 | Tamburlaine the Great |  |
Actus. 2.
Scœna. I.
Cosroe, Menaphon, Ortygius, Ceneus, with other Souldiers.Cosroe.
Thus farre are we towards Theridamas,
And valiant Tamburlaine, the man of fame,
The man that in the forhead of his fortune,
Beares figures of renowne and myracle:
But tell me, that hast seene him, Menaphon,
What stature wields he, and what personage?
Mena.
Of stature tall, and straightly fashioned,
Like his desire, lift vpwards and diuine,
So large of lims, his ioints so strongly knit,
Such breadth of shoulders as might mainely beare
Olde Atlas burthen, twixt his manly pitch,
A pearle more worth, then all the world is plaste:
Wherein by curious soueraintie of Art,
Are fixt his piercing instruments of sight:
Whose fiery cyrcles beare encompassed
A heauen of heauenly bodies in their Spheares:
That guides his steps and actions to the throne,
Where honor sits inuested royally:
Pale of complexion: wrought in him with passion,
Thrirsting with souerainty with loue of armes,
His lofty browes in foldes, do figure death,
About them hangs a knot of Amber heire.
Wrapped in curles, as fierce Achilles was,
On which the breath of heauen delights to play,
Making it daunce with wanton maiestie:
His armes and fingers long and snowy,
Betokening valour and excesse of strength:
In euery part proportioned like the man,
Should make the world subdued to Tamburlaine.
Cos.
Wel hast thou pourtraid in thy tearms of life,
The face and personage of a woondrous man:
Nature doth striue with Fortune and his stars,
To make him famous in accomplisht woorth:
And well his merits show him to be made:
His Fortunes maister, and the king of men.
That could perswade at such a sodaine pinch,
With reasons of his valour and his life,
A thousand sworne and ouermatching foes:
Then when our powers in points of swords are ioin'd
And closde in compasse of the killing bullet,
Though straight the passage and the port be made,
That leads to Pallace of my brothers life,
Proud is his fortune if we pierce it not.
And when the princely Persean Diadem,
Shall ouerway his wearie witlesse head,
And fall like mellowed fruit, with shakes of death,
In faire Persea noble tamburlaine
Shall be my Regent, and remaine as King:
Ort.
In happy hower we haue set the Crowne
Upon your kingly head, that seeks our honor,
In ioyning with the man, ordain'd by heauen
To further euery action to the best.
He that with Shepheards and a litle spoile,
Durst in disdaine of wrong and tyrannie,
Defend his freedome gainst a Monarchie
What will he doe supported by a king?
Leading a troope of Gentlemen and Lords,
And stuft with trasure for his highest thoughts,
Cos.
And such shall wait on worthy Tamburlaine,
Our army will be forty thousand strong,
When Tamburlain and braue Theridamas
Haue met vs by the riuer Araris:
And all conioin'd to meet the witlesse King,
That now is marching neer to Parthia.
And with vnwilling souldiers faintly arm'd,
To seeke reuenge on me and Tamburlaine.
To whom sweet Menaphon, direct me straight.
Mena.
I will my Lord.
Exeunt.
Scæna. 2,
Mycetes, Meander, with other Lords and Souldiers.Mycetes.
Come my Meander, let vs to this geere,
I tel you true my heart is swolne with wrath,
On this same theeuish villaine tamburlaine.
And of that false Cosroe, my traiterous brother
Would it not grieue a King to be so abusde.
And haue a thousand horsmen tane away?
And which is worst to haue his Diadem
Sought for by such scalde knaues as loue him not?
I thinke it would: wel then, by heauens I sweare,
Aurora shall not peepe out of her doores,
And kill proud Tamburlaine with point of sword.
Tell you the rest (Meander) I haue said.
Mean.
Then hauing past Armenian desarts now,
And pitch our tents vnder the Georgean hilles.
Whose tops are couered with Tartarian thieues,
That lie in ambush, waiting for a pray:
What should we doe but bid them battaile straight,
And rid the world of those detested troopes?
Least if we let them lynger here a while,
They gather strength by power of fresh supplies.
This countrie swarmes with vile outragious men,
That liue by rapine and by lawlesse spoile,
Fit Souldiers for the wicked Tamburlaine.
And he that could with giftes and promises.
Inueigle him that lead a thousand horse,
And make him false his faith vnto his King,
Will quickly win such as are like himselfe.
Therefore cheere vp your mindes, prepare to fight,
He that can take or slaughter tamburlaine,
Shall rule the Prouince of Albania.
Who brings that Traitors head theridamas,
Shal haue a gouernment in Medea:
Beside the spoile of him and all his traine:
But if Cosroe (as our Spials say,
And as we know) remaines with tamburlaine,
His Highnesse pleasure is that he should liue,
And be reclaim'd with princely lenitie.
A Spy.
An hundred horsmen of my company
Scowting abroad vpon these champion plaines,
Haue view'd the army of the Scythians,
Which make reports it far exceeds the Kings.
Suppose they be in number infinit,
Yet being void of Martiall discipline,
All running headlong after greedy spoiles:
And more regarding gaine than victory:
Like to the cruell brothers of the earth,
Sprong of the teeth of Dragons venomous,
Their carelesse swords shal lanch their fellowes throats
And make vs triumph in their ouerthrow.
Myc.
Was there such brethren, sweet Meander, say
That sprong of teeth of Dragons venomous.
Meand.
So Poets say, my Lord.
Myce.
And tis a prety toy to be a Poet.
Wel, wel (Meander) thou art deeply read:
And hauing thee, I haue a iewell sure:
Go on my Lord, and giue your charge I say,
Thy wit will make vs Conquerors to day.
Mean.
Then noble souldiors, to intrap these theeues,
That liue confounded in disordered troopes,
If wealth or riches may preuaile with them,
We haue our Cammels laden all with gold:
Which you that be but common souldiers,
Shall fling in euery corner of the field:
And while the base borne Tartars take it vp,
You fighting more for honor than for gold,
Shall massacre those greedy minded slaues.
And when their scattered armie is subdu'd:
And you march on their slaughtered carkasses,
Share equallly the gold that bought their liues,
And liue like Gentlemen in Persea,
Strike vp the Drum and martch corragiously,
Fortune her selfe dooth sit vpon our Crests.
Myc.
He tels you true, my maisters, so he does.
Drums, why sound ye not whe Meand. speaks.
Exeunt
Scæna. 3.
Cosroe, Tamburlaine, Theridamas, Techelles, Vsumeasane, Ortygius. with others.Cosroe.
Now worthy Tamburlaine, haue I reposde,
In thy approoued Fortunes all my hope,
What thinkst thou man, shal come of our attemptes.
For euen as from assured oracle,
I take thy doome for satisfaction.
Tamb.
And so mistake you not a whit my Lord.
For Fates and Oracles, heauen haue sworne,
To roialise the deedes of tamburlaine:
And make them blest that share in his attemptes.
And doubt you not, but if you fauour me,
And let my Fortunes and my valour sway,
To some direction in your martiall deeds,
The world will striue with hostes of men at armes.
To swarme vnto the Ensigne I support,
The host of Xerxes, which by fame is said
To drinke the mightie Parthian Araris,
Was but a handful to that we will haue.
Our quiuering Lances shaking in the aire,
And bullets like Ioues dreadfull Thunderbolts,
Enrolde in flames and fiery smoldering mistes,
Shall threat the Gods more than Cyclopian warres,
And with our Sun-bright armour as we march,
Weel chase the Stars from heauen, and dim their eies
That stand and muse at our admyred armes.
therid.
You see my Lord, what woorking woordes he hath.
Your speech will stay, or so extol his worth,
As I shall be commended and excusde
For turning my poore charge to his direction.
And these his two renowmed friends my Lord,
Would make one thrust and striue to be retain'd
In such a great degree of amitie.
tech.
With dutie not with amitie we yeeld
Our vtmost seruice to the faire Cosroe.
Cos.
Which I esteeme as portion of my crown.
Vsumeasane and techelles both,
When she that rules in Rhamnis golden gates,
And makes a passage for all prosperous Armes:
Shall make me solely Emperour of Asia,
Then shall your meeds and vallours be aduaunst
To roomes of honour and Nobilitie.
Tam.
Then haste Cosroe to be king alone.
That I with these my friends and all my men,
May triumph in our long expected Fate,
The King your Brother is now hard at hand,
Meete with the foole, and rid your royall shoulders
Of such a burthen, as outwaies the sands
And all the craggie rockes of Caspea.
Mess.
My Lord, we haue discouered the enemie
Ready to chardge you with a mighty armie.
Cos.
Come tamburlain, now whet thy winged sword
And lift thy lofty arme into the cloudes,
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,
And kill as sure as it swiftly flies.
Cos.
Thy words assure me of kind successe:
Go valiant Souldier, go before and charge
The fainting army of that foolish King.
tamb.
Vsumeasane and techelles come,
We are enough to scarre the enemy,
And more than needes to make an Emperour.
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 know 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,
If Nature had not giuen me wisedomes lore?
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.
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.
And cry me mercie, noble King.
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?
Myce.
Such another word, and I will haue thee
executed.
Tamb.
No, I tooke it prisoner.
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, aud he runs in.
Cosroe, Tamburlaine, Theridamas, Menaphon, Meander, Ortygius. Techelles. Vsumeasane, with others.
Tamb.
Holde thee Cosroe, weare two imperiall Crownes,
Euen by the mighty hand of tamburlaine,
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.
Mean.
Most happy Emperour in humblest tearms
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 and at your behoofe,
And sought your state, all honor it deseru'd,
Indeuor to preserue and prosper it.
Cos.
I will not thank thee (sweet Ortigius)
Better replies shall prooue my purposes.
And now Lord tamburlaine, my brothers Campe
I leaue to thee, and to theridamas,
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,
(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.
Exeunt.
Manent Tamb. Tech. Ther. Vsum.
tamb.
And ride in triumph through Persepolis?
Is it not braue to be a King, techelles?
Vsumeasane 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.
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,
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.
Why say theridamas, wilt thou be a king?
the.
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?
tam.
Why then Casanes 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,
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,
As if the Turke, the Pope, Affrike and Greece,
Came creeping to vs with their crownes apace.
tech.
Then shall we send to this triumphing King,
And bid him battell for his nouell Crowne?
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?
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.
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.
Exeunt.
Scæna. 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 fend this monstrous slaue to hell,
Where flames shall euer feed vpon his soule.
mean.
Some powers diuine, or els infernall, mixt
Their angry seeds at his conception:
For he was neuer sprong of humaine race,
Since with the spirit of his fearefull pride,
He dares so doubtlesly resolue of rule.
And by profession be ambitious.
Ort.
What God or Feend, or spirit of the earth,
Or Monster turned to a manly shape,
What star or state soeuer gouerne him,
Let vs put on our meet incountring mindes,
And in detesting such a diuelish Thiefe,
In loue of honor & defence of right,
Be arm'd against the hate of such a foe,
Whether from earth, or hell, or heauen he grow.
Cos.
Nobly resolu'd, my good Ortygius.
And since we all haue suckt one wholsome aire,
And with the same proportion of Elements,
Resolue, I hope we are resembled,
Uowing our loues to equall death and life,
Let's cheere our souldiers to incounter him,
That grieuous image of ingratude:
That fiery thirster after Soueraingtie:
And burne him in the fury of that flame,
That none can quence but blood and Emperie,
Resolue my Lords and louing souldiers now,
To saue your King and country from decay:
Then strike vp Drum, and all the Starres that make
The loathsome Circle of my dated life,
Direct my weapon to his barbarous heart,
That thus opposeth him against the Gods,
And scornes the Powers that gouerne Persea.
Enter to the Battell, & after the battell, enter Cosroe wounded, Theridamas, tamburlaine, Techelles, Vsumeasane, with others.
Cos.
Barbarous and bloody Tamburlaine,
Thus to depriue me of my crowne and life.
Treacherous and false theridamas,
Scarce being seated in my royall throne,
To worke my downfall and vntimely end.
An vncouth paine torments my grieued soule,
And death arrests the organe of my voice.
Who entring at the breach thy sword hath made,
Sackes euery vaine and artier of my heart,
Bloody and insatiate Tamburlain.
tam.
The thirst of raigne and sweetnes of a crown,
That causde the eldest sonne of heauenly Ops,
To thrust his doting father from his chaire,
And place himselfe in the Emperiall heauen,
Moou'd me to manage armes against thy state.
What better president than mightie Ioue?
Nature that fram'd vs of foure Elements,
Warring within our breasts for regiment,
Doth teach vs all to haue aspyring minds:
Our soules, whose faculties can comprehend
The wondrous Architecture of the world:
And measure euery wandring plannets course.
Still climing after knowledge infinite,
And alwaies moouing as the restles Spheares.
Wils vs to weare our selues and neuer rest.
Untill we reach the ripest fruit of all.
That perfect blisse and sole felicitie.
The sweet fruition of an earthly crowne.
Ther.
And that made me to ioine with tamburlain
For he is grosse and like the massie earth,
That mooues not vpwards, nor by princely deeds
Doth meane to soare aboue the highest sort.
Tec.
And that made vs the friends of Tamburlaine.
To lift our swords against the Persean King.
For as when Ioue did thrust old Saturn down,
Neptune and Dis gain'd each of them a Crowne.
So do we hope to raign in Asia,
If tamburlain he plac'd in Persea.
Cos.
The strangest men that euer nature made,
I know not how to take their tyrannies.
My bloodlesse body waxeth chill and colde,
And with my blood my life slides through my wound.
My soule begins to take her flight to hell.
And sommons all my sences to depart:
The heat and moisture which did feed each other,
For want of nourishment to feed them both.
Is drie and cold, and now dooth gastly death
With greedy tallents gripe my bleeding hart.
And like a Harpyr tires on my life.
Theridamas and Tamburlaine, I die,
And fearefull vengeance light vpon you both.
He takes the Crowne and puts it on.
tam.
Not all the curses which the furies breathe,
Shall make me leaue so rich a prize as this:
Theridamas, techelles, and the rest,
Who thinke you now is king of Persea?
All.
Tamburlaine, tamburlaine.
Tamb.
Though Mars himselfe the angrie God of armes,
And all the earthly Potentates conspire,
To dispossesse me of this Diadem:
Yet will I weare it in despight of them,
As great commander of this Easterne world,
If you but say that tamburlaine shall raigne.
Al.
Long liue tamburlaine, and raigne in Asia.
So, now it is more surer on my head,
Than if the Gods had held a Parliament:
And all pronounst me king of Persea.
Finis Actus 2.
| Tamburlaine the Great | |