TAMB. I am a lord, for so my deeds shall prove; And yet a shepherd by my parentage.

But, lady, this fair face and heavenly hue
Must grace his bed that conquers Asia,

And means to be a terror to the world,
Measuring the limits of his empery

By east and west, as Phoebus doth his course.-
Lie here, ye weeds, that I disdain to wear!
This complete armour and this curtle-axe
Are adjuncts more beseeming Tamburlaine.—
And, madam, whatsoever you esteem
Of this success, and loss unvaluèd, *
Both may invest you empress of the East;

And these that seem but silly country swains

May have the leading of so great an host

As with their weight shall make the mountains quake, Even as when windy exhalations,

Fighting for passage, tilt within the earth.

TECH. As princely lions, when they rouse themselves,

Stretching their paws, and threatening herds of beasts, So in his armour looketh Tamburlaine.

Methinks, I see kings kneeling at his feet,

And he with frowning brows and fiery looks
Spurning their crowns from off their captive heads.
USUM. And making thee and me, Techelles, kings,
That even to death will follow Tamburlaine.
TAMB. Nobly resolv'd, sweet friends and followers!

unvalued] i. e. not to be valued, or estimated.

These lords, perhaps, do scorn our estimates,
And think we prattle with distemper'd spirits:
But, since they measure our deserts so mean,
That in conceit* bear empires on our spears,
Affecting thoughts coequal with the clouds,
They shall be kept our forced followers,
Till with their eyes they view us emperors.
ZENO. The gods, defenders of the innocent,
Will never prosper your intended drifts,
That thus oppress poor friendless passengers.
Therefore at least admit us liberty,
Even as thou hop'st to be eternizèd
By living Asia's mighty emperor.

AGYD. I hope our lady's treasure and our own May serve for ransom to our liberties:

Return our mules and empty camels back,
That we may travel into Syria,

Where her betrothed lord Alcidamus

Expects the arrival of her highness' person. MAG. And wheresoever we repose ourselves, We will report but well of Tamburlaine.

TAMB. Disdains Zenocrate to live with me? Or you, my lords, to be my followers? Think you I weigh this treasure more than you? Not all the gold in India's wealthy arms Shall buy the meanest soldier in my train. Zenocrate, lovelier than the love of Jove, Brighter than is the silver Rhodope,*

conceit] i. e. imagination.

+ Rhodope] Old eds." Rhodolfe."

Fairer than whitest snow on Scythian hills,
Thy person is more worth to Tamburlaine
Than the possession of the Persian crown,
Which gracious stars have promis'd at my birth.
A hundred Tartars shall attend on thee,
Mounted on steeds swifter than Pegasus;
Thy garments shall be made of Median silk,
Enchas'd with precious jewels of mine own,
More rich and valurous + than Zenocrate's;
With milk-white harts upon an ivory sled
Thou shalt be drawn amidst the frozen pools,
And scale the icy mountains' lofty tops,
Which with thy beauty will be soon resolv'd§:
My martial prizes, with five hundred men,
Won on the fifty-headed Volga's waves,
Shall we all offer || to Zenocrate,
And then myself to fair Zenocrate.

TECH. What now? in love?

TAMB. Techelles, women must be flattered: But this is she with whom I am in T love.

Enter a SOLDIER.

SOLD. News, news!

TAMB. How now? what's the matter?

t valurous] i. e. valuable.

pools] So the 8vo.-The 4to "Poles."

§ resolv'd] i. e. dissolved. So the 8vo.-The 4to " desolu'd." Shall we all offer] The 8vo" Shall we offer" (the word "all" having dropt out).—The 4to" We all shall offer." ¶in] The 8vo " it."-Omitted in the 4to.

J

SOLD. A thousand Persian horsemen are at hand, Sent from the king to overcome us all.

TAMB. How now, my lords of Egypt, and Zeno

crate ?

Now must your jewels be restor❜d again,
And I, that triumph'd+ so, be overcome?

How say you, lordings? is not this your hope?
AGYD. We hope yourself will willingly restore
them.

TAMB. Such hope, such fortune, have the thousand horse.

Soft ye, my lords, and sweet Zenocrate;

You must be forced from me ere you go.-
A thousand horsemen ! we five hundred foot!
An odds too great for us to stand against.
But are they rich? and is their armour good?

SOLD. Their plumèd helms are wrought with beaten
gold,

Their swords enamell'd, and about their necks
Hangt massy chains of gold down to the waist;
In every part exceeding brave§ and rich.

TAMB. Then shall we fight courageously with them?
Or look you I should play the orator?

TECH. No; cowards and faint-hearted runaways Look for orations when the foe is near:

Our swords shall play the orators for us.

+ triumph'd] So the 8vo.-The 4to "triumph."
Hang] Old eds. “ Hangs."

§ brave] i. e. splendid.

USUM. Come, let us meet them at the mountain-top,*
And with a sudden and an hot alarum

Drive all their horses headlong down the hill.
TECH. Come, let us march.

TAMB. Stay, Techelles; ask a parle first.

The Soldiers enter.

Open the males,† yet guard the treasure sure:
Lay out our golden wedges to the view,

That their reflections may amaze the Persians;
And look we friendly on them when they come; ·
But, if they offer word or violence,
We'll fight, five hundred men at arms to one,
Before we part with our possession;

And 'gainst the general we will lift our swords,
And either lancet his greedy thirsting throat,
Or take him prisoner, and his chain shall serve
For manacles, till he be ransom'd home.

TECH. I hear them come: shall we encounter them? 1 TAMB. Keep all your standings, and not stir a foot: Myself will bide the danger of the brunt.

Enter THERIDAMAS with others.

THER. Where is this Scythian Tamburlaine§? TAMB. Whom seek'st thou, Persian? I am Tamburlaine.

*top] So the 4to.-The 8vo "foot."

+ males] Or mails—i. e. bags, budgets.

lance] So the 4to.-Here the 8vo has "lanch;" but more than once in the Sec. Part of the play it gives " lance."

§ Scythian Tamburlaine] Qy. " Scythian shepherd Tamburlaine"?