With greedy talents* gripe my bleeding heart, Theridamas and Tamburlaine, I die: dissela and TAMB. Not all the curses which the ‡ Furies breathe, Shall make me leave so rich a prize as this. Theridamas, Techelles, and the rest, Who think you now is king of Persia ? ALL. Tamburlaine! Tamburlaine ! TAMB. Though Mars himself, the angry god of arms, And all the earthly potentates conspire To dispossess me of this diadem, As great commander of this eastern world, If you but say that Tamburlaine shall reign. ALL. Long live Tamburlaine, and reign in Asia! TAMB. So; now it is more surer on my head Than if the gods had held a parliament, And all pronounc'd me king of Persia. [Exeunt. * talents] Was often used by our early writers for talons; as many passages might be adduced to shew. Hence the quibble in Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost, act iv. sc. 2. "If a talent be a claw," &c. + harpy] So the 8vo.-The 4to "Harper"; and with that reading the line is cited, in a note on Macbeth, act iv. sc. 1, by Steevens, who also gives "tires upon my life; but" tires " (a well-known term in falconry, and equivalent here to—preys) is to be pronounced as a dissyllable (in the 4to it is spelt "tyers"). the] So the 4to.-The 8vo "thy." ACT III. SCENE I. Enter BAJAZETH, the Kings of FEZ, MOROCCO, and ARGIER, with others, in great pomp. BAJ. Great kings of Barbary and my portly We hear the Tartars and the eastern thieves, You know our army is invincible; As many circumcised Turks we have, And warlike bands of Christians renied‡, *bassoes] i. e. bashaws. + think] Old eds. " thinks" and "thinkes." Christians renied] i. e. Christians who have denied, or renounced their faith.-In The Gent. Magazine for Jan. 1841, J. M. would read "Christians renegadens" or "Christian renegades:" but the old text is right; among many passages that might be cited, compare the following; "And that Ydole is the God of false Cristene, that han reneyed hire feythe." The Voiage and Travaile of Sir John Maundevile, p. 209. ed. 1725. "For that thou should'st reny thy faith, and her thereby pos sesse, The Soldan did capitulat in vaine: the more thy blesse." Warner's Albions England, B. XI. Ch. 68. p. 287. ed. 1596. As hath the ocean or the Terrene* sea Small drops of water when the moon begins Yet would we not be brav'd with foreign power, K. OF FEZ. Renowmèd+ emperor and mighty What, if you sent the bassoes of your guard Or else to threaten death and deadly arms BAJ. Hie thee, my bassot, fast to Persia; Terrene] i. e. Mediterranean. + Renoumèd] See note, p. 27. So the 8vo.-The 4to "renowned." basso] So the 8vo -The 4to "Brother." Not] So the 8vo.-The 4to "Nor." in] So the 8vo.-The 4to " on." Or spread, &c.] A word has dropt out from this line. Because I hear he bears a valiant mind: BAS. Most great and puissant monarch of the earth, Your basso will accomplish your behest, And shew your pleasure to the Persian, As fits the legate of the stately Turk. [Exit. K. OF ARG. They say he is the king of Persia; BAJ. True, Argier; and tremble[s] at my looks. K. OF MOR. The spring is hinder'd by your smothering host; For neither rain can fall upon the earth, K. OF FEZ. What thinks your greatness best to be achiev'd * measur'd heaven] So the 8vo.-The 4to "measured the heaven." In pursuit of the city's overthrow? BAJ. I will the captive pioneers of Argier Cut off the water that by leaden pipes Runs to the city from the mountain Carnon; Two thousand horse shall forage up and down, That no relief or succour come by land; And all the sea my galleys countermand: Then shall our footmen lie within the trench, Ánd with their cannons, mouth'd like Orcus' gulf, Batter the walls, and we will enter in ; And thus the Grecians shall be conquerèd. [Exeunt. SCENE II. Enter ZENOCRATE, AGYDAS, ANIPPE, with others. AGYD. Madam Zenocrate, may I presume To know the cause of these unquiet fits, That work such trouble to your wonted rest? 'Tis more than pity such a heavenly face Should by heart's sorrow wax so wan and pale, When your offensive rape by Tamburlaine, (Which of your whole displeasures should be most,) Hath seem'd to be digested long ago. ZENO. Although it be digested long ago, As his exceeding favours have deserv'd, And might content the Queen of Heaven, as well * ceaseless] So the 8vo.-The 4to "carelesse." |