Cosr. It cannot choose, because it comes from you.
Myce. Then heare thy charge, valiant Theridimas
The chiefest Captaine of Mycetes hoste,

The hope of Persea, and the verie legges
Whereon our state doth leane, as on a staffe,
That holds vs vp, and foiles our neighbour foes.
Thou shalt be leader of this thousand horse,
Whose foming galle with rage and high disdaine,
Haue sworne the death of wicked Tamburlaine.
Go frowning foorth, but come thou smyling home,
As did Sir Paris with the Grecian Dame,
Returne with speed, time passeth swift away,
Our life is fraile, and we may die to day.

Ther. Before the Moone renew her borrowed light,
Doubt not my Lord and gratious Soueraigne,
But Tamburlaine, and that Tartarian rout,
Shall either perish by our warlike hands,
Or plead for mercie at your highnesse feet.

Myce. Go, stout Theridimas, thy words are swords
And with thy lookes thou conquerest all thy foes:
I long to see thee backe returne from thence,
That I may view these milk-white steeds of mine,
All loden with the heads of killed men.

And from their knees, euen to their hoofes below,
Besmer'd with blood, that makes a dainty show.

65

70

75

39

85

(Exit.

The. Then now my Lord, I humbly take my leaue. Myc. Therid(amas) farewel ten thousand times. Ah, Menaphon, why staiest thou thus behind, When other men prease forward for renowne Go Menaphon, go into Scythia,

And foot by foot follow Theridamas.

91

Cos. Nay, pray you let him stay, a greater (task) 95 Fits Menaphon, than warring with a Thiefe:

Create him Prorex of Affrica,

That he may win the Babylonians hearts,

Which will reuolt from Persean gouernment,

Vnlesse they haue a wiser king than you.

Myc. Vnlesse they haue a wiser king than you?

These are his words, Meander set them downe
Cos. And ad this to them, that all Asia

Lament to see the follie of their King.

100

Myc. Well here I sweare by this my royal seat- 105

66 chiefe 1605

95 you om. 1605

MS. note in Bodleian copy of ed. 1605

task add. Rob. etc.: feat 97 of] of all 1605 etc.

Cos. You may doe well to kisse it then.

Myc. Embost with silke as best beseemes my state,
To be reueng'd for these contemptuous words.
O where is dutie and allegeance now?

Fled to the Caspean or the Ocean maine?
What, shall I call thee brother? No, a foe,
Monster of Nature, shame vnto thy stocke,
That dar'st presume thy Soueraigne for to mocke.
Meander come, I am abus'd Meander.

Manent Cosroe & Menaphon.

110

Exit.

116

Mena. How now my Lord, what, mated and amaz'd
To heare the king thus thr(e)aten like himselfe ?
Cos. Ah Menaphon, I passe not for his threates,

The plot is laid by Persean Noble men,
And Captaines of the Medean garrisons,
To crowne me Emperour of Asia,
But this it is that doth excruciate

120

The verie substance of my vexed soule :

To see our neighbours that were woont to quake
And tremble at the Persean Monarkes name,
Now sits and laughs our regiment to scorne,
And that which might resolue me into teares :
Men from the farthest Equinoctiall line,

125

Haue swarm'd in troopes into the Easterne India :
Lading their shippes with golde and pretious stones:
And made their spoiles from all our prouinces.
Mena. This should intreat your highnesse to reioice,
Since Fortune giues you opportunity,

130

To gaine the tytle of a Conquerour,

By curing of this maimed Emperie.

Affrike and Europe bordering on your land,
And continent to your Dominions :

135

How easely may you with a mightie hoste,

Passe into Græcia, as did Cyrus once.

And cause them to withdraw their forces home,

Least you subdue the pride of Christendome?

140

Cos. But Menaph(on) what means this trumpets sound? Mena. Behold, my Lord Ortigius, and the rest,

Bringing the Crowne to make you Emperour.

106 then] then, Mycetes conj. Elze, Wag. 126 resolue] dissolue 1605 129 shippe 1592

they 1605

138 Passe] Hast 1605

140 you]

Enter Ortigius & Ceneus bearing a Crowne with others.

Ort. Magnificent and mightie Prince Cosroe, We in the name of other Persean states,

145

And commons of this mightie Monarchie,

Present thee with th' Emperiall Diadem.

Cene. The warlike Souldiers, & the Gentlemen,

That heretofore haue fild Persepolis

With Afrike Captaines, taken in the field:

150

Whose ransome made them martch in coates of gold,

With costlie iewels hanging at their eares,

And shining stones "pon their loftie Crestes,

Now liuing idle in the walled townes,
Wanting both pay and martiall discipline,
Begin in troopes to threaten ciuill warre,
And 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

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160

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,

165

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,

170

Great Lord of Medea and Armenia:

Duke of Africa and Albania,

Mesopotamia and of Parthia,

East India and the late discouered Isles,

Chiefe Lord of all the wide vast Euxine sea,

175

And of the euer raging Caspian Lake:
Long liue Cosroe mighty Emperour.

Cos. 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,

143+ S. D. Ceneus] Conerus 1590-1605

170 and of] and 1592

before this line 1605

I doubt not shortly but to raigne sole king,
And with the Armie of Theridamas,

Whether we presently will flie (my Lords)

185

Ortyg. We knew my Lord, before we brought the crowne, Intending your inuestion so neere

To rest secure against my brothers force.

The residence of your dispised brother,
The Lords would not be too exasperate,

190.

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.

195

Cosr. I know it wel my Lord, & thanke you all. Ortyg. Sound vp the trumpets then, God saue the King.

Actus I. Scana 2.

Exeunt.

Tamburlaine leading Zenocrate: Techelles, Vsumcasane, 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.

200

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,

205

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 bene gouerned,

Haue past the armie of the mightie Turke:
Bearing his priuie signet and his hand :
To safe conduct vs thorow Affrica.

Magnetes). 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.

190 Lord 1590, 1592

All before God 1605

191 iniurie 1592, 1605 etc. S.D. other] & other 1605.

210

215

196 Prefix

207 Medean]

my uncle's Cunn. Medean Lords] Lords of Medea conj. Brennan 208 my vncles] his Cunn. of Medea omit conj. Brennan.

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.

220

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
Must 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 Phabus 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,

225

230

235

240

As with their waight shall make the mountains quake, 245 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,

250

255

260