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Macbeth (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Anthony Dawson
Not Peer Reviewed
136
The Tragedie of Macbeth.
A heauie Summons lyes like Lead vpon me,
580And yet I would not sleepe:
Mercifull Powers, restraine in me the cursed thoughts
That Nature giues way to in repose.

Enter Macbeth, and a Seruant with a Torch.

Giue me my Sword: who's there?
585Macb. A Friend.
Banq. What Sir, not yet at rest? the King's a bed.
He hath beene in vnusuall Pleasure,
And sent forth great Largesse to your Offices.
This Diamond he greetes your Wife withall,
590By the name of most kind Hostesse,
And shut vp in measurelesse content.
Mac. Being vnprepar'd,
Our will became the seruant to defect,
Which else should free haue wrought.
595Banq. All's well.
I dreamt last Night of the three weyward Sisters:
To you they haue shew'd some truth.
Macb. I thinke not of them:
Yet when we can entreat an houre to serue,
600We would spend it in some words vpon that Businesse,
If you would graunt the time.
Banq. At your kind'st leysure.
Macb. If you shall cleaue to my consent,
When 'tis, it shall make Honor for you.
605Banq. So I lose none,
In seeking to augment it, but still keepe
My Bosome franchis'd, and Allegeance cleare,
I shall be counsail'd.
Macb. Good repose the while.
610Banq. Thankes Sir: the like to you.
Exit Banquo.
Macb. Goe bid thy Mistresse, when my drinke is ready,
She strike vpon the Bell. Get thee to bed.
Exit.
Is this a Dagger, which I see before me,
The Handle toward my Hand? Come, let me clutch thee:
615I haue thee not, and yet I see thee still.
Art thou not fatall Vision, sensible
To feeling, as to sight? or art thou but
A Dagger of the Minde, a false Creation,
Proceeding from the heat-oppressed Braine?
620I see thee yet, in forme as palpable,
As this which now I draw.
Thou marshall'st me the way that I was going,
And such an Instrument I was to vse.
Mine Eyes are made the fooles o'th' other Sences,
625Or else worth all the rest: I see thee still;
And on thy Blade, and Dudgeon, Gouts of Blood,
Which was not so before. There's no such thing:
It is the bloody Businesse, which informes
Thus to mine Eyes. Now o're the one halfe World
630Nature seemes dead, and wicked Dreames abuse
The Curtain'd sleepe: Witchcraft celebrates
Pale Heccats Offrings: and wither'd Murther,
Alarum'd by his Centinell, the Wolfe,
Whose howle's his Watch, thus with his stealthy pace,
635With Tarquins rauishing sides, towards his designe
Moues like a Ghost. Thou sowre and firme-set Earth
Heare not my steps, which they may walke, for feare
Thy very stones prate of my where-about,
And take the present horror from the time,
640Which now sutes with it. Whiles I threat, he liues:
Words to the heat of deedes too cold breath giues.
A Bell rings.

I goe, and it is done: the Bell inuites me.
Heare it not, Duncan, for it is a Knell,
645That summons thee to Heauen, or to Hell.
Exit.


Scena Secunda.


Enter Lady.
La. That which hath made thẽ drunk, hath made me bold:
What hath quench'd them, hath giuen me fire.
650Hearke, peace: it was the Owle that shriek'd,
The fatall Bell-man, which giues the stern'st good-night.
He is about it, the Doores are open:
And the surfeted Groomes doe mock their charge
With Snores. I haue drugg'd their Possets,
655That Death and Nature doe contend about them,
Whether they liue, or dye.
Enter Macbeth.
Macb. Who's there? what hoa?
Lady. Alack, I am afraid they haue awak'd,
660And 'tis not done: th' attempt, and not the deed,
Confounds vs: hearke: I lay'd their Daggers ready,
He could not misse 'em. Had he not resembled
My Father as he slept, I had don't.
My Husband?
665Macb. I haue done the deed:
Didst thou not heare a noyse?
Lady. I heard the Owle schreame, and the Crickets cry.
Did not you speake?
Macb. When?
670Lady. Now.
Macb. As I descended?
Lady. I.
Macb. Hearke, who lyes i'th' second Chamber?
Lady. Donalbaine.
675Mac. This is a sorry sight.
Lady. A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight.
Macb. There's one did laugh in's sleepe,
And one cry'd Murther, that they did wake each other:
I stood, and heard them: But they did say their Prayers,
680And addrest them againe to sleepe.
Lady. There are two lodg'd together.
Macb. One cry'd God blesse vs, and Amen the other,
As they had seene me with these Hangmans hands:
Listning their feare, I could not say Amen,
685When they did say God blesse vs.
Lady. Consider it not so deepely.
Mac. But wherefore could not I pronounce Amen?
I had most need of Blessing, and Amen stuck in my throat.
Lady. These deeds must not be thought
690After these wayes: so, it will make vs mad.
Macb. Me thought I heard a voyce cry, Sleep no more:
Macbeth does murther Sleepe, the innocent Sleepe,
Sleepe that knits vp the rauel'd Sleeue of Care,
The death of each dayes Life, sore Labors Bath,
695Balme of hurt Mindes, great Natures second Course,
Chiefe nourisher in Life's Feast.
Lady. What doe you meane?
Macb. Still it cry'd, Sleepe no more to all the House:
Glamis hath murther'd Sleepe, and therefore Cawdor
700Shall sleepe no more: Macbeth shall sleepe no more.
Lady. Who was it, that thus cry'd? why worthy Thane,
You doe vnbend your Noble strength, to thinke
So braine-sickly of things: Goe get some Water,
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