Actus 2. Scana I.

Cosroe, Menaphon, Ortygius, Ceneus, with other Souldiers.

roe. Thus farre are we towards Theridamas, aliant Tamburlaine, the man of fame, man that in the forhead of his fortune, Beares figures of renowne and myracle: But tell me, that hast seene him, Menaphon, What stature wields he, and what personage?

Mena. Of stature tall, and straightly fashioned, Like his desire, lift vpwards and diuine,

So large of lims, his ioints so strongly knit,

455

460

Such breadth of shoulders as might mainely beare
Olde Atlas burthen, twixt his manly pitch,

465

A pearle more worth, then all the world is plaste :

Wherein by curious soueraintie of Art,

Are fixt his piercing instruments of sight:
Whose fiery cyrcles beare encompassed

A heauen of heauenly bodies in their Spheares :

470

That guides his steps and actions to the throne,
Where honor sits inuested royally:

Pale of complexion: wrought in him with passion,
Thirsting with souerainty with loue of armes.
His lofty browes in foldes, do figure death,
And in their smoothnesse, amitie and life:
About them hangs a knot of Amber heire,
Wrapped in curles, as fierce Achilles was,

On which the breath of heauen delights to play,
Making it daunce with wanton maiestie :
His armes and fingers long and s(i)nowy,
Betokening valour and excesse of strength:

In euery part proportioned like the man,

Should make the world subdued to Tamburlaine.

475

480

Cos. Wel hast thou pourtraid in thy tearms of life, 485 The face and personage of a woondrous man : Nature doth striue with Fortune and his stars To make him famous in accomplisht woorth: And well his merits show him to be made His Fortunes maister, and the king of men, That could perswade at such a sodaine pinch,

490

481 His armes

474 with loue 1590, 1592: and loue 1605 etc. long, his fingers snowy-white, 1605 sinewy Dyce etc.: snowy 1590, 1592

With reasons of his valour and his life,

A thousand sworne and ouermatching foes:
Then when our powers in points of swords are ioin'd
And closde in compasse of the killing bullet,

495

Though straight the passage and the port be made,
That leads to Pallace of my brothers life,
Proud is his fortune if we pierce it not.
And when the princely Persean Diadem,
Shall ouerway his wearie witlesse head,

500

And, fall like mellowed fruit, with shakes of death,
In faire Persea noble Tamburlaine

Shall be my Regent, and remaine as King.

Ort. In happy hower we haue set the Crowne
Vpon your kingly head, that seeks our honor,
In ioyning with the man, ordain'd by heauen
To further euery action to the best.

505

Cen. He that with Shepheards and a litle spoile,

Durst in disdaine of wrong and tyrannie,

Defend his freedome gainst a Monarchie :
What will he doe supported by a king?

510

Leading a troope of Gentlemen and Lords,

And stuft with tr(e)asure for his highest thoughts?
Cos. And such shall wait on worthy Tamburlaine.
Our army will be forty thousand strong,
When Tamburlain and braue Theridamas
Haue met vs by the riuer Araris:

515

And all conioin'd to meet the witlesse King,
That now is marching neer to Parthia,

And with vnwilling souldiers faintly arm'd,
To seeke reuenge on me and Tamburlaine.
To whom sweet Menaphon, direct me straight.
Mena. I will my Lord.

Act. 2. Scana 2.

520

Exeunt.

Mycetes, Meander, with other Lords and Souldiers.
Mycetes. Come my Meander, let vs to this geere,
I tel you true my heart is swolne with wrath,
On this same theeuish villaine Tamburlaine.
And of that false Cosroe, my traiterous brother.
Would it not grieue a King to be so abusde,
And haue a thousand horsmen tane away?

498 is] in 1605

525

And which is worst to haue his Diadem

Sought for by such scalde knaues as loue him not?

I thinke it would: wel then, by heauens I sweare,
Aurora shall not peepe out of her doores,
But I will haue Cosroe by the head,

And kill proud Tamburlaine with point of sword.
Tell you the rest (Meander) I haue said.

Mean. Then having past Armenian desarts now, And pitcht our tents vnder the Georgean hilles, Whose tops are couered with Tartarian thieues, That lie in ambush, waiting for a pray :

530

535

540

What should we doe but bid them battaile straight,
And rid the world of those detested troopes?
Least if we let them lynger here a while,
They gather strength by power of fresh supplies.

This countrie swarmes with vile outragious men,
That liue by rapine and by lawlesse spoile,
Fit Souldiers for the wicked Tamburlaine.
And he that could with giftes and promises
Inueigle him that lead a thousand horse,
And make him false his faith vnto his King,

545

550

Will quickly win such as are like himselfe.

Therefore cheere vp your mindes, prepare to fight.

He that can take or slaughter Tamburlaine,
Shall rule the Prouince of Albania.

Who brings that Traitors head Theridamas,
Shal haue a gouernment in Medea,

555

Beside the spoile of him and all his traine:
But if Cosroe (as our Spials say,
And as we know) remaines with Tamburlaine,
His Highnesse pleasure is that he should liue,
And be reclaim'd with princely lenitie.

560

A Spy. An hundred horsmen of my company
Scowting abroad vpon these champion plaines,
Hane view'd the army of the Scythians,
Which make reports it far exceeds the Kings.
Mean. Suppose they be in number infinit,

Yet being void of Martiall discipline,
All running headlong after greedy spoiles:

557 Besides 1605

565

530 worse 1592, Dyce to Bull. 538 pitcht 1592, 1605: pitch 1590 547 the] that 1605 550 the King 1605 551 are] be 1592, Dyce to Bull. 561 S.D. Enter a Spy add. Dvce 565 makes 1605 report 1592, 1605 etc. exc. Wag. greedy] greedy after conj. Dyce1, Dyce

568 after

And more regarding gaine than victory:

Like to the cruell brothers of the earth,
Sprong of the teeth of Dragons venomous,

570

Their carelesse swords shal lanch their fellowes throats And make vs triumph in their ouerthrow.

Myc. Was there such brethren, sweet Meander, say

That sprong of teeth of Dragons venomous?
Meand. So Poets say, my Lord.

575

Myce. And tis a prety toy to be a Poet. Wel, wel (Meander) thou art deeply read:

And hauing thee, I haue a iewell sure:

Go on my Lord, and giue your charge I say,

580

Thy wit will make vs Conquerors to day.

Mean. Then noble souldiors, to intrap these theeues,

That liue confounded in disordered troopes,

585

If wealth or riahes may preuaile with them,
We haue our Cammels laden all with gold:
Which you that be but common souldiers,
Shall fling in euery corner of the field:
And while the base borne Tartars take it vp,
You fighting more for honor than for gold,
Shall massacre those greedy minded slaues.
And when their scattered armie is subdu'd:
And you march on their slaughtered carkasses,
Share equally the gold that bought their liues,
And liue like Gentlemen in Persea,
Strike vp the Drum and martch corragiously,
Fortune her selfe dooth sit vpon our Crests.

Myc. He tels you true, my maisters, so he does.
Drums, why sound ye not when Meand(er) speaks.

Actus 2. Scana 3.

590

595

Exeunt.

Cosroe, Tamburlaine, Theridamas, Techelles, Vsumcasane,

Cosroe. Now worthy Tamburlaine, haue I reposde, In thy approoued Fortunes all my hope,

What thinkst thou man, shal come of our attemptes? For euen as from assured oracle,

I take thy doome for satisfaction.

Tamb. And so mistake you not a whit my Lord.

600

For Fates and Oracles (of) heauen haue sworne,
To roialise the deedes of Tamburlaine :
And make them blest that share in his attemptes.
And doubt you not, but if you fauour me,

605

And let my Fortunes and my valour sway
To some direction in your martiall deeds,

610

The world will striue with hostes of men at armes
To swarme vnto the Ensigne I support.
The host of Xerxes, which by fame is said
To drinke the mightie Parthian Araris,
Was but a handful to that we will haue.
Our quiuering Lances shaking in the aire,
And bullets like Ioues dreadfull Thunderbolts,
Enrolde in flames and fiery smoldering mistes,
Shall threat the Gods more than Cyclopian warres,
And with our Sun-bright armour as we march,
Weel chase the Stars from heauen, and dim their eies
That stand and muse at our admyred armes.

615

620

Therid. You see my Lord, what woorking woordes he hath. But when you see his actions top his speech, Your speech will stay, or so extol his worth, As I shall be commended and excusde

625

For turning my poore charge to his direction.

And these his two renowmed friends my Lord,

Would make one thrust and striue to be retain'd
In such a great degree of amitie.

630

Tech. With dutie and with amitie we yeeld

Our vtmost seruice to the faire Cosroe.

• Cos. Which I esteeme as portion of my crown.

V sumcasane and Techelles both,

When she that rules in Rhamnis golden gates,

635

And makes a passage for all prosperous Armes :
Shall make me solely Emperour of Asia,
Then shall your meeds and vallours be aduaunst
To roomes of honour and Nobilitie.

640

Tam. Then haste Cosroe to be king alone,
That I with these my friends and all my men,
May triumph in our long expected Fate.
The King your Brother is now hard at hand,

605 of add. Rob. etc.

610 To some 1590, 1605 etc.: To scorne 611 will] shall 1605 614 T' Cunn., Bull. 624 top Dyce, 629 thrust 1590, 1592: 631 and 1605, Dyce etc.: not 638 meeds] decds 1605

1592: Nor scorn conj. Broughton have drank Rob.: To have drank Wag.: stop 1590-1605, Cunn., Bull. thrist 1605: thirst Dyce to Bull. 1599, 1592

632 the] thee 1605