In spite of them shall malice my estate.
Orty. And in assurance of desired success,
We here do crown thee monarch of the East,
Emperor of Asia and Persia;

Great Lord of Media and Armenia;

Duke of Africa and Albania,

Mesopotamia and of Parthia,

East India and the late-discovered isles;
Chief Lord of all the wide, vast Euxine Sea,
And of the ever-raging Caspian Lake.

All. Long live Cosroe, mighty Emperor!

Cos. And Jove may" never let me longer live
Than I may seek to gratify your love,
And cause the soldiers that thus honour me
To triumph over many provinces!
By whose desire of discipline in arms.

I doubt not shortly but to reign sole king,
And with the army of Theridamas
(Whither we presently will fly, my lords)
To rest secure against my brother's force.

160

170

Orty. We knew, my lord, before we brought the crown,

Intending your investion so near

The residence of your despisèd brother,
The lords would not be too exasperate
To injury or suppress your worthy title;
Or, if they would, there are in readiness
Ten thousand horse to carry you from hence,
In spite of all suspected enemies.

all.

180

Cos. I know it well, my lord, and thank you
Orty. Sound up the trumpets then. [Trumpets sound.
All. God save the King!

[Exeunt.

SCENE II

Enter TAMBURLAINE leading ZENOCRATE, TECHELLES, USUMCASANE, AGYDAS, MAGNETES, Lords, and Soldiers, laden with treasure

Tamb. Come, lady, let not this appal your thoughts; The jewels and the treasure we have ta’en

Shall be reserved, and you in better state,
Than if you were arrived in Syria,
Even in the circle of your father's arms,
The mighty Soldan of Ægyptia.

Zeno. Ah, shepherd! pity my distressèd plight,
(If, as thou seem'st, thou art so mean a man,)
And seek not to enrich thy followers

By lawless rapine from a silly maid,
Who, travelling with these Median lords

To Memphis, from my uncle's country of Media,
Where all my youth I have been governèd,
Have passed the army of the mighty Turk,
Bearing his privy signet and his hand
To safe conduct us thorough Africa.

Mag. And since we have arrived in Scythia,
Besides rich presents from the puissant Cham,
We have his highness' letters to command
Aid and assistance, if we stand in need.

Tamb. But now you see these letters and commands

Are countermanded by a greater man;
And through my provinces you must expect
Letters of conduct from my mightiness,
If you intend to keep your treasure safe.
But, since I love to live at liberty,
As easily may you get the Soldan's crown
As any prizes out of my precinct;

For they are friends that help to wean my state

'Till men and kingdoms help to strengthen it,

IO

20

30

30

And must maintain my life exempt from servitude.
But, tell me, madam, is your grace betrothed?

Zeno. I am

lord my

for so you do import.

Tamb. I am a lord, for so my deeds shall prove:

And yet a shepherd by my parentage.

But, lady, this fair face and heavenly hue
Must grace his bed that conquers Asia,
And means to be a terror to the world,
Measuring the limits of his empery

By east and west, as Phoebus doth his course.
Lie here ye weeds that I disdain to wear!
This complete armour and this curtal-ax
Are adjuncts more beseeming Tamburlaine.
And, madam, whatsoever you esteem
Of this success and loss unvaluèd,

Both may invest you Empress of the East;

And these that seem but silly country swains
May have the leading of so great an host,

40

As with their weight shall make the mountains quake, Even as when windy exhalations

Fighting for passage, tilt within the earth.

50

Tech. As princely lions, when they rouse themselves, Stretching their paws, and threatening herds of beasts, So in his armour looketh Tamburlaine.

Methinks I see kings kneeling at his feet,

And he with frowning brows and fiery looks,

Spurning their crowns from off their captive heads.
Usum. And making thee and me, Techelles, kings,

That even to death will follow Tamburlaine.

Tamb. Nobly resolved, sweet friends and followers! 60 These lords perhaps do scorn our estimates, And think we prattle with distempered spirits; But since they measure our deserts so mean, That in conceit bear empires on our spears, Affecting thoughts coequal with the clouds, They shall be kept our forced followers, Till with their eyes they view us emperors.

Zeno. The gods, defenders of the innocent,
Will never prosper your intended drifts,
That thus oppress poor friendless passengers.
Therefore at least admit us liberty,
Even as thou hopest to be eternized,
By living Asia's mighty Emperor.

A gyd. I hope our ladies' treasure and our own
May serve for ransom to our liberties:
Return our mules and empty camels back,
That we may travel into Syria,

Where her betrothed lord Alcidamas,
Expects th' arrival of her highness' person.
Mag. And wheresoever we repose ourselves,
We will report but well of Tamburlaine.

Tamb. Disdains Zenocrate to live with me?
Or you, my lords, to be my followers?

Think you I weigh this treasure more than you? ·
Not all the gold in India's wealthy arms.
Shall buy the meanest soldier in my train.
Zenocrate, lovelier than the love of Jove,
Brighter than is the silver Rhodope,
Fairer than whitest snow on Scythian hills
Thy person is more worth to Tamburlaine,
Than the possession of the Persian crown,
Which gracious stars have promised at my birth.
A hundred Tartars shall attend on thee,
Mounted on steeds swifter than Pegasus;
Thy garments shall be made of Median silk,
Enchased with precious jewels of mine own,
More rich and valurous than Zenocrate's.
With milk-white harts upon an ivory sled,
Thou shalt be drawn amidst the frozen pools,
And scale the icy mountains' lofty tops,
Which with thy beauty will be soon resolved.
My martial prizes with five hundred men,
Won on the fifty-headed Volga's waves,
Shall we all offer to Zenocrate –

70

80

90

100

And then myself to fair Zenocrate.

Tech. What now! in love?

Tamb. Techelles, women must be flattered:

But this is she with whom I am in love.

Enter a Soldier

Sold. News! news!

Tamb. How now - what's the matter?

Sold. A thousand Persian horsemen are at hand,

Sent from the king to overcome us all.

IIO

Tamb. How now, my lords of Egypt, and Zenocrate! How! must your jewels be restored again,

And I, that triumphed so, be overcome?

How say you, lordings — is not this your hope?

Agyd. We hope yourself will willingly restore them. Tamb. Such hope, such fortune, have the thousand horse.

Soft ye, my lords, and sweet Zenocrate!

You must be forced from me ere you go.

A thousand horsemen! We five hundred foot!

An odds too great for us to stand against.

But are they rich? and is their armour good?

120

Sold. Their plumèd helms are wrought with beaten gold Their swords enamelled, and about their necks Hang massy chains of gold, down to the waist,

In every part exceeding brave and rich.

Tamb. Then shall we fight courageously with them?

Or look you I should play the orator?

Tech. No: cowards and faint-hearted runaways

Look for orations when the foe is near:

130

Our swords shall play the orator for us.

Usum. Come! let us meet them at the mountain top, And with a sudden and a hot alarum,

Drive all their horses headlong down the hill.

Tech. Come, let us march!

Tamb.

Stay, ask a parley first.