To our infamous monstrous slaueries Gape earth and let the Feends infernall view As hell as hoplesse and as full of feare As are the blasted banks of Erebus Where shaking ghosts with euer howling grones Houer about the vgly Ferriman to get a passage to Elisiā why should we liue O wretches beggars slaues Why liue we Baiazeth and build vp neasts So high within the region of the aire By liuing long in this oppression That all the world will see and laugh to scorne The former triumphes of our mightines In this obscure infernall seruitude Bai. O life more loathsome to my vexed thoughts Than noisome parbreak of the Stygian Snakes Which fils the nookes of Hell with standing aire Infecting all the Ghosts with curelesse griefs O dreary Engines of my loathed sight That sees my crowne my honor and my name Thrust vnder yoke and thraldom of a thiefe Why feed ye still on daies accursed beams And sink not quite into my tortur'd soule You see my wife my Queene and Emperesse Brought vp and propped by the hand of fame Queen of fifteene contributory Queens Now throwen to roomes of blacke abiection Smear'd with blots of basest drudgery And Villanesse to shame disdaine and misery Accursed Baiazeth whose words of ruth That would with pity chear zabinas heart And make our soules resolue in ceasles teares Sharp hunger bites vpon and gripes the root From whence the issues of my thoughts doe breake O poore zabina O my Queen my Queen Fetch me some water for my burning breast To coole and comfort me with longer date That in the shortned sequel of my life I may poure foorth my soule into thine armes With words of loue whose moaning entercourse Hath hetherto bin staid with wrath and hate Of our expreslesse band inflictions zab. Sweet Baiazeth I will prolong thy life As long as any blood or sparke of breath Can quench or coole the torments of my griefe She goes out Bai. Now Baiazeth abridge thy banefull daies And beat thy braines out of thy conquer'd head Since other meanes are all forbidden me That may be ministers of my decay O highest Lamp of euerliuing Ioue Accursed day infected with my griefs Hide now thy stained face in endles night And shut the windowes of the lightsome heauens Let vgly darknesse with her rusty coach Engyrt with tempests wrapt in pitchy clouds Smother the earth with neuer fading mistes And let her horses from their nostrels breathe Rebellious winds and dreadfull thunderclaps That in this terrour tamburlaine may liue And my pin'd soule resolu'd in liquid ay May styl excruciate his tormented thoughts Then let the stony dart of sencelesse colde Pierce through the center of my withered heart And make a passage for my loathed life He brains himself against the cage Enter Zabina Zab. What do mine eies behold my husband dead His Skul al riuin in twain his braines dasht out The braines of Baiazeth my Lord and Soueraigne O Baiazeth my husband and my Lord O Baiazet O Turk O Emperor giue him his liquor Not I bring milk and fire and my blood I bring him againe teare me in peeces giue me the sworde with a ball of wildefire vpon it Downe with him downe with him Goe to my child away away away Ah saue that Infant saue him saue him I euen I speake to her the Sun was downe Streamers white Red Blacke here here here Fling the meat in his face Tamburlaine tamburlaine Let the souldiers be buried Hel death tamburlain Hell make ready my Coch my chaire my iewels I come I come I come She runs against the Cage and braines her selfe Zenocrate wyth Anippe Wretched Zenocrate that liuest to see Damascus walles di'd with Egytian blood Thy Fathers subiects and thy countrimen Thy streetes strowed with disseuered iointes of men And wounded bodies gasping yet for life But most accurst to see the Sun-bright troope Of heauenly vyrgins and vnspotted maides Whose lookes might make the angry God of armes To breake his sword and mildly treat of loue On horsmens Lances to be hoisted vp And guiltlesly endure a cruell death For euery fell and stout Tartarian Stead That stampt on others with their thundring hooues When al their riders chardg'd their quiuering speares Began to checke the ground and rain themselues Gazing vpon the beautie of their lookes Ah Tamburlaine wert thou the cause of this That tearm'st Zenocrate thy dearest loue Whose liues were dearer to Zenocrate Than her owne life or ought saue thine owne loue But see another bloody spectacle Ah wretched eies the enemies of my hart How are ye glutted with these grieuous obiects And tell my soule mor tales of bleeding ruth See se Anippe if they breathe or no Anip. No breath nor sence nor motion in them both Ah Madam this their slauery hath Enforc'd And ruthlesse cruelty of Tamburlaine Zen. Earth cast vp fountaines from thy entralles And wet thy cheeks for their vntimely deathes Shake with their waight in signe of feare griefe Blush heauen that gaue them honor at their birth And let them die a death so barbarous Those that are proud of fickle Empery And place their chiefest good in earthly pompe Behold the Turke and his great Emperesse Ah tamburlaine my loue sweet tamburlaine That fights for Scepters and for slippery crownes Behold the Turk and his great Emperesse Thou that in conduct of thy happy stars Sleep'st euery night with conquest on thy browes And yet wouldst shun the wauering turnes of war In feare and feeling of the like distresse Behold the Turke and his great Emperesse Ah myghty Ioue and holy Mahomet Pardon my Loue oh pardon his contempt Of earthly fortune and respect of pitie And let not conquest ruthlesly pursewde Be equally against his life incenst In this great Turk and haplesse Emperesse And pardon me that was not moou'd with ruthe To see them liue so long in misery Ah what may chance to thee zenocrate Anip, Madam content your self and be resolu'd Your Loue hath fortune so at his command That she shall stay and turne her wheele no more As long as life maintaines his mighty arme That fights for honor to adorne your head Enter a Messenger Zen. What other heauie news now brings Philemus Phi. Madam your father and th' Arabian king The first affecter of your excellence Comes now as Turnus gainst Eneas did Armed with lance into the Egyptian fields Ready for battaile gainst my Lord the King Zen. Now shame and duty loue and feare presents A thousand sorrowes to my martyred soule Whom should I wish the fatall victory When my poore pleasures are deuided thus And rackt by dutie from my cursed heart My father and my first betrothed loue Must fight against my life and present loue Wherin the change I vse condemns my faith And makes my deeds infamous through the world But as the Gods to end the Troyans toile Preuent'd Turnus of Lauinia And fatally enricht Eneas loue So for a finall Issue to my griefes To pacifie my countrie and
from the mouth of mighty Baiazeth Bai. Hie thee my Bassoe fast to Persea Tell him thy Lord the Turkish Emperour Dread Lord of Affrike Europe and Asia Great King and conquerour of Grecia The Ocean Terrene and the cole-blacke sea The high and highest Monarke of the world Wils and Commands for say not I intreat Not once to set his foot in Affrica Or spread his collours in Grecia Least he incurre the furie of my wrath Tell him I am content to take a truce Because I heare he beares a valiant mind But if presuming on his silly power He be so mad to manage Armes with me Then stay thou with him say I bid thee so And if before the Sun haue measured heauen With triple circuit thou regreet vs not We meane to take his mornings next arise For messenger he will not be reclaim'd And meane to fetch thee in despight of him Bass. Most great and puisant Monarke of the earth Your Bassoe will accomplish your behest And show your pleasure to the Persean As fits the Legate of the stately Turk Exit Bass. Arg. They say he is the King of Persea But if he dare attempt to stir your siege T were requisite he should be ten times more For all flesh quakes at your magnificence Bai. True Argier and tremble at my lookes Moro. The spring is hindred by your smoothering host For neither rain can fall vpon the earth Nor Sun reflexe his vertuous beames thereon The ground is mantled with such multitudes Bai. All this is true as holy Mahomet And all the trees are blasted with our breathes Fess. What thinks your greatnes best to be atchieu'd In pursuit of the Cities ouerthrow Bai. I wil the captiue Pioners of Argier Cut of the water that by leaden pipes Runs to the citie from the mountain Carnon Two thousand horse shall forrage vp and downe That no reliefe or succour come by Land And all the sea my Gallies countermaund Then shall our footmen lie within the trench And with their Cannons mouth'd like Orcus gulfe Batter the walles and we will enter in And thus the Grecians shall be conquered Exeunt Actus 3. Scaena 2. Agidas Zenocrate Anippe with others MAdam Zenocrate may I presume To know the cause of these vnquiet fits That worke such trouble to your woonted rest T is more then pitty such a heauenly face Should by hearts sorrow wax so wan and pale When your offensiue rape by tamburlaine Which of your whole displeasures should be most Hath seem'd to be digested long agoe Zen. Although it be digested long agoe As his exceding fauours haue deseru'd And might content the Queene of heauen as well As it hath chang'd my first conceiu'd disdaine Yet since a farther passion feeds my thoughts With ceaselesse and disconsolate conceits Which dies my lookes so liuelesse as they are And might if my extreams had full euents Make me the gastly counterfeit of death Agid. Eternall heauen sooner be dissolu'd And all that pierceth Phoebes siluer eie Before such hap fall to zenocrate zen. Ah life and soule still houer in his Breast And leaue my body sencelesse as the earth Or els vnite you to his life and soule That I may liue and die with tamburlain Enter Tamburlaine with Techelles and others Agid. With tamburlaine Ah faire zenocrate Let not a man so vile and barbarous That holds you from your father in despight And keeps you from the honors of a Queene Being supposde his worthlesse Concubine Be honored with your loue but for necessity So now the mighty Souldan heares of you Your Highnesse needs not doubt but in short time He will with Tamburlaines destruction Redeeme you from this deadly seruitude Zen. leaue to wound me with these words And speake of tamburlaine as he deserues The entertainment we haue had of him Is far from villanie or seruitude And might in noble minds be counted princely Agid. How can you fancie one that lookes so fierce Onelie disposed to martiall Stratagems Who when he shall embrace you in his armes Will tell how many thousand men he slew And when you looke for amorous discourse Will rattle foorth his facts of war and blood Too harsh a subiect for your dainty eares Zen. As looks the sun through Nilus flowing stream Or when the morning holds him in her armes So lookes my Lordly loue faire tamburlaine His talke much sweeter than the Muses song They sung for honor gainst Pierides Or when Minerua did with Neptune striue And higher would I reare my estimate Than Iuno sister to the highest God If I were matcht with mightie tamburlaine Agid. Yet be not so inconstant in your loue But let the yong Arabian liue in hope After your rescue to eioy his choise You see though first the King of Persea Being a Shepheard seem'd to loue you much Now in his maiesty he leaues those lookes Those words of fauour and those comfortings And giues no more than common courtesies Zen. Thence rise the tears that so distain my checks Fearing his loue through my vnworthynesse Tamburlaine goes to her takes her away louingly by the hand looking wrathfully on Agidas and sayes nothing Agid. Betraide by fortune and suspitious loue Threatned with frowning wrath and iealousie Surprizd with feare of hideous reuenge I stand agast but most astonied To see his choller shut in secrete thoughtes And wrapt in silence of his angry soule Vpon his browes was pourtraid vgly death And in his eies the furie of his hart That shine as Comets menacing reuenge And casts a pale complexion on his cheeks As when the Sea-man sees the Hyades Gather an armye of Cemerian clouds Auster and Aquilon with winged Steads All sweating tilt about the watery heauens With shiuering speares enforcing thunderclaps And from their shieldes strike flames of lightening All fearefull foldes his sailes and sounds the maine Lifting his prayers to the heauens for aid Against the terrour of the winds and waues So fares Agydas for the late felt frownes That sent a tempest to my daunted thoughtes And makes my soule deuine her ouerthrow Enter Techelles with a naked dagger tech. See you Agidas how the King salutes you He bids you prophesie what it imports Exit Agid. I prophecied before and now I prooue The killing frownes of iealousie and loue He needed not with words confirme my feare For words are vaine where working tooles present The naked action of my threatned end It saies Agydas thou shalt surely die And of extremities elect the least More honor and lesse paine it may procure To dy by this resolued hand of thine Than stay the torments he and heauen haue sworne Then haste Agydas and preuent the plagues Which thy prolonged Fates may draw on thee Go wander free from feare of Tyrants rage Remooued from the Torments and the hell Wherewith he may excruciate thy soule And let Agidas by Agidas die And with this stab slumber eternally tech. Vsumeasane see how right the man Hath hit the meaning of my Lord the
and reuerence euermore haue raign'd Pitie the mariage bed where many a Lord In prime and glorie of his louing ioy Embraceth now with teares of ruth and blood The iealous bodie of his fearfull wife Whose cheekes and hearts so punisht with conceit To thinke thy puisant neuer staied arme Will part their bodies and preuent their soules From heauens of comfort yet their age might beare Now waxe all pale and withered to the death As well for griefe our ruthlesse Gouernour Haue thus refusde the mercie of thy hand Whose scepter Angels kisse and Furies dread As for their liberties their loues or liues O then for these and such as we our selues For vs for infants and for all our bloods That neuer nourisht thought against thy rule Pitie O pitie sacred Emperour The prostrate seruice of this wretched towne And take in signe thereof this gilded wreath Whereto ech man of rule hath giuen his hand And wisht as worthy subiects happy meanes To be inuesters of thy royall browes Euen with the true Egyptian Diadem tam. Virgins in vaine ye labore to preuent That which mine honor sweares shal be perform'd Behold my sword what see you at the point Virg. Nothing but feare and fatall steele my Lord tam. Your fearfull minds are thicke and mistie then For there sits Death there sits imperious Death Keeping his circuit by the slicing edge But I 'am pleasde you shall not see him there He now is seated on my horsmens speares And on their points his fleshlesse bodie feches Techelles straight goe charge a few of them To chardge these Dames and shew my seruant death Sitting in scarlet on their armed speares Omnes O pitie vs tam. Away with them I say and shew them death They take them away I will not spare these proud Egyptians Nor change my Martiall obseruations For all the wealth of Gehons golden waues Or for the loue of Venus would she leaue The angrie God of Armes and lie with me They haue refusde the offer of their liues And know my customes are as peremptory As wrathfull Planets death or destinie Enter Techelles What haue your horsmen shewen the virgins Death tech. They haue my Lord and on Damascus wals Haue hoisted vp their slaughtered carcases tam. A sight as banefull to their soules I think As are Thessalian drugs or Mithradate But goe my Lords put the rest to the sword Exeunt Ah faire Zenocrate diuine Zenocrate Faire is too foule an Epithite for thee That in thy passion for thy countries loue And feare to see thy kingly Fathers harme With haire discheweld wip'st thy watery cheeks And like to Flora in her mornings pride Shaking her siluer treshes in the aire Rain'st on the earth resolued pearle in showers And sprinklest Saphyrs on thy shining face Wher Beauty mother to the Muses sits And comments vollumes with her Yuory pen Taking instructions from thy flowing eies Eies when that Ebena steps to heauen In silence of thy solemn Euenings walk Making the mantle of the richest night The Moone the Planets and the Meteors light There Angels in their christal armours fight A doubtfull battell with my tempted thoughtes For Egypts freedom and the Souldans life His life that so consumes Zenocrate Whose sorrowes lay more siege vnto my saule Than all my Army to Damascus walles And neither Perseans Soueraign nor the Turk Troubled my sences with conceit of foile So much by much as dooth zenocrate What is beauty saith my sufferings then If all the pens that euer poets held Had fed the feeling of their maisters thoughts And euery sweetnes that inspir'd their harts Their minds and muses on admyred theames If all the heauenly Quintessence they still From their immortall flowers of Poesy Wherein as in a myrrour we perceiue The highest reaches of a humaine wit If these had made one Poems period And all combin'd in Beauties worthinesse Yet should ther houer in their restlesse heads One thought one grace one woonder at the least Which into words no vertue can digest But how vnseemly is it for my Sex My discipline of armes and Chiualrie My nature and the terrour of my name To harbour thoughts effeminate and faint Saue onely that in Beauties iust applause With whose instinct the soule of man is toucht And euery warriour that is rapt with loue Of fame of valour and of victory Must needs haue beauty beat on his conceites I thus conceiuing and subduing both That which hath stopt the tempest of the Gods Euen from the fiery spangled vaile of heauen To feele the louely warmth of shepheards flames And martch in cottages of strowed weeds Shal giue the world to note for all my byrth That Vertue solely is the sum of glorie And fashions men with true nobility Who 's within there Enter two or three Hath Baiazeth bene fed to day An. I my Lord tamb. Bring him forth let vs know if the towne be ransackt Enter Techelles Theridamas Vsumeasan others tech The town is ours my Lord and fresh supply Of conquest and of spoile is offered vs tam. That 's wel techelles what 's the newes tech. The Souldan and the Arabian king together Martch on vs with such eager violence As if there were no way but one with vs tam. No more there is not I warrant thee techelles They bring in the Turke ther. We know the victorie is ours my Lord But let vs saue the reuerend Souldans life For faire Zenocrate that so laments his state tamb. That will we chiefly see vnto theridamas For sweet zenocrate whose worthinesse Deserues a conquest ouer euery hart And now my footstoole if I loose the field You hope of libertie and restitution Here let him stay my maysters from the tents Till we haue made vs ready for the field Pray for vs Baiazeth we are going Exeunt Bai. Go neuer to returne with victorie Millions of men encompasse thee about And gore thy body with as many wounds Sharpe forked arrowes light vpon thy horse Furies from the blacke Cocitus lake Breake vp the earth and with their firebrands Enforce thee run vpon the banefull pikes Volleyes of shot pierce through thy charmed Skin And euery bullet dipt in poisoned drugs Or roaring Cannons seuer all thy ioints Making thee mount as high as Eagles soare zab. Let all the swords and Lances in the field Stick in his breast as in their proper roomes At euery pore let blood comme dropping foorth That lingring paines may massacre his heart And madnesse send his damned soule to hell Bai. Ah faire zabina we may curse his power The heauens may frowne the earth for anger quake But such a Star hath influence in his sword As rules the Skies and countermands the Gods More than Cymerian Stix or Distinie And then shall we in this detested guyse With shame with hungar and with horror aie Griping our bowels with retorqued thoughtes And haue no hope to end our extasies zab. Then is there left no Mahomet no God No Feend no Fortune nor no hope of end
high hill about the citie here tam. Let it be so about it souldiers But stay I feele my selfe distempered sudainly tech. What is it dares distemper Tamburlain tam. Something techelles but I know not what But foorth ye vassals what so ere it be Sicknes or death can neuer conquer me Exeunt Actus 5. Scaena 4. Enter Callapine Amasia with drums and trumpets Callap. KIng of Amasia now our mighty hoste Marcheth in Asia maior where the streames Of Euphrates and Tigris swiftly runs And here may we behald great Babylon Circled about with Limnasphaltis Lake Where tamburlaine with all his armie lies Which being faint and weary with the siege Wee may lie ready to encounter him Before his hoste be full from Babylon And so reuenge our latest grieuous losse If God or Mahomet send any aide Ama. Doubt not my lord but we shal conquer him The Monster that hath drinke a sea of blood And yet gapes stil for more to quench his thirst Our Turkish swords shal headlong send to hell And that vile Carkasse drawne by warlike kings The Foules shall eate for neuer sepulchre Shall grace that base-borne Tyrant tamburlaine Cal. When I record my Parents slauish life Their cruel death mine owne captiuity My Viceroies bondage vnder tamburlaine Me thinks I could sustaine a thousand deaths To be reueng'd of all his Villanie Ah sacred Mahomet thou that hast seene Millions of Turkes perish by Tamburlaine Kingdomes made waste braue cities sackt burnt And but one hoste is left to honor thee And thy obedient seruant Callapine And make him after all these ouerthrowes To triumph ouer cursed Tamburlaine Ama Feare not my Lord I see great Mahomet Clothed in purple clowdes and on his head A Chaplet brighter than Apollos crowne Marching about the ayer with armed men To ioine with you against this Tamburlaine Renowmed Generall mighty Callapine Though God himselfe and holy Mahomet Should come in person to resist your power Yet might your mighty hoste incounter all And pull proud Tamburlaine vpon his knees To sue for mercie at your highnesse feete Cal. Captaine the force of Tamburlaine is great His fortune greater and the victories Wherewith he hath so sore dismaide the world Are greatest to discourage all our drifts Yet when the pride of Cynthia is at full She waines againe and so shall his I hope For we haue here the chiefe selected men Of twenty seuerall kingdomes at the least Nor plowman Priest nor Merchant staies at home All Turkie is in armes with Callapine And neuer wil we sunder camps and armes Before himselfe or his be conquered This is the time that must eternize me For conquering the Tyrant of the world Come Souldiers let vs lie in wait for him And if we find him absent from his campe Or that it be reioin'd again at full Assaile it and be sure of victorie Exeunt Actus 5. Scaena 6. Theridamas Techelles Vsumeasane WEepe heauens and vanish into liquid teares Fal starres that gouerne his natiuity And sommon al the shining lamps of heauen To cast their bootlesse fires to the earth And shed their feble influence in the aire Muffle your beauties with eternall clowdes For hell and darknesse pitch their pitchy tentes And Death with armies of Cymerian spirits Giues battile gainst the heart of Tamburlaine Now in defiance of that woonted loue Your sacred vertues pour'd vpon his throne And made his state an honor to the heauens These cowards inuisiblie assaile hys soule And threaten conquest on our Soueraigne But if he die your glories are disgrac'd Earth droopes and saies that hell in heauen is plac'd tech. O then ye Powers that sway eternal seates And guide this massy substance of the earthe If you retaine desert of holinesse As your supreame estates instruct our thoughtes Be not inconstant carelesse of your fame Beare not the burthen of your enemies ioyes Triumphing in his fall whom you aduanst But as his birth life health and maiesty Were strangely blest and gouerned by heauen So honour heauen til heauen dissolued be His byrth his life his health and maiesty Cas Blush heauen to loose the honor of thy name To see thy foot-stoole set vpon thy head And let no basenesse in thy haughty breast Sustaine a shame of such inexcellence To see the deuils mount in Angels throanes And Angels diue into the pooles of hell And though they think their painfull date is out And that their power is puissant as Ioues Which makes them manage armes against thy state Yet make them feele the strength of Tamburlain Thy instrument and note of Maisty Is greater far than they can thus subdue For if he die thy glorie is disgrac'd Earth droopes and saies that hel in heauen is plac'd tam. What daring God torments my body thus And seeks to conquet mighty Tamburlaine Shall sicknesse prooue me now to be a man That haue bene tearm'd the terrour of the world Techelles and the rest come take your swords And threaten him whose hand afflicts my soul Come let vs march against the powers of heauen And set blacke streamers in the firmament To signifie the slaughter of the Gods Ah friends what shal I doe I cannot stand Come carie me to war against the Gods That thus inuie the health of Tamburlaine ther. Ah good my Lord leaue these impatient words Which ad much danger to your malladie tam. Why shal I sit and languish in this paine No strike the drums and in reuenge of this Come let vs chardge our speares and pierce his breast Whose shoulders beare the Axis of the world That if I perish heauen and earth may fade theridamas haste to the court of Ioue Will him to send Apollo hether straight To cure me or I le fetch him downe my selfe tech. Sit stil my gratious Lord this griefe wil cease And cannot last it is so violent tam. Not last techelles no for I shall die See where my slaue the vglie monster death Shaking and quiuering pale and wan for feare Stands aiming at me with his murthering dart Who flies away at euery glance I giue And when I look away comes stealing on Villaine away and hie thee to the field I and myne armie come to lode thy barke With soules of thousand mangled carkasses Looke where he goes but see he comes againe Because I stay techelles let vs march And weary Death with bearing soules to hell Phi. Pleaseth your Maiesty to drink this potion Which wil abate the furie of your fit And cause some milder spirits gouerne you tam. Tel me what think you of my sicknes now Phi. I view'd your vrine and the Hipostates Thick and obscure doth make your danger great Your vaines are full of accidentall heat Whereby the moisture of your blood is dried The Humidum and Calor which some holde Is not a parcell of the Elements But of a substance more diuine and pure Is almost cleane extinguished and spent Which being the cause of life imports your death Besides my Lord this day is Criticall Dangerous to
openly exclaime against the King Therefore to stay all sodaine mutinies We will inuest your Highnesse Emperour Whereat the Souldiers will conceiue more ioy Then did the Macedonians at the spoile Of great Darius and his wealthy hoast Cosr. Wel since I see the state of Persea droope And languish in my brothers gouernment I willingly receiue th' mperiall crowne And vow to weare it for my countries good In spight of them shall malice my estate Ortyg. And in assurance of desir'd successe We here doo crowne thee Monarch of the East Emperour of Asia and of Persea Great Lord of Medea and Armenia Duke of Affrica and Albania Mesopotamia and of Parthia East India and the late discouered Isles Chiefe Lord of all the wide vast Euxine sea And of the euer raging Caspian Lake Long liue Cosroe mighty Emperour Cosr. And Ioue may neuer let me longer liue Then I may seeke to gratifie your loue And cause the souldiers that thus honour me To triumph ouer many Prouinces By whose desires of discipline in Armes I doubt not shortly but to raigne sole king And with the Armie of Theridamas Whether we presently will flie my Lords To rest secure against my brothers force Ortyg We knew my Lord before we brought the crowne Intending your inuestion so neere The residence of your dispised brother The Lord would not be too exasperate To iniure or suppresse your woorthy tytle Or if they would there are in readines Ten thousand horse to carie you from hence In spite of all suspected enemies Cosr. I know it wel my Lord thanke you all Ortyg. Sound vp the trumpets then God saue the King Exeunt Actus 1. Scoena 2 Tamburlaine leading Zenocrate Techelles Vsumeasane other Lords and Souldiers loden with treasure Tam. COme lady let not this appal your thoughts The iewels and the treasure we haue tane Shall be reseru'd and you in better state Than if you were arriu'd in Siria Euen in the circle of your Fathers armes The mightie Souldan of Egyptia Zeno. Ah Shepheard pity my distressed plight If as thou seem'st thou art so meane a man And seeke not to inrich thy followers By lawlesse rapine from a silly maide Who traueiling with these Medean Lords To Memphis from my vncles country of Medea Where all my youth I haue vene gouerned Haue past the armie of the mightie Turke Bearing his priuie signet and his hand To safe conduct vs thorow Affrica Mag. And since we haue arriu'd in Scythia Besides rich presents from the puisant Cham We haue his highnesse letters to command Aide and assistance if we stand in need Tam. But now you see these letters commandes Are countermanded by a greater man And through my prouinces you must expect Letters of conduct from my mightinesse If you intend to keep your treasure safe But since I loue to liue at liberty As easely may you get the Souldans crowne As any prizes out of my precinct For they are friends that help to weane my state Till men and kingdomes help to strengthen it And must maintaine my life exempt from seruitude But tell me Maddam is your grace betroth'd Zen. I am my Lord for so you do import Tam. I am a Lord for so my deeds shall prooue And yet a shepheard by my Parentage But Lady this faire face and heauenly hew Mud grace his bed that conquers Asia And meanes to be a terrour to the world Measuring the limits of his Emperie By East and west as Phaebus doth his course Lie here ye weedes that I disdaine to weare This compleat armor and this curtle-axe Are adiuncts more beseeming Tamburlaine And Maddam whatsoeuer you esteeme Of this successe and losse vnvallued Both may inuest you Empresse of the East And these that seeme but silly country Swaines May haue the leading of so great an host As with their waight shall make the mountains quake Euen as when windy exhalations Fighting for passage tilt within the earth Tec. As princely Lions when they rouse themselues Stretching their pawes and threatning heardes of Beastes So in his Armour looketh Tamburlaine Me thinks I see kings kneeling at his feet And he with frowning browes and fiery lookes Spurning their crownes from off their captiue heads Vsum. And making thee and me Techelles kinges That euen to death will follow Tamburlaine Tam. Nobly resolu'd sweet friends and followers These Lords perhaps do scorne our estimates And thinke we prattle with distempered spirits But since they measure our deserts so meane That in conceit bear Empires on our speares Affecting thoughts coequall with the cloudes They shall be kept our forced followers Till with their eies thee view vs Emperours Zen. The Gods defenders of the innocent Will neuer prosper your intended driftes That thus oppresse poore friendles passengers Therefore at least admit vs libertie Euen as thou hop'st to be eternized By liuing Asias mightie Emperour Agid. I hope our Ladies treasure and our owne May serue for ransome to our liberties Returne our Mules and emptie Camels backe That we may traueile into Siria Where her betrothed Lord Alcidamus Expects th' arriuall of her highnesse person Mag. And wheresoeuer we repose our selues We will report but well of Tamburlaine Tamb. Disdaines Zenocrate to liue with me Or you my Lordes to be my followers Thinke you I way this treasure more than you Not all the Gold in Indias welthy armes Shall buy the meanest souldier in my traine Zenocrate louelier than the Loue of Ioue Brighter than is the siluer Rhodolfe Fairer than whitest snow on Scythian hils Thy person is more woorth to Tamburlaine Than the possession of the Persean Crowne Which gratious startes haue promist at my birth A hundreth Tartars shall attend on thee Mounted on Steeds swifter than Pegasus Thy Garments shall be made of Medean silke Enchast with precious iuelles of mine owne More rich and valurous than Zenocrates With milke-white Hartes vpon an Iuorie sled Thou shalt be drawen amidst the frosen Pooles And scale the ysie mountaines lofty tops Which with thy beautie will be soone resolu'd My martiall prises with fiue hundred men Wun on the fiftie headed Vuolgas waues Shall all we offer to Zenocrate And then my selfe to faire Zenocrate Tech. What now In loue Tam. Techelles women must be flaterrd But this is she with whom I am in loue Enter a Souldier Sould. Newes newes Tamb. How now what 's the matter Sould. A thousand Persean horsmen are at hand Sent from the King to ouercome vs all Tam. How now my Lords of Egypt Zenocrate Now must your iewels be restor'd againe And I that triumpht so be ouercome How say you Lordings Is not this your hope Agid. We hope your selfe wil willingly restore thē Tamb. Such hope such fortune haue the thousand horse Soft ye my Lords and sweet Zenocrate You must be forced from me ere you goe A thousand horsmen We fiue hundred foote An ods too great for vs to stand against But are they rich And is their armour good Sould. Their plumed helmes
Caesars hoste That neuer fought but had the victorie Nor in Pharsalia was there such hot war As these my followers willingly would haue Legions of Spirits fleeting in the aire Direct our Bullets and our weapons pointes And make our strokes to wound the sencelesse lure And when she sees our bloody Collours spread Then Victorie begins to take her flight Resting her selfe vpon my milk-white Tent But come my Lords to weapons let vs fall The field is ours the Turk his wife and all Exit with his followers Bai. Come Kings and Bassoes let vs glut our swords That thirst to drinke the feble Perseans blood Exit with his followers zab. Base Concubine must thou be plac'd by me That am the Empresse of the mighty Turke zen. Disdainful Turkesse and vnreuerend Bosse Call'st thou me Concubine that am betroath'd Vnto the great and mighty tamburlaine Zab. To tamburlaine the great Tartarian thiefe Zen. Thou wilt repent these lauish words of thine When thy great Bassoe maister and thy selfe Must plead for mercie at his kingly feet And sue to me to be your Aduocates Zab. And sue to thee I tell thee shamelesse girle Thou shalt be Landresse to my waiting maid How lik'st thou her Ebea will she serue Ebea. Madame she thinks perhaps she is too fine But I shall turne her into other weedes And make her daintie fingers fall to woorke Zen. hearst thou Anippe how thy drudge doth talk And how my slaue her mistresse menaceth Both for their sausinesse shall be employed To dresse the common souldiers meat and drink For we will scorne they should come nere our selues Anip. Yet somtimes let your highnesse send for thē To do the work my chamber maid disdaines They sound the battell within and stay Zen. Ye Gods and powers that gouerne Persea And made my lordly Loue her worthy King Now strengthen him against the Turkish Baiazeth And let his foes like flockes of fearfull Roes Pursude by hunters flie his angrie lookes That I may see him issue Conquerour Zab. Now Mahomet solicit God himselfe And make him raine down murthering shot frō heauen To dash the Scythians braines and strike them dead That dare to manage armes with him That offered iewels to thy sacred shrine When first he war'd against the Christians To the battell againe Zen. By this the Turks lie weltring in their blood sound And tamburlaine is Lord of Affrica Zab. Thou art deceiu'd I heard the Trumpets As when my Emperour ouerthrew the Greeks And led them Captiue into Affrica Straight will I vse thee as thy pride deserues Prepare thy selfe to liue and die my slaue Zen. If Mahomet should come from heauen and sweare My royall Lord is slaine or conquered Yet should he not perswade me otherwise But that he liues and will be Conquerour Baiazeth flies and he pursues him The battell short and they enter Baiazeth is ouercome Tam. Now king of Bassoes who is Conqueror Bai. Thou by the fortune of this damned foile Tam. Where are your stout contributorie kings Enter Techelles Theridamas Vsumeasane Tech. We haue their crownes their bodies strowe the fielde Tam. Each man a crown why kingly fought ifaith Deliuer them into my treasurie Zen. Now let me offer to my gracious Lord His royall Crowne againe so highly won tam. Nay take the Turkish Crown from her zen. And crowne me Emperour of Affrica Zab. No tamburlain though now thou gat the best Thou shalt not yet be Lord of Affrica ther. Giue her the Crowne Turkesse you wer best He takes it from her and giues it Zenocrate zab. Iniurious villaines thieues runnagates How dare you thus abuse my Maiesty ther. Here Madam you are Empresse she is none tam. Not now theridamas her time is past The pillers that haue bolstered vp those tearmes Are falne in clusters at my conquering feet zab. Though he be prisoner he may be ransomed tamb. Not all the world shall ransom Baiazeth Bai. Ah faire zabina we haue lost the field And neuer had the Turkish Emperour So great a foile by any forraine foe Now will the Christian miscreants be glad Ringing with ioy their superstitious belles And making bonfires for my ouerthrow But ere I die those foule Idolaters Shall make me bonfires with their filthy bones For though the glorie of this day be lost Affrik and Greece haue garrisons enough To make me Soueraigne of the earth againe Tam. Those walled garrisons wil I subdue And write my selfe great Lord of Affrica So from the East vnto the furthest West Shall tamburlain extend his puisant arme The Galles and those pilling Briggandines That yeerely saile to the Venetian gulfe And houer in the straightes for Christians wracke Shall lie at anchor in the Isle Asant Vntill the Persean Fleete and men of war Sailing along the Orientall sea Haue fetcht about the Indian continent Euen from Persepolis to Mexico And thence vnto the straightes of Iubalter Where they shall meete and ioine their force in one Keeping in aw the Bay of Portingale And all the Ocean by the British shore And by this meanes I le win the world at last Bai. Yet set a ransome on me tamburlaine Tam. What thinkst thou tamburlain esteems thy gold I le make the kings of India ere I die Offer their mines to sew for peace to me And dig for treasure to appease my wrath Come bind them both and one lead in the Turke The Turkesse let my Loues maid lead away They bind them Bai. Ah villaines dare ye touch my sacred armes O Mahomet Oh sleepie Mahomet zab. O cursed Mahomet that makest vs thus The slaues to Scythians rude and barbarous Tam. Come bring them in for this happy cōquest Triumph and solemnize a martiall feast Exeunt Finis Actus tertii Actus 4. Scaena 1. Souldan of Egipt with three or four Lords Capolin Souldan AWake ye men of Memphis heare the clange Of Scythian trumpets heare the Basiliskes That roaring shake Damascus turrets downe The rogue of Volga holds zenocrate The Souldans daughter for his Concubine And with a troope of theeues and vagabondes Hath spread his collours to our high disgrace While you faint-hearted base Egyptians Lie slumbering on the flowrie bankes of Nile As Crocodiles that vnaffrighted rest While thundring Cannons rattle on their Skins Mess. Nay mightie Souldan did your greatnes see The frowning lookes of fiery Tamburlaine That with his terrour and imperious eies Commandes the hearts of his associates It might amaze your royall maiesty Soul Villain I tell thee were that tamburlaine As monstrous as Gorgon prince of Hell The Souldane would not start a foot from him But speake what power hath he Mess. Mightie Lord Three hundred thousand men in armour clad Vpon their pransing Steeds disdainfully With wanton paces trampling on the ground Fiue hundred thousand footmen threatning shot Shaking their swords their speares and yron bils Enuironing their Standard round that stood As bristle-pointed as a thorny wood Their warlike Engins and munition Exceed the forces of their martial men Soul Nay