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 I.

Alarums.—AmyrasandCelebinusissue from the tent whereCalyphassits asleep.

Amy.

• Now in their glories shine the golden crowns
• Of these proud Turks, much like so many suns
• That half dismay the majesty of heaven.
• Now, brother, follow we our father's sword,
• That flies with fury swifter than our thoughts,
• And cuts down armies with his conquering wings.

Cel.

• Call forth our lazy brother from the tent,
• For if my father miss him in the field,
• Wrath, kindled in the furnace of his breast,
• Will send a deadly lightning to his heart.

  10

Amy.

• Brother! Ho! what given so much to sleep'
• You cannot leave it, when our enemies' drums
• And rattling cannons thunder in our ears
• Our proper ruin and our father's foil?

Cal.

• Away, ye fools! my father needs not me,
• Nor you in faith, but that you will be thought
• More childish-valorous than manly-wise.
• If half our camp should sit and sleep with me,
• My father were enough to scare the foe.
• You do dishonour to his majesty,

  20

• To think our helps will do him any good.

Amy.

• What! Dar'st thou then be absent from the field,
• Knowing my father hates thy cowardice,
• And oft hath warned thee to be still in field,
• When he himself amidst the thickest troops
• Beats down our foes, to flesh our taintless swords?

Cal.

• I know, sir, what it is to kill a man;
• It works remorse of conscience in me;
• I take no pleasure to be murderous,
• Nor care for blood when wine will quench my thirst.

  30

Cel, O.

• cowardly boy! Fie! for shame come forth;
• Thou dost dishonour manhood and thy house.

Cal.

• Go, go, tall1 stripling, fight you for us both,
• And take my other toward brother here,
• For person like to prove a second Mars.
• 'Twill please my mind as well to hear you both
• Have won a heap of honour in the field
• And left your slender carcases behind,
• As if I lay with you for company.

Amy.

• You will not go then?

Cal.

• You say true.

  40

Amy.

• Were all the lofty mounts of Zona Mundi
• That fill the midst of farthest Tartary
• Turned into pearl and proffered for my stay,
• I would not bide the fury of my father,
• When, made a victor in “these haughty arms,
• He comes and finds his sons have had no shares
• In all the honours he proposed for us.

Cal.

• Take you the honour, I will take my ease;
• My wisdom shall excuse my cowardice.
• I go into the field before I need!

  50

• [Alarums.—Amyras and Celebinus run in.
• The bullets fly at random where they list;
• And should I go and kill a thousand men,
• I were as soon rewarded with a shot,
• And sooner far than he that never fights;
• And should I go and do no harm nor good,
• I might have harm which all the good I have,
• Joined with my father's crown, would never cure.
• I'll to cards. Perdicas.

Perd.

• Here, my lord.

Cal.

• Come, thou and I will go to cards to drive away the time.

  60

Perd.

• Content, my lord; but what shall we play for?

Cal.

• Who shall kiss the fairest of the Turk's concubines first, when my father hath conquered them.

Perd.

• Agreed, i'faith.
• [Theyplay.

Cal.

• They say I am a coward, Perdicas, and I fear as little their taratantaras, their swords or their cannons, as I do a naked lady in a net of gold, and, for fear I should be afraid, would put it off and come to bed with me.

Perd.

• Such a fear, my lord, would never make ye retire.

Cal.

• I would my father would let me be put in the front of such a battle once to try my valour. [Alarms]
• What a coil they keep! I believe there will be some hurt done anon amongst them.”
• [Exeunt.

  73

[1]Bold. The reader will remember Mercutio's ridicule of the fashionable term:—“The pox of such antic, lisping, affecting fantasticoes, these new tuners of accents!' By Jesu a very good blade, a very tall man.”