Unto our gentle senses.

Ban.

This guest of summer,

The temple-haunting martlet, does approve

By his loved mansionry, that the heaven's breath
Smells wooingly here: no jutty, frieze,
Buttress, nor coign of vantage, but this bird

Hath made his pendent bed and procreant cradle:
Where they most breed and haunt, I have observed
The air is delicate.

Dun.

Enter LADY MACBETH

See, see! our honor'd hostess !

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The love that follows us sometime is our trouble,

Which still we thank as love. Herein I teach you

How you shall bid God 'ield us for your pains
And thank us for your trouble.

Lady M.

All our service
In every point twice done, and then done double,
Were poor and single business to contend
Against those honors, deep and broad, wherewith
Your majesty loads our house: for those of old,
And the late dignities heap'd up to them,

We rest your hermits.

Dun.

Where's the thane of Cawdor? 20

We coursed him at the heels, and had a purpose

To be his purveyor: but he rides well;

And his great love, sharp as his spur, hath holp him

To his home before us.

Fair and noble hostess,

Your servants ever

We are your guest to-night.

Lady M.

Have theirs, themselves, and what is theirs, in compt, To make their audit at your highness' pleasure,

Still to return your own.

Dun.

Give me your hand:

Conduct me to mine host: we love him highly, 30 And shall continue our graces towards him. By your leave, hostess.

[Exeunt.

Hautboys and torches. Enter, and pass over the stage, a Sewer and divers Servants with dishes and service

Then enter MACBETH

Macb. If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well

It were done quickly: if the assassination

Could trammel up the consequence, and catch
With his surcease, success; that but this blow

Might be the be-all and the end-all here,

But here, upon this bank and shoal of time, -
We'd jump the life to come. - But in these cases,
We still have judgment here; that we but teach
Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return
To plague the inventor: this even-handed justice
Commends the ingredients of our poison'd chalice
To our own lips. He's here in double trust:
First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,
Strong both against the deed; then, as his host,
Who should against his murderer shut the door,
Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan
Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been
So clear in his great office, that his virtues
Will plead like angels trumpet-tongued against
The deep damnation of his taking-off:

And pity, like a naked new-born babe,
Striding the blast, or heaven's cherubim, horsed
Upon the sightless couriers of the air,

Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye,

That tears shall drown the wind.

I have no spur

To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself
And falls on the other.

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20

Macb. We will proceed no further in this business: He hath honor'd me of late; and I have bought Golden opinions from all sorts of people,

Which would be worn now in their newest gloss,
Not cast aside so soon.

Lady M.

Was the hope drunk

Wherein you dress'd yourself? hath it slept since?
And wakes it now to look so green and pale

At what it did so freely?

Such I account thy love.

From this time

Art thou afeard

40 To be the same in thine own act and valor

As thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have that
Which thou esteem'st the ornament of life,

And live a coward in thine own esteem;

Letting I dare not wait upon I would,
Like the poor cat i' the adage?

Macb.

Pr'ythee, peace:

I dare do all that may become a man;

Who dares do more is none.

Lady M.

What beast was't then,

That made you break this enterprise to me?
When you durst do it, then you were a man;
And, to be more than what you were, you would
Be so much more the man. Nor time nor place,
Did then adhere, and yet you would make both:
They have made themselves, and that their fitness now
Does unmake you. I have given suck, and know
How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me;
I would, while it was smiling in my face,
Have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums
And dash'd the brains on't out, had I so sworn
As you have done to this.

Macb.
Lady M.

If we should fail

We fail!

But screw your courage to the sticking-place,
And we'll not fail. When Duncan is asleep,
(Whereto the rather shall his day's hard journey
Soundly invite him,) his two chamberlains
Will I with wine and wassail so convince
That memory, the warder of the brain,
Shall be a fume, and the receipt of reason
A limbec only; when in swinish sleep
Their drenched natures lie, as in a death,

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