The Online Library of Liberty

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 III.

EnterTamburlaine, Techelles, Usumcasane, Theri-damas, a Basso,Zenocrate, Anippe, with others.

Tamb.

• Basso, by this thy lord and master knows I mean to meet him in Bithynia:
• See how he comes! tush, Turks are full of brags,
• And menace more than they can well perform.
• He meet me in the field, and fetch thee hence!
• Alas! poor Turk! his fortune is too weak
• To encounter with the strength of Tamburlaine.
• View well my camp, and speak indifferently;
• Do not my captains and my soldiers look
• As if they meant to conquer Africa.

  10

Bas.

• Your men are valiant, but their number few,
• And cannot terrify his mighty host.
• My lord, the great commander of the world,
• Besides fifteen contributory kings,
• Hath now in arms ten thousand Janisaries,
• Mounted on lusty Mauritanian steeds,
• Brought to the war by men of Tripoli;
• Two hundred thousand footmen that have serv’d
• In two set battles fought in Graecia;
• And for the expedition of this war,

  20

• If he think good, can from his garrisons
• Withdraw as many more to follow him.

Tech.

• The more he brings the greater is the spoil,
• For when they perish by our warlike hands,
• We mean to set our footmen on their steeds,
• And rifle all those stately Janisars.

Tamb.

• But will those kings accompany your lord?

Bas.

• Such as his highness please; but some must stay To rule the provinces he late subdued.

Tamb.

• [To his Officers.] Then fight courageously: their crowns are yours;

  30

• This hand shall set them on your conquering heads, That made me emperor of Asia.

Usum.

• Let him bring millions infinite of men,
• Unpeopling Western Africa and Greece,
• Yet we assure us of the victory.

Ther.

• Even he that in a trice vanquished two kings,
• More mighty than the Turkish emperor,
• Shall rouse him out of Europe, and pursue
• His scattered army till they yield or die.

Tamb.

• Well said, Theridamas; speak in that mood;

  40

• For will and shall best fitteth Tamburlaine,
• Whose smiling stars give him assured hope
• Of martial triumph ere he meet his foes.
• I that am termed the scourge and wrath of God,
• The only fear and terror of the world,
• Will first subdue the Turk, and then enlarge
• Those Christian captives, which you keep as slaves,
• Burthening their bodies with your heavy chains,
• And feeding them with thin and slender fare;
• That naked row about the Terrene sea,

  50

• And when they chance to rest or breathe a space,
• Are punished with bastones1 so grievously,
• That they lie panting on the galley's side,
• And strive for life at every stroke they give.
• These are the cruel pirates of Argier,
• That damned train, the scum of Africa,
• Inhabited with straggling runagates,
• That make quick havoc of the Christian blood;
• But as I live that town shall curse the time
• That Tamburlaine set foot in Africa.

  60

• EnterBajazethwith his Bassoes and contributory Kings.

Baj.

• Bassoes and Janisaries of my guard,
• Attend upon the person of your lord,
• The greatest potentate of Africa.

Tamb.

• Techelles, and the rest, prepare your swords; I mean to encounter with that Bajazeth.

Baj.

• Kings of Fez, Moroccus,1 and Argier,
• He calls me Bajazeth, whom you call lord!
• Note the presumption of this Scythian slave!
• I tell thee, villain, those that lead my horse,
• Have to their names titles of dignity,

  70

• And dar'st thou bluntly call me Bajazeth?

Tamb.

• And know, thou Turk, that those which lead my horse,
• Shall lead thee captive thorough Africa;
• And dar'st thou bluntly call me Tamburlaine?

Baj.

• By Mahomet my kinsman's sepulchre,
• And by the holy Alcoran I swear,
• He shall be made a chaste and lustless eunuch,
• And in my sarell2 tend my concubines;
• And all his captains that thus stoutly stand,
• Shall draw the chariot of my emperess,

  80

• Whom I have brought to see their overthrow.

Tamb.

• By this my sword, that conquered Persia,
• Thy fall shall make me famous through the world.
• I will not tell thee how I’ll handle thee,
• But every common soldier of my camp
• Shall smile to see thy miserable state.

K. of Fez.

• What means the mighty Turkish emperor, To talk with one so base as Tamburlaine?

K. of Mor.

• Ye Moors and valiant men of Barbary, How can ye suffer these indignities?

  90

K. of Arg.

• Leave words, and let them feel your lances’ points.
• Which glided through the bowels of the Greeks.

Baj.

• Well said, my stout contributory kings:
• Your threefold army and my hugy1 host
• Shall swallow up these base-born Persians.

Tech.

• Puissant, renowmed, and mighty Tamburlaine,
• Why stay we thus prolonging of their lives?

Ther.

• I long to see those crowns won by our swords.
• That we may rule as kings of Africa.

Usum.

• What co ward would not fight for such a prize?

  100

Tamb.

• Fight all courageously, and be you kings; I speak it, and my words are oracles.

Baj.

• Zabina, mother of three braver boys
• Than Hercules, that in his infancy
• Did pash2 the jaws of serpents venomous;
• Whose hands are made to gripe a warlike lance,
• Their shoulders broad for complete armour fit, —
• Their limbs more large, and of a bigger size,
• Than all the brats ysprong from Typhon's loins;
• Who, when they come unto their father's age,

  110

• Will batter turrets with their manly fists; —
• Sit here upon this royal chair of state,
• And on thy head wear my imperial crown,
• Until I bring this sturdy Tamburlaine,
• And all his captains bound in captive chains.

Zab.

• Such good success happen to Bajazeth!

Tamb.

• Zenocrate, the loveliest maid alive,
• Fairer than rocks of pearl and precious stone,
• The only paragon of Tamburlaine,
• Whose eyes are brighter than the lamps of heaven,

  120

• And speech more pleasant than sweet harmony;
• That with thy looks canst clear the darkened sky,
• And calm the rage of thundering Jupiter,
• Sit down by her, adorned with my crown,
• As if thou wert the empress of the world.
• Stir not, Zenocrate, until thou see
• Me march victoriously with all my men,
• Triumphing over him and these his kings;
• Which I will bring as vassals to thy feet;
• Till then take thou my crown, vaunt of my worth,

  130

• And manage words with her, as we will arms.

Zeno.

• And may my love the king of Persia,
• Return with victory and free from wound!

Baj.

• Now shall thou feel the force of Turkish arms,
• Which lately made all Europe quake for fear.
• I have of Turks, Arabians, Moors, and Jews,
• Enough to cover all Bithynia.
• Let thousands die; their slaughtered carcasses
• Shall serve for walls and bulwarks to the rest;
• And as the heads of Hydra, so my power,

  140

• Subdued, shall stand as mighty as before.
• If they should yield their necks unto the sword,
• Thy soldiers’ arms could not endure to strike
• So many blows as I have heads for thee.1
• Thou know'st not, foolish, hardy2 Tamburlaine,
• What 'tis to meet me in the open field,
• That leave no ground for thee to march upon.

Tamb.

• Our conquering swords shall marshal us the way
• We use to march upon the slaughtered foe,
• Trampling their bowels with our horses' hoofs;

  150

• Brave horses bred on th' white Tartarian hills;
• My camp is like to Julius Caesar's host,
• That never fought but had the victory;
• Nor in Pharsalia was there such hot war,
• As these, my followers, willingly would have.
• Legions of spirits fleeting3 in the air
• Direct our bullets and our weapons' points,
• And make your stroke? to wound the senseless light.4
• And when she sees our bloody colours spread,
• Then Victory begins to take her flight,

  160

• Resting herself upon my milk-white tent? —
• But come, my lords, to weapons let us fall;
• The field is ours, the Turk, his wife and all.
• [Exit, with his followtrs.

Baj.

• Come, kings and bassoes, let us glut our swords, That thirst to drink the feeble Persians' blood.
• [Exit with his followers.

Zab.

• Base concubine, must thou be placed by me, That am the empress of the mighty Turk?

Zeno.

• Disdainful Turkess and unreverend boss!1
• Callest thou me concubine, that am betrothed
• Unto the great and mighty Tamburlaine?

  170

Zab.

• To Tamburlaine, the great Tartarian thief!

Zeno.

• Thou wilt repent these lavish words of thine,
• When thy great basso-master and thyself
• Must plead for mercy at his kingly feet,
• And sue to me to be your advocate.2

Zab.

• And sue to thee! — J tell thee, shameless girl,
• Thou shalt be laundress to my waiting maid!
• How lik'st thou her, Ebea? — Will she serve?

Ebea.

• Madam, perhaps, she thinks she is too fine,
• But I shall turn her into other weeds,

  10

• And make her dainty fingers fall to work.

Zeno.

• Hear'st thou, Anippe, how thy drudge doth talk?
• And how my slave, her mistress, menaceth?
• Both for their sauciness shall be employed
• To dress the common soldiers' meat and drink,
• P'or we will scorn they should come near ourselves.

Anip.

• Yet sometimes let your highness send for them
• To do the work my chambermaid disdains.
• [They sound to the battle -within.

Zeno.

• Ye gods and powers that govern Persia,
• And made my lordly love her worthy king,

  190

• Now strengthen him against the Turkish Bajazeth,
• And let his foes, like flocks of fearful roes
• Pursued by hunters fly his angry looks,
• That I may see him issue conqueror!

Zab.

• Now, Mahomet, solicit God himself,
• And make him rain down murdering shot from heaven
• To dash the Scythians' brains, and strike them dead,
• That dare to manage arms with him
• That offered jewels to thy sacred shrine,
• When first he warred against the Christians!

  200

• [To the battle again.

Zeno.

• By this the Turks lie weltering in their blood,
• And Tamburlaine is Lord of Africa,

Zab.

• Thou art deceived. — I heard the trumpet sound,
• As when my emperor overthrew the Greeks,
• And led them captive into Africa.
• Straight will I use thee as thy pride deserves —
• Prepare thyself to live and die my slave.

Zeno.

• If Mahomet should come from heaven and swear
• My royal lord is slain or conquered,
• Yet should he not persuade me otherwise

  210

• But that he lives and will be conqueror.
• EnterBajazeth, pursued byTamburlaine; they fight, andBajazethis overcome.

Tamb.

• Now, king of bassoes, who is conqueror?

Baj.

• Thou, by the fortune of this damned foil.1

Tamb.

• Where are your stout contributory kings?
• EnterTechelles, Theridamas, andUsumcasane.

Tech.

• We have their crowns — their bodies strow the field.

Tamb.

• Each man a crown! — Why kingly fought i' faith.
• Deliver them into my treasury.

Zeno.

• Now let me offer to my gracious lord
• His royal crown again so highly won.

Tamb.

• Nay, take the crown from her, Zenocrate,

  220

• And crown me emperor of Africa,

Zab.

• No, Tamburlaine: though now thou gat the best,
• Thou shalt not yet be lord of Africa.

Ther.

• Give her the crown, Turkess; you were best.
• [He takes it from her.

Zab.

• Injurious villains! — thieves! — runagates!
• How dare you thus abuse my majesty?

Ther.

• Here, madam, you are empress; she is none.
• [Gives it toZenocrate.

Tamb.

• Not now, Theridamas; her time is past
• The pillars that have bolstered up those terms,
• Are fallen in clusters at my conquering feet

  230

Zab.

• Though he be prisoner, he may be ransomed.

Tamb.

• Not all the world shall ransom Bajazeth.

Baj.

• Ah, fair Zabina! we have lost the field;
• And never had the Turkish emperor
• So great a foil by any foreign foe.
• Now will the Christian miscreants be glad,
• Ringing with joy their superstitious bells,
• And making bonfires for my overthrow.
• But, ere I die, those foul idolaters
• Shall make me bonfires with their filthy bones.

  240

• For though the glory of this day be lost,
• Afric and Greece have garrisons enough
• To make me sovereign of the earth again.

Tamb.

• Those walled garrisons will I subdue,
• And write myself great lord of Africa.
• So from the East unto the furthest West
• Shall Tamburlaine extend his puissant arm.
• The galleys and those pilling1 brigandines,
• That yearly sail to the Venetian gulf,
• And hover in the Straits for Christians' wreck,

  250

• Shall lie at anchor in the isle Asant,2
• Until the Persian fleet and men of war,
• Sailing along the oriental sea,
• Have fetched about the Indian continent,
• Even from Persepolis to Mexico,
• And thence unto the straits of Jubaltèr;
• Where they shall meet and join their force in one
• Keeping in awe the bay of Portingale,
• And all the ocean by the British1 shore;
• And by this means I'll win the world at last

  260

Baj.

• Yet set a ransom on me, Tamburlaine.

Tamb.

• What, think'st thou Tamburlaine esteems thy gold?
• I'll make the kings of India, ere I die,
• Offer their mines to sue for peace to me,
• And dig for treasure to appease my wrath.
• Come, bind them both, and one lead in the Turk;
• The Turkess let my love's maid lead away.
• [They bind them.

Baj.

• Ah, villains! — dare you touch my sacred arms? O Mahomet! — O sleepy Mahomet!

Zab.

• O cursèd Mahomet, that makes us thus

  270

• The slaves to Scythians rude and barbarous!

Tamb.

• Come, bring them in; and for this happy conquest,
• Triumph and solemnise a martial feast.
• [Exeunt.

ACT THE FOURTH.

[1]“Mr. Dyce says, ‘bastones, i.e. bastinadoes;’ but the bastinado, as I have seen it, was applied to the soles of the feet, and was therefore a punishment inapplicable to rowers, whom it would have rendered unfit for work. ‘Bastones’ simply means batons, sticks.” — Cunningham.

[1]Cf. Peele's Battle ofAlciar, i. a:—

• “Those plots of ground
• That to Morroccus lead the lower way.”

[2]Seraglio (Fr. serotl).

[1]Old form of “huge.”

[2]Strike violently, dash. So Greene (in Orlando Furioso): —

• “But as the son of Saturn in his wrath
• Pash’d all the mountains at Typhoeus’ head.”

[1]Dyce needlessly altered “thee” to “them.”

[2]Dyce reads “foolish-hardy.”

[3]Fleet=float, swim. In his sonnet on the Return of Spring, Surrey writes: —

• “The fishes Jlete with new repaired scale.”

[4]The old copies give our for your and lure for light. Ed. 1826 corrected lure into I'gAt, a reading which I adopt doubtfully, and Dyce made the other correction. Peele imitates this line in David and Bethseba —

• “And make their weapons wound the senseless winds.”

[1]Dyce quotes from Cotgrave: — “A fat tosse. Femme bien grasse et grosse; une coche.”

[2]So 4to. — 8vo. “advocates.”

[1]Old copies, “soil” “Foil of course meaning sword. But the old editions read soil, which is very probably (?) right, as referring to the ill-chosen field of battle.” — Cunntngham. I take/”V to mean “check, defeat,” as in line 235, “So great a.foil by any foreign foe.”

[1]Plundering.

[2]Zante

[1]So 410. — 8vo. “brightest.”