THE PROLOGUE.

FROM jigging veins of rhyming mother-wits,
And such conceits as clownage keeps in pay,
We'll lead you to the stately tent of war,
Where you shall hear the Scythian Tamburlaine
Threatening the world with high astounding terms,
And scourging kingdoms with his conquering sword.
View but his picture in this tragic glass,

And then applaud his fortunes as you please.

PHILEMUS, Bassoes, Lords, Citizens, Moors, Soldiers,

and Attendants.

ZENOCRATE, daughter to the Soldan of Egypt.

ANIPPE, her maid.

ZABINA, wife to Bajazeth.

EBEA, her maid.

Virgins of Damascus.

THE FIRST PART OF

TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT.

ACT I.

SCENE I.

Enter MYCETES, COSROE, MEANDER, THERIDAMAS, ORTYGIUS, CENEUS, MENAPHON, with others.

Myc. Brother Cosroe, I find myself agriev'd;
Yet insufficient to express the same,

For it requires a great and thundering speech:
Good brother, tell the cause unto my lords;
I know you have a better wit than I.

*

Cos. Unhappy Persia, that in former age
Hast been the seat of mighty conquerors,
That, in their prowess and their policies,
Have triumph'd over Afric, and the bounds.
Of Europe where the sun dares scarce appear
For freezing meteors and congealèd cold,
Now to be rul'd and govern'd by a man

Afric] So the 8vo.-The 4to " Affrica."

At whose birth-day Cynthia with Saturn join'd,
And Jove, the Sun, and Mercury denied

To shed their* influence in his fickle brain!
Now Turks and Tartars shake their swords at thee,
Meaning to mangle all thy provinces.

Myc. Brother, I see your meaning well enough,
And through your planets I perceive you think
I am not wise enough to be a king :

But I refer me to my noblemen,

That know my wit, and can be witnesses.
I might command you to be slain for this,-
Meander, might I not?

MEAN. Not for so small a fault, my sovereign lord.
Myc. I mean it not, but yet I know I might.-
Yet live; yea, live; Mycetes wills it so.—
Meander, thou, my faithful counsellor,
Declare the cause of my conceivèd grief,
Which is, God knows, about that Tamburlaine,
That, like a fox in midst of harvest-time,
Doth prey upon my flocks of passengers;
And, as I hear, doth mean to pull my plumes:
Therefore 'tis good and meet for to be wise.
MEAN. Oft have I heard your majesty complain
Of Tamburlaine, that sturdy Scythian thief,
That robs your merchants of Persepolis
Trading by land unto the Western Isles,
And in your confines with his lawless train

* their] Old eds. "his."

+ through] So the 4to.-The 8vo " thorough."