HE play of Tamburlaine, which had been acted in, or before, 1588, was published in 1590. There were subsequent editions in 1592, 1593, 1597, 1605-6. Its popularity was very great. According to Thomas Heywood, the famous actor Alleyn, in this play and in The Jew of Malta, and in Henslowe's Diary we read of Tamburlaine's crimsonvelvet breeches and copper-laced coat. From an address to the reader prefixed by the printer to the edition of 1592, it appears that the play originally contained comic scenes. "I have purposely omitted and left out," he tells us, "certain fond and frivolous gestures, digressing, and, in my poor opinion, far unmeet for the matter, which I thought might seem more tedious unto the wise than any way else to be regarded, though haply they have been of some vain-conceited fondlings greatly gaped at, what time they were shewed upon the stage in their graced deformities: nevertheless now to be mixtured in print with such matter of worth, it would prove a great disgrace to so honourable and stately a history." The sources whence the play of Tamburlaine was derived have been already pointed out.' 1 See ante, p. xxxiii. THE PROLOGUE. FROM jigging veins of rhyming mother wits, Where you shall hear the Scythian Tamburlaine And then applaud his fortune as you please. No list of the characters is given in the early editions; the omission is frequent in plays of this period. Enter MYCETES, COSROE, MEANDER, THERIDAMAS, ORTYGIUS, CENEUS, MENAPHON, with others. YC. Brother Cosroe, I find myself aggrieved, Yet insufficient to express the same; Good brother, tell the cause unto my lords; Cos. Unhappy Persia, that in former age. |