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A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.

• Preface
• Publisher's Notice
• Introduction
• Tamburlaine the Great. In Two Parts.
• Tamburlaine the Great, Part Tbe First.
• The Prologue.
• Persons Represented. 1
• Tamburlaine the Great. Part the First.: Act the First.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Act the Second.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Scene VI.
• Scene VII.
• Act the Third.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Act the Fourth.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Act the Fifth.
• Scene I.
• Tamburlaine the Great. Part the Second
• Prologue.
• Persons Represented.
• Tamburlaine the Great. Part the Second: Act the First.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene II.
• Act the Second.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Act the Third.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Act the Fourth.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Act the Fifth.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus.
• Persons Represented.
• The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Scene VI. 1
• Scene VII.
• Scene VIII.
• Scene IX.
• Scene X.
• Scene XI.
• Scene XII.
• Scene XIII.
• Scene XIV.
• Scene XV.
• Scene XVI.
• Appendix to Dr. Faustus.
• Ballad of Faustus.

SCENE I.

EnterMycetes, Cosroe, Meander, Theridamas, Ortygius, Ceneus, Menaphon, with others.

Myc.

• Brother Cosroe, I find myself aggrieved,
• Yet insufficient to express the same;
• For it requires a great and thundering speech:
• Good brother, tell the cause unto my Lords;
• I know you have a better wit than I.

Cos.

• Unhappy Persia, that in former age
• Hast been the seat of mighty conquerors,
• That, in their prowess and their policies,
• Have triumphed over Afric and the bounds
• Of Europe, where the sun scarce dares appear

  10

• For freezing meteors and congealéd cold,
• Now to be ruled and governed by a man
• At whose birthday Cynthia with Saturn joined,
• And Jove, the Sun, and Mercury denied
• To shed their1 influence in his fickle brain!
• Now Turks and Tartars shake their swords at thee,
• Meaning to mangle all thy provinces.

Myc.

• Brother, I see your meaning well enough,
• And through your planets I perceive you think
• I am not wise enough to be a king;

  20

• But I refer me to my noblemen
• That know my wit, and can be witnesses.
• I might command you to be slain for this:
• Meander, might I not?

Meand.

• Not for so small a fault, my sovereign lord.

Myc.

• I mean it not, but yet I know I might;
• Yet live; yea live, Mycetes wills it so.
• Meander, thou, my faithful counsellor,
• Declare the cause of my conceivéd grief,
• Which is, God knows, about that Tamburlaine,

  30

• That, like a fox in midst of harvest time,
• Doth prey upon my flocks of passengers;
• And, as I hear, doth mean to pull my plumes:
• Therefore 'tis good and meet for to be wise.

Meand.

• Oft have I heard your Majesty complain
• Of Tamburlaine, that sturdy Scythian thief,
• That robs your merchants of Persepolis
• Trading by land unto the Western Isles,
• And in your confines with his lawless train
• Daily commits incivil outrages,

  40

• Hoping (misled by dreaming prophecies)
• To reign in Asia, and with barbarous arms
• To make himself the monarch of the East;
• But ere he march in Asia, or display
• His vagrant ensign in the Persian fields,
• Your Grace hath taken order by Theridamas,
• Charged with a thousand horse, to apprehend
• And bring him captive to your Highness' throne.

Myc.

• Full true thou speak'st, and like thyself, my Lord,
• Whom I may term a Damon for thy love:

  50

• Therefore 'tis best, if so it like you all,
• To send my thousand horse incontinent1
• To apprehend that paltry Scythian,
• How like you this, my honourable Lords?
• Is't not a kingly resolution?

Cos.

• It cannot choose, because it comes from you.

Myc.

• Then hear thy charge, valiant Theridamas,
• The chiefest captain of Mycetes' host,
• The hope of Persia, and the very legs
• Whereon our State doth lean as on a staff,

  60

• That holds us up, and foils our neighbour foes:
• Thou shall be leader of this thousand horse,
• Whose foaming gall with rage and high disdain
• Have sworn the death of wicked Tamburlaine.
• Go frowning forth; but come thou smiling home,
• As did sir Pairs with the Grecian dame;
• Return with speed—time passeth swift away;
• Our life is frail, and we may die to-day.

Ther.

• Before the moon renew her borrowed light,
• Doubt not, my Lord and gracious Sovereign,

  70

• But Tamburlaine and that Tartarian rout,
• Shall either perish by our warlike hands,
• Or plead for mercy at your Highness' feet.

Myc.

• Go, stout Theridamas, thy words are swords,
• And with thy looks thou conquerest all thy foes;
• I long to see thee back return from thence,
• That I may view these milk-white steeds of mine
• All loaden with the heads of killed men,
• And from their knees e'en to their hoofs below
• Besmeared with blood that makes a dainty show.

  80

Ther.

• Then now, my Lord, I humbly take my leave.

Myc.

• Theridamas, farewell! ten thousand times.
• [ExitTheridamas.
• Ah, Menaphon, why stay'st thou thus behind,
• When other men press forward for renown?
• Go, Menaphon, go into Scythia;
• And foot by foot follow Theridamas.

Cos.

• Nay, pray you let him stay; a greater [task]1
• Fits Menaphon than warring with a thief:
• Create him Prorex2 of all Africa,
• That he may win the Babylonians' hearts

  90

• Which will revolt from Persian government,
• Unless they have a wiser king than you.

Myc.

• “Unless they have a wiser king than you.”
• These are his words; Meander, set them down.

Cos.

• And add this to them—that all Asia
• Laments to see the folly of their king.

Myc.

• Well, here I swear by this my royal seat,—

Cos.

• You may do well to kiss it then.

Myc.

• Embossed with silk as best beseems my state,
• To be revenged for these contemptuous words.

  100

• Oh, where is duty and allegiance now?
• Fled to the Caspian or the Ocean main?
• What shall I call thee? brother?—no, a foe;
• Monster of nature!—Shame unto thy stock
• That dar'st presume thy sovereign for to mock!
• Meander, come: I am abused, Meander.
• All go out butCosroeandMenaphon.

Men.

• How now, my Lord? What, mated1 and amazed
• To hear the king thus threaten like himself!

Cos.

• Ah, Menaphon, I pass not2 for his threats;
• The plot is laid by Persian noblemen

  110

• And captains of the Median garrisons
• To crown me emperor of Asia:
• But this it is that doth excruciate
• The very substance of my vexéd soul—
• To see our neighbours that were wont to quake
• And tremble at the Persian monarch's name,
• Now sit and laugh our regiment3 to scorn;
• And that which might resolve4 me into tears,
• Men from the farthest equinoctial line
• Have swarmed in troops into the Eastern India,

  120

• Lading their ships1 with gold and precious stones,
• And made their spoils from all our provinces.

Men.

• This should entreat your highness to rejoice,
• Since Fortune gives you opportunity
• To gain the title of a conqueror
• By curing of this maiméd empery.
• Afric and Europe bordering on your land,
• And continent to your dominions,
• How easily may you, with a mighty host,
• Pass into Grascia, as did Cyrus once,

  130

• And cause them to withdraw their forces home,
• Lest you subdue the pride of Christendom.

Cos.

• But, Menaphon, what means this trumpet's sound?
• Men, Behold, my lord, Ortygius and the rest
• Bringing the crown to make you emperor!
• EnterOrtygiusandCeneus,2with others, bearing a Crown.

Orty.

• Magnificent and mighty Prince Cosroe,
• We, in the name of other Persian states3
• And Commons of the mighty monarchy,
• Present thee with the imperial diadem.

Cen.

• The warlike soldiers and the gentlemen,

  140

• That heretofore have filled Persepolis
• With Afric captains taken in the field,
• Whose ransom made them march in coats of gold,
• With costly jewels hanging at their ears,
• And shining stones upon their lofty crests,
• Now living idle in the walled towns,
• Wanting both pay and martial discipline,
• Begin in troops to threaten civil war,
• And openly exclaim against their king:
• Therefore, to stop all sudden mutinies,

  150

• We will invest your highness emperor,
• Whereat the soldiers will conceive more joy,
• Than did the Macedonians at the spoil
• Of great Darius and his wealthy host.

Cos.

• Well, since I see the state of Persia droop
• And languish in my brother's government,
• I willingly receive the imperial crown,
• And vow to wear it for my country's good,
• In spite of them shall malice1 my estate.

Orty.

• And in assurance of desired success,

  160

• We here do crown thee monarch of the East,
• Emperor of Asia and Persia;
• Great Lord of Media and Armenia;
• Duke of Africa and Albania,
• Mesopotamia and of Parthia,
• East India and the late-discovered isles;
• Chief lord of all the wide, vast Euxine Sea,
• And of the ever-raging Caspian Lake.

All.

• 2 Long live Cosroe, mighty emperor!

Cos.

• And Jove may never let me longer live

  170

• Than I may seek to gratify your love,
• And cause the soldiers that thus honour me
• To triumph over many provinces!
• By whose desire of discipline in arms
• I doubt not shortly but to reign sole king,
• And with the army of Theridamas,
• (Whither we presently will fly, my lords)
• To rest secure against my brother's force.

Orty.

• We knew, my lord, before we brought the crown,
• Intending your investion1 so near

  180

• The residence of your despisèd brother,
• The lords would not be too exasperate
• To injury2 or suppress your worthy title;
• Or, if they would, there are in readiness
• Ten thousand horse to carry you from hence,
• In spite of all suspected enemies.

Cos.

• I know it well, my lord, and thank you all.
• Orty, Sound up the trumpets then.
• [Trumpets sound.

All.

• 3 God save the king!
• [Exeunt omnes.

[1]Old copies “his.”

[1]Immediately.

[1]The modern editors insert the word “task.”

[2]Viceroy. In Day's Parliament of Bees the master-bee is styled ”Prorex.“

[1]Confounded.

[2]Care not. Cf. 2 Henry VI., iv. 2:—As for these silken-coated slaves, I pass not.”

[3]Rule. Cf. Edward II., v. i:—

• But what are kings when regiment is gone
• But perfect shadows in a sunshine day.”

[4]“Resolve” and “dissolve” are used indifferently.

[1]8vo. “shippe.”—410. “ships.”

[2]Old copies “Conerus.”

[3]I.e. nobles.

[1]Nares quotes several passages (from Spenser, Jonson, &c.) where “malice” is used as a verb.

[2]So 4to—8vo. gives the line to Ortygius.

[1]Marlowe's use of this word supports Farmer's correction, “infes-tion” for “infection,” in Richard II., ii. I.

[2]The verb “injury” is not uncommon. To the instances given by Dyce add Dr. Dodypol, v. 2:—“Ashamed that you should injury your estate.”

[3]So 410.—8vo. gives the words to Ortygius.