were porter of Hell-gate, he should have old turning the key. [Knocking.] Knock, knock, knock. Who's there, i' th' name of Beelzebub?—Here's a 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, 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: 0, come in, equivocator. [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 devilporter it no farther: I had thought to have let in some of all professions, that go the primrose way to th everlasting bonfire. [Knocking.] Anon, anon: I pray you, remember the porter. [Opens the gate. Enter MACDUFF and LENOX. Macduff. Was it so late, friend, ere you went to bed, That you do 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 performance. 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 to, and not stand to in conclusion, equivocates him in a sleep, and, giving him the lie, leaves him. Macd. I believe drink gave thee the lie last night. Port. 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 him. Macd. Is thy master stirring ? Enter MACBETH. Our knocking has awak'd him; here he comes. Macb. Good-morrow, both! Macd. Is the King stirring, worthy Thane ? Macd. I know this is a joyful trouble to you; But yet, 'tis one. Macb. The labour we delight in physics pain. This is the door. Macd. I'll make so bold to call, [Exit MACDUFf. For 'tis my limited service. Len. Goes the King hence to-day? 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 i̇' th' air; strange screams of death, And prophesying, with accents terrible, Of dire combustion and confus'd events New hatch'd to th' woeful time. The obscure bird Clamour'd the livelong night: some say the Earth Macb. 'Twas a rough night. Len. My young remembrance cannot parallel A fellow to it. Enter MACduff. Macd. O horror! horror! horror! Tongue, nor Macd. Confusion now hath made his master-piece. Most sacrilegious murther hath broke ope The Lord's anointed temple, and stole thence The life o' th' building. Macb. What is't you say? the life? Len. Mean you his Majesty? Macd. Approach the chamber, and destroy your sight With a new Gorgon. Do not bid me speak: See, and then speak yourselves. Awake! awake! — [Exeunt MACBETH and LENOX. Murther and treason! Ring the alarum-bell. Banquo and Donalbain! Malcolm, awake! Shake off this downy sleep, death's counterfeit, 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. Enter Lady MACBETH. Lady M. What's the business, [Bell rings. That such a hideous trumpet calls to parley The sleepers of the house? speak, speak! Macd. O gentle lady! 'Tis not for you to hear what I can speak: The repetition, in a woman's ear, Enter BANQUO. Would murther as it fell. O Banquo! Banquo! Our royal master's murther'd! Lady M. What! in our house? Ban. urther'd! Woe, alas! Too cruel any where. Dear Duff, I pr'ythee, contradict thyself, And say it is not so. Enter MACBETH and LENOX. Macb. Had I but di'd an hour before this chance, I had liv'd a blessed time; for from this instant All is but toys: renown and grace is dead; Enter MALCOLM and DONALBAIN. Donalbain. Macb. What is amiss? 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. Macd. Your royal father's murther'd. Mal. O! by whom? Len. Those of his chamber, as it seem'd, had done't. Their hands and faces were all badg'd with blood; So were their daggers, which, unwip'd, we found Upon their pillows: they star'd, and were distracted. No man's life was to be trusted with them. Macb. O, yet I do repent me of my fury, That I did kill them. Macd. Wherefore did you so? Macb. Who can be wise, amaz'd, temperate and furious, Loyal and neutral, in a moment? No man: The expedition of my violent love His silver skin lac'd with his golden blood; Lady M. Macd. Look to the lady. Help me hence, ho! Mal. Why do we hold our tongues, that most may claim This argument for ours? Don. What should be spoken Here, where our fate, hid in an auger-hole, May rush, and seize us? Let's away: our tears Mal. Nor our strong sorrow Upon the foot of motion. Ban. Look to the lady. Aside to each other. [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 farther. Fears and scruples shake us: In the great hand of God I stand; and, thence, Against the undivulg'd pretence I fight Of treasonous malice. Macd. And so do I. So all. |