That memory, the warder of the brain,
Shall be a fume, and the receipt of reason
A limbeck only: When in fwinish sleep
Their drenched natures lie, as in a death,
What cannot you and I perform upon
The 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 mettle should compofe
Nothing but males. Will it not be receiv'd,
When we have mark'd with blood those fleepy two
Of his own chamber, and us'd their very daggers,
That they have don't?

LADY M. Who dares receive it other,

As we fhall 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 muft hide what the falfe heart doth know.

[Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE I. The fame. Court within the Caftle.

Enter BAN QUO, and FLEANCE; and a Servant with a torch before them.

BAN. HOW goes the night, boy?

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

BAN. And fhe goes down at twelve.

FLE. I take't, 'tis later, fir.

[heaven,

BẠN. Hold, take my fword:-There's husbandry in

Their candles are all out.-Take thee that too.
A heavy fummons lies like lead upon me,
And yet I would not fleep: Merciful powers!
Restrain in me the curfed thoughts, that nature
Gives way to in repofe !-Give me my fword ;-
Enter MACBETH, and a Servant with a torch.
Who's there?

MACB. A friend.

BAN. What, fir, not yet at reft? The king's a-bed: He hath been in unusual pleasure, and

Sent forth great largefs to your offices:

This diamond he greets your wife withal,

By the name of moft kind hoftefs; and shut up
In measureless content.

MACB. Being unprepar'd,

Our will became the fervant to defect;
Which else should free have wrought.

BAN. All's well.

I dreamt last night of the three weird fifters ;
To you they have show'd fome truth.

MACB. I think not of them :

Yet, when we can entreat an hour to ferve,
Would spend it in fome words upon that business,

If you would grant the time.

BAN. At your kind'ft leisure,

MACB. If you fhall cleave to my confent,-when 'tis,

It fhall make honour for you.

BAN. So I lofe none,

In feeking to augment it, but ftill keep

My bofom franchis'd, and allegiance clear,

I fhall be counfel'd.

MACB. Good repose, the while!

BAN. Thanks, fir; The like to you! [Exit BANQUO

MACB. Go, bid thy mistress, when my drink is ready, She strike upon the bell. Get thee to bed. [Exit Servant. Is this a dagger, which I fee before me,

The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee:

I have thee not; and yet I fee thee ftill.
Art thou not, fatal vifion, fenfible

To feeling, as to fight? or art thou but
A dagger of the mind; a falfe creation,
Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?
I see 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'the other fenfes,
Or else worth all the reft: I fee thee ftill;

And on thy blade, and dudgeon, gouts of blood,
Which was not fa before. There's no fuch thing:
It is the bloody bufinefs, which informs

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

Whose howl's his watch, thus with his ftealthy pace,
With Tarquin's ravishing strides, towards his defign
Moves like a ghost.Thou sure and firm-set earth,
Hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear
Thy very stones prate of my where-about,
And take the present horror from the time,
Which now fuits with it.-Whiles I threat, he lives;
Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives.
[A bell rings

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.

[Exit.

SCENE II. The fame.

Enter Lady MACBETH.

LADY M. That which hath made them drunk, hath

made me bold :

[-Peace! What hath quench'd them, hath given me fire :-Hark! It was the owl that fhriek'd, the fatal bellman,

Which gives the ftern'ft good night. He is about it :
The doors are open; and the surfeited grooms

Do mock their charge with fnores: I have drugg'd their
That death and nature do contend about them,
Whether they live or die.

[poffets,

MACB. [Within.] Who's there?—what, ho!
LADY M. Alack! I am afraid they have awak'd,
And 'tis not done :-the attempt, and not the deed,
Confounds us :-Hark!—I laid their daggers ready,
He could not mifs them. Had he not resembled
My father as he flept, I had done't.-My husband?
Enter MACBETH.

MACB. I have done the deed :-Didft thou not hear a noise?

LADY M. I heard the owl scream, and the crickets cry. Did not you speak?

MACB. When?

LADY M. Now.

MACB. As I defcended?

LADY M. Ay.

MACB. Hark !

Who lies i' the fecond chamber?

LADY M, Donalbain..

MACB. This is a forry fight.

[Looking on his hands.

LADY M. A foolish thought, to fay a forry fight.

MACB. There's one did laugh in his fleep, and one cried, murder!

That they did wake each other; I ftood and heard them : But they did say their prayers, and address'd them Again to fleep.

LADY M. There are two lodg'd together.

MACB. One cried, God bless us! and, Amen, the other; As they had seen me, with these hangman's hands, Listening their fear. I could not fay, amen, When they did fay, God blefs us.

LADY M. Confider it not fo deeply.

MACB. But wherefore could not I pronounce, amen? I had moft need of bleffing, and amen

Stuck in my throat.

LADY M. These deeds muft not be thought

After these ways; fo, it will make us mad.

MACB. Methought, I heard a voice cry, Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder fleep, the innocent sleep; Sleep, that knits up the revell'd fleeve of care, The death of each day's life, fare labour's bath, Balm of hurt minds, great nature's fecond course, Chief nourisher in life's feaft;

LADY M. What do you mean?

MACB. Still it cried, Sleep no more! to all the house: Glamis bath murder'd fleep; and therefore Cawdor

Shall fleep no more, Macbeth fhall fleep no more!

LADY M. Who was it, that thus cried? Why, worthy

thane,

You do unbend your noble strength, to think
So brainfickly of things:-Go, get fome water,
And wash this filthy witness from your hand.-
Why did you bring these daggers from the place?