Macbeth

sleeping and the dead
Are but as pictures: ’tis the eye of childhood
That fears a painted devil. If he do bleed,
I’ll gild the faces of the grooms withal;
For it must seem their guilt. Exit. Knocking within. Macbeth

Whence is that knocking?
How is’t with me, when every noise appals me?
What hands are here? ha! they pluck out mine eyes.
Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood
Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather
The multitudinous seas in incarnadine,
Making the green one red.

Re-enter Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth

My hands are of your colour; but I shame
To wear a heart so white. Knocking within. I hear a knocking
At the south entry: retire we to our chamber:
A little water clears us of this deed:
How easy is it, then! Your constancy
Hath left you unattended. Knocking within. Hark! more knocking.
Get on your nightgown, lest occasion call us,
And show us to be watchers. Be not lost
So poorly in your thoughts.

Macbeth

To know my deed, ’twere best not know myself. Knocking within.
Wake Duncan with thy knocking! I would thou couldst! Exeunt.

Scene III

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, 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?
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: 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.
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 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.
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.
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. 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, 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.
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!
Macbeth Lennox	What’s the matter?
Macduff	Confusion now hath made his masterpiece! Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope The Lord’s anointed temple, and stole thence 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; 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, 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, 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, Would murder as it fell.
	Enter Banquo.
	O Banquo, Banquo, Our royal master’s murder’d!
Lady Macbeth	Woe, alas! What, in our house?
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, 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?
Macbeth	You are, and do not know’t: The spring, the head, the fountain of your blood Is stopp’d; the