University of Virginia Library

Scæna. I.

Tamburlaine with his three sonnes, Vsumeasane with other.
Tam.
How now Casane? See a knot of kings,
Sitting as if they were a telling ridles.

Vsu.
My Lord, your presence makes them pale and wan.
Poore soules they looke as if their deaths were neere.

tamb.
Why, so he is Casane, I am here,
But yet Ile saue their liues and make them slaues,
Ye petty kings of Turkye I am come,
As Hector did into the Grecian campe.
To ouerdare the pride of Grœcia.
And set his warlike person to the view
Of fierce Achilles, riuall of his fame,
I doe you honor in the simile.
For if I should as Hector did Achilles,
(The worthiest knight that euer brandisht sword)
Challenge in combat any of you all,
I see how fearfully ye would refuse,
And fly my gloue as from a Scorpion.

Orc.
Now thou art fearfull of thy armies strength,
Thou wouldst with ouermatch of person fight,
But Shepheards issue, base borne tamburlaine,
Thinke of thy end, this sword shall lance thy throat.

Tamb.
Uillain, the shepheards issue, at whose byrth
Heauen did affoord a gratious aspect,
And ioin'd those stars that shall be opposite,
Euen till the dissolution of the world,
And neuer meant to make a Conquerour,
So famous as is mighty Tamburlain:
Shall so torment thee and that Callapine,
That like a roguish runnaway, suborn'd
That villaine there, that slaue, that Turkish dog,
To false his seruice to his Soueraigne,
As ye shal curse the byrth of Tamburlaine.

Cal.
Raile not proud Scythian, I shall now reuenge
My fathers vile abuses and mine owne.

Ier.
By Mahomet he shal be tied in chaines,
Rowing with Christians in a Brigandine,
About the Grecian Isles to rob and spoile:
And turne him to his ancient trade againe.
Me thinks the slaue should make a lusty theefe.

Cal.
Nay, when the battaile ends, al we wil meet,
And sit in councell to inuent some paine,
That most may vex his body and his soule.

Tam.

Sirha, Callapine, Ile hang a clogge about
your necke for running away againe, you shall not trouble
me thus to come and fetch you.

But as for you (Uiceroy) you shal haue bits,
And harnest like my horses, draw my coch:
And when ye stay, be lasht with whips of wier,
Ile haue you learne to feed on prouander,
And in a stable lie vpon the planks:

Orc.
But Tamburlaine, first thou shalt kneele to vs
And humbly craue a pardon for thy life.

treb.
The common souldiers of our mighty hoste
Shal bring thee bound vnto the Generals tent.

Sor.
And all haue iointly sworne thy cruell death,
Or bind thee in eternall torments wrath.

tam.

Wel sirs, diet your selues, you knowe I shall
haue occasion shortly to iourney you.

Cel.

See father, how Almeda the Iaylor lookes
vpon vs.

tam.
Uillaine, traitor, damned fugitiue,
Ile make thee wish the earth had swallowed thee:
Seest thou not death within my wrathfull looks.
Goe villaine, cast thee headlong from a rock,
Or rip thy bowels, and rend out thy heart,
T'appease my wrath, or els Ile torture thee,
Searing thy hatefull flesh with burning yrons,
And drops of scalding lead, while all thy ioints
Be rackt and beat asunder with the wheele,
For if thou liuest, not any Element
Shal shrowde thee from the wrath of tamburlaine.

Cal.
Wel, in despight of thee he shall be king:
Come Almeda, receiue this crowne of me,
I here inuest thee king of Ariadan,
Bordering on Mare Roso neere to Meca.

Or.
What, take it man.

Al.
Good my Lord, let me take it.

Cal.
Doost thou aske him leaue? Here, take it.

tam.

Go too sirha, take your crown, and make vp the
halfe dozen.

So sirha, now you are a king you must giue armes.

Or.

So he shal, and weare thy head in his Scutchion:

tamb.

No, let him hang a bunch of keies on his standerd,
to put him in remembrance he was a Iailor, that
when I take him, I may knocke out his braines with
them, and lock you in the stable, when you shall come

sweating from my chariot.

treb.

Away, let vs to the field, that the villaine may
be slaine.

tamb.

Sirha, prepare whips, and bring my chariot
to my Tent: For as soone as the battaile is done, Ile
ride in triumph through the Camp.

Enter Theridamas, Techelles and their traine.
How now ye pety kings, loe, here are Bugges
Wil make the haire stand vpright on your heads,
And cast your crownes in slauery at their feet.
Welcome theridamas and techelles both,
See ye this rout, and know ye this same king?

ther.
I, my Lord, he was Calapines keeper.

tam.

Wel, now you see hee is a king, looke to him
theridamas, when we are fighting, least hee hide his
crowne as the foolish king of Persea did.

Sor.
No Tamburlaine, hee shall not be put to that
Exigent, I warrant thee.

tam.
You knowe not sir:
But now my followers and my louing friends,
Fight as you euer did, like Conquerours,
The glorie of this happy day is yours:
My sterne aspect shall make faire Uictory,
Houering betwixt our armies, light on me,
Loden with Lawrell wreathes to crowne vs all.

tech.
I smile to think, how when this field is fought,
And rich Natolia ours, our men shall sweat
With carrieng pearle and treasure on their backes,

tamb.
You shall be princes all immediatly:
Come fight ye Turks, or yeeld vs victory.

Or.
No, we wil meet thee slauish tāburlain.

Exeunt