To be his purveyor: but he rides well;

And his great love, sharp as his spur, hath holp

him

To his home before us. Fair and noble hostess, We are your guest to-night.

Lady M.

Your servants ever

Have theirs, themselves, and what is theirs, in

compt,

To make their audit at your highness' pleasure, Still to return your own.

Dun. Give me your hand : Conduct me to mine host: we love him highly, And shall continue our graces towards him. By your leave, hostess.

[Exeunt.

SCENE VII.-The same. A Room in the Castle.

Hautboys and torches. Enter, and pass over the stage, a Sewer, and divers Servants with dishes and service. Then enter MACBETH.

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

It were done quickly: if the assassination Could trammel up the consequence, and catch, With his surcease, success; that but this blow Might be the be-all and the end-all here,

But here, upon this bank and shoal of time,We'd jump the life to come.-But in these cases, We still have judgment here; that we but teach Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return To plague the inventor: this even-handed justice Commends the ingredients of our poison'd chalice To our own lips. He's here in double trust :

First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,
Strong both against the deed; then, as his host,
Who should against his murderer shut the door,
Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan
Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been
So clear in his great office, that his virtues
Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued, against
The deep damnation of his taking-off:

And pity, like a naked new-born babe,
Striding the blast, or heaven's cherubim, horsed
Upon the sightless couriers of the air,
Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye,
That tears shall drown the wind.-I have no spur
To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself,
And falls on the other.-

Enter LADY MACBETH.

How now,

what news?

Why have

Lady M. He has almost supp'd. you left the chamber?

Macb. Hath he ask'd for me?

Lady M.

Know you not he has?

Macb. We will proceed no further in this

business:

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

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

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

Macb.

Pr'ythee, peace:

I dare do all that may become a man;
Who dares do more, is none.
Lady M.
What beast was't then,
That made you break this enterprise to me?
When you durst do it, then you were a man;
And, to be more than what you were, you would
Be so much more the man. Nor time, nor place,
Did then adhere, and yet you would make both:
They have made themselves, and that their fitness

now

Does unmake you. I have given suck; and know
How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me;
I would, while it was smiling in my face,
Have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums,
And dash'd the brains out, had I so sworn,
As you have done to this.

Macb.

Lady M.

If we should fail,

We fail. But screw your courage to the sticking place, And we'll not fail. When Duncan is asleep, (Whereto the rather shall his day's hard journey Soundly invite him,) his two chamberlains Will I with wine and wassel so convince, That memory, the warder of the brain, Shall be a fume, and the receipt of reason A limbeck only: when in swinish sleep Their drenched natures lie, as in a death, What cannot you and I perform upon The unguarded Duncan? what not put upon His spongy officers; who shall bear the guilt Of our great quell?

Macb.

Bring forth men-children only, For thy undaunted mettle should compose Nothing but males. Will it not be received, When we have mark'd with blood those sleepy

two

Of his own chamber, and used their very daggers, That they have done't?

Lady M

Who dares receive it other,

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

Macb.

I am settled, and bend up Each corporal agent to this terrible feat.

Away, and mock the time with fairest show: False face must hide what the false heart doth

Enter BANQUO and FLEANCE, and a Servant with a torch before them.

Fle.

Banquo.

OW goes the night, boy?

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

Ban. And she goes down at twelve.

I take't, 'tis later, sir. Ban. Hold, take my sword.-There's husbandry in heaven,

Their candles are all out.-Take thee that too. A heavy summons lies like lead.upon me,

Merciful powers!

And yet I would not sleep.
Restrain in me the cursed thoughts that nature
Gives way to in repose !-Give me my sword;

Enter MACBETH, and a Servant with a torch.

Who's there?

Mach. A friend.

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

He hath been in unusual pleasure, and

Sent forth great largess to your offices :
This diamond he greets your wife withal,

By the name of most kind hostess; and shut up
In measureless content.

Macb.

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

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

Macb.

I think not of them;

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

At your kind'st leisure.

Macb. If you shall cleave to my consent,—

when 'tis,

It shall make honour for you.

Ban.

So I lose none,

In seeking to augment it, but still keep
My bosom franchised, and allegiance clear,

I shall be counsell'd.

Mach.

Good repose, the while!

[Exeunt BANQUO and FLEANCE.

Ban. Thanks, sir; the like to you!