And more regarding gain than victory,

Like to the cruel brothers of the earth,
Sprung of the teeth of† dragons venomous,
Their careless swords shall lance‡ their fellows' throats,
And make us triumph in their overthrow.

MYC. Was there such brethren, sweet Meander,

That

say,

sprung of teeth of dragons venomous? MEAN. So poets say, my lord.

Myc. And 'tis a pretty toy to be a poet.
Well, well, Meander, thou art deeply read;
And having thee, I have a jewel sure.
Go on, my lord, and give your charge, I say;
Thy wit will make us conquerors to-day.

MEAN. Then, noble soldiers, to entrap these
thieves,

That live confounded in disorder'd troops,
If wealth or riches may prevail with them,
We have our camels laden all with gold,
Which you that be but common soldiers
Shall fling in every corner of the field;
And, while the base-born Tartars take it up,
You, fighting more for honour than for gold,
Shall massacre those greedy-minded slaves;
And, when their scatter'd army is subdu'd,

Sprung] Here, and in the next speech, both the old eds. "Sprong" but at p. 47, 1. 9, the 4to has " sprung ", and in the Sec. Part of the play, act iv. sc. 4, they both give" sprung from a tyrants loynes."

+ teeth of] So the 8vo.-Omitted in the 4to.

lance] Here both the old eds. "lanch;" but more than once in the Sec. Part of the play they have " lance" and " launce."

And you march on their slaughter'd carcasses,
Share equally the gold that bought their lives,
And live like gentlemen in Persia.

Strike up the drum, and march courageously:
Fortune herself doth sit upon our crests.

Myc. He tells you true, my masters; so he does.— Drums, why sound ye not, when Meander speaks? [Exeunt, drums sounding.

Cos. Now, worthy Tamburlaine, have I repos'd In thy approved fortunes all my hope.

What think'st thou, man, shall come of our attempts? For, even as from assured oracle,

I take thy doom for satisfaction.

TAMB. And so mistake you not a whit, my lord; For fates and oracles [of] Heaven have sworn

To royalize the deeds of Tamburlaine,

And make them blest that share in his attempts:

And doubt you not but, if you favour me,

And let my fortunes and my valour sway

To some + direction in your martial deeds,

The world will strive with hosts of men at arms
To swarm unto the ensign I support.

the] So the 8vo.-Omitted in the 4to.
+ some] So the 4to.-The 8vo " scorne.'
will] So the 8vo.- The 4to "shall."

The host of Xerxes, which by fame is said
To drink the mighty Parthian Araris,
Was but a handful to that we will have:
Our quivering lances, shaking in the air,
And bullets, like Jove's dreadful thunderbolts,
Enroll'd in flames and fiery smouldering mists,
Shall threat the gods more than Cyclopian wars;
And with our sun-bright armour, as we march,
We'll chase the stars from heaven, and dim their
eyes

That stand and muse at our admirèd arms.

THER. You see, my lord, what working words 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 excus'd
For turning my poor charge to his direction:
And these his two renowmèd + friends, my lord,
Would make one thirst‡ and strive to be retain❜d
In such a great degree of amity.

TECH. With duty and§ with amity we yield
Our utmost service to the fair || Cosroe.

Cos. Which I esteem as portion of my crown. Usumcasane and Techelles both,

top] i. e. rise above, surpass.-Old eds. "stop." renowmèd] See note, p. 27. So the 8vo.-The 4to " nowned."

thirst] The 8vo " thrust ": the 4to "thrist." Sand] So the 4to.-The 8vo " not."

the fair] So the 8vo.-The 4to "thee faire."

re

When she* that rules in Rhamnus'+ golden gates,
And makes a passage for all prosperous arms,
Shall make me solely emperor of Asia,

Then shall your meeds and valours be advanc'd
To rooms of honour and nobility.

TAMB. 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 :
Meet with the fool, and rid your royal shoulders
Of such a burden as outweighs the sands
And all the craggy rocks of Caspia.

Enter a MESSENGER.

MES. My lord, we have discover'd the enemy Ready to charge you with a mighty army.

Cos. Come, Tamburlaine; now whet thy wingèd sword,

And lift thy lofty arm into the clouds,
That it may reach the king of Persia's crown,
And set it safe on my victorious head.

TAMB. See, where it is, the keenest curtle-axe
That e'er made passage thorough Persian arms!
These are the wings shall make it fly as swift
As doth the lightning or the breath of Heaven,
And kill as sure§ as it swiftly flies.

*she] i. e. Nemesis.

+ Rhamnus'] Old eds. " Rhamnis."

meeds] So the 8vo.-The 4to "deeds."

§ sure] A dissyllable here. In the next line " assure trisyllable.

is a

Cos. Thy words assure me of kind success :
Go, valiant soldier, go before, and charge
The fainting army of that foolish king.

TAMB. Usumcasane and Techelles, come:

We are enow to scare the enemy,

And more than needs to make an emperor. [Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

Enter MYCETES with his crown in his hand*.

Myc. Accurs'd be he that first invented war!
They knew not, ah, they knew not, simple men,
How those were† hit by pelting cannon-shot
Stand staggering‡ like a quivering aspen-leaf
Fearing the force of Boreas' boisterous blasts!
In what a lamentable case were I,

If Nature had not given me wisdom's lore!
For kings are clouts that every man shoots at,
Our crown the pin§ that thousands seek to cleave:
Therefore in policy I think it good

To hide it close; a goodly stratagem,
And far from any man that is a fool:
So shall not I be known; or, if I be,

with his crown in his hand] The old eds. add " offering to hide it ;" but that he does presently after.

+ those were] i. e. those who were, who have been. Stand staggering] So the 8vo.-The 4to "Stand those staggering."

For kings are clouts that every man shoots at,

Our crown the pin, &c.] Clout means the white mark in the butts; pin, the peg in the centre, which fastened it.