So clear in his great office, that his virtues
Will plead, like angels, trumpet-tongu'd against
The deep damnation of his taking off:
And Pity, like a naked new-born babe,
Striding the blaft, or heav'ns cherubin hors'd (10)
Upon the filent courfers of the air,

Shall blow the horrid deed in ev'ry eye;
That tears fhall drown the wind.-

I have no fpur

To prick the fides of my intent, but only

Vaulting Ambition, which o'er-leaps itself, it, sell,

And falls on th' other

Enter Lady Macbeth.

How now? what news?

Lady. He'as almost fupp'd; why have you left the chamber?

Macb. Hath he afk'd for me?

Lady. Know you not he has ?

Macb. We will proceed no further in this bufinefs. He hath honour'd me of late; and I have bought Golden opinions from all fort of people,

Which would be worn now in their neweft glofs,
Not caft afide fo foon.

Lady. Was the hope drunk,

Wherein you dreft yourself? hath it flept fince?
And wakes it now, to look fo green and pale
At what it did fo freely? from this time,
Such I account thy love. Art thou afraid
To be the fame in thine own act and valour,
As thou art in defire? wouldst thou have that,
Which thou efteem'ft the ornament of life,
And live a coward in thine own efteem?
Letting I dare not wait upon I would,
Like the poor cat i' th' Adage.

(10) or Heav'n's Cherubin bors'd upon the fightless Couriers of the Ar.] But the Cherubin is the Courier; fo that he can't be faid to be bors'd upon another Courier. We muft read, therefore, Courfers. Mr. Warburton. Macb.

1

Mach. Pr'ythee, peace;

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

Lady. What beaft was't then,

That made you break this enterprize to me?
When you durft do it, then you were a man;
And (to be more than what you were) you would
Be fo much more the man. Nor time, nor place
Did then co-here, and yet you would make both :
They've made themselves; and that their fitness now
Do's unmake you. I have given fuck, and know
How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me-
I would, while it was fmiling in my face,
Have pluck my nipple from his boneless gums,
And dafht the brains out, had I but fo fworn
As you have done to this.

Macb. If we fhould fail,
Lady. We fail!

But fcrew your courage to the fticking place,

And we'll not fail.

When Duncan is asleep,

(Whereto the rather fhall his day's hard journey
Soundly invite him) his two chamberlains
Will I with wine and waffal fo convince,

That memory (the warder of the brain)

Shall be a fume; and the receipt of reason
A limbeck only; when in fwinish fleep
Their drenched natures lie as in a death,
What cannot you and I perform upon
Th' unguarded Duncan? what not put upon
His fpungy officers, who fhall bear the guilt
Of our great quell?

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

Lady. Who dares receive it other,

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

Mach.

Macb. I'm fettled, and bend up

Each corporal agent to this terrible feat.

Away, and mock the time with faireft fhow:
Falfe face muft hide what the falfe heart doth know.

SCENE, A Hall in Macbeth's Castle.

Enter Banquo, and Fleance with a torch before him.

BANQUO.

OW goes the night,

Hr. The moon is down: I have not heard the clock.

Ban. And the goes down at twelve.

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

Ban. Hold, take my fword. There's husbandry in

heav'n,

Their candles are all out.

-Take thee that too.

A heavy fummons lies like lead upon me,
And yet I would not fleep: Merciful Pow'rs!
Restrain in me the curfed thoughts, that nature
Gives way to in repose,

Enter Macbeth, and a fervant with a torch.

Give me my fword: who's there?

Mach. A friend.

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

And fent great largefs to your officers;

This diamond he greets your wife withal,

By the name of moft kind Hoftefs, and shut up
In measureless content.

Mach. Being unprepar'd,

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

1

Ban

Ban. All's well.

I dreamt laft night of the three weird fifters:
To you they've fhewed fome truth.

Macb. I think not of them;

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

Ban. At your kind leisure.

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

Ban. So I lose none

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

I fhall be counfell'd.

Macb. Good repofe the while!

Ban. Thanks, Sir; the like to you.

[Exeunt Banquo and Fleance.

Macb. Go, bid thy miftrefs, when my drink is ready, She ftrike upon the bell. Get thee to bed. [Exit Serv. Is this a dagger which I fee before me,

The handle tow'rd my hand? come, let me clutch thee.
I have thee not, and yet I fee thee ftill.
Art thou not, fatal Vision, fenfible
To feeling as to fight? or art thou but
A dagger of the mind, a falfe creation
Proceeding from the heat-oppreffed brain ?
I fee thee yet, in form as palpable
As this which now I draw..

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

Mine eyes are made the fools o'th' other fenfes,
Or elfe worth all the reft-I fee thee ftill:
And on thy blade, and dudgeon, gouts of blood,
Which was not fo before.-There's no fuch thing.—
It is the bloody bufinefs, which informs

Thus to mine eyes.-Now o'er one half the world
Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse
The curtain'd fleep; now witchcraft celebrates
Pale Hecate's offerings: and wither'd Murder,
(Alarmed by his fentinel, the wolf,

Whofe

Whofe howl's his watch) thus with his ftealthy pace,
With Tarquin's ravishing ftrides, tow'rds his defign
Moves like a ghoft.-Thou found and firm-fet earth,
Hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear
Thy very
ftones prate of my where-about;

And take the present horror from the time,
Which now fuits with it.-Whilft I threat, he lives-
A Bell rings.
Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives.
I go, and it is done; the bell invites me.
Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell

That fummons thee to heaven, or to hell.

Enter Lady Macbeth.

[Exit.

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

What hath quench'd them, hath giv'n me fire. Hark!

peace!

It was the owl that fhriek'd, the fatal bell-man, Which gives the ftern'ft good-night-he is about itThe doors are open; and the furfeited grooms

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

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

Enter Macbeth.

Macb. Who's there?. -what ho!

Lady. Alack! I am afraid, they have awak'd; And 'tis not done; th' attempt, and not the deed, Confounds us-hark!I laid their daggers ready. He could not mifs 'em. -Had he not resembled My father as he flept, I had don't--My husband!

Mach. I've done the deed--didft thou not hear a noife? Lady. I heard the owl fcream, and the crickets cry. Did not you speak?

Mach. When?

Lady. Now.

Macb. As I defcended?
Lady. Ay.

Macb,