Macbeth+Act+I

SCENE I. A desert place.
//Thunder and lightning. Enter three Witches// **First Witch** > When shall we three meet again > In thunder, lightning, or in rain?

**Second Witch** > When the hurlyburly's done, > When the battle's lost and won.

**Third Witch** > That will be ere the set of sun. **First Witch** > Where the place? **Second Witch** > Upon the heath. **Third Witch** > There to meet with Macbeth. **First Witch** > I come, Graymalkin!

**Second Witch** > Paddock calls.

**Third Witch** > Anon.

**ALL** > Fair is foul, and foul is fair: > Hover through the fog and filthy air. > //Exeunt//

SCENE II. A camp near Forres.
> //Alarum within. Enter DUNCAN, MALCOLM, DONALBAIN, LENNOX, with Attendants, meeting a bleeding Sergeant// **DUNCAN** > What bloody man is that? He can report, > As seemeth by his plight, of the revolt > The newest state.

**MALCOLM** > This is the sergeant > Who like a good and hardy soldier fought > 'Gainst my captivity. Hail, brave friend! > Say to the king the knowledge of the broil > As thou didst leave it.

**Sergeant** > Doubtful it stood; > As two spent swimmers, that do cling together > And choke their art. The merciless Macdonwald-- > Worthy to be a rebel, for to that > The multiplying villanies of nature > Do swarm upon him--from the western isles > Of kerns and gallowglasses is supplied; > And fortune, on his damned quarrel smiling, > Show'd like a rebel's whore: but all's too weak: > For brave Macbeth--well he deserves that name-- > Disdaining fortune, with his brandish'd steel, > Which smoked with bloody execution, > Like valour's minion carved out his passage > Till he faced the slave; > Which ne'er shook hands, nor bade farewell to him, > Till he unseam'd him from the nave to the chaps, > And fix'd his head upon our battlements.

**DUNCAN** > O valiant cousin! worthy gentleman!

**Sergeant** > As whence the sun 'gins his reflection > Shipwrecking storms and direful thunders break, > So from that spring whence comfort seem'd to come > Discomfort swells. Mark, king of Scotland, mark: > No sooner justice had with valour arm'd > Compell'd these skipping kerns to trust their heels, > But the Norweyan lord surveying vantage, > With furbish'd arms and new supplies of men > Began a fresh assault.

**DUNCAN** > Dismay'd not this > Our captains, Macbeth and Banquo?

**Sergeant** > Yes; > As sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion. > If I say sooth, I must report they were > As cannons overcharged with double cracks, so they > Doubly redoubled strokes upon the foe: > Except they meant to bathe in reeking wounds, > Or memorise another Golgotha, > I cannot tell. > But I am faint, my gashes cry for help.

**DUNCAN** > So well thy words become thee as thy wounds; > They smack of honour both. Go get him surgeons. > //Exit Sergeant, attended// > Who comes here? > //Enter ROSS// **MALCOLM** > The worthy thane of Ross.

**LENNOX** > What a haste looks through his eyes! So should he look > That seems to speak things strange.

**ROSS** > God save the king!

**DUNCAN** > Whence camest thou, worthy thane?

**ROSS** > From Fife, great king; > Where the Norweyan banners flout the sky > And fan our people cold. Norway himself, > With terrible numbers, > Assisted by that most disloyal traitor > The thane of Cawdor, began a dismal conflict; > Till that Bellona's bridegroom, lapp'd in proof, > Confronted him with self-comparisons, > Point against point rebellious, arm 'gainst arm. > Curbing his lavish spirit: and, to conclude, > The victory fell on us.

**DUNCAN** > Great happiness!

**ROSS** > That now > Sweno, the Norways' king, craves composition: > Nor would we deign him burial of his men > Till he disbursed at Saint Colme's inch > Ten thousand dollars to our general use.

**DUNCAN** > No more that thane of Cawdor shall deceive > Our bosom interest: go pronounce his present death, > And with his former title greet Macbeth.

**ROSS** > I'll see it done.

**DUNCAN** > What he hath lost noble Macbeth hath won. > //Exeunt//

SCENE III. A heath near Forres.
//Thunder. Enter the three Witches// **First Witch** > Where hast thou been, sister?

**Second Witch** > Killing swine.

**Third Witch** > Sister, where thou?

**First Witch** > A sailor's wife had chestnuts in her lap, > And munch'd, and munch'd, and munch'd:-- > 'Give me,' quoth I: > 'Aroint thee, witch!' the rump-fed ronyon cries. > Her husband's to Aleppo gone, master o' the Tiger: > But in a sieve I'll thither sail, > And, like a rat without a tail, > I'll do, I'll do, and I'll do.

**Second Witch** > I'll give thee a wind.

**First Witch** > Thou'rt kind.

**Third Witch** > And I another.

**First Witch** > I myself have all the other, > And the very ports they blow, > All the quarters that they know > I' the shipman's card. > I will drain him dry as hay: > Sleep shall neither night nor day > Hang upon his pent-house lid; > He shall live a man forbid: > Weary se'nnights nine times nine > Shall he dwindle, peak and pine: > Though his bark cannot be lost, > Yet it shall be tempest-tost. > Look what I have.

**Second Witch** > Show me, show me.

**First Witch** > Here I have a pilot's thumb, > Wreck'd as homeward he did come. > //Drum within// **Third Witch** > A drum, a drum! > Macbeth doth come.

**ALL** > The weird sisters, hand in hand, > Posters of the sea and land, > Thus do go about, about: > Thrice to thine and thrice to mine > And thrice again, to make up nine. > Peace! the charm's wound up. > //Enter MACBETH and BANQUO// **MACBETH** > So foul and fair a day I have not seen.

**BANQUO** > How far is't call'd to Forres? What are these > So wither'd and so wild in their attire, > That look not like the inhabitants o' the earth, > And yet are on't? Live you? or are you aught > That man may question? You seem to understand me, > By each at once her chappy finger laying > Upon her skinny lips: you should be women, > And yet your beards forbid me to interpret > That you are so.

**MACBETH** > Speak, if you can: what are you?

**First Witch** > All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Glamis!

**Second Witch** > All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, thane of Cawdor!

**Third Witch** > All hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter!

**BANQUO** > Good sir, why do you start; and seem to fear > Things that do sound so fair? I' the name of truth, > Are ye fantastical, or that indeed > Which outwardly ye show? My noble partner > You greet with present grace and great prediction > Of noble having and of royal hope, > That he seems rapt withal: to me you speak not. > If you can look into the seeds of time, > And say which grain will grow and which will not, > Speak then to me, who neither beg nor fear > Your favours nor your hate.

**First Witch** > Hail!

**Second Witch** > Hail!

**Third Witch** > Hail!

**First Witch** > Lesser than Macbeth, and greater.

**Second Witch** > Not so happy, yet much happier.

**Third Witch** > Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none: > So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo!

**First Witch** > Banquo and Macbeth, all hail!

**MACBETH** > Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more: > By Sinel's death I know I am thane of Glamis; > But how of Cawdor? the thane of Cawdor lives, > A prosperous gentleman; and to be king > Stands not within the prospect of belief, > No more than to be Cawdor. Say from whence > You owe this strange intelligence? or why > Upon this blasted heath you stop our way > With such prophetic greeting? Speak, I charge you. > //Witches vanish// **BANQUO** > The earth hath bubbles, as the water has, > And these are of them. Whither are they vanish'd?

**MACBETH** > Into the air; and what seem'd corporal melted > As breath into the wind. Would they had stay'd!

**BANQUO** > Were such things here as we do speak about? > Or have we eaten on the insane root > That takes the reason prisoner?

**MACBETH** > Your children shall be kings.

**BANQUO** > You shall be king.

**MACBETH** > And thane of Cawdor too: went it not so?

**BANQUO** > To the selfsame tune and words. Who's here? > //Enter ROSS and ANGUS// **ROSS** > The king hath happily received, Macbeth, > The news of thy success; and when he reads > Thy personal venture in the rebels' fight, > His wonders and his praises do contend > Which should be thine or his: silenced with that, > In viewing o'er the rest o' the selfsame day, > He finds thee in the stout Norweyan ranks, > Nothing afeard of what thyself didst make, > Strange images of death. As thick as hail > Came post with post; and every one did bear > Thy praises in his kingdom's great defence, > And pour'd them down before him.

**ANGUS** > We are sent > To give thee from our royal master thanks; > Only to herald thee into his sight, > Not pay thee.

**ROSS** > And, for an earnest of a greater honour, > He bade me, from him, call thee thane of Cawdor: > In which addition, hail, most worthy thane! > For it is thine.

**BANQUO** > What, can the devil speak true?

**MACBETH** > The thane of Cawdor lives: why do you dress me > In borrow'd robes?

**ANGUS** > Who was the thane lives yet; > But under heavy judgment bears that life > Which he deserves to lose. Whether he was combined > With those of Norway, or did line the rebel > With hidden help and vantage, or that with both > He labour'd in his country's wreck, I know not; > But treasons capital, confess'd and proved, > Have overthrown him.

**MACBETH** > [Aside] Glamis, and thane of Cawdor! > The greatest is behind. > //To ROSS and ANGUS// > Thanks for your pains. > //To BANQUO// > Do you not hope your children shall be kings, > When those that gave the thane of Cawdor to me > Promised no less to them?

**BANQUO** > That trusted home > Might yet enkindle you unto the crown, > Besides the thane of Cawdor. But 'tis strange: > And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, > The instruments of darkness tell us truths, > Win us with honest trifles, to betray's > In deepest consequence. > Cousins, a word, I pray you.

**MACBETH** > [Aside] Two truths are told, > As happy prologues to the swelling act > Of the imperial theme.--I thank you, gentlemen. > //Aside// > Cannot be ill, cannot be good: if ill, > Why hath it given me earnest of success, > Commencing in a truth? I am thane of Cawdor: > If good, why do I yield to that suggestion > Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair > And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, > Against the use of nature? Present fears > Are less than horrible imaginings: > My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, > Shakes so my single state of man that function > Is smother'd in surmise, and nothing is > But what is not.

**BANQUO** > Look, how our partner's rapt.

**MACBETH** > [Aside] If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, > Without my stir.

**BANQUO** > New horrors come upon him, > Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mould > But with the aid of use.

**MACBETH** > [Aside] Come what come may, > Time and the hour runs through the roughest day.

**BANQUO** > Worthy Macbeth, we stay upon your leisure.

**MACBETH** > Give me your favour: my dull brain was wrought > With things forgotten. Kind gentlemen, your pains > Are register'd where every day I turn > The leaf to read them. Let us toward the king. > Think upon what hath chanced, and, at more time, > The interim having weigh'd it, let us speak > Our free hearts each to other.

**BANQUO** > Very gladly.

**MACBETH** > Till then, enough. Come, friends. > //Exeunt//

SCENE IV. Forres. The palace.
> //Flourish. Enter DUNCAN, MALCOLM, DONALBAIN, LENNOX, and Attendants// **DUNCAN** > Is execution done on Cawdor? Are not > Those in commission yet return'd?

**MALCOLM** > My liege, > They are not yet come back. But I have spoke > With one that saw him die: who did report > That very frankly he confess'd his treasons, > Implored your highness' pardon and set forth > A deep repentance: nothing in his life > Became him like the leaving it; he died > As one that had been studied in his death > To throw away the dearest thing he owed, > As 'twere a careless trifle.

**DUNCAN** > There's no art > To find the mind's construction in the face: > He was a gentleman on whom I built > An absolute trust. > //Enter MACBETH, BANQUO, ROSS, and ANGUS// > O worthiest cousin! > The sin of my ingratitude even now > Was heavy on me: thou art so far before > That swiftest wing of recompense is slow > To overtake thee. Would thou hadst less deserved, > That the proportion both of thanks and payment > Might have been mine! only I have left to say, > More is thy due than more than all can pay.

**MACBETH** > The service and the loyalty I owe, > In doing it, pays itself. Your highness' part > Is to receive our duties; and our duties > Are to your throne and state children and servants, > Which do but what they should, by doing every thing > Safe toward your love and honour.

**DUNCAN** > Welcome hither: > I have begun to plant thee, and will labour > To make thee full of growing. Noble Banquo, > That hast no less deserved, nor must be known > No less to have done so, let me enfold thee > And hold thee to my heart.

**BANQUO** > There if I grow, > The harvest is your own.

**DUNCAN** > My plenteous joys, > Wanton in fulness, seek to hide themselves > In drops of sorrow. Sons, kinsmen, thanes, > And you whose places are the nearest, know > We will establish our estate upon > Our eldest, Malcolm, whom we name hereafter > The Prince of Cumberland; which honour must > Not unaccompanied invest him only, > But signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine > On all deservers. From hence to Inverness, > And bind us further to you.

**MACBETH** > The rest is labour, which is not used for you: > I'll be myself the harbinger and make joyful > The hearing of my wife with your approach; > So humbly take my leave.

**DUNCAN** > My worthy Cawdor!

**MACBETH** > [Aside] The Prince of Cumberland! that is a step > On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap, > For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; > Let not light see my black and deep desires: > The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be, > Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see. > //Exit// **DUNCAN** > True, worthy Banquo; he is full so valiant, > And in his commendations I am fed; > It is a banquet to me. Let's after him, > Whose care is gone before to bid us welcome: > It is a peerless kinsman. > //Flourish. Exeunt//

SCENE V. Inverness. Macbeth's castle.
> //Enter LADY MACBETH, reading a letter// **LADY MACBETH** > 'They met me in the day of success: and I have > learned by the perfectest report, they have more in > them than mortal knowledge. When I burned in desire > to question them further, they made themselves air, > into which they vanished. Whiles I stood rapt in > the wonder of it, came missives from the king, who > all-hailed me 'Thane of Cawdor;' by which title, > before, these weird sisters saluted me, and referred > me to the coming on of time, with 'Hail, king that > shalt be!' This have I thought good to deliver > thee, my dearest partner of greatness, that thou > mightst not lose the dues of rejoicing, by being > ignorant of what greatness is promised thee. Lay it > to thy heart, and farewell.' > Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be > What thou art promised: yet do I fear thy nature; > It is too full o' the milk of human kindness > To catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be great; > Art not without ambition, but without > The illness should attend it: what thou wouldst highly, > That wouldst thou holily; wouldst not play false, > And yet wouldst wrongly win: thou'ldst have, great Glamis, > That which cries 'Thus thou must do, if thou have it; > And that which rather thou dost fear to do > Than wishest should be undone.' Hie thee hither, > That I may pour my spirits in thine ear; > And chastise with the valour of my tongue > All that impedes thee from the golden round, > Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem > To have thee crown'd withal. > //Enter a Messenger// > What is your tidings?

**Messenger** > The king comes here to-night.

**LADY MACBETH** > Thou'rt mad to say it: > Is not thy master with him? who, were't so, > Would have inform'd for preparation.

**Messenger** > So please you, it is true: our thane is coming: > One of my fellows had the speed of him, > Who, almost dead for breath, had scarcely more > Than would make up his message.

**LADY MACBETH** > Give him tending; > He brings great news. > //Exit Messenger// > The raven himself is hoarse > That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan > Under my battlements. Come, you spirits > That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, > And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full > Of direst cruelty! make thick my blood; > Stop up the access and passage to remorse, > That no compunctious visitings of nature > Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between > The effect and it! Come to my woman's breasts, > And take my milk for gall, you murdering ministers, > Wherever in your sightless substances > You wait on nature's mischief! Come, thick night, > And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, > That my keen knife see not the wound it makes, > Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark, > To cry 'Hold, hold! > //Enter MACBETH// > Great Glamis! worthy Cawdor! > Greater than both, by the all-hail hereafter! > Thy letters have transported me beyond > This ignorant present, and I feel now > The future in the instant.

**MACBETH** > My dearest love, > Duncan comes here to-night.

**LADY MACBETH** > And when goes hence?

**MACBETH** > To-morrow, as he purposes.

**LADY MACBETH** > O, never > Shall sun that morrow see! > Your face, my thane, is as a book where men > May read strange matters. To beguile the time, > Look like the time; bear welcome in your eye, > Your hand, your tongue: look like the innocent flower, > But be the serpent under't. He that's coming > Must be provided for: and you shall put > This night's great business into my dispatch; > Which shall to all our nights and days to come > Give solely sovereign sway and masterdom.

**MACBETH** > We will speak further. **LADY MACBETH** > Only look up clear; > To alter favour ever is to fear: > Leave all the rest to me. > //Exeunt//

SCENE VI. Before Macbeth's castle.
> //Hautboys and torches. Enter DUNCAN, MALCOLM, DONALBAIN, BANQUO, LENNOX, MACDUFF, ROSS, ANGUS, and Attendants// **DUNCAN** > This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air > Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself > Unto our gentle senses.

**BANQUO** > 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. > //Enter LADY MACBETH// **DUNCAN** > See, see, our honour'd hostess! > The love that follows us sometime is our trouble, > Which still we thank as love. Herein I teach you > How you shall bid God 'ild us for your pains, > And thank us for your trouble.

**LADY MACBETH** > All our service > In every point twice done and then done double > Were poor and single business to contend > Against those honours 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.

**DUNCAN** > Where's the thane of Cawdor? > 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, > We are your guest to-night.

**LADY MACBETH** > Your servants ever > Have theirs, themselves and what is theirs, in compt, > To make their audit at your highness' pleasure, > Still to return your own.

**DUNCAN** > Give me your hand; > Conduct me to mine host: we love him highly, > And shall continue our graces towards him. > By your leave, hostess. > //Exeunt//

SCENE VII. Macbeth's castle.
> //Hautboys and torches. Enter a Sewer, and divers Servants with dishes and service, and pass over the stage. Then enter MACBETH// **MACBETH** > 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'ld 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. > //Enter LADY MACBETH// > How now! what news?

**LADY MACBETH** > He has almost supp'd: why have you left the chamber?

**MACBETH** > Hath he ask'd for me?

**LADY MACBETH** > Know you not he has?

**MACBETH** > We will proceed no further in this business: > He hath honour'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 MACBETH** > 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? From this time > Such I account thy love. Art thou afeard > To be the same in thine own act and valour > 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?

**MACBETH** > Prithee, peace: > I dare do all that may become a man; > Who dares do more is none.

**LADY MACBETH** > 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 out, had I so sworn as you > Have done to this.

**MACBETH** > If we should fail?

**LADY MACBETH** > 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 limbeck only: when in swinish sleep > Their drenched natures lie as in a death, > What cannot you and I perform upon > The unguarded Duncan? what not put upon > His spongy officers, who shall bear the guilt > Of our great quell?

**MACBETH** > Bring forth men-children only; > For thy undaunted mettle should compose > Nothing but males. Will it not be received, > When we have mark'd with blood those sleepy two > Of his own chamber and used their very daggers, > That they have done't?

**LADY MACBETH** > Who dares receive it other, > As we shall make our griefs and clamour roar > Upon his death?

**MACBETH** > I am settled, and bend up > Each corporal agent to this terrible feat. > Away, and mock the time with fairest show: > False face must hide what the false heart doth know. //Exeunt// >