often laudable, to do good sometime 2339 Accounted dangerous folly: why then, alas, 2340 Do I put up that womanly defence, 2341 To say I have done no harm? 2342 Enter Murderers 2343 What are these faces? 2344 First Murderer 2345 Where is your husband? 2346 LADY MACDUFF 2347 I hope, in no place so unsanctified 2348 Where such as thou mayst find him. 2349 First Murderer 2350 He's a traitor. 2351 Son 2352 Thou liest, thou shag-hair'd villain! 2353 First Murderer 2354 What, you egg! 2355 Stabbing him 2356 Young fry of treachery! 2357 Son 2358 He has kill'd me, mother: 2359 Run away, I pray you! 2360 Dies

2361 Exit LADY MACDUFF, crying 'Murder!' Exeunt Murderers, following her

2362 SCENE III. England. Before the King's palace. 2363 Enter MALCOLM and MACDUFF 2364 2365 MALCOLM 2366 Let us seek out some desolate shade, and there 2367 Weep our sad bosoms empty. 2368 MACDUFF 2369 Let us rather 2370 Hold fast the mortal sword, and like good men 2371 Bestride our down-fall'n birthdom: each new morn 2372 New widows howl, new orphans cry, new sorrows 2373 Strike heaven on the face, that it resounds 2374 As if it felt with Scotland and yell'd out 2375 Like syllable of dolour. 2376 MALCOLM 2377 What I believe I'll wail, 2378 What know believe, and what I can redress, 2379 As I shall find the time to friend, I will. 2380 What you have spoke, it may be so perchance. 2381 This tyrant, whose sole name blisters our tongues, 2382 Was once thought honest: you have loved him well. 2383 He hath not touch'd you yet. I am young; 2384 but something 2385 You may deserve of him through me, and wisdom 2386 To offer up a weak poor innocent lamb 2387 To appease an angry god. 2388 MACDUFF 2389 I am not treacherous. 2390 MALCOLM 2391 But Macbeth is. 2392 A good and virtuous nature may recoil 2393 In an imperial charge. But I shall crave 2394 your pardon; 2395 That which you are my thoughts cannot transpose: 2396 Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell; 2397 Though all things foul would wear the brows of grace, 2398 Yet grace must still look so. 2399 MACDUFF 2400 I have lost my hopes. 2401 MALCOLM 2402 Perchance even there where I did find my doubts. 2403 Why in that rawness left you wife and child, 2404 Those precious motives, those strong knots of love, 2405 Without leave-taking? I pray you, 2406 Let not my jealousies be your dishonours, 2407 But mine own safeties. You may be rightly just, 2408 Whatever I shall think. 2409 MACDUFF 2410 Bleed, bleed, poor country! 2411 Great tyranny! lay thou thy basis sure, 2412 For goodness dare not cheque thee: wear thou 2413 thy wrongs; 2414 The title is affeer'd! Fare thee well, lord: 2415 I would not be the villain that thou think'st 2416 For the whole space that's in the tyrant's grasp, 2417 And the rich East to boot. 2418 2419 2420 MALCOLM 2421 Be not offended: 2422 I speak not as in absolute fear of you. 2423 I think our country sinks beneath the yoke; 2424 It weeps, it bleeds; and each new day a gash 2425 Is added to her wounds: I think withal 2426 There would be hands uplifted in my right; 2427 And here from gracious England have I offer 2428 Of goodly thousands: but, for all this, 2429 When I shall tread upon the tyrant's head, 2430 Or wear it on my sword, yet my poor country 2431 Shall have more vices than it had before, 2432 More suffer and more sundry ways than ever, 2433 By him that shall succeed. 2434 MACDUFF 2435 What should he be? 2436 MALCOLM 2437 It is myself I mean: in whom I know 2438 All the particulars of vice so grafted 2439 That, when they shall be open'd, black Macbeth 2440 Will seem as pure as snow, and the poor state 2441 Esteem him as a lamb, being compared 2442 With my confineless harms. 2443 MACDUFF 2444 Not in the legions 2445 Of horrid hell can come a devil more damn'd 2446 In evils to top Macbeth. 2447 MALCOLM 2448 I grant him bloody, 2449 Luxurious, avaricious, false, deceitful, 2450 Sudden, malicious, smacking of every sin 2451 That has a name: but there's no bottom, none, 2452 In my voluptuousness: your wives, your daughters, 2453 Your matrons and your maids, could not fill up 2454 The cistern of my lust, and my desire 2455 All continent impediments would o'erbear 2456 That did oppose my will: better Macbeth 2457 Than such an one to reign. 2458 2459 2460 MACDUFF 2461 Boundless intemperance 2462 In nature is a tyranny; it hath been 2463 The untimely emptying of the happy throne 2464 And fall of many kings. But fear not yet 2465 To take upon you what is yours: you may 2466 Convey your pleasures in a spacious plenty, 2467 And yet seem cold, the time you may so hoodwink. 2468 We have willing dames enough: there cannot be 2469 That vulture in you, to devour so many 2470 As will to greatness dedicate themselves, 2471 Finding it so inclined. 2472 MALCOLM 2473 With this there grows 2474 In my most ill-composed affection such 2475 A stanchless avarice that, were I king, 2476 I should cut off the nobles for their lands, 2477 Desire his jewels and this other's house: 2478 And my more-having would be as a sauce 2479 To make me hunger more; that I should forge 2480 Quarrels unjust against the good and loyal, 2481 Destroying them for wealth. 2482 MACDUFF 2483 This avarice 2484 Sticks deeper, grows with more pernicious root 2485 Than summer-seeming lust, and it hath been 2486 The sword of our slain kings: yet do not fear; 2487 Scotland hath foisons to fill up your will. 2488 Of your mere own: all these are portable, 2489 With other graces weigh'd. 2490 MALCOLM 2491 But I have none: the king-becoming graces, 2492 As justice, verity, temperance, stableness, 2493 Bounty, perseverance, mercy, lowliness, 2494 Devotion, patience, courage, fortitude, 2495 I have no relish of them, but abound 2496 In the division of each several crime, 2497 Acting it many ways. Nay, had I power, I should 2498 Pour the sweet milk of concord into hell, 2499 Uproar the universal peace, confound 2500 All unity on earth. 2501 MACDUFF 2502 O Scotland, Scotland! 2503 MALCOLM 2504 If such a one be fit to govern, speak: 2505 I am as I have spoken. 2506 MACDUFF 2507 Fit to govern! 2508 No, not to live. O nation miserable, 2509 With an untitled tyrant bloody-scepter'd, 2510 When shalt thou see thy wholesome days again, 2511 Since that the truest issue of thy throne 2512 By his own interdiction stands accursed, 2513 And does blaspheme his breed? Thy royal father 2514 Was a most sainted king: the queen that bore thee, 2515 Oftener upon her knees than on her feet, 2516 Died every day she lived. Fare thee well! 2517 These evils thou repeat'st upon thyself 2518 Have banish'd me from Scotland. O my breast, 2519 Thy hope ends here! 2520 MALCOLM 2521 Macduff, this noble passion, 2522 Child of integrity, hath from my soul 2523 Wiped the black scruples, reconciled my thoughts 2524 To thy good truth and honour. Devilish Macbeth 2525 By many of these trains hath sought to win me 2526 Into his power, and modest wisdom plucks me 2527 From over-credulous haste: but God above 2528 Deal between thee and me! for even now 2529 I put myself to thy direction, and 2530 Unspeak mine own detraction, here abjure 2531 The taints and blames I laid upon myself, 2532 For strangers to my nature. I am yet 2533 Unknown to woman, never was forsworn, 2534 Scarcely have coveted what was mine own, 2535 At no time broke my faith, would not betray 2536 The devil to his fellow and delight 2537 No less in truth than life: my first false speaking 2538 Was this upon myself: what I am truly, 2539 Is thine and my poor country's to command: 2540 Whither indeed, before thy here-approach, 2541 Old Siward, with ten thousand warlike men, 2542 Already at a point, was setting forth. 2543 Now we'll together; and the chance of goodness 2544 Be like our warranted quarrel! Why are you silent? 2545 MACDUFF 2546 Such welcome and unwelcome things at once 2547 ' Tis hard to reconcile. 2548 Enter a Doctor 2549 MALCOLM 2550 Well; more anon.--Comes the king forth, I pray you? 2551 Doctor 2552 Ay, sir; there are a crew of wretched souls 2553 That stay his cure: their malady convinces 2554 The great assay of art; but at his touch-- 2555 Such sanctity hath heaven given his hand-- 2556 They presently amend. 2557 MALCOLM 2558 I thank you, doctor. 2559 Exit Doctor 2560 MACDUFF 2561 What's the disease he means? 2562 MALCOLM 2563 'Tis call'd the evil: 2564 A most miraculous work in this good king; 2565 Which often, since my here-remain in England, 2566 I have seen him do. How he solicits heaven, 2567 Himself best knows: but strangely-visited people, 2568 All swoln and ulcerous, pitiful to the eye, 2569 The mere despair of surgery, he cures, 2570 Hanging a golden stamp about their necks, 2571 Put on with holy prayers: and 'tis spoken, 2572 To the succeeding royalty he leaves 2573 The healing benediction. With this strange virtue, 2574 He hath a heavenly gift of prophecy, 2575 And sundry blessings hang about his throne, 2576 That speak him full of grace. 2577 Enter ROSS 2578 MACDUFF 2579 See, who comes here? 2580 MALCOLM 2581 My countryman; but yet I know him not. 2582 MACDUFF 2583 My ever-gentle cousin, welcome hither. 2584 MALCOLM 2585 I know him now. Good God, betimes remove 2586 The means that makes us strangers! 2587 ROSS 2588 Sir, amen. 2589 MACDUFF 2590 Stands Scotland where it did? 2591 ROSS 2592 Alas, poor country! 2593 Almost afraid to know itself. It cannot 2594 Be call'd our mother, but our grave; where nothing, 2595 But who knows nothing, is once seen to smile; 2596 Where sighs and groans and shrieks that rend the air 2597 Are made, not mark'd; where violent sorrow seems 2598 A modern ecstasy; the dead man's knell 2599 Is there scarce ask'd for who; and good men's lives 2600 Expire before the flowers in their caps, 2601 Dying or ere they sicken. 2602 MACDUFF 2603 O, relation 2604 Too nice, and yet too true! 2605 MALCOLM 2606 What's the newest grief? 2607 ROSS 2608 That of an hour's age doth hiss the speaker: 2609 Each minute teems a new one. 2610 MACDUFF 2611 How does my wife? 2612 ROSS 2613 Why, well. 2614 MACDUFF 2615 And all my children? 2616 ROSS 2617 Well too. 2618 MACDUFF 2619 The tyrant has not batter'd at their peace? 2620 ROSS 2621 No; they were well at peace when I did leave 'em. 2622 MACDUFF 2623 But not a niggard of your speech: how goes't? 2624 ROSS 2625 When I came hither to transport the tidings, 2626 Which I have heavily borne, there ran a rumour 2627 Of many worthy fellows that were out; 2628 Which was to my belief witness'd the rather, 2629 For that I saw the tyrant's power a-foot: 2630 Now is the time of help; your eye in Scotland 2631 Would create soldiers, make our women fight, 2632 To doff their dire distresses. 2633 MALCOLM 2634 Be't their comfort 2635 We are coming thither: gracious England hath 2636 Lent us good Siward and ten thousand men; 2637 An older and a better soldier none 2638 That Christendom gives out. 2639 ROSS 2640 Would I could answer 2641 This comfort with the like! But I have words 2642 That would be howl'd out in the desert air, 2643 Where hearing should not latch them. 2644 MACDUFF 2645 What concern they? 2646 The general cause? or is it a fee-grief 2647 Due to some single breast? 2648 ROSS 2649 No mind that's honest 2650 But in it shares some woe; though the main part 2651 Pertains to you alone. 2652 MACDUFF 2653 If it be mine, 2654 Keep it not from me, quickly let me have it. 2655 2656 ROSS 2657 Let not your ears despise my tongue for ever, 2658 Which shall possess them with the heaviest sound 2659 That ever yet they heard. 2660 MACDUFF 2661 Hum! I guess at it. 2662 ROSS 2663 Your castle is surprised; your wife and babes 2664 Savagely slaughter'd: to relate the manner, 2665 Were, on the quarry of these murder'd deer, 2666 To add the death of you. 2667 MALCOLM 2668 Merciful heaven! 2669 What, man! ne'er pull your hat upon your brows; 2670 Give sorrow words: the grief that does not speak 2671 Whispers the o'er-fraught heart and bids it break. 2672 MACDUFF 2673 My children too? 2674 ROSS 2675 Wife, children, servants, all 2676 That could be found. 2677 MACDUFF 2678 And I must be from thence! 2679 My wife kill'd too? 2680 ROSS 2681 I have said. 2682 MALCOLM 2683 Be comforted: 2684 Let's make us medicines of our great revenge, 2685 To cure this deadly grief. 2686 MACDUFF 2687 He has no children. All my pretty ones? 2688 Did you say all? O hell-kite! All? 2689 What, all my pretty chickens and their dam 2690 At one fell swoop? 2691 MALCOLM 2692 Dispute it like a man. 2693 MACDUFF 2694 I shall do so; 2695 But I must also feel it as a man: 2696 I cannot but remember such things were, 2697 That were most precious to me. Did heaven look on, 2698 And would not take their part? Sinful Macduff, 2699 They were all struck for thee! naught that I am, 2700 Not for their own demerits, but for mine, 2701 Fell slaughter on their souls. Heaven rest them now! 2702 MALCOLM 2703 Be this the whetstone of your sword: let grief 2704 Convert to anger; blunt not the heart, enrage it. 2705 MACDUFF 2706 O, I could play the woman with mine eyes 2707 And braggart with my tongue! But, gentle heavens, 2708 Cut short all intermission; front to front 2709 Bring thou this fiend of Scotland and myself; 2710 Within my sword's length set him; if he 'scape, 2711 Heaven forgive him too! 2712 MALCOLM 2713 This tune goes manly. 2714 Come, go we to the king; our power is ready; 2715 Our lack is nothing but our leave; Macbeth 2716 Is ripe for shaking, and the powers above 2717 Put on their instruments. Receive what cheer you may: 2718 The night is long that never finds the day. 2719 Exeunt

2720 ACT V

2721 SCENE I. Dunsinane. Ante-room in the castle. 2722 Enter a Doctor of Physic and a Waiting-Gentlewoman 2723 2724 Doctor 2725 I have two nights watched with you, but can perceive 2726 no truth in your report. When was it she last walked? 2727 Gentlewoman 2728 Since his majesty went into the field, I have seen 2729 her rise from her bed, throw her night-gown upon 2730 her, unlock her closet, take forth paper, fold it, 2731 write upon't, read it, afterwards seal it, and again 2732 return to bed; yet all this while in a most fast sleep. 2733 2734 Doctor 2735 A great perturbation in nature, to receive at once 2736 the benefit of sleep, and do the effects of 2737 watching! In this slumbery agitation, besides her 2738 walking and other actual performances, what, at any 2739 time, have you heard her say? 2740 Gentlewoman 2741 That, sir, which I will not report after her. 2742 Doctor 2743 You may to me: and 'tis most meet you should. 2744 Gentlewoman 2745 Neither to you nor any one; having no witness to 2746 confirm my speech. 2747 Enter LADY MACBETH, with a taper 2748 Lo you, here she comes! This is her very guise; 2749 and, upon my life, fast asleep. Observe her; stand close. 2750 Doctor 2751 How came she by that light? 2752 Gentlewoman 2753 Why, it stood by her: she has light by her 2754 continually; 'tis her command. 2755 Doctor 2756 You see, her eyes are open. 2757 Gentlewoman 2758 Ay, but their sense is shut. 2759 Doctor 2760 What is it she does now? Look, how she rubs her hands. 2761 Gentlewoman 2762 It is an accustomed action with her, to seem thus 2763 washing her hands: I have known her continue in 2764 this a quarter of an hour. 2765 LADY MACBETH 2766 Yet here's a spot. 2767 Doctor 2768 Hark! she speaks: I will set down what comes from 2769 her, to satisfy my remembrance the more strongly. 2770 LADY MACBETH 2771 Out, damned spot! out, I say!--One: two: why, 2772 then, 'tis time to do't.--Hell is murky!--Fie, my 2773 lord, fie! a soldier, and afeard? What need we 2774 fear who knows it, when none can call our power to 2775 account?--Yet who would have thought the old man 2776 to have had so much blood in him. 2777 Doctor 2778 Do you mark that? 2779 LADY MACBETH 2780 The thane of Fife had a wife: where is she now?-- 2781 What, will these hands ne'er be clean?--No more o' 2782 that, my lord, no more o' that: you mar all with 2783 this starting. 2784 Doctor 2785 Go to, go to; you have known what you should not. 2786 Gentlewoman 2787 She has spoke what she should not, I am sure of 2788 that: heaven knows what she has known. 2789 LADY MACBETH 2790 Here's the smell of the blood still: all the 2791 perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little 2792 hand. Oh, oh, oh! 2793 Doctor 2794 What a sigh is there! The heart is sorely charged. 2795 Gentlewoman 2796 I would not have such a heart in my bosom for the 2797 dignity of the whole body. 2798 Doctor 2799 Well, well, well,-- 2800 Gentlewoman 2801 Pray God it be, sir. 2802 Doctor 2803 This disease is beyond my practise: yet I have known 2804 those which have walked in their sleep who have died 2805 holily in their beds. 2806 LADY MACBETH 2807 Wash your hands, put on your nightgown; look not so 2808 pale.--I tell you yet again, Banquo's buried; he 2809 cannot come out on's grave. 2810 Doctor 2811 Even so? 2812 2813 LADY MACBETH 2814 To bed, to bed! there's knocking at the gate: 2815 come, come, come, come, give me your hand. What's 2816 done cannot be undone.--To bed, to bed, to bed! 2817 Exit 2818 Doctor 2819 Will she go now to bed? 2820 Gentlewoman 2821 Directly. 2822 Doctor 2823 Foul whisperings are abroad: unnatural deeds 2824 Do breed unnatural troubles: infected minds 2825 To their deaf pillows will discharge their secrets: 2826 More needs she the divine than the physician. 2827 God, God forgive us all! Look after her; 2828 Remove from her the means of all annoyance, 2829 And still keep eyes upon her. So, good night: 2830 My mind she has mated, and amazed my sight. 2831 I think, but dare not speak. 2832 Gentlewoman 2833 Good night, good doctor. 2834 Exeunt

2835 SCENE II. The country near Dunsinane. 2836 Drum and colours. Enter MENTEITH, CAITHNESS, ANGUS, LENNOX, 2837 and Soldiers 2838 2839 MENTEITH 2840 The English power is near, led on by Malcolm, 2841 His uncle Siward and the good Macduff: 2842 Revenges burn in them; for their dear causes 2843 Would to the bleeding and the grim alarm 2844 Excite the mortified man. 2845 ANGUS 2846 Near Birnam wood 2847 Shall we well meet them; that way are they coming. 2848 CAITHNESS 2849 Who knows if Donalbain be with his brother? 2850 2851 LENNOX 2852 For certain, sir, he is not: I have a file 2853 Of all the gentry: there is Siward's son, 2854 And many unrough youths that even now 2855 Protest their first of manhood. 2856 MENTEITH 2857 What does the tyrant? 2858 CAITHNESS 2859 Great Dunsinane he strongly fortifies: 2860 Some say he's mad; others that lesser hate him 2861 Do call it valiant fury: but, for certain, 2862 He cannot buckle his distemper'd cause 2863 Within the belt of rule. 2864 ANGUS 2865 Now does he feel 2866 His secret murders sticking on his hands; 2867 Now minutely revolts upbraid his faith-breach; 2868 Those he commands move only in command, 2869 Nothing in love: now does he feel his title 2870 Hang loose about him, like a giant's robe 2871 Upon a dwarfish thief. 2872 MENTEITH 2873 Who then shall blame 2874 His pester'd senses to recoil and start, 2875 When all that is within him does condemn 2876 Itself for being there? 2877 CAITHNESS 2878 Well, march we on, 2879 To give obedience where 'tis truly owed: 2880 Meet we the medicine of the sickly weal, 2881 And with him pour we in our country's purge 2882 Each drop of us. 2883 LENNOX 2884 Or so much as it needs, 2885 To dew the sovereign flower and drown the weeds. 2886 Make we our march towards Birnam. 2887 Exeunt, marching

2888 SCENE III. Dunsinane. A room in the castle. 2889 Enter MACBETH, Doctor, and Attendants 2890 MACBETH 2891 Bring me no more reports; let them fly all: 2892 Till Birnam wood remove to Dunsinane, 2893 I cannot taint with fear. What's the boy Malcolm? 2894 Was he not born of woman? The spirits that know 2895 All mortal consequences have pronounced me thus: 2896 'Fear not, Macbeth; no man that's born of woman 2897 Shall e'er have power upon thee.' Then fly, 2898 false thanes, 2899 And mingle with the English epicures: 2900 The mind I sway by and the heart I bear 2901 Shall never sag with doubt nor shake with fear. 2902 Enter a Servant 2903 The devil damn thee black, thou cream-faced loon! 2904 Where got'st thou that goose look? 2905 Servant 2906 There is ten thousand-- 2907 MACBETH 2908 Geese, villain! 2909 Servant 2910 Soldiers, sir. 2911 MACBETH 2912 Go prick thy face, and over-red thy fear, 2913 Thou lily-liver'd boy. What soldiers, patch? 2914 Death of thy soul! those linen cheeks of thine 2915 Are counsellors to fear. What soldiers, whey-face? 2916 Servant 2917 The English force, so please you. 2918 MACBETH 2919 Take thy face hence. 2920 Exit Servant 2921 Seyton!--I am sick at heart, 2922 When I behold--Seyton, I say!--This push 2923 Will cheer me ever, or disseat me now. 2924 I have lived long enough: my way of life 2925 Is fall'n into the sear, the yellow leaf; 2926 And that which should accompany old age, 2927 As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends, 2928 I must not look to have; but, in their stead, 2929 Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honour, breath, 2930 Which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not. Seyton! 2931 Enter SEYTON 2932 SEYTON 2933 What is your gracious pleasure? 2934 MACBETH 2935 What news more? 2936 SEYTON 2937 All is confirm'd, my lord, which was reported. 2938 MACBETH 2939 I'll fight till from my bones my flesh be hack'd. 2940 Give me my armour. 2941 SEYTON 2942 'Tis not needed yet. 2943 MACBETH 2944 I'll put it on. 2945 Send out more horses; skirr the country round; 2946 Hang those that talk of fear. Give me mine armour. 2947 How does your patient, doctor? 2948 Doctor 2949 Not so sick, my lord, 2950 As she is troubled with thick coming fancies, 2951 That keep her from her rest. 2952 MACBETH 2953 Cure her of that. 2954 Canst thou not minister to a mind diseased, 2955 Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow, 2956 Raze out the written troubles of the brain 2957 And with some sweet oblivious antidote 2958 Cleanse the stuff'd bosom of that perilous stuff 2959 Which weighs upon the heart? 2960 Doctor 2961 Therein the patient 2962 Must minister to himself. 2963 MACBETH 2964 Throw physic to the dogs; I'll none of it. 2965 Come, put mine armour on; give me my staff. 2966 Seyton, send out. Doctor, the thanes fly from me. 2967 Come, sir, dispatch. If thou couldst, doctor, cast 2968 The water of my land, find her disease, 2969 And purge it to a sound and pristine health, 2970 I would applaud thee to the very echo, 2971 That should applaud again.--Pull't off, I say.-- 2972 What rhubarb, cyme, or what purgative drug, 2973 Would scour these English hence? Hear'st thou of them? 2974 Doctor 2975 Ay, my good lord; your royal preparation 2976 Makes us hear something. 2977 MACBETH 2978 Bring it after me. 2979 I will not be afraid of death and bane, 2980 Till Birnam forest come to Dunsinane. 2981 Doctor 2982 [Aside] Were I from Dunsinane away and clear, 2983 Profit again should hardly draw me here. 2984 Exeunt

2985 SCENE IV. Country near Birnam wood. 2986 Drum and colours. Enter MALCOLM, SIWARD and YOUNG SIWARD, 2987 MACDUFF, MENTEITH, CAITHNESS, ANGUS, LENNOX, ROSS, and 2988 Soldiers, marching 2989 2990 MALCOLM 2991 Cousins, I hope the days are near at hand 2992 That chambers will be safe. 2993 MENTEITH 2994 We doubt it nothing. 2995 SIWARD 2996 What wood is this before us? 2997 MENTEITH 2998 The wood of Birnam. 2999 MALCOLM 3000 Let every soldier hew him down a bough 3001 And bear't before him: thereby shall we shadow 3002 The numbers of our host and make discovery 3003 Err in report of us. 3004 Soldiers 3005 It shall be done. 3006 3007 SIWARD 3008 We learn no other but the confident tyrant 3009 Keeps still in Dunsinane, and will endure 3010 Our setting down before 't. 3011 MALCOLM 3012 'Tis his main hope: 3013 For where there is advantage to be given, 3014 Both more and less have given him the revolt, 3015 And none serve with him but constrained things 3016 Whose hearts are absent too. 3017 MACDUFF 3018 Let our just censures 3019 Attend the true event, and put we on 3020 Industrious soldiership. 3021 SIWARD 3022 The time approaches 3023 That will with due decision make us know 3024 What we shall say we have and what we owe. 3025 Thoughts speculative their unsure hopes relate, 3026 But certain issue strokes must arbitrate: 3027 Towards which advance the war. 3028 Exeunt, marching

3029 SCENE V. Dunsinane. Within the castle. 3030 Enter MACBETH, SEYTON, and Soldiers, with drum and colours 3031 3032 MACBETH 3033 Hang out our banners on the outward walls; 3034 The cry is still 'They come:' our castle's strength 3035 Will laugh a siege to scorn: here let them lie 3036 Till famine and the ague eat them up: 3037 Were they not forced with those that should be ours, 3038 We might have met them dareful, beard to beard, 3039 And beat them backward home. 3040 A cry of women within 3041 What is that noise? 3042 SEYTON 3043 It is the cry of women, my good lord. 3044 Exit 3045 MACBETH 3046 I have almost forgot the taste of fears; 3047 The time has been, my senses would have cool'd 3048 To hear a night-shriek; and my fell of hair 3049 Would at a dismal treatise rouse and stir 3050 As life were in't: I have supp'd full with horrors; 3051 Direness, familiar to my slaughterous thoughts 3052 Cannot once start me. 3053 Re-enter SEYTON 3054 Wherefore was that cry? 3055 SEYTON 3056 The queen, my lord, is dead. 3057 MACBETH 3058 She should have died hereafter; 3059 There would have been a time for such a word. 3060 To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow, 3061 Creeps in this petty pace from day to day 3062 To the last syllable of recorded time, 3063 And all our yesterdays have lighted fools 3064 The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! 3065 Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player 3066 That struts and frets his hour upon the stage 3067 And then is heard no more: it is a tale 3068 Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, 3069 Signifying nothing. 3070 Enter a Messenger 3071 Thou comest to use thy tongue; thy story quickly. 3072 Messenger 3073 Gracious my lord, 3074 I should report that which I say I saw, 3075 But know not how to do it. 3076 MACBETH 3077 Well, say, sir. 3078 Messenger 3079 As I did stand my watch upon the hill, 3080 I look'd toward Birnam, and anon, methought, 3081 The wood began to move. 3082 MACBETH 3083 Liar and slave! 3084 Messenger 3085 Let me endure your wrath, if't be not so: 3086 Within this three mile may you see it coming; 3087 I say, a moving grove. 3088 MACBETH 3089 If thou speak'st false, 3090 Upon the next tree shalt thou hang alive, 3091 Till famine cling thee: if thy speech be sooth, 3092 I care not if thou dost for me as much. 3093 I pull in resolution, and begin 3094 To doubt the equivocation of the fiend 3095 That lies like truth: 'Fear not, till Birnam wood 3096 Do come to Dunsinane:' and now a wood 3097 Comes toward Dunsinane. Arm, arm, and out! 3098 If this which he avouches does appear, 3099 There is nor flying hence nor tarrying here. 3100 I gin to be aweary of the sun, 3101 And wish the estate o' the world were now undone. 3102 Ring the alarum-bell! Blow, wind! come, wrack! 3103 At least we'll die with harness on our back. 3104 Exeunt

3105 SCENE VI. Dunsinane. Before the castle. 3106 Drum and colours. Enter MALCOLM, SIWARD, MACDUFF, and their 3107 Army, with boughs 3108 3109 MALCOLM 3110 Now near enough: your leafy screens throw down. 3111 And show like those you are. You, worthy uncle, 3112 Shall, with my cousin, your right-noble son, 3113 Lead our first battle: worthy Macduff and we 3114 Shall take upon 's what else remains to do, 3115 According to our order. 3116 SIWARD 3117 Fare you well. 3118 Do we but find the tyrant's power to-night, 3119 Let us be beaten, if we cannot fight. 3120 MACDUFF 3121 Make all our trumpets speak; give them all breath, 3122 Those clamorous harbingers of blood and death. 3123 Exeunt

3124 SCENE VII. Another part of the field. 3125 Alarums. Enter MACBETH 3126 3127 MACBETH 3128 They have tied me to a stake; I cannot fly, 3129 But, bear-like, I must fight the course. What's he 3130 That was not born of woman? Such a one 3131 Am I to fear, or none. 3132 Enter YOUNG SIWARD 3133 YOUNG SIWARD 3134 What is thy name? 3135 MACBETH 3136 Thou'lt be afraid to hear it. 3137 YOUNG SIWARD 3138 No; though thou call'st thyself a hotter name 3139 Than any is in hell. 3140 MACBETH 3141 My name's Macbeth. 3142 YOUNG SIWARD 3143 The devil himself could not pronounce a title 3144 More hateful to mine ear. 3145 MACBETH 3146 No, nor more fearful. 3147 YOUNG SIWARD 3148 Thou liest, abhorred tyrant; with my sword 3149 I'll prove the lie thou speak'st. 3150 They fight and YOUNG SIWARD is slain 3151 MACBETH 3152 Thou wast born of woman 3153 But swords I smile at, weapons laugh to scorn, 3154 Brandish'd by man that's of a woman born. 3155 Exit

3156 Alarums. Enter MACDUFF

3157 3158 3159 MACDUFF 3160 That way the noise is. Tyrant, show thy face! 3161 If thou be'st slain and with no stroke of mine, 3162 My wife and children's ghosts will haunt me still. 3163 I cannot strike at wretched kerns, whose arms 3164 Are hired to bear their staves: either thou, Macbeth, 3165 Or else my sword with an unbatter'd edge 3166 I sheathe again undeeded. There thou shouldst be; 3167 By this great clatter, one of greatest note 3168 Seems bruited. Let me find him, fortune! 3169 And more I beg not. 3170 Exit. Alarums

3171 Enter MALCOLM and SIWARD 3172 SIWARD 3173 This way, my lord; the castle's gently render'd: 3174 The tyrant's people on both sides do fight; 3175 The noble thanes do bravely in the war; 3176 The day almost itself professes yours, 3177 And little is to do. 3178 MALCOLM 3179 We have met with foes 3180 That strike beside us. 3181 SIWARD 3182 Enter, sir, the castle. 3183 Exeunt. Alarums

3184 SCENE VIII. Another part of the field. 3185 Enter MACBETH 3186 3187 MACBETH 3188 Why should I play the Roman fool, and die 3189 On mine own sword? whiles I see lives, the gashes 3190 Do better upon them. 3191 Enter MACDUFF 3192 MACDUFF 3193 Turn, hell-hound, turn! 3194 MACBETH 3195 Of all men else I have avoided thee: 3196 But get thee back; my soul is too much charged 3197 With blood of thine already. 3198 MACDUFF 3199 I have no words: 3200 My voice is in my sword: thou bloodier villain 3201 Than terms can give thee out! 3202 They fight 3203 MACBETH 3204 Thou losest labour: 3205 As easy mayst thou the intrenchant air 3206 With thy keen sword impress as make me bleed: 3207 Let fall thy blade on vulnerable crests; 3208 I bear a charmed life, which must not yield, 3209 To one of woman born. 3210 MACDUFF 3211 Despair thy charm; 3212 And let the angel whom thou still hast served 3213 Tell thee, Macduff was from his mother's womb 3214 Untimely ripp'd. 3215 MACBETH 3216 Accursed be that tongue that tells me so, 3217 For it hath cow'd my better part of man! 3218 And be these juggling fiends no more believed, 3219 That palter with us in a double sense; 3220 That keep the word of promise to our ear, 3221 And break it to our hope. I'll not fight with thee. 3222 MACDUFF 3223 Then yield thee, coward, 3224 And live to be the show and gaze o' the time: 3225 We'll have thee, as our rarer monsters are, 3226 Painted on a pole, and underwrit, 3227 'Here may you see the tyrant.' 3228 MACBETH 3229 I will not yield, 3230 To kiss the ground before young Malcolm's feet, 3231 And to be baited with the rabble's curse. 3232 Though Birnam wood be come to Dunsinane, 3233 And thou opposed, being of no woman born, 3234 Yet I will try the last. Before my body 3235 I throw my warlike shield. Lay on, Macduff, 3236 And damn'd be him that first cries, 'Hold, enough!' 3237 Exeunt, fighting. Alarums

3238 Retreat. Flourish. Enter, with drum and colours, MALCOLM, SIWARD, 3239 ROSS, the other Thanes, and Soldiers 3240 MALCOLM 3241 I would the friends we miss were safe arrived. 3242 SIWARD 3243 Some must go off: and yet, by these I see, 3244 So great a day as this is cheaply bought. 3245 MALCOLM 3246 Macduff is missing, and your noble son. 3247 ROSS 3248 Your son, my lord, has paid a soldier's debt: 3249 He only lived but till he was a man; 3250 The which no sooner had his prowess confirm'd 3251 In the unshrinking station where he fought, 3252 But like a man he died. 3253 SIWARD 3254 Then he is dead? 3255 ROSS 3256 Ay, and brought off the field: your cause of sorrow 3257 Must not be measured by his worth, for then 3258 It hath no end. 3259 SIWARD 3260 Had he his hurts before? 3261 ROSS 3262 Ay, on the front. 3263 SIWARD 3264 Why then, God's soldier be he! 3265 Had I as many sons as I have hairs, 3266 I would not wish them to a fairer death: 3267 And so, his knell is knoll'd. 3268 MALCOLM 3269 He's worth more sorrow, 3270 And that I'll spend for him. 3271 SIWARD 3272 He's worth no more 3273 They say he parted well, and paid his score: 3274 And so, God be with him! Here comes newer comfort. 3275 Re-enter MACDUFF, with MACBETH's head 3276 MACDUFF 3277 Hail, king! for so thou art: behold, where stands 3278 The usurper's cursed head: the time is free: 3279 I see thee compass'd with thy kingdom's pearl, 3280 That speak my salutation in their minds; 3281 Whose voices I desire aloud with mine: 3282 Hail, King of Scotland! 3283 ALL 3284 Hail, King of Scotland! 3285 Flourish 3286 MALCOLM 3287 We shall not spend a large expense of time 3288 Before we reckon with your several loves, 3289 And make us even with you. My thanes and kinsmen, 3290 Henceforth be earls, the first that ever Scotland 3291 In such an honour named. What's more to do, 3292 Which would be planted newly with the time, 3293 As calling home our exiled friends abroad 3294 That fled the snares of watchful tyranny; 3295 Producing forth the cruel ministers 3296 Of this dead butcher and his fiend-like queen, 3297 Who, as 'tis thought, by self and violent hands 3298 Took off her life; this, and what needful else 3299 That calls upon us, by the grace of Grace, 3300 We will perform in measure, time and place: 3301 So, thanks to all at once and to each one, 3302 Whom we invite to see us crown'd at Scone. 3303