MACBETH 2.3

The same.

[Knocking within. Enter a Porter]

Porter Here's a knocking indeed! If a

man were porter of hell-gate, he should have

old turning the key.

[Knocking within]

Knock,

knock, knock! Who's there, i' the name of

Beelzebub? Here's a farmer, that hanged

himself on the expectation of plenty: come in

time; have napkins enow about you; here

you'll sweat for't.

[Knocking within]

Knock,

knock! Who's there, in the other devil's

name? Faith, here's an equivocator, that could

swear in both the scales against either scale;

who committed treason enough for God's sake,

yet could not equivocate to heaven: O, come

in, equivocator.

[Knocking within]

Knock,

knock, knock! Who's there? Faith, here's an

English tailor come hither, for stealing out of

a French hose: come in, tailor; here you may

roast your goose.

[Knocking within]

Knock,

knock; never at quiet! What are you? But

this place is too cold for hell. I'll devil-porter

it no further: I had thought to have let in

some of all professions that go the primrose

way to the everlasting bonfire.

[Knocking within]

Anon, anon! I pray you, remember the porter.

[Opens the gate]

[Enter MACDUFF and LENNOX]

MACDUFF Was it so late, friend, ere you went to bed, 5

That you do lie so late?

Porter 'Faith sir, we were carousing till the

second cock: and drink, sir, is a great

provoker of three things.

MACDUFF What three things does drink especially provoke? 10

Porter Marry, sir, nose-painting, sleep, and

urine. Lechery, sir, it provokes, and unprovokes;

it provokes the desire, but it takes

away the performance: therefore, much drink

may be said to be an equivocator with lechery: 15

it makes him, and it mars him; it sets

him on, and it takes him off; it persuades him,

and disheartens him; makes him stand to, and

not stand to; in conclusion, equivocates him

in a sleep, and, giving him the lie, leaves him. 20

MACDUFF I believe drink gave thee the lie last night.

Porter That it did, sir, i' the very throat on

me: but I requited him for his lie; and, I

think, being too strong for him, though he took

up my legs sometime, yet I made a shift to cast 25

him.

MACDUFF Is thy master stirring?

[Enter MACBETH]

Our knocking has awaked him; here he comes.

LENNOX Good morrow, noble sir.

MACBETH Good morrow, both. 30

MACDUFF Is the king stirring, worthy thane?

MACBETH Not yet.

MACDUFF He did command me to call timely on him:

I have almost slipp'd the hour.

MACBETH I'll bring you to him. 35

MACDUFF I know this is a joyful trouble to you;

But yet 'tis one.

MACBETH The labour we delight in physics pain.

This is the door.

MACDUFF I'll make so bold to call,

For 'tis my limited service. 40

[Exit]

LENNOX Goes the king hence to-day?

MACBETH He does: he did appoint so.

LENNOX The night has been unruly: where we lay,

Our chimneys were blown down; and, as they say,

Lamentings heard i' the air; strange screams of death, 45

And prophesying with accents terrible

Of dire combustion and confused events

New hatch'd to the woeful time: the obscure bird

Clamour'd the livelong night: some say, the earth

Was feverous and did shake. 50

MACBETH 'Twas a rough night.

LENNOX My young remembrance cannot parallel

A fellow to it.

[Re-enter MACDUFF]

MACDUFF O horror, horror, horror! Tongue nor heart

Cannot conceive nor name thee! 55

MACBETH, |What's the matter.

LENNOX|

MACDUFF Confusion now hath made his masterpiece!

Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope

The Lord's anointed temple, and stole thence 60

The life o' the building!

MACBETH What is 't you say? the life?

LENNOX Mean you his majesty?

MACDUFF Approach the chamber, and destroy your sight

With a new Gorgon: do not bid me speak; 65

See, and then speak yourselves.

[Exeunt MACBETH and LENNOX]

Awake, awake!

Ring the alarum-bell. Murder and treason!

Banquo and Donalbain! Malcolm! awake!

Shake off this downy sleep, death's counterfeit, 70

And look on death itself! up, up, and see

The great doom's image! Malcolm! Banquo!

As from your graves rise up, and walk like sprites,

To countenance this horror! Ring the bell.

[Bell rings]

[Enter LADY MACBETH]

LADY MACBETH What's the business, 75

That such a hideous trumpet calls to parley

The sleepers of the house? speak, speak!

MACDUFF O gentle lady,

'Tis not for you to hear what I can speak:

The repetition, in a woman's ear, 80

Would murder as it fell.

[Enter BANQUO]

O Banquo, Banquo,

Our royal master 's murder'd!

LADY MACBETH Woe, alas!

What, in our house? 85

BANQUO Too cruel any where.

Dear Duff, I prithee, contradict thyself,

And say it is not so.

[Re-enter MACBETH and LENNOX, with ROSS]

MACBETH Had I but died an hour before this chance,

I had lived a blessed time; for, from this instant, 90

There 's nothing serious in mortality:

All is but toys: renown and grace is dead;

The wine of life is drawn, and the mere lees

Is left this vault to brag of.

[Enter MALCOLM and DONALBAIN]

DONALBAIN What is amiss? 95

MACBETH You are, and do not know't:

The spring, the head, the fountain of your blood

Is stopp'd; the very source of it is stopp'd.

MACDUFF Your royal father 's murder'd.

MALCOLM O, by whom?

LENNOX Those of his chamber, as it seem'd, had done 't: 100

Their hands and faces were an badged with blood;

So were their daggers, which unwiped we found

Upon their pillows:

They stared, and were distracted; no man's life

Was to be trusted with them. 105

MACBETH O, yet I do repent me of my fury,

That I did kill them.

MACDUFF Wherefore did you so?

MACBETH Who can be wise, amazed, temperate and furious,

Loyal and neutral, in a moment? No man: 110

The expedition my violent love

Outrun the pauser, reason. Here lay Duncan,

His silver skin laced with his golden blood;

And his gash'd stabs look'd like a breach in nature

For ruin's wasteful entrance: there, the murderers, 115

Steep'd in the colours of their trade, their daggers

Unmannerly breech'd with gore: who could refrain,

That had a heart to love, and in that heart

Courage to make 's love known?

LADY MACBETH Help me hence, ho! 120

MACDUFF Look to the lady.

MALCOLM [Aside to DONALBAIN] Why do we hold our tongues,

That most may claim this argument for ours?

DONALBAIN [Aside to MALCOLM] What should be spoken here,

where our fate, 125

Hid in an auger-hole, may rush, and seize us?

Let 's away;

Our tears are not yet brew'd.

MALCOLM [Aside to DONALBAIN] Nor our strong sorrow

Upon the foot of motion. 130

BANQUO Look to the lady:

[LADY MACBETH is carried out]

And when we have our naked frailties hid,

That suffer in exposure, let us meet,

And question this most bloody piece of work,

To know it further. Fears and scruples shake us: 135

In the great hand of God I stand; and thence

Against the undivulged pretence I fight

Of treasonous malice.

MACDUFF And so do I.

ALL So all. 140

MACBETH Let's briefly put on manly readiness,

And meet i' the hall together.

ALL Well contented.

[Exeunt all but Malcolm and Donalbain.

MALCOLM What will you do? Let's not consort with them:

To show an unfelt sorrow is an office 145

Which the false man does easy. I'll to England.

DONALBAIN To Ireland, I; our separated fortune

Shall keep us both the safer: where we are,

There's daggers in men's smiles: the near in blood,

The nearer bloody. 150

MALCOLM This murderous shaft that's shot

Hath not yet lighted, and our safest way

Is to avoid the aim. Therefore, to horse;

And let us not be dainty of leave-taking,

But shift away: there's warrant in that theft

Which steals itself, when there's no mercy left. 155

[Exeunt]

Porter		Here's a knocking indeed! If a
		man were porter of hell-gate, he should have
		old turning the key.
		[Knocking within]
		Knock,
		knock, knock! Who's there, i' the name of
		Beelzebub? Here's a farmer, that hanged
		himself on the expectation of plenty: come in
		time; have napkins enow about you; here
		you'll sweat for't.
		[Knocking within]
		Knock,
		knock! Who's there, in the other devil's
		name? Faith, here's an equivocator, that could
		swear in both the scales against either scale;
		who committed treason enough for God's sake,
		yet could not equivocate to heaven: O, come
		in, equivocator.
		[Knocking within]
		Knock,
		knock, knock! Who's there? Faith, here's an
		English tailor come hither, for stealing out of
		a French hose: come in, tailor; here you may
		roast your goose.
		[Knocking within]
		Knock,
		knock; never at quiet! What are you? But
		this place is too cold for hell. I'll devil-porter
		it no further: I had thought to have let in
		some of all professions that go the primrose
		way to the everlasting bonfire.
		[Knocking within]
		Anon, anon! I pray you, remember the porter.
		[Opens the gate]
		[Enter MACDUFF and LENNOX]

MACDUFF		Was it so late, friend, ere you went to bed,	5
		That you do lie so late?

Porter		'Faith sir, we were carousing till the
		second cock: and drink, sir, is a great
		provoker of three things.

Porter	Marry, sir, nose-painting, sleep, and
	urine. Lechery, sir, it provokes, and unprovokes;
	it provokes the desire, but it takes
	away the performance: therefore, much drink
	may be said to be an equivocator with lechery:	15
	it makes him, and it mars him; it sets
	him on, and it takes him off; it persuades him,
	and disheartens him; makes him stand to, and
	not stand to; in conclusion, equivocates him
	in a sleep, and, giving him the lie, leaves him.	20

Porter	That it did, sir, i' the very throat on
	me: but I requited him for his lie; and, I
	think, being too strong for him, though he took
	up my legs sometime, yet I made a shift to cast	25
	him.

MACDUFF		Is thy master stirring?
		[Enter MACBETH]
		Our knocking has awaked him; here he comes.

MACDUFF		He did command me to call timely on him:
		I have almost slipp'd the hour.

MACDUFF		I know this is a joyful trouble to you;
		But yet 'tis one.

MACBETH		The labour we delight in physics pain.
		This is the door.

MACDUFF	I'll make so bold to call,
	For 'tis my limited service.	40
	[Exit]

LENNOX	The night has been unruly: where we lay,
	Our chimneys were blown down; and, as they say,
	Lamentings heard i' the air; strange screams of death,	45
	And prophesying with accents terrible
	Of dire combustion and confused events
	New hatch'd to the woeful time: the obscure bird
	Clamour'd the livelong night: some say, the earth
	Was feverous and did shake.	50

LENNOX		My young remembrance cannot parallel
		A fellow to it.
		[Re-enter MACDUFF]

MACDUFF		O horror, horror, horror! Tongue nor heart
		Cannot conceive nor name thee!	55

MACDUFF	Confusion now hath made his masterpiece!
	Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope
	The Lord's anointed temple, and stole thence	60
	The life o' the building!

MACDUFF	Approach the chamber, and destroy your sight
	With a new Gorgon: do not bid me speak;	65
	See, and then speak yourselves.
	[Exeunt MACBETH and LENNOX]
	Awake, awake!
	Ring the alarum-bell. Murder and treason!
	Banquo and Donalbain! Malcolm! awake!
	Shake off this downy sleep, death's counterfeit,	70
	And look on death itself! up, up, and see
	The great doom's image! Malcolm! Banquo!
	As from your graves rise up, and walk like sprites,
	To countenance this horror! Ring the bell.
	[Bell rings]
	[Enter LADY MACBETH]

LADY MACBETH	What's the business,	75
	That such a hideous trumpet calls to parley
	The sleepers of the house? speak, speak!

MACDUFF	O gentle lady,
	'Tis not for you to hear what I can speak:
	The repetition, in a woman's ear,	80
	Would murder as it fell.
	[Enter BANQUO]
	O Banquo, Banquo,
	Our royal master 's murder'd!

BANQUO		Too cruel any where.
		Dear Duff, I prithee, contradict thyself,
		And say it is not so.
		[Re-enter MACBETH and LENNOX, with ROSS]

MACBETH	Had I but died an hour before this chance,
	I had lived a blessed time; for, from this instant,	90
	There 's nothing serious in mortality:
	All is but toys: renown and grace is dead;
	The wine of life is drawn, and the mere lees
	Is left this vault to brag of.
	[Enter MALCOLM and DONALBAIN]

MACBETH		You are, and do not know't:
		The spring, the head, the fountain of your blood
		Is stopp'd; the very source of it is stopp'd.

LENNOX	Those of his chamber, as it seem'd, had done 't:	100
	Their hands and faces were an badged with blood;
	So were their daggers, which unwiped we found
	Upon their pillows:
	They stared, and were distracted; no man's life
	Was to be trusted with them.	105

MACBETH		O, yet I do repent me of my fury,
		That I did kill them.

MACBETH	Who can be wise, amazed, temperate and furious,
	Loyal and neutral, in a moment? No man:	110
	The expedition my violent love
	Outrun the pauser, reason. Here lay Duncan,
	His silver skin laced with his golden blood;
	And his gash'd stabs look'd like a breach in nature
	For ruin's wasteful entrance: there, the murderers,	115
	Steep'd in the colours of their trade, their daggers
	Unmannerly breech'd with gore: who could refrain,
	That had a heart to love, and in that heart
	Courage to make 's love known?

MALCOLM		[Aside to DONALBAIN] Why do we hold our tongues,
		That most may claim this argument for ours?

DONALBAIN	[Aside to MALCOLM] What should be spoken here,
	where our fate,	125
	Hid in an auger-hole, may rush, and seize us?
	Let 's away;
	Our tears are not yet brew'd.

MALCOLM		[Aside to DONALBAIN] Nor our strong sorrow
		Upon the foot of motion.	130

BANQUO	Look to the lady:
	[LADY MACBETH is carried out]
	And when we have our naked frailties hid,
	That suffer in exposure, let us meet,
	And question this most bloody piece of work,
	To know it further. Fears and scruples shake us:	135
	In the great hand of God I stand; and thence
	Against the undivulged pretence I fight
	Of treasonous malice.

MACBETH		Let's briefly put on manly readiness,
		And meet i' the hall together.

MALCOLM	What will you do? Let's not consort with them:
	To show an unfelt sorrow is an office	145
	Which the false man does easy. I'll to England.

DONALBAIN	To Ireland, I; our separated fortune
	Shall keep us both the safer: where we are,
	There's daggers in men's smiles: the near in blood,
	The nearer bloody.	150