The Online Library of Liberty

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• 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.

EnterTechelles, Theridamas, and their train.

Ther.

• Thus have we marched northward from Tamburlaine,
• Unto the frontier point3 of Syria;
• And this is Balsora, their chiefest hold,
• Wherein is all the treasure of the land.

Tech.

• Then let us bring our light artillery,
• Minions,4 falc'nets, and sakers, to the trench,
• Filling the ditches with the walls' wide breach,
• And enter in to seize upon the gold.
• How say you, soldiers? shall we [or] not?

Sold.

• Yes, my lord, yes; come, let's about it.

  10

Ther.

• But stay awhile; summon a parle, drum.
• It may be they will yield it quietly,
• Knowing two kings, the friends1 to Tamburlaine,
• Stand at the walls with such a mighty power.
• A parle sounded.—Captainappears on the walls, withOlympiahis Wife, and Son.

Capt.

• What require you, my masters?

Ther.

• Captain, that thou yield up thy hold to us.

Capt.

• To you! Why, do you2 think me weary of it?

Tech.

• Nay, captain, thou art weary of thy life,
• If thou withstand the friends of Tamburlaine!

Ther.

• These pioners of Argier in Africa,

  20

• Even in the cannon's face, shall raise a hill
• Of earth and faggots higher than the fort,
• And over thy argins and covered ways
• Shall play upon the bulwarks of thy hold
• Volleys of ordnance, till the breach be made
• That with his ruin fills up all the trench,
• And when we enter in, not heaven itself
• Shall ransom thee, thy wife, and family.

Tech.

• Captain, these Moors shall cut the leaden pipes,
• That bring fresh water to thy men and thee,

  30

• And lie in trench before thy castle walls,
• That no supply of victual shall come in,
• Nor [any] issue forth but they shall die;
• And, therefore, captain, “yield it quietly.

Capt.

• Were you, that are the friends of Tamburlaine,
• Brothers of holy Mahomet himself,
• I would not yield it; therefore do your worst:
• Raise mounts, batter, intrench, and undermine,
• Cut off the water, all convoys that can,1
• Yet I am resolute, and so farewell.

  40

• [Captain, Olympia, and their Son retire from the walls.

Ther.

• Pioners, away! and where I stuck the stake,
• Intrench with those dimensions I prescribed.
• Cast up the earth towards the castle wall,
• Which, till it may defend you, labour low,
• And few or none shall perish by their shot.

Pio.

• We will, my lord.
• [Exeunt Pioners.

Tech.

• A hundred horse shall scout about the plains
• To spy what force comes to relieve the hold.
• Both we, Theridamas, will entrench our men,
• And with the Jacob's staff measure the height

  50

• And distance of the castle from the trench,
• That we may know if our artillery
• Will carry full point-blank unto their walls.

Ther.

• Then see the bringing of our ordnance
• Along the trench into the battery,
• Where we will have gabions2 of six feet broad
• To save our cannoniers from musket shot.
• Betwixt which shall our ordnance thunder forth,
• And with the breach's fall, smoke, fire, and dust,
• The crack, the echo, and the soldier's cry,

  60

• Make deaf the ear and dim the crystal sky.

Tech.

• Trumpets and drums, alarum presently;
• And, soldiers, play the men; the hold1 is yours.
• [Exeunt.

[3]SO 8vo. --4to. “port.”

[4]Minions, &c., were pieces of small ordnance.

[1]So 4 to.—8 vo. “friend.”

[2]So 4 to.—8 vo, “thou.”

[1]Dyce supposes this to mean” all convoys that can be cut off.” The 1826 editor reads “come,” and perhaps the correction is right.

[2]Old copies” gallions.” The correction was made by Cunningham (who had been anticipated by Broughton). He quotes from Kersej's dictionary:—'' Gabions or canntm-taskets are great baskets, which, being filled with earth, are placed upon batteries.”

[1]So 4to.__8vo. “holds.”