Then, when our powers in points of swords are joined 40
And closed in compass of the killing bullet,

Though strait the passage and the port1 be made
That leads to palace of my brother's life,
Proud is his fortune if we pierce it not.

And when the princely Persian diadem
Shall overweigh his weary witless head,

And fall like mellowed fruit with shakes of death,
In fair Persia, noble Tamburlaine

Shall be my regent and remain as king.

Orty. In happy hour we have set the crown
Upon your kingly head that seeks our honour,
In joining with the man ordained by Heaven,
To further every action to the best.

Cen. He that with shepherds and a little spoil
Durst, in disdain of wrong and tyranny,
Defend his freedom 'gainst a monarchy,

What will he do supported by a king,
Leading a troop of gentlemen and lords,

50

And stuffed with treasure for his highest thoughts!
Cos. And such shall wait on worthy Tamburlaine. 60

Our army will be forty thousand strong,

When Tamburlaine and brave Theridamas

Have met us by the river Araris ;

And all conjoined to meet the witless king,
That now is marching near to Parthia,
And with unwilling soldiers faintly armed,
To seek revenge on me and Tamburlaine,

1 Gate,

To whom, sweet Menaphon, direct me straight.

Men. I will, my lord.

SCENE II.

[Exeunt.

Enter MYCETES, MEANDER, with other Lords and

Soldiers.

businers

Myc, Come, my Meander, let us to this gear.,
I tell you true, my heart is swoln with wrath
On this same thievish villain, Tamburlaine,
And, on that false Cosroe, my traitorous brother.
Would it not grieve a king to be so abused
And have a thousand horsemen ta'en away?
And, which is worse, to have his diadem
Sought for by such scald2 knaves as love him not?
I think it would; well then, by Heavens I swear,
Aurora shall not peep out of her doors,
But I will have Cosroe by the head,

And kill proud Tamburlaine with point of sword.
Tell you the rest, Meander: I have said.

Meand. Then having past Armenian deserts now,
And pitched our tents under the Georgian hills,
Whose tops are covered with Tartarian thieves,
That lie in ambush, waiting for a prey,

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1 Business. Cf. Edward II., v. 5:"So now must I about this gear." 2 Henry VI., i. 4:—“ Well said, my masters, and welcome all to this gear; the sooner the better."

2 Scurvy, low, paltry. Cf. Antony and Cleopatra, v. 2 :—

"Saucy lictors

Will catch at us like strumpets, and scald rhymers

Ballad us out of tune."

What should we do but bid them battle straight,
And rid the world of those detested troops?
Lest, if we let them linger here awhile,

They gather strength by power of fresh supplies.
This country swarms with vile outrageous men
That live by rapine and by lawless spoil,
Fit soldiers for the wicked Tamburlaine ;
And he that could with gifts and promises
Inveigle him that led a thousand horse,
And make him false his faith unto his king,
Will quickly win such as be like himself.
Therefore cheer up your minds; prepare to fight;
He that can take or slaughter Tamburlaine
Shall rule the province of Albania:

Who brings that traitor's head, Theridamas,
Shall have a government in Media,
Beside the spoil of him and all his train:
But if Cosroe, (as our spials1 say,
And as we know) remains with Tamburlaine,
His Highness' pleasure is that he should live,
And be reclaimed with princely lenity.

A Spy. A hundred horsemen of my company
Scouting abroad upon these champion2 plains
Have viewed the army of the Scythians,
Which make report it far exceeds the king's.
Meand. Suppose they be in number infinite,

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30

40

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1 Espials, spies. Cf. 1 Henry VI., i. 4 :—"The prince's spials have

informed me.'

• The old form of "champain."

Yet being void of martial discipline,
All running headlong after greedy 1 spoils,
And more regarding gain than victory,

Like to the cruel brothers of the earth,

Sprong 2 of the teeth of dragons venomous,

Their careless swords shall lanch their fellows' throats, And make us triumph in their overthrow.

Myc. Was there such brethren, sweet Meander, say,

That sprong of teeth of dragons venomous ?

Meand. So poets say, my lord.

Myc. And 'tis a pretty toy to be a poet.

Well, well, Meander, thou art deeply read,
And having thee, I have a jewel sure.

Go on, my Lord, and give your charge, I say;

Thy wit will make us conquerors to-day.

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Meand. Then, noble soldiers, to entrap these thieves, That live confounded in disordered troops,

up,

If wealth or riches may prevail with them,
We have our camels laden all with gold,
Which you that be but common soldiers
Shall fling in every corner of the field;
And while the base-born Tartars take it
You, fighting more for honour than for gold,
Shall massacre those greedy-minded slaves;
And when their scattered army is subdued,
And you march on their slaughtered carcases,
Share equally the gold that bought their lives,

1 Dyce printed "greedy after spoils."

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70

2 So the old copies: in the Second Part we have the spelling "sprung."

VOL. I.

C

And live like gentlemen in Persia.

Strike up the drum ! and march courageously!
Fortune herself doth sit upon our crests.

Myc. He tells you true, my masters: so he does. Drums, why sound ye not, when Meander speaks ? [Exeunt, drums sounding.

SCENE III.

Enter COSROE, TAMBURLAINE, THERIDAMAS, Techelles, USUMCASANE, and ORTYGIUS, with others.

Cos. Now, worthy Tamburlaine, have I reposed In thy approved fortunes all my hope.

What think'st thou, man, shall come of our attempts ? For even as from assurèd oracle,

I take thy doom for satisfaction.

Tamb. And so mistake you not a whit, my Lord;
For fates and oraclès [of] Heaven have sworn
To royalise the deeds of Tamburlaine,
And make them blest that share in his attempts.
And doubt you not but, if you favour me,

And let my fortunes and my valour sway

To some1 direction in your martial deeds,

The world will strive with hosts of men at arms,
To swarm unto the ensign I support :

The host of Xerxes, which by fame is said
To have drank the mighty Parthian Araris,
Was but a handful to that we will have.

1 So 4to.-8vo. "scorne,"

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