Meete with the foole, and rid your royall shoulders
Of such a burthen, as outwaies the sands

And all the craggie rockes of Caspea.

(Enter a Messenger.)

Mess. My Lord, we haue discouered the enemie Ready to chardge you with a mighty armie.

645

Cos. Come, Tamburlain, now whet thy winged sword And lift thy lofty arme into the cloudes,

650

That it may reach the King of Perseas crowne,

And set it safe on my victorious head.

Tam. See where it is, the keenest Cutle-axe,

That ere made passage thorow Persean Armes.
These are the wings shall make it flie as swift,
As dooth the lightening or the breath of heauen,
And kill as sure as it swiftly flies.

655

Cos. Thy words assure me of kind successe:

Go valiant Souldier, go before and charge

The fainting army of that foolish King.
Tamb. Vsumcasane and Techelles come,

We are enough to scarre the enemy,

660

And more than needes to make an Emperour. (Exeunt.)

<Scene IV.)

To the Battaile, and Mycetes comes out alone with
his Crowne in his hand, offering to hide it.

Myc. Accurst be he that first inuented war,
They knew not, ah, they knew not simple men,
How those were hit by pelting Cannon shot,
Stand staggering like a quiuering Aspen leafe,
Fearing the force of Boreas boistrous blasts.
In what a lamentable case were I,

665

If Nature had not giuen me wisedomes lore?

670

For Kings are clouts that euery man shoots at,

Our Crowne the pin that thousands seeke to cleaue.
Therefore in pollicie I thinke it good.
To hide it close: a goodly Stratagem,

And far from any man that is a foole.

675

646 S.D. add. Dyce

Coll.

656 or the breath] o'er the breadth conj. 662 enough 1590, 1605: enow 1592 663 S.D. add. Rob. Scene IV. add. Dyce 667 Stand] Stand those 1605

So shall not I be knowen, or if I bee,
They cannot take away my crowne from me.
Here will I hide it in this simple hole.

Enter Tamburlain.

Tam. What fearful coward stragling from the camp When Kings themselues are present in the field?

Myc. Thou liest.

Tam. Base villaine, darst thou giue the lie?
Myc. Away, I am the King: go, touch me not.
Thou breakst the law of Armes vnlesse thou kneele,
And cry me mercie, noble King.

680

685

Tam. Are you the witty King of Persea?
Myce. I marie am I haue you any suite to me?
Tam. I would intreat you to speak but three wise wordes.
Myce. So I can when I see my time.

Tam. Is this your Crowne?

Myce. I, Didst thou euer see a fairer ?

Tamb. You will not sell it, wil ye?

690

Myce. Such another word, and I will haue thee executed.

Come giue it me.

Tamb. No, I tooke it prisoner.

695

Myce. You lie, I gaue it you.

Tam. Then tis mine.

Myce. No, I meane, I let you keep it.

Tamb. Wel, I meane you shall haue it againe.

Here take it for a while, I lend it thee,

Till I may see thee hem'd with armed men.
Then shalt thou see me pull it from thy head:
Thou art no match for mightie Tamburlaine.
Myce. O Gods, is this Tamburlaine the thiefe,

I marueile much he stole it not away.

Sound trumpets to the battell, and he runs in.

<Scene V.)

700

(Exit.)

705

Cosroe, Tamburlaine, Theridamas, Menaphon, Meander, Ortygius, Techelles, Vsumcasane, with others.

Tamb. Holde thee Cosroe, weare two imperiall Crownes. Thinke thee inuested now as royally,

Euen by the mighty hand of Tamburlaine,

682 giue 1590, 1592, Rob., Dyce1, Bull, Wag.: giue me 1605, Dyce, Cunn.

Scene V. add. Dyce

703 S.D. add. Dyce

As if as many kinges as could encompasse thee,
With greatest pompe had crown'd thee Emperour.

Cosr. So do I thrice renowmed man at armes,
And none shall keepe the crowne but Tamburlaine :
Thee doo I make my Regent of Persea,
And Generall Lieftenant of my Armies.
Meander, you that were our brothers Guide,
And chiefest Counsailor in all his acts,
Since he is yeelded to the stroke of War,
On your submission we with thanks excuse,
And giue you equall place in our affaires.

710

715

Mean. Most happy Emperour in humblest tearms 720 I vow my seruice to your Maiestie,

With vtmost vertue of my faith and dutie.

Cosr. Thanks good Meander, then Cosroe raign

And gouerne Persea in her former pomp:
Now send Ambassage to thy neighbor Kings,
And let them know the Persean King is chang'd:
From one that knew not what a King should do,
To one that can commaund what longs thereto :
And now we will to faire Persepolis,
With twenty thousand expert souldiers.

The Lords and Captaines of my brothers campe,
With litle slaughter take Meanders course,
And gladly yeeld them to my gracious rule:
Ortigius and Menaphon, my trustie friendes,
Now will I gratify your former good,
And grace your calling with a greater sway.
Ort. And as we euer aimd at your behoofe,
And sought your state all honor it deseru'd,
So will we with our powers and our liues,
Indeuor to preserue and prosper it.

Cos. I will not thank thee (sweet Ortigius)

Better replies shall prooue my purposes.

725

730

735

740

And now Lord Tamburlaine, my brothers Campe
I leaue to thee, and to Theridamas,

745

To follow me to faire Persepolis.

Then will we march to all those Indian Mines,
My witlesse brother to the Christians lost:
And ransome them with fame and vsurie.
And till thou ouertake me Tamburlaine,

716 chiefest] chiefe 1592
aimd 1605 etc.: and 1590, 1592
liues 1592
746 we] I 1605

720 happy] happiest 1605
738 it] is 1592

737

739 our liues]

(Staying to order all the scattered troopes) Farewell Lord Regent, and his happie friends,

I long to sit vpon my brothers throne.

Mena. Your Maiestie shall shortly haue your wish, And ride in triumph through Persepolis.

Manent Tamb. Tech. Ther. Vsum.

750

Exeunt.

Tamb. And ride in triumph through Persepolis ? 755 Is it not braue to be a King, Techelles?

Vsumcasane and Theridamas,

Is it not passing braue to be a King,

And ride in triumph through Persepolis ?

Tech. O my Lord, tis sweet and full of pompe. 760 Vsum. To be a King, is halfe to be a God. Ther. A God is not so glorious as a King : I thinke the pleasure they enioy in heauen Can not compare with kingly ioyes in earth.

To weare a Crowne enchac'd with pearle and golde, 765
Whose vertues carie with it life and death,

To aske, and haue: commaund, and be obeied:
When looks breed loue, with lookes to gaine the prize.
Such power attractiue shines in princes eies.

Tam. Why say Theridamas, wilt thou be a king? 770
Ther. Nay, though I praise it, I can liue without it.
Tam. What saies my other friends, wil you be kings?
Tec. I, if I could with all my heart my Lord.
Tam. Why, that's wel said Techelles, so would I,

And so would you my maisters, would you not?
Vsum. What then my Lord ?

775

Tam. Why then Casane shall we wish for ought

The world affoords in greatest noueltie,

And rest attemplesse faint and destitute?

Me thinks we should not, I am strongly moou'd,

780

That if I should desire the Persean Crowne,
I could attaine it with a woondrous ease,
And would not all our souldiers soone consent,
If we should aime at such a dignitie?

Ther. I know they would with our perswasions.
Tam. Why then Theridamas, Ile first assay,

To get the Persean Kingdome to my selfe :

Then thou for Parthia, they for Scythia and Medea.
And if I prosper, all shall be as sure,

753 Prefix Mean. 1592, Dyce to Bull.

785

As if the Turke, the Pope, Afrike and Greece,
Came creeping to vs with their crownes apeece.

Tech. Then shall we send to this triumphing King,
And bid him battell for his nouell Crowne ?

790

Vsum. Nay quickly then, before his roome be hot. Tam. Twil prooue a pretie iest (in faith) my friends. The. A iest to chardge on twenty thousand men? 796 I iudge the purchase more important far.

Tam. Iudge by thy selfe Theridamas, not me,
For presently Techelles here shal haste,
To bid him battaile ere he passe too farre,
And lose more labor than the gaine will quight.
Then shalt thou see the Scythian Tamburlaine,
Make but a iest to win the Persean crowne.
Techelles, take a thousand horse with thee,
And bid him turne his back to war with vs,
That onely made him King to make vs sport.
We will not steale vpon him cowardly,
But giue him warning and more warriours.
Haste the Techelles, we will follow thee.
What saith Theridamas?

Ther. Goe on for me.

800

805

810

Exeunt.

Actus 2. Scana 6.

Cosroe, Meander, Ortygius, Menaphon, with

other Souldiers.

Cos. What means this diuelish shepheard to aspire
With such a Giantly presumption,

To cast vp hils against the face of heauen:
And dare the force of angrie Iupiter.

But as he thrust them vnderneath the hils,

And prest out fire from their burning iawes:
So will I send this monstrous slaue to hell,
Where flames shall euer feed vpon his soule.

815

Mean. Some powers diuine, or els infernall, mixt 820 Their angry seeds at his conception :

For he was neuer sprong of humaine race,
Since with the spirit of his fearefull pride,

791 aрeece 1605, Dyce to Bull.: apace 1590, 1592 this 1592, Dyce to Wag. 805 his] him Rob. etc. 1605 809+s.D. Exit Techelles add. Dyce, Wag.

802 the] 808 and] with