Shall mount the milk-white way, and meet him there.
To Babylon, my lords; to Babylon.

[Exeunt.

ACT THE FIFTH.

SCENE I.

Enter the GOVERNOR OF BABYLON, MAXIMUS,

and others, upon the Walls.

Gov. What saith Maximus ?

MAX. My lord, the breach the enemy hath made Gives such assurance of our overthrow,

That little hope is left to save our lives,

Or hold our city from the conqueror's hands.

Then hang out flags, my lord, of humble truce,
And satisfy the people's general pray'rs,

That Tamburlaine's intolerable wrath

May be suppress'd by our submission.

Gov. Villain, respect'st thou more thy slavish life Than honour of thy country or thy name

?

Are not my life and state as dear to me,
The city and my native'country's weal
As any thing of price in thy conceit?
Have we not hope, for all our batter'd walls,
To live secure and keep his forces out,
When this our famous lake of Limnasphaltis
Makes walls afresh with ev'ry thing that falls.
Into the liquid substance of his stream
More strong than are the gates of death or hell?

VOL. I.

11

What faintness should dismay our courages
When we are thus defenc'd against our foes,
And have no terror but his threat'ning look.

Enter another CITIZEN, who kneels to the
Governor.

CIT. My lord, if ever you did deed of ruth,
And now will work a refuge for our lives,
Offer submission, hang up flags of truce,
That Tamburlaine may pity our distress,
And use us like a loving conqueror.

Though this be held his last day's dreadful siege,
Wherein he spareth neither man nor child,
Yet are there Christians of Georgia here,
Whose state was ever pitied and reliev'd,
Would get his pardon if your grace would send.
Gov. How is my soul environed!

And this eterniz'd city, Babylon,

Fill'd with a pack of faint heart fugitives.

That thus entreat their shame and servitude!

CIT. My lord, if ever ye will win our hearts, Yield up the town and save our wives and children For I will cast myself from off these walls

Or die some death of quickest violence

Before I bide the wrath of Tamburlaine.

Gov. Villains! cowards! traitors to our state! Fall to the earth, and pierce the pit of hell, That legions of tormenting spirits may vex Your slavish bosoms with continual pains; I care not, nor the town will never yield, As long as any life is in my breast.

Enter THERIDAMAS, TECHELLES, and SOLDIERS, without the walls.

THER. Thou desperate governor of Babylon,
To save thy life, and us a little labour,
Yield speedily the city to our hands,

Or else be sure thou shalt be forc'd with pains,
More exquisite than ever traitor felt.

Gov. Tyrant! I turn the traitor in thy throat,
And will defend it in despite of thee.

Call

up the soldiers to defend these walls. TECH. Yield, foolish governor; we offer more Than ever yet we did to such proud slaves As durst ressist us till our third day's siege. Thou seest us prest to give the last assault, And that shall bide no more regard of parley. Gor. Assault and spare not; we will never yield. [Alarms: and they scale the walls. Enter TAMBURLAINE, USUMCASANE, AMYRAS, and CELEBINUS, NATOLIA, JERUSALEM, &C. TAMB. The stately buildings of fair Babylon, Whose lofty pillars, higher than the clouds Were wont to guide the seaman in the deep, Being carried thither by the cannon's force, Now fill the mouth of Limnasphaltis' lake And make a bridge unto the batter'd walls. Where Belus, Ninus, and great Alexander Have rode in triumph, triumphTamburlaineWhose chariot wheels have burst th' Assyrians' bones Drawn with these kings on heaps of carcases. Now in the place, where fair Semiramis,

Courted by kings and peers of Asia,

Hath trod the measures, I and my soldiers march;
And in the streets, where brave Assyrian dames
Have rid in pomp like rich Saturnia,
With furious words and frowning visages

My horsemen brandish their unruly blades.
Enter THERIDAMAS and TECHELLES, bringing in
the GOVERNOR of Babylon.
there, my lords?

Who have

ye

THER. The sturdy governor of Babylon,

That made us all the labour for the town,

And us'd such slender reck'ning of your majesty."
TAMB. Go, bind the traitor; he shall hang in
chains

Upon the ruins of this conquer'd town.
Sirrah, the view of our vermilion tents,
(Which threaten'd more than if the region
Next underneath the element of fire

Were full of comets and of blazing stars,

Whose flaming trains should reach down to the earth,
Could not affright you; no, nor I myself,

The wrathful messenger of mighty Jove,

That with his sword hath quell'd all earthly kings

Could not persuade you to submission,

But still the ports were shut; villain! I say,
Should I but touch the rusty gates of hell,

The triple-headed Cerberus would howl

And wake black Jove to crouch and kneel to me;

But I have sent vollies of shot to you,

Yet could not enter till the breach was made.

H

Gov. Nor, if my body could have stopp'd the

breach,

Should'st thou have enter'd, cruel Tamburlaine.
'Tis not thy bloody tents can make me yield,

Nor yet thyself, the anger of the highest ;
For though thy cannon shook the city walls,
My heart did never quake, nor courage faint.
TAMB. Well, now I'll make it quake; go draw

him up,

Hang him in chains upon the city walls,

And let my soldiers shoot the slave to death.

Gov. Vile monster! born of some infernal hag, And sent from hell to tyrrannize on earth, Do all thy worst; nor death, nor Tamburlaine, Torture, nor pain, can daunt my dreadless mind. TAMB. Up with him then; his body shall be sear'd.

Gov. But, Tamburlaine; in Limnasphaltis' lake There lies more gold than Babylon is worth, Which, when the city was besieg'd, I hid. Save but my life and I will give it thee. TAMB. Then for all your valour you

your life?

Where about lies it?

would save

Gov. Under a hollow bank, right opposite

Against the Western gate of Babylon.

TAMB. Go thither, some of you, and take his gold;

The rest forward with th' execution.

Away with him hence, let him speak no more.

I think I make your courage something quail.