Re-enter Lady MACBETH.

Lady M. My hands are of your colour; but

I shame

To wear a heart so white. [Knock.] I hear a

knocking

At the south entry:
A little water clears us of this deed:
How easy is it then? Your constancy
Hath left you unattended.

retire we to our chamber:

[Knocking.] Hark!

more knocking:

Get on your nightgown, lest occasion call us,
And show us to be watchers: Be not lost
So poorly in your thougths.

Macb. To know my deed,

'twere best not

know myself. [Knock.

Wake Dunkan with 'thy knocking! Ay, 'would

thou could'st! [Exeunt.

SCENE III.

The same.

Enter a Porter.

[Knocking within.

Here's a

Porter. Here's a knocking, indeed! If a man were porter of hell-gate, he should have old turn ing the key. [Knocking.] Knock, knock, knock: Who's there, i'the name of Belzebub? farmer, that hang'd himself on the expectation of plenty Come in time; have napkins enough about you; here you'll sweat for't. [Knocking. Knock, knock: Who's there, 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: 0, come in, cquivocator. [Knocking] 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.] 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. [Knncking.] Anon, anon; I pray you, remember the porter. "Ꭵ [Opens the gate.

Enter MACDUFF and LENOX.

Macd. Was it so late, friend, ere you went to bed,

That you did lie so late?

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

Macd. What three things does drink especially

provoke?

Port. Marry, Sir, nose-painting, sleep, and urine. Lechery, Sir, it provokes, and unprovokes: it provokes the desire, but it takes away the perform ance: Therefore, much drink may be said to be an equivocator with lechery: 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 do, and not stand to: in conclusion, equivocates him in a sleep, and, giving him the lie, leaves him.

Mac. I believe, drink gave thee the lie last night.

Port.

That it did, Sir, i'the very throat o'me: But I requited him for his lie; and, I think, being

too strong for him, though he sometime, yet I made a shift to

Macd. Is thy master stirring?

took up my legs cast him.

Our knocking has awak'd him; here he comes.

Macd. Is the King stirring, worthy Thane? Mach. Not yet.

Macd. He did command me to call timely on him;

I have almost slipp'd the hour.

Mach. I'll bring you to him.

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

Macb. The labour we delight in, physicks pain. This is the door.

Macd. I'll make so bold to call.

For 'tis my limited service.

Len. Goes the King

From hence to-day?

[Exit MACDUFF.

Mach. He does: he did appoint so.

Len. The night has been unruly: Where we

lay,

Our chimneys were blown down: and, as they say. Lamentings heard 'the air; strange screams of

death;

And prophecying, with accents terrible,

Of dire combustion, and confus'd 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.

Macb 'Twas a rough night.

Len. My young remembrance cannot parallel A fellow to it.

Re-enter MACDUFF.

Macd. O horror! horror! horror! Tongue, nor heart,

Cannot conceive, nor name thee!

Macb. Len. What's the matter?

Macd. Confusion now hath made his master

piece!

Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope

The lord's anointed temple, and stole thence
The life o'the building.

Mach.

What is't you say? the life?

Len. Mean you his Majesty?

Macd. Approach the chamber, and destroy your sight

With a new Gorgan: Do not bid me speak;

See, and then speak yourselves.

Awake! awake! [Exeunt MACBETH and LENOX. Murder! and treason!

Ring the alarum-bell:

Banquo, and Donalbain! Malcolm! awake!

Shake off this downy sleep, death's counterfeit,
And look on death itself! up, up, and see
Malcolm Banquo!
The great doom's image!
and walk like

As from your graves rise up,

sprights,

To countenance this horror!

[Bell rings.

Lady M.

Enter Lady MACBETH.

What's the business,

That such a hideous trumpet calls to parley
The sleepers of the house? speak, speak,
Maid. O, gentle Lady,

Tis not for you to hear what I can speak:
The repetition, in a woman's car,

Would murder as it fell.

-

O Banquo! Banquo!

Enter BANQUO.

Our royal master's murder'd!

Lady M. Woe, alas!

What in our house?

Ban. Too cruel, any where.

Dear Duff, I pr'ythee, contradict thyself,
And say, it is not so.

Re-enter MACBETH and LENOX.

Macb. Had I but died an hour before this

chance,

I had liv'd a blessed time; for from this instant,
There's nothing serious in mortality:

All is but toys: renown, and grace, is dead;
The wine of life is drawn, and the meer lees
Is left this vault to brag of.

Enter MALCOLM and DONALBAIN.

Don. What is amiss?

Macb. You are, and do not know it:

The spring, the head, the fountain of your blood
Is stopp'd; the very source of it is stopp'd.

Macd. Your royal father's murder'd.
Mal. O, by whom?

Len.