1 From whence the stars do borrow 1 all their light, And now the damnèd souls are free from pain, For every Fury gazeth on her looks; Infernal Dis is courting of my love, To entertain this queen of chastity; Whose body shall be tombed with all the pomp The treasure of my 2 kingdom may SCENE IV. afford. 90 [Exit, with the body. Enter TAMBURLAINE drawn in his chariot 3 by the Kings of Trebizond and Soria, with bits in their mouths, reins in his left hand, and in his right hand a whip with which he scourgeth them; TECHELLES, THERIDAMAS, USUMCASANE, AMYRAS, CELEBINUS; Kings of Natolia and Jerusalem led by 5 five or six common Soldiers. Tamb. Holla, ye pampered jades of Asia! 6 What! can ye draw but twenty miles a day, And have so proud a chariot at your heels, And such a coachman as great Tamburlaine, But from Asphaltis, where I conquered you, 1 So 4to.-8vo. "borrow doo." 2 So 4to.-8vo. "thy." 3 "In like manner in Lodge's Wounds of Civil War, Sylla enters in triumph drawn by his captives."—Broughton. 4 So 4to.-8vo. " their." 5 So 4to.-8vo. "led by with five." 6 This line was parodied by a host of writers. To Byron here, where thus I honour you! The horse that guide the golden eye of Heaven, As you, ye slaves, in mighty Tamburlaine. The headstrong jades of Thrace Alcides tamed, And made so wanton that they knew their strengths, By which I hold my name and majesty ! Amy. Let me have coach, my lord, that I may ride, And thus be drawn with 3 these two idle kings. Tamb. Thy youth forbids such ease, my kingly boy; IO 20 J So 4to.-8vo. "nostrils." Dyce compares Virgil, Æn. xii. 114:"Cum primum alto se gurgite tollunt Solis equi lucemque elatis navibus efflant." 2 Scudding; driven by the wind. 3 So 8vo. (Cf. v. 1, 1. 72, “Drawn with these kings.")—Modern editors, following the 4to., give "by." They shall to-morrow draw my chariot, Ther. Your majesty must get some bits for these, Break through the hedges of their hateful mouths, Tech. Nay, we will break the hedges of their mouths, And pull their kicking colts 2 out of their pastures. Usum. Your majesty already hath devised A mean, as fit as may be, to restrain These coltish coach-horse tongues from blasphemy. Cel. How like you that, sir king? why speak ye not? Jer. Ah, cruel brat, sprung from a tyrant's loins! How like his cursèd father he begins To practise taunts and bitter tyrannies! Tamb. I, Turk, I tell thee, this same boy is he 1 So 4to.-8vo. "garded plot." 2 Colt's-teeth. 30 40 50 That must (advanced in higher pomp than this) Now, fetch me out the Turkish concubines; They have bestowed on my abortive son. 60 [The Concubines are brought in. Where are my common soldiers now, that fought So lion-like upon Asphaltis' plains? Sold. Here, my lord. Tamb. Hold ye, tall soldiers, take ye queens apieceI mean such queens as were king's concubines— Take them; divide them, and their 1 jewels too, 1 And let them equally serve all your turns. Sold. We thank you. Tamb. Brawl not, I warn you, for your lechery: For every man that so offends shall die. Orc. Injurious tyrant, wilt thou so defame The hateful fortunes of thy victory, To exercise upon such guiltless dames The violence of thy common soldiers' lust? 71 80 Tamb. Live continent 2 then, ye slaves, and meet not me With troops of harlots at your slothful heels. 1 So 4to.-Omitted in 8vo. 2 Old copies "content." Ladies. O pity us, my lord, and save our honours. Tamb. Are ye not gone, ye villains, with your spoils ? [They run away with the ladies. Jer. O merciless, infernal cruelty! Tamb. Save your honours! 'Twere but time indeed, Lost long before ye knew what honour meant. Ther. It seems they meant to conquer us, my lord, And make us jesting pageants for their trulls. 91 Tamb. And now themselves shall make our pageants, And common soldiers jest with all their trulls. Let them take pleasure soundly in their spoils, Till we prepare our march to Babylon, Whither we next make expedition. Tech. Let us not be idle then, my lord, But presently be prest to conquer it. Tamb. We will, Techelles. Forward then, ye jades. Now crouch, ye kings of greatest Asia, And tremble when ye hear this scourge will come The Terrene, west; the Caspian, north-north-east ; Shall all be loaden with the martial spoils 100 |