Macbeth
tailor come hither, for stealing out of a French hose: come in, tailor; here you may roast your goose. [Knocking.] 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 th’ everlasting bonfire. [Knocking.] Anon, anon! I pray you, remember the porter. 

[Opens the gate.]

Enter Macduff and Lennox.

Macduff

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.

Macbeth

 Our knocking has awak’d him; here he comes. 

 LENNOX. Good morrow, noble sir! 

 MACBETH. Good morrow, both! 

 MACDUFF. Is the King stirring, worthy thane? 


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