To bid him battle ere he pass too far, And lose more labour than the gain will quit. THER. Go on for me. SCENE IV. [Exeunt. Enter COSROE, MEANDER, ORTYGIUS, MENAPHON, with other Soldiers, Cos. What means this dev'lish shepherd to aspire With such a giantly presumption To cast up hills against the face of heaven, Their angry seeds at his conception; For he was never sprung from human race, He dares so doubtlessly resolve of rule, And by profession be ambitious. ORTY. What God, or fiend, or spirit of the earth, Or monster turned to a manly shape, Or of what mould or mettle he be made, Vowing our loves to equal death and life. Let's cheer our soldiers to encounter him, Direct my weapon to his barb'rous heart, And scorns the powers that govern Persia ! Alarums. A battle; enter COSROE, wounded, THERIDAMAS, TAMBURLAINE, TECHELLES, USUMCASANE, with others. Cos. Barbarous and bloody Tamburlaine, Thus to deprive me of my crown and life! Treacherous and false Theridamas, Ev'n at the morning of my happy state, Scarce being seated in my royal throne, To work my downfal and untimely end! An uncouth pain torments my grieved soul, And death arrests the organ of my voice, Who, ent'ring at the breach thy sword hath made, Sacks every vein and artier of my heart.Bloody and insatiate Tamburlaine ! TAMB. The thirst of reign and sweetness of a crown That caus'd the eldest son of heavenly Ops, To thrust his doting father from his chair, And place himself in the imperial heaven, Mov'd me to manage arms against thy state. What better precedent than mighty Jove? Nature that form'd us of four elements, Warring within our breasts for regiment, Doth teach us all to have aspiring minds; Our souls, whose faculties can comprehend The wond'rous architecture of the world, And measure ev'ry wand'ring planet's course, Still climbing after knowledge infinite, And always moving as the restless spheres, Will us to wear ourselves, and never rest, Until we reach the ripest fruit of all, VOL. I 3 That perfect bliss and sole felicity, The sweet fruition of an earthly crown. THER. And that made me to join with Tamburlaine: For he is gross and like the massy earth, That moves not upwards, nor by princely deeds Doth mean to soar above the highest sort. TECH. And that made us the friends of Tambur laine, To lift our swords against the Persian king. USUM. For as when Jove did thrust old Saturn down, Neptune and Dis gain'd each of them a crown, If Tamburlaine be plac'd in Persia. Cos. The strangest men that ever nature made! I know not how to take their tyrannies. My bloodless body waxeth chill and cold, And with my blood my life slides through my wound; My soul begins to take her flight to hell, And summon all my senses to depart.— The heat and moisture, which did feed each other, And fearful vengeance light upon you both! [Cosroe dies.-Tamburlaine takes the crown and puts it on. TAMB. Not all the curses, which the furies breathe, Shall make me leave so rich a prize as this. Theridamas, Techelles, and the rest, Who think you now is king of Persia? ALL. Tamburlaine !-Tamburlaine ! TAMB. Though Mars himself, the angry god of arms, And all the earthly potentates conspire To dispossess me of this diadem, Yet will I wear it in despite of them, ALL. Long live Tamburlaine and reign in Asia! TAMB. So now it is more surer on my head, Than if the Gods had held a Parliament, And all pronounc'd me king of Persia. [Exeunt. ACT THE THIRD. SCENE I. BAJAZET, the Kings of FEZ, MOROCCO, and BAJ. Great kings of Barbary and my portly bassas, We hear the Tartars and the eastern thieves, Under the conduct of one Tamburlaine, Presume a bick'ring with your emperor, |