Yet scarse enough t'encounter Tamburlaine.
He brings a world of people to the field,
From Scythia to the Oriental Plage

Of India, wher raging Lantchidol

Beates on the regions with his boysterous blowes,

That neuer sea-man yet discouered :

All Asia is in Armes with Tamburlaine,

Euen from the midst of fiery Cancers Tropick,
To Amazonia vnder Capricorne.

And thence as far as Archipellago,

All Affrike is in Armes with Tamburlaine.

Therefore Viceroies the Christians must haue peace.

Act. 1. Scana 2.

Sigismond, Fredericke, Baldwine, and their traine with drums and trumpets.

Sigis. Orcanes (as our Legates promist thee) Wee with our Peeres haue crost Danubius stream

2395

2400

To treat of friendly peace or deadly war :
Take which thou wilt, for as the Romans vsde
I here present thee with a naked sword.

2405

Wilt thou haue war, then shake this blade at me,
If peace, restore it to my hands againe:
And I wil sheath it to confirme the same.

2410

Orc. Stay Sigismond, forgetst thou I am he
That with the Cannon shooke Vienna walles,
And made it dance vpon the Continent:
As when the massy substance of the earth,
Quiuer about the Axeltree of heauen.
Forgetst thou that I sent a shower of dartes
Mingled with powdered shot and fethered steele
So thick vpon the blink-ei'd Burghers heads,
That thou thy self, then County-Pallatine,
The king of Boheme, and the Austrich Duke,
Sent Herralds out, which basely on their knees
In all your names desirde a truce of me?
Forgetst thou, that to haue me raise my siege,
Wagons of gold were set before my tent:
Stampt with the princely Foule that in her wings

2393 Plage] Place 1606 2415 Quivers Rob. to Bull.

2415

2420

2425

2402 Viceroie 1592, Dyce to Bull.

Caries the fearfull thunderbolts of Ioue,
How canst thou think of this and offer war?
Sig. Vienna was besieg'd, and I was there,
Then County-Pallatine, but now a king:

And what we did, was in extremity :
But now Orcanes, view my royall hoste,

That hides these plaines, and seems as vast and wide,

As dooth the Desart of Arabia

To those that stand on Badgeths lofty Tower,

Or as the Ocean to the Traueiler

That restes vpon the snowy Appenines :
And tell me whether I should stoope so low,
Or treat of peace with the Natolian king?

Byr. Kings of Natolia and of Hungarie,
We came from Turky to confirme a league,
And not to dare ech other to the field :
A friendly parle might become ye both.

2430

2435

2440

Fred. And we from Europe to the same intent,

Which if your General refuse or scorne,

Our Tents are pitcht, our men stand in array,

2445

Ready to charge you ere you stir your feet.
Nat. So prest are we, but yet if Sigismond

Speake as a friend, and stand not vpon tearmes,
Here is his sword, let peace be ratified
On these conditions specified before,
Drawen with aduise of our Ambassadors.

Sig. Then here I sheath it, and giue thee my hand,
Neuer to draw it out, or manage armes

Against thy selfe or thy confederates:

2450

But whilst I liue will be at truce with thee.

2455

Nat. But (Sigismond) confirme it with an oath,

And sweare in sight of heauen and by thy Christ.

Sig. By him that made the world and sau'd my soule The sonne of God and issue of a Mayd,

Sweet Iesus Christ, I sollemnly protest,

2460

And vow to keepe this peace inuiolable.

Nat. By sacred Mahomet, the friend of God,

Whose holy Alcaron remaines with vs,

Whose glorious body when he left the world,
Closde in a coffyn mounted vp the aire,

2465

And hung on stately Mecas Temple roofe,

2438 Or] As Rob., Cunn.

2442 ye] you 1592, Dyce to Bull.

2443 Here missing in ed. 1606, being wrongly inserted after 2388

2445 stand] are 1606

2453 or] and 1606

I sweare to keepe this truce inuiolable:

Of whose conditions, and our solemne othes

Sign'd with our handes, each shal retaine a scrowle
As memorable witnesse of our league.

Now Sigismond, if any Christian King

2470

Encroche vpon the confines of thy realme,

Send woord, Orcanes of Natolia

Confirm'd this league beyond Danubius streame,

And they will (trembling) sound a quicke retreat,
So am I fear'd among all Nations.

2475

Sig. If any heathen potentate or king.

Inuade Natolia, Sigismond will send

A hundred thousand horse train'd to the war,
And backt by stout Lanceres of Germany,
The strength and sinewes of the imperiall seat.

2480

Nat. I thank thee Sigismond, but when I war
All Asia Minor, Affrica, and Greece

Follow my Standard and my thundring Drums:
Come let vs goe and banquet in our tents:
I will dispatch chiefe of my army hence
To faire Natolia, and to Trebizon,

To stay my comming gainst proud Tamburlaine.
Freend Sigismond, and peeres of Hungary,
Come banquet and carouse with vs a while,
And then depart we to our territories.

Actus I. Scana 3.

Callapine with Almeda, his keeper.

Callap. Sweet Almeda, pity the ruthfull plight Of Callapine, the sonne of Baiazeth,

Born to be Monarch of the Western world:

Yet here detain'd by cruell Tamburlaine.

2485

2490

Exeunt.

2495

Alm. My Lord I pitie it, and with my heart
Wish your release, but he whose wrath is death,
My soueraigne Lord, renowmed Tamburlain,
Forbids you further liberty than this.

Cal. Ah were I now but halfe so eloquent
To paint in woords, what Ile perfourme in deeds,
I know thou wouldst depart from hence with me.
Al. Not for all Afrike, therefore mooue me not.
Cal. Yet heare me speake my gentle Almeda.
2480 by] with 1606

2500

Al. No speach to that end, by your fauour sir.

2505

Cal. A litle further, gentle Almeda.
Al. Wel sir, what of this?

Cal. By Cario runs to Alexandria Bay,
Darotes streames, wherin at anchor lies
A Turkish Gally of my royall fleet,
Waiting my comming to the riuer side,
Hoping by some means I shall be releast,
Which when I come aboord will hoist vp saile,
And soon put foorth into the Terrene sea:
Where twixt the Isles of Cyprus and of Creete,
We quickly may in Turkish seas arriue.

Then shalt thou see a hundred kings and more
Vpon their knees, all bid me welcome home.
Amongst so many crownes of burnisht gold,
Choose which thou wilt, all are at thy command,
A thousand Gallies mann'd with Christian slaues
I freely giue thee, which shall cut the straights,
And bring Armados from the coasts of Spaine,
Fraughted with golde of rich America:
The Grecian virgins shall attend on thee,
Skilful in musicke and in amorous laies:
As faire as was Pigmalions Iuory gyrle,
Or louely Io metamorphosed.

2510

2515

2520

2525

2530

With naked Negros shall thy coach be drawen,

And as thou rid'st in triumph through the streets,

The pauement vnderneath thy chariot wheels

With Turky Carpets shall be couered:

And cloath of Arras hung about the walles,
Fit obiects for thy princely eie to pierce.

2535

A hundred Bassoes cloath'd in crimson silk

Shall ride before the on Barbarian Steeds:
And when thou goest, a golden Canapie

Enchac'd with pretious stones, which shine as bright 2540
As that faire vail that couers all the world:

When Phoebus leaping from his Hemi-Spheare,

Discendeth downward to th' Antipodes.

And more than this, for all I cannot tell.

Alm. How far hence lies the Galley, say you?
Cal. Sweet Almeda, scarse halfe a league from hence.

2545

2506, 2510 Cario] Cairo Rob. to Bull. 2511 stream Dyce2 from] to 1592

2525

Alm. But need we not be spied going aboord?

Cal. Betwixt the hollow hanging of a hill

And crooked bending of a craggy rock,

The sailes wrapt vp, the mast and tacklings downe, 2550 She lies so close that none can find her out.

Alm. I like that well: but tel me my Lord, if I should let you goe, would you bee as good as your word? Shall I be made a king for my labour?

Cal. As I am Callapine the Emperour,

2555

And by the hand of Mahomet I sweare,

Thou shalt be crown'd a king and be my mate.

Alm. Then here I sweare, as I am Almeda,

Your Keeper vnder Tamburlaine the great,
(For that's the style and tytle I haue yet)
Although he sent a thousand armed men
To intercept this haughty enterprize,

2560

Yet would I venture to conduct your Grace,

And die before I brought you backe again.

Cal. Thanks gentle Almeda, then let vs haste,

2565

Least time be past, and lingring let vs both.
Al. When you will my Lord, I am ready.

Cal. Euen straight and farewell cursed Tamburlaine. Now goe I to reuenge my fathers death.

Actus I. Scana 4.

Exeunt.

Tamburlaine with Zenocrate, and his three sonnes, Calyphas, Amyras, and Celebinus, with drummes and trumpets.

Tamb. Now, bright Zenocrate, the worlds faire eie, 2570
Whose beames illuminate the lamps of heauen,
Whose chearful looks do cleare the clowdy aire
And cloath it in a christall liuerie,

Now rest thee here on faire Larissa Plaines,
Where Egypt and the Turkish Empire parts,
Betweene thy sons that shall be Emperours,

2575

Zen. Sweet Tamburlain, when wilt thou leaue these

And euery one Commander of a world.

armes

And saue thy sacred person free from scathe:

And dangerous chances of the wrathfull war.

2580

Tam. When heauen shal cease to mooue on both the poles

& when the ground wheron my souldiers march

Shal rise aloft and touch the horned Moon,