"Tis requisite to parle for a peace
With Sigismund, the king of Hungary,
And save our forces for the hot assaults
Proud Tamburlaine intends Natolia.

Orc. Viceroy of Byron, wisely hast thou said.
My realm, the centre of our empery,
Once lost, all Turkey would be overthrown;
And for that cause the Christians shall have

peace.

Sclavonians, Almains, Rutters, Muffs, and Danes,
Fear * not Orcanes, but great Tamburlaine;
Nor he, but Fortune that hath made him
great.

We have revolted Grecians, Albanese,
Sicilians, Jews, Arabians, Turks, and Moors,
Natolians, Sorians,† black ‡ Egyptians,
Illyrians, Thracians, and Bithynians, §
Enough to swallow forceless Sigismund,
Yet scarce enough t' encounter Tamburlaine.
He brings a world of people to the field,
From Scythia to the oriental plage ||
Of India, where raging Lantchidol

Beats on the regions with his boisterous blows,
That never seaman yet discovered.
All Asia is in arms with Tamburlaine,
Even from the midst of fiery Cancer's tropic
To Amazonia under Capricorn;
And thence, as far as Archipelago,
All Afric is in arms with Tamburlaine :
Therefore, viceroy, the Christians must have

peace.

*Fear] i. e. frighten.

↑ Sorians] So the 4to.-Here the 8vo has "Syrians"; but elsewhere in this Sec. Part of the play it agrees with the 4to in having "Sorians," and "Soria" (which occurs repeatedly, the King of Soria being one of the characters).-Compare Jonson's Foz, act iv. sc. 1;

"whether a ship,

Newly arriv'd from Soria, or from

Any suspected part of all the Levant,
Be guilty of the plague," &c.

on which passage Whalley remarks; "The city Tyre, from whence the whole country had its name, was anciently called Zur or Zor; since the Arabs erected their empire in the East, it has been again called Sor, and is at this day known by no other name in those parts. Hence the Italians formed their Soria."

black] So the 8vo.-The 4to "and black."

Egyptians,

Enter SIGISMUND, FREDERICK, BALDWIN, and their train, with drums and trumpets.

Sig. Orcanes, (as our legates promis'd thee,) We, with our peers, have cross'd Danubius' stream,

To treat of friendly peace or deadly war.

Take which thou wilt; for, as the Romans us'd,
I here present thee with a naked sword:
Wilt thou have war, then shake this blade at me;
If peace, restore it to my hands again,
And I will sheathe it, to confirm the same.

Orc. Stay, Sigismund: forgett'st thou I am he
That with the cannon shook Vienna-walls,
And made it dance upon the continent,
As when the massy substance of the earth
Quiver[s] about the axle-tree of heaven?
Forgett'st thou that I sent a shower of darts,
Mingled with powder'd shot and feather'd steel,
So thick upon the blink-ey'd burghers' heads,
That thou thyself, then County Palatine,
The King of Boheme,* and the Austric Duke,
Sent heralds out, which basely on their knees,
In all your names, desir'd a truce of me?
Forgett'st thou that, to have me raise my siege,
Waggons of gold were set before my tent,
Stampt with the princely fowl that in her wings
Carries the fearful thunderbolts of Jove?
How canst thou think of this, and offer war?
Sig. Vienna was besieg'd, and I was there,
Then County Palatine, but now a king,
And what we did was in extremity

But now, Orcanes, view my royal host,

That hides these plains, and seems as vast and

wide

As doth the desert of Arabia

To those that stand on Bagdet's + lofty tower,
Or as the ocean to the traveller

That rests upon the snowy Appenines;
And tell me whether I should stoop so low,
Or treat of peace with the Natolian king.

Gaz. Kings of Natolia and of Hungary,
We came from Turkey to confirm a league,
And not to dare each other to the field.
A friendly parle ‡ might become you both.
Fred. And we from Europe, to the same
intent; §

Which if your general refuse or scorn,

Sig. By Him that made the world and sav'd my soul,

The Son of God and issue of a maid,
Sweet Jesus Christ, I solemnly protest
And vow to keep this peace inviolable!

Orc. By sacred Mahomet, the friend of God,
Whose holy Alcoran remains with us,
Whose glorious body, when he left the world,
Clos'd in a coffin mounted up the air,
And hung on stately Mecca's temple-roof,
I swear to keep this truce inviolable!

Of whose conditions § and our solemn oaths,
Sign'd with our hands, each shall retain a scroll,

As memorable witness of our league.
Now, Sigismund, if any Christian king
Encroach upon the confines of thy realm,
Send word, Orcanes of Natolia

Confirm'd this league beyond Danubius' stream,
And they will, trembling, sound a quick retreat;
So am I fear'd among all nations.

Sig. If any heathen potentate or king Invade Natolia, Sigismund will send A hundred thousand horse train'd to the war, And back'd by ¶ stout lanciers of Germany, The strength and sinews of the imperial seat. Orc. I thank thee, Sigismund; but, when I war, All Asia Minor, Africa, and Greece, Follow my standard and my thundering drums. Come, let us go and banquet in our tents: I will despatch chief of my army hence To fair Natolia and to Trebizon,

To stay my coming 'gainst proud Tamburlaine : Friend Sigismund, and peers of Hungary,

stand] So the 8vo.-The 4to "are."

† prest] i. e, ready.

tor] So the Svo.-The 4to "and."

conditions] So the 4to.-The 8vo "condition." Confirm'd] So the 4to.-The 8vo "Confirme." by So the 8vo.-The 4to "with."

Come, banquet and carouse with us a while,
And then depart we to our territories. [Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Enter CALLAPINE, and ALMEDA his keeper.

Call. Sweet Almeda, pity the ruthful plight Of Callapine, the son of Bajazeth, Born to be monarch of the western world, Yet here detain'd by cruel Tamburlaine.

Alm. My lord, I pity it, and with my heart Wish your release; but he whose wrath is death, My sovereign lord, renowmèd* Tamburlaine, Forbids you further liberty than this.

Call. Ah, were I now but half so eloquent To paint in words what I'll perform in deeds, I know thou wouldst depart from hence with me! Alm. Not for all Afric: therefore move me not. Call. Yet hear me speak, my gentle Almeda. Alm. No speech to that end, by your favour, sir.

Call. By Cairo,† runs

Alm. No talk of running, I tell you, sir.
Call. A little further, gentle Almeda,
Alm. Well, sir, what of this?

Call. By Cairo runs to Alexandria-bay
Darotes' stream ‡, wherein at § anchor lies
A Turkish galley of my royal fleet,
Waiting my coming to the river-side,
Hoping by some means I shall be releas'd;
Which, when I come aboard, will hoist up sail,
Where, I 'twixt the isles of Cyprus and of Crete,
And soon put forth into the Terrene || sea,
We quickly may in Turkish seas arrive.

Then shalt thou see a hundred kings and more, Upon their knees, all bid me welcome home. Amongst so many crowns of burnish'd gold, Choose which thou wilt, all are at thy command: A thousand galleys, mann'd with Christian slaves, I freely give thee, which shall cut the Straits, And bring armadoes, from ** the coasts of Spain,

* renowmed] See note ||, p. 11. (Here the old eds. agree.)

↑ Cuiro] Old eds. "Cario." See note ¶, p. 43.

stream] Old eds. "streames."

§ at] So the 4to.-The 8vo "an." Terrene] i. e. Mediterranean.

Where] Altered by the modern editors to "Whence," -an alteration made by one of them also in a speech at p. 48, sec. col., which may be compared with the present

one,

"Therefore I took my course to Manico, Where, unresisted, I remov'd my camp; And, by the coast," &c.

**from] So the 4to.-The 8vo "to."

SCENE III.

Fraughted with gold of rich America:
The Grecian virgins shall attend on thee,
Skilful in music and in amorous lays,
As fair as was Pygmalion's ivory gir'
Or lovely Iö metamorphosed:

With naked negroes shall thy coach be drawn,

And, as thou rid'st in triumph through the streets,

The pavement underneath thy chariot-wheels
With Turkey-carpets shall be covered,
And cloth of arras hung about the walls,

Fit objects for thy princely eye to pierce :
A hundred bassoes, cloth'd in crimson silk,
Shall ride before thee on Barbarian steeds;
And, when thou goest, a golden canopy
Enchas'd with precious stones, which shine as
bright

As that fair veil that covers all the world,
When Phoebus, leaping from his hemisphere,
Descendeth downward to th' Antipodes :-
And more than this, for all I cannot tell.

Alm. How far hence lies the galley, say you? Call. Sweet Almeda, scarce half a league from hence.

Alm. But need * we not be spied going aboard? Call. Betwixt the hollow hanging of a hill, And crooked bending of a craggy rock, The sails wrapt up, the mast and tacklings down, She lies so close that none can find her out.

Alm. I like that well: but, tell me, my lord, if I should let you go, would you be as good as your word? shall I be made a king for my labour?

Call. As I am Callapine the emperor, And by the hand of Mahomet I swear, Thou shalt be crown'd a king, and be my mate! Alm. Then here I swear, as I am Almeda, Your keeper under Tamburlaine the Great, (For that's the style and title I have yet,) Although he sent a thousand armèd men To intercept this haughty enterprize, Yet would I venture to conduct your grace, And die before I brought you back again!

Call. Thanks, gentle Almeda: then let us haste,

Lest time be past, and lingering let us both. Alm. When you will, my lord: I am ready. Call. Even straight-and farewell, cursèd Tamburlaine !

Now go I to revenge my father's death.

* need] i. e. must.

tlet] i. e. hinder.

[Exeunt.

Enter TAMBURLAINE, ZENOCRATE, and their three sons, CALYPHAS, AMYRAS, and CELEBINUS, with drums and trumpets.

Tamb. Now, bright Zenocrate, the world's fair

eye,

Whose beams illuminate the lamps of heaven,
Whose cheerful looks do clear the cloudy air,
And clothe it in a crystal livery,

Now rest thee here on fair Larissa-plains,
Where Egypt and the Turkish empire part
Between thy sons, that shall be emperors,
And every one commander of a world.

Zeno. Sweet Tamburlaine, when wilt thou leave these arms,

And save thy sacred person free from scathe, And dangerous chances of the wrathful war? Tamb. When heaven shall cease to move on

both the poles,

And when the ground, whereon my soldiers march,

Shall rise aloft and touch the hornèd moon;
And not before, my sweet Zenocrate.
Sit up, and rest thee like a lovely queen.
So; now she sits in pomp and majesty,
When these, my sons, more precious in mine

eyes

Than all the wealthy kingdoms I subdu'd,
Plac'd by her side, look on their mother's face.
But yet methinks their looks are amorous,
Not martial as the sons of Tamburlaine:
Water and air, being symboliz'd in one,
Argue their want of courage and of wit;
Their hair as white as milk, and soft as down,
(Which should be like the quills of porcupines,
As black as jet, and hard as iron or steel,)
Bewrays they are too dainty for the wars;
Their fingers made to quaver on a lute,
Their arms to hang about a lady's neck,
Their legs to dance and caper in the air,
Would make me think them bastards, not my sons,
But that I know they issu'd from thy womb,
That never look'd on man but Tamburlaine.

Zeno. My gracious lord, they have their

mother's looks,

But, when they list, their conquering father's heart.

This lovely boy, the youngest of the three,
Not long ago bestrid a Scythian steed,
Trotting the ring, and tilting at a glove,
Which when he tainted with his slender rod,

* tainted] i. e. touched, struck lightly; see Richardson's Dict. in v.

He rein'd him straight, and made him so curvet As I cried out for fear he should have faln.

Tamb. Well done, my boy! thou shalt have shield and lance,

Armour of proof, horse, helm, and curtle-axe,
And I will teach thee how to charge thy foe,
And harmless run among the deadly pikes.
If thou wilt love the wars and follow me,
Thou shalt be made a king and reign with me,
Keeping in iron cages emperors.

If thou exceed thy elder brothers' worth,
And shine in complete virtue more than they,
Thou shalt be king before them, and thy seed
Shall issue crownèd from their mother's womb.

Cel. Yes, father; you shall see me, if I live,
Have under me as many kings as you,
And march with such a multitude of men
As all the world shall tremble at their view.
Tamb. These words assure me, boy, thou art
my son.

When I am old and cannot manage arms,
Be thou the scourge and terror of the world.

Amy. Why may not I, my lord, as well as he, Be term'd the scourge and terror of the world? Tamb. Be all a scourge and terror to the world,

Or else you are not sons of Tamburlaine.

Caly. But, while my brothers follow arms, my lord,

Let me accompany my gracious mother:
They are enough to conquer all the world,
And you have won enough for me to keep.
Tamb. Bastardly boy, sprung § from some
coward's loins,

And not the issue of great Tamburlaine !
Of all the provinces I have subdu'd

Thou shalt not have a foot, unless thou bear
A mind courageous and invincible;
For he shall wear the crown of Persia

Whose head hath deepest scars, whose breast most wounds,

Which, being wroth, sends lightning from his eyes,

And in the furrows of his frowning brows
Harbours revenge, war, death, and cruelty;
For in a field, whose superficies ||

Is cover'd with a liquid purple veil,
And sprinkled with the brains of slaughter'd
men,

My royal chair of state shall be advanc'd;
And he that means to place himself therein,
Must armed wade up to the chin in blood.
Zeno. My lord, such speeches to our princely

sons

Dismay their minds before they come to prove The wounding troubles angry war affords.

Cel. No, madam, these are speeches fit for us; For, if his chair were in a sea of blood, I would prepare a ship and sail to it, Ere I would lose the title of a king.

Amy. And I would strive to swim through* pools of blood,

Or make a bridge of murder'd carcasses,+
Whose arches should be fram'd with bones of
Turks,

Ere I would lose the title of a king.

Tamb. Well, lovely boys, ye shall be emperors both,

Stretching your conquering arms from east to

west:

And, sirrah, if you mean to wear a crown,
When we shall meet the Turkish deputy
And all his viceroys, snatch it from his head,
And cleave his pericranion with thy sword.

Caly. If any man will hold him, I will strike, And cleave him to the channel § with my sword. Tamb. Hold him, and cleave him too, or I'll

cleave thee;

For we will march against them presently.
Theridamas, Techelles, and Casane
Promis'd to meet me on Larissa-plains,
With hosts a-piece against this Turkish crew;
For I have sworn by sacred Mahomet
To make it parcel of my empery.
The trumpets sound; Zenocrate, they come.

Enter THERIDAMAS, and his train, with drums and trumpets.

Welcome, Theridamas, king of Argier.

Ther. My lord, the great and mighty Tamburlaine,

Arch-monarch of the world, I offer here
My crown, myself, and all the power I have,
In all affection at thy kingly feet.
Tamb. Thanks, good Theridamas.

through] So the 4to.-The Svo "thorow." t carcasses] So the 8vo.-The 4to "carkasse." we] So the 8vo.-The 4to "yon (you)." § channel] i. e. collar, neck,-collar-bone.