Enter Ortigius & Ceneus bearing a Crowne with others.

Ort. Magnificent and mightie Prince Cosroe,
We in the name of other Persean states,
And commons of this mightie Monarchie,
Present thee with th' Emperiall Diadem.

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Cene. The warlike Souldiers, & the Gentlemen,

That heretofore haue fild Persepolis

With Afrike Captaines, taken in the field:

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Whose ransome made them martch in coates of gold,

With costlie iewels hanging at their eares,

And shining stones "pon their loftie Crestes,

Now liuing idle in the walled townes,
Wanting both pay and martiall discipline,
Begin in troopes to threaten ciuill warre,
And openly exclaime against the King.
Therefore to stay all sodaine mutinies,
We will inuest your Highnesse Emperour:

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Whereat the Souldiers will conceiue more ioy,

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Then did the Macedonians at the spoile

Of great Darius and his wealthy hoast.

Cosr. Wel, since I see the state of Persea droope,

And languish in my brothers gouernment :

I willingly receiue th'mperiall crowne,

165

And vow to weare it for my countries good:

In spight of them shall malice my estate.

Ortyg. And in assurance of desir'd successe,

We here doo crowne thee Monarch of the East,
Emperour of Asia, and of Persia,

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Great Lord of Medea and Armenia:

Duke of Affrica and Albania,

Mesopotamia and of Parthia,

East India and the late discouered Isles,

Chiefe Lord of all the wide vast Euxine sea,

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And of the euer raging Caspian Lake :

Long liue Cosroe mighty Emperour.

Cos. And Ioue may neuer let me longer liue,
Then I may seeke to gratifie your loue,
And cause the souldiers that thus honour me,
To triumph ouer many Prouinces.

By whose desires of discipline in Armes,

143+ S. D. Ceneus] Conerus 1590-1605

170 and of] and 1592

before this line 1605

I doubt not shortly but to raigne sole king,
And with the Armie of Theridamas,

Whether we presently will flie (my Lords)
To rest secure against my brothers force.

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Ortyg. We knew my Lord, before we brought the crowne, Intending your inuestion so neere

The residence of your dispised brother,
The Lords would not be too exasperate,

To iniure or suppresse your woorthy tytle.

Or if they would, there are in readines

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Ten thousand horse to carie you from hence,
In spite of all suspected enemies.

Cosr. I know it wel my Lord, & thanke you all. Ortyg. Sound vp the trumpets then, God saue the King.

Actus I. Scana 2.

195

Exeunt.

Tamburlaine leading Zenocrate: Techelles, Vsumcasane, other Lords and Souldiers loden with treasure.

Tam. Come lady, let not this appal your thoughts The iewels and the treasure we haue tane

Than if you were arriu'd in Siria.

200

Shall be reseru'd, and you in better state,

Euen in the circle of your Fathers armes :

The mightie Souldan of Egyptia.

Zeno. Ah Shepheard, pity my distressed plight,

(If as thou seem'st, thou art so meane a man)

And seeke not to inrich thy followers,

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By lawlesse rapine from a silly maide,

Who traueiling with these Medean Lords

To Memphis, from my vncles country of Medea,
Where all my youth I haue bene gouerned,

Haue past the armie of the mightie Turke:
Bearing his priuie signet and his hand :
To safe conduct vs thorow Africa.

Magnetes). And since we haue arriu'd in Scythia,
Besides rich presents from the puisant Cham,
We haue his highnesse letters to command
Aide and assistance if we stand in need.

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215

190 Lord 1590, 1592

All before God 1605

191 iniurie 1592, 1605 etc. S.D. other] & other 1605.

196 Prefix

207 Medean]

my uncle's Cunn. Medean Lords] Lords of Medea conj. Brennan 208 my vncles] his Cunn. of Medea omit conj. Brennan.

Tam. But now you see these letters & commandes Are countermanded by a greater man :

And through my prouinces you must expect

Letters of conduct from my mightinesse,

If you intend to keep your treasure safe.
But since I loue to liue at liberty,

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As easely may you get the Souldans crowne,
As any prizes out of my precinct.

For they are friends that help to weane my state,
Till men and kingdomes help to strengthen it :
And must maintaine my life exempt from seruitude.
But tell me Maddam, is your grace betroth'd?

Zen. I am (my Lord,) for so you do import.
Tam. I am a Lord, for so my deeds shall prooue,

And yet a shepheard by my Parentage:

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230

But Lady, this faire face and heauenly hew
Must grace his bed that conquers Asia:
And meanes to be a terrour to the world,
Measuring the limits of his Emperie

235

By East and west, as Phœbus doth his course :

Lie here ye weedes that I disdaine to weare,
This compleat armor, and this curtle-axe
Are adiuncts more beseeming Tamburlaine.
And Maddam, whatsoeuer you esteeme
Of this successe, and losse vnvallued,

Both may inuest you Empresse of the East:

And these that seeme but silly country Swaines,

May haue the leading of so great an host,

240

As with their waight shall make the mountains quake, 245 Euen as when windy exhalations,

Fighting for passage, tilt within the earth.

Tec. As princely Lions when they rouse themselues, Stretching their pawes, and threatning heardes of Beastes. So in his Armour looketh Tamburlaine :

250

Me thinks I see kings kneeling at his feet,
And he with frowning browes and fiery lookes,
Spurning their crownes from off their captiue heads.
Vsum. And making thee and me Techelles, kinges,

That euen to death will follow Tamburlaine.

255

Tam. Nobly resolu'd, sweet friends and followers,
These Lords (perhaps) do scorne our estimates:
And thinke we prattle with distempered spirits.
But since they measure our deserts so meane,
That in conceit bear Empires on our speares,

260

Affecting thoughts coequall with the cloudes,
They shall be kept our forced followers,
Till with their eies they view vs Emperours.

Zen. The Gods, defenders of the innocent,
Will neuer prosper your intended driftes,
That thus oppresse poore friendles passengers.
Therefore at least admit vs libertie,
Euen as thou hop'st to be eternized,

By liuing Asias mightie Emperour.

Agidas). I hope our Ladies treasure and our owne, May serue for ransome to our liberties:

Returne our Mules and emptie Camels backe,

That we may traueile into Siria,

Where her betrothed Lord Alcidamus,

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271

Thinke you I way this treasure more than you?
Not all the Gold in Indias welthy armes,
Shall buy the meanest souldier in my traine.
Zenocrate, louelier than the Loue of Ioue,
Brighter than is the siluer Rhodope,
Fairer than whitest snow on Scythian hils,
Thy person is more woorth to Tamburlaine,
Than the possession of the Persean Crowne,
Which gratious starres haue promist at my birth.
A hundreth Tartars shall attend on thee,
Mounted on Steeds, swifter than Pegasus.
Thy Garments shall be made of Medean silke,
Enchast with precious iuelles of mine owne :
More rich and valurous than Zenocrates.
With milke-white Hartes vpon an Iuorie sled,
Thou shalt be drawen amidst the frosen Pooles,
And scale the ysie mountaines lofty tops:
Which with thy beautie will be soone resolu'd.
My martiall prises with fiue hundred men,
Wun on the fiftie headed Vuolgas waues,
Shall all we offer to Zenocrate,
And then my selfe to faire Zenocrate.

275 th'] the 1592 283 Ioue] loue 1592
etc. Rhodolfe 1590-1605 297 desolu'd 1605
1590: Shall we 1592: We all shall 1605: Shall we

280

285

290

295

300

284 Rhodope Dyce

300 Shall all we all Dyce to Bull.

Tech. What now? In loue?

Tam. Techelles, women must be flatered. But this is she with whom I am in loue.

Enter a Souldier.

Sould. Newes, newes.

305

Tamb. How now, what's the matter?

Sould. A thousand Persean horsmen are at hand,

Sent from the King to ouercome vs all.

Tam. How now my Lords of Egypt & Zenocrate? Now must your iewels be restor❜d againe :

310

How say you Lordings, Is not this your hope?

And I that triumpht so be ouercome.

Agid. We hope your selfe wil willingly restore them.
Tamb. Such hope, such fortune haue the thousand horse.

Soft ye my Lords and sweet Zenocrate.
You must be forced from me ere you goe:

315

A thousand horsmen? We fiue hundred foote ?

An ods too great, for vs to stand against:

But are they rich? And is their armour good?

Sould. Their plumed helmes are wrought with beaten

golde.

320

Their swords enameld, and about their neckes
Hangs massie chaines of golde downe to the waste,

In euery part exceeding braue and rich.

Tam. Then shall we fight couragiously with them,

Or looke you, I should play the Orator?

325

Tech. No: cowards and fainthearted runawaies,

Looke for orations when the foe is neere.

Our swordes shall play the Orators for vs.

Vsum. Come let vs meet them at the mountain foot,

And with a sodaine and an hot alarme

330

Driue all their horses headlong down the hill.

Tech. Come let vs martch.

Tam. Stay Techelles, aske a parlee first,

The Souldiers enter.

Open the Males, yet guard the treasure sure,
Lay out our golden wedges to the view,
That their reflexions may amaze the Perseans.
And looke we friendly on them when they come: