80

I see how fearfully ye would refuse,
And fly my glove as from a scorpion.
· Orc. Now thou art fearful of thy army's strength,
Thou would'st with overmatch of person fight;
But, shepherd's issue, base-born Tamburlaine,
Think of thy end ! this sword shall lance thy throat.
Tamb. Villain! the shepherd's issue (at whose

birth
Heaven did afford a gracious aspect,

i
And joined those stars that shall be opposite
Even till the dissolution of the world,
And never meant to make a conqueror
So famous as is mighty Tamburlaine,)
Shall so torment thee and that Callapine,
That, like a roguish runaway, suborned
That villain there, that slave, that Turkish dog,
To false his service to his sovereign,
As ye shall curse the birth of Tamburlaine..
Call. Rail not, vile Scythian! I shall now

revenge... "
My father's vile abuses, and mine own. -

Jer. By Mahomet ! he shall be tied in chains,
Rowing with Christians in a brigandine
About the Grecian isles to rob and spoil,
And turn him to his ancient trade again :
Methinks the slave should make a lusty thief.
Call. Nay, when the battle ends, all we will

meet,
And sit in council to invent some pain
That most may vex his body and his soul...

102

Tamb. Sirrah, Callapine ! I'll hang a clog about your neck for running away 1 again ; you shall not trouble me thus to come and fetch you ; But as for you, viceroys, you shall have bits, And, harnessed like my horses, draw my coach ; And when ye stay, be lashed with whips of wire. I'll have you learn to feed on? provender And in a stable lie upon the planks.

Orc. But, Tamburlaine, first thou shalt kneel to us, And humbly crave a pardon for thy life.

Treb. The common soldiers of our mighty host 110 Shall bring thee bound unto our general's tent.

Sor. And all have jointly sworn thy cruel death, Or bind thee in eternal torments' wrath.

Tamb. Well, sirs, diet yourselves; you know I shall have occasion shortly to journey you.

Cel. See, father, .
How Almeda the jailor looks upon us.

Tamb. Villain ! traitor ! damnèd fugitive !
I'll make thee wish the earth did swallow thee,
See'st thou not death within my wrathful looks ?
Go, villain, cast thee headlong from a rock,
Or rip thy bowels, and rent out thy heart
To appease my wrath ! or else I'll torture thee,
Searing thy hateful flesh with burning irons
And drops of scalding lead, while all thy joints
Be racked and beat asunder with the wheel ;

130

For, if thou liv'st, not any element
Shall shroud thee from the wrath of Tamburlaine.

Call. Well, in despite of thee he shall be king.
Come, Almeda ; receive this crown of me,
I here invest thee king of Ariadan
Bordering on Mare Roso, near to Mecca.

Orc. What! Take it, man.
Alm. Good my lord, let me take it. [To Tamb.
Call, Dost thou ask him leave? Here; take it.

Tamb. Go to, sirrah, take your crown, and make up the half dozen. So, sirrah, now you are a king, you must give arms.

Orc. So he shall, and wear thy head in his scutcheon.

Tamb. No;2 let him hang a bunch of keys on his standard to put him in remembrance he was a jailor, that when I take him, I may knock out his brains with them, and lock you in the stable, when you shall come sweating from my chariot.

143 Treb. Away ; let us to the field, that the villain may be slain.

Tamb. Sirrah, prepare whips and bring my chariot to my tent, for as soon as the battle is done, I'll ride in triumph through the camp.

Enter THERIDAMAS, TECHELLES, and their train. How now, ye petty kings ? Lo, here are bugs 3 Will make the hair stand upright on your heads, 150

And cast your crowns in slavery at their feet.
Welcome, Theridamas and Techelles, both !
See ye this rout, and know ye this same king ?

Ther. I, my lord; he was Callapine's keeper.

Tamb. Well, now ye see he is a king ; look to him, Theridamas, when we are fighting, lest he hide his crown as the foolish king of Persia did.

Sor. No, Tamburlaine ; he shall not be put to that exigent, I warrant thee. Tamb. You know not, sir

160 But now, my followers and my loving friends, Fight as you ever did, like conquerors, The glory of this happy day is yours. My stern aspect shall make fair victory, Hovering betwixt our armies, light on me Loaden with laurel wreaths to crown us all.

Tech. I smile to think how, when this field is fought And rich Natolia ours, our men shall sweat With carrying pearl and treasure on their backs.

Tamb. You shall be princes all, immediately; 170 Come, fight ye Turks, or yield us victory. Orc. No; we will meet thee, slavish Tamburlaine.

(Exeunt.

ACT THE FOURTH.

SCENE I.

Alarums.-AMYRAS and CELEBINUS issue from the tent

where CALYPHAS sits asleep.

Amy. Now in their glories shine the golden crowns
Of these proud Turks, much like so many suns
That half dismay the majesty of heaven.
Now, brother, follow me our father's sword,
That flies with fury swifter than our thoughts,
And cuts down armies with his conquering wings.

Cel. Call forth our lazy brother from the tent,
For if my father miss him in the field,
Wrath, kindled in the furnace of his breast,
Will send a deadly lightning to his heart.

Amy. Brother! Ho! what given so much to sleep!
You cannot leave it, when our enemies' drums
And rattling cannons thunder in our ears
Our proper ruin and our father's foil ?

Cal. Away, ye fools ! my father needs not me,
Nor you in faith, but that you will be thought
More childish-valorous than manly-wise.
If half our camp should sit and sleep with me,
My father were enough to scare the foe.

IO