The Two Tragicall Discourses of Mighty Tamburlaine, the

Scythian Shepheard, &c.

The Prologue.

From iygging vaines of riming mother wits,
And such conceits as clownage keepes in pay,
Weele lead you to the stately tent of War,
Where you shall heare the Scythian Tamburlaine
Threatning the world with high astounding tearms
And scourging kingdoms with his conquering sword.
View but his picture in this tragicke glasse,
And then applaud his fortunes as you please.

Actus I. Scena I.

Mycetes, Cosroe, Meander, Theridamas, Ortygius,
Ceneus, (Menaphon,) with others.

Mycetes.

Brother Cosroe, I find my selfe agreeu'd,
Yet insufficient to expresse the same:

For it requires a great and thundring speech:
Good brother tell the cause vnto my Lords,
I know you haue a better wit than I.

Cos. Vnhappie Persea, that in former age
Hast bene the seat of mightie Conquerors,
That in their prowesse and their pollicies,
Haue triumpht ouer Affrike, and the bounds
Of Europe, wher the Sun dares scarce appeare,
For freezing meteors and coniealed colde:
Now to be rulde and gouerned by a man,
At whose byrth-day Cynthia with Saturne ioinde,
And Ioue, the Sun and Mercurie denied

5

IO

15

20

Heading The two . . . Tamburlaine 1590: The first part of the two Tamburlaine 1592: The Tragicall Conquestes of Tamburlaine 1605 8 you please] they passe conj. Coll. 17 Affrica 1605 19 meteors] waters conj. Coll.

To shed their influence in his fickle braine,
Now Turkes and Tartars shake their swords at thee
Meaning to mangle all thy Prouinces.

Mycet. Brother, I see your meaning well enough.

And thorough your Planets I perceiue you thinke,
I am not wise enough to be a kinge,

But I refer me to my noble men,

That knowe my wit, and can be witnesses:
I might command you to be slaine for this,
Meander, might I not?

Meand. Not for so small a fault my soueraigne Lord.
Mycet. I meane it not, but yet I know I might,
Yet liue, yea, liue, Mycetes wils it so :

Meander, thou my faithfull Counsellor,
Declare the cause of my conceiued griefe,
Which is (God knowes) about that Tamburlaine,
That like a Foxe in midst of haruest time,
Dooth pray vppon my flockes of Passengers.
And as I heare, doth meane to pull my plumes,
Therefore tis good and meete for to be wise.

25

30

35

40

Meand. Oft haue I heard your Maiestie complain,

Of Tamburlaine, that sturdie Scythian thiefe,

That robs your merchants of Persepolis,

45

Treading by land vnto the Westerne Isles,

And in your confines with his lawlesse traine,
Daily commits inciuill outrages.

Hoping (misled by dreaming prophesies)

To raigne in Asia, and with barbarous Armes,

50

lord

Myce. Ful true thou speakst, & like thy selfe my

Whom I may tearme a Damon for thy loue.

Therefore tis best, if so it lik you all,

To send my thousand horse incontinent,
To apprehend that paltrie Scythian.

How like you this, my honorable Lords?
Is it not a kingly resolution?

23 their Dyce etc.: his 1590-1605 vnciuill 1605

46 Trading 1592

60

48

Cosr. It cannot choose, because it comes from you.
Myce. Then heare thy charge, valiant Theridimas
The chiefest Captaine of Mycetes hoste,

The hope of Persea, and the verie legges
Whereon our state doth leane, as on a staffe,
That holds vs vp, and foiles our neighbour foes.
Thou shalt be leader of this thousand horse,
Whose foming galle with rage and high disdaine,
Haue sworne the death of wicked Tamburlaine.
Go frowning foorth, but come thou smyling home,
As did Sir Paris with the Grecian Dame,
Returne with speed, time passeth swift away,
Our life is fraile, and we may die to day.

Ther. Before the Moone renew her borrowed light,
Doubt not my Lord and gratious Soueraigne,
But Tamburlaine, and that Tartarian rout,
Shall either perish by our warlike hands,
Or plead for mercie at your highnesse feet.

Myce. Go, stout Theridimas, thy words are swords
And with thy lookes thou conquerest all thy foes:
I long to see thee backe returne from thence,
That I may view these milk-white steeds of mine,
All loden with the heads of killed men.

And from their knees, euen to their hoofes below,
Besmer'd with blood, that makes a dainty show.

65

70

75

80

85

The. Then now my Lord, I humbly take my leaue. Myc. Therid(amas) farewel ten thousand times. (Exit.

Ah, Menaphon, why staiest thou thus behind,

When other men prease forward for renowne :

Go Menaphon, go into Scythia,

And foot by foot follow Theridamas.

91

Cos. Nay, pray you let him stay, a greater (task) 95 Fits Menaphon, than warring with a Thiefe:

Create him Prorex of Africa,

That he may win the Babylonians hearts,

Which will reuolt from Persean gouernment,

Vnlesse they haue a wiser king than you.

Myc. Vnlesse they haue a wiser king than you?

These are his words, Meander set them downe
Cos. And ad this to them, that all Asia

Lament to see the follie of their King.

100

Myc. Well here I sweare by this my royal seat- 105

66 chiefe 1605

MS. note in Bodleian copy of ed. 1605

95 you om. 1605

task add. Rob. etc.: feat 97 of] of all 1605 etc.

Cos. You may doe well to kisse it then.

Myc. Embost with silke as best beseemes my state,
To be reueng'd for these contemptuous words.
O where is dutie and allegeance now?

Fled to the Caspean or the Ocean maine?
What, shall I call thee brother? No, a foe,
Monster of Nature, shame vnto thy stocke,
That dar'st presume thy Soueraigne for to mocke.
Meander come, I am abus'd Meander.

Manent Cosroe & Menaphon.

110

Exit.

116

Mena. How now my Lord, what, mated and amaz'd To heare the king thus thr(e)aten like himselfe ? Cos. Ah Menaphon, I passe not for his threates,

The plot is laid by Persean Noble men,

And Captaines of the Medean garrisons,
To crowne me Emperour of Asia,
But this it is that doth excruciate

120

The verie substance of my vexed soule :

To see our neighbours that were woont to quake
And tremble at the Persean Monarkes name,
Now sits and laughs our regiment to scorne,
And that which might resolue me into teares :
Men from the farthest Equinoctiall line,
Haue swarm'd in troopes into the Easterne India :
Lading their shippes with golde and pretious stones :
And made their spoiles from all our prouinces.
Mena. This should intreat your highnesse to reioice,
Since Fortune giues you opportunity,

To gaine the tytle of a Conquerour,
By curing of this maimed Emperie.

Affrike and Europe bordering on your land,
And continent to your Dominions :

125

130

135

How easely may you with a mightie hoste,
Passe into Græcia, as did Cyrus once.

And cause them to withdraw their forces home,

Least you subdue the pride of Christendome?

140

Cos. But Menaph(on) what means this trumpets sound? Mena. Behold, my Lord Ortigius, and the rest, Bringing the Crowne to make you Emperour.

106 then] then, Mycetes conj. Elze, Wag. 126 resolue] dissolue 1605 they 1605

129 shippe 1592.

138 Passe] Hast 1605

140 you]