So thick upon the blink-ey'd burghers' heads,
That thou thyself, then County Palatine,
The King of Bohemet, and the Austric Duke,
Sent heralds out, which basely on their knees,
In all your names, desir'd a truce of me?
Forget'st thou that, to have me raise my siege,
Waggons of gold were set before my tent,
Stampt with the princely fowl, that in her wings.
Carries the fearful thunderbolts of Jove?
How canst thou think of this, and offer war?
SIG. Vienna was besieg'd, and I was there,
Then County Palatine, but now a king,
And what we did was in extremity.
But now, Orcanes, view my royal host,
That hides these plains, and seems as vast and wide,
As doth the desert of Arabia
To those that stand on Bagdet's lofty tower,
Or as the ocean to the traveller
That rests upon the snowy Appenines;
And tell me whether I should stoop so low,
Or treat of peace with the Natolian king.
GAZ. Kings of Natolia and of Hungary,
We came from Turkey to confirm a league,
And not to dare each other to the field.
A friendly parle|| might become you both.
Bagdet's] So the 8vo in act v. sc. 1. Here it has " Badgeths": the 4to "Baieths."
parle] So the 8vo. Here the 4to "parley," but before, repeatedly, "parle."
FRED. And we from Europe, to the same intent ;*
Which if your general refuse or scorn,
Our tents are pitch'd, our men stand† in array,
Ready to charge you ere you stir your feet.
ORC. So prest are we; but yet, if Sigismund
Speak as a friend, and stand not upon terms,
Here is his sword; let peace be ratified
On these conditions, specified before,
Drawn with advice of our ambassadors.
SIG. Then here I sheathe it, and give thee my hand, Never to draw it out, or§ manage arms
Against thyself or thy confederates,
But, whilst I live, will be at truce with thee.
ORC. But, Sigismund, confirm it with an oath,
And swear in sight of Heaven and by thy Christ.
SIG. By Him that made the world and sav'd my
soul,
The Son of God and issue of a maid,
Sweet Jesus Christ, I solemnly protest
And vow to keep this peace inviolable!
ORC. By sacred Mahomet, the friend of God,
Whose holy alcoran remains with us,
Whose glorious body, when he left the world,
Clos'd in a coffin mounted up the air,
Fred. And we from Europe, to the same intent] So the 8vo. -The 4to, which gives this line in an earlier part of the scene (see note, p. 124), omits it here.
+ stand] So the 8vo.-The 4to" are."
Sor] So the 8vo.-The 4to "and."
And hung on stately Mecca's temple-roof,
I swear to keep this truce inviolable!
Of whose condition and our solemn oaths,
Sign'd with our hands, each shall retain a scroll,
As memorable witness of our league.
Now, Sigismund, if any Christian king
Encroach upon the confines of thy realm,
Send word, Orcanes of Natolia
Confirm'd+ this league beyond Danubius' stream,
And they will, trembling, sound a quick retreat;
So am I fear'd among all nations.
SIG. If any heathen potentate or king
Invade Natolia, Sigismund will send
A hundred thousand horse train'd to the war,
And back'd by stout lanciers of Germany,
The strength and sinews of the Imperial seat.
ORC. I thank thee, Sigismund; but, when I war, All Asia Minor, Africa, and Greece,
Follow my standard and my thundering drums.
Come, let us go and banquet in our tents:
I will despatch chief of my army hence
To fair Natolia and to Trebizon,
To stay my coming 'gainst proud Tamburlaine:
Friend Sigismund, and peers of Hungary,
Come, banquet and carouse with us a while,
And then depart we to our territories.
+ Confirm'd] So the 4to.-The 8vo "Confirme."
§ by So the 8vo.-The 4to " with."
Enter CALLAPINE, and ALMEDA his keeper.
CALL. Sweet Almeda, pity the ruthful plight Of Callapine, the son of Bajazeth,
Born to be monarch of the western world,
Yet here detain'd by cruel Tamburlaine.
ALM. My lord, I pity it, and with my heart Wish your release; but he whose wrath is death, My sovereign lord, renowmèd* Tamburlaine, Forbids you further liberty than this.
CALL. Ah, were I now but half so eloquent
To paint in words what I'll perform in deeds,
I know thou wouldst depart from hence with me!
ALM. Not for all Afric: therefore move me not.
CALL. Yet hear me speak, my gentle Almeda.
ALM. No speech to that end, by your favour, sir.
CALL. By Cairo § runs-
ALM. No talk of running, I tell you, sir.
CALL. A little further, gentle Almeda.
ALM. Well, sir, what of this?
CALL. By Cairo runs to Alexandria-bay
Darotes' streams, wherein at‡ anchor lies
A Turkish galley of my royal fleet,
Waiting my coming to the river-side,
Hoping by some means I shall be releas'd;
renowmèd] See note, p. 27. (Here the old eds. agree.) § Cairo] Old eds. "Cario": see note, p. 123.
Which, when I come aboard, will hoist up sail,
And soon put forth into the Terrene † sea,
Where*, 'twixt the isles of Cyprus and of Crete,
We quickly may in Turkish seas arrive.
Then shalt thou see a hundred kings and more,
Upon their knees, all bid me welcome home.
Amongst so many crowns of burnish'd gold,
Choose which thou wilt, all are at thy command:
A thousand galleys, mann'd with Christian slaves,
I freely give thee, which shall cut the Straits,
And bring armados, from § the coasts of Spain,
Fraughted with gold of rich America:
The Grecian virgins shall attend on thee,
Skilful in music and in amorous lays,
As fair as was Pygmalion's ivory girl,
Or lovely Io metamorphosed:
With naked negroes shall thy coach be drawn,
And, as thou rid'st in triumph through the streets,
The pavement underneath thy chariot-wheels
With Turkey-carpets shall be covered,
+ Terrene] i. e. Mediterranean.
Where] Altered by the modern editors to " Whence," -an alteration made by one of them also in a speech at p. 140, which may be compared with the present one,
"Therefore I took my course to Manico,
Where, unresisted, I remov'd my camp;
And, by the coast," &c.
$from] So the 4to.-The 8vo "to."
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