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The Works of Christopher Marlowe

Tamburlaine Part 1

Act: 1 Scene: 1- --

[Enter] Mycetes, Cosroe, Meander, Theridamas, Ortygius, Ceneus, [Menaphon,] with others.

Mycetes

Brother Cosroe, I find my selfe agreev'd,

Yet insufficient to expresse 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.

Cosroe

Unhappie Persea, that in former age

Hast bene the seat of mightie Conquerors,

That in their prowesse and their pollicies,

Have triumpht over Affrike , and the bounds

Of Europe wher the Sun dares scarce appeare,

For freezing meteors and conjealed colde:

Now to be rulde and governed by a man,

At whose byrth-day Cynthia with Saturne joinde,

And Jove, the Sun, and Mercurie denied

To shed their influence in his fickle braine,

Now Turkes and Tartars shake their swords at thee,

Meaning to mangle all thy Provinces.

Mycetes

Brother, I see your meaning well enough.

And thorough your Planets I perceive you thinke,

I am not wise enough to be a kinge,

But I refer me to my noble men,

That knowe my wit, and can be witnesses:

I might command you to be slaine for this,

Meander, might I not?

Meander

Not for so small a fault my soveraigne Lord.

Mycetes

I meane it not, but yet I know I might,

Yet live, yea, live, Mycetes wils it so:

Meander, thou my faithfull Counsellor,

Declare the cause of my conceived griefe,

Which is (God knowes) about that Tamburlaine ,

That like a Foxe in midst of harvest time,

Dooth pray uppon my flockes of Passengers,

And as I heare, doth meane to pull my plumes.

Therefore tis good and meete for to be wise.

Meander

Oft have I heard your Majestie complain,

Of Tamburlaine, that sturdie Scythian thiefe,

That robs your merchants of Persepolis,

Trading by land unto the Westerne Isles,

And in your confines with his lawlesse traine,

Daily commits incivill outrages,

Hoping

To raigne in Asia and with barbarous Armes

To make himselfe the Monarch of the East:

But ere he march in Asia or display

His vagrant Ensigne in the Persean fields

Your Grace hath taken order by Theridamas ,

Chardg'd with a thousand horse, to apprehend

And bring him Captive to your Highnesse throne.

Mycetes

Ful true thou speakst, and like thy selfe my lord,

Whom I may tearme a Damon for thy love.

Therefore tis best, if so it lik you all,

To send my thousand horse incontinent,

To apprehend that paltrie Scythian.

How like you this, my honorable Lords?

Is it not a kingly resolution?

Cosroe

It cannot choose, because it comes from you.

Mycetes

Then heare thy charge, valiant Theridamas ,

The chiefest Captaine of Mycetes hoste,

The hope of Persea, and the verie legges

Whereon our state doth leane, as on a staffe,

That holds us up, and foiles our neighbour foes.

Thou shalt be leader of this thousand horse,

Whose foming galle with rage and high disdaine,

Have sworne the death of wicked Tamburlaine.

Go frowning foorth, but come thou smyling home,

As did Sir Paris with the Grecian Dame:

Returne with speed, time passeth swift away,

Our life is fraile, and we may die to day.

Theridamas

Before the Moone renew her borrowed light,

Doubt not my Lord and gratious Soveraigne,

But Tamburlaine, and that Tartarian rout,

Shall either perish by our warlike hands,

Or plead for mercie at your highnesse feet.

Mycetes

Go, stout Theridamas, thy words are swords,

And with thy lookes thou conquerest all thy foes:

I long to see thee backe returne from thence,

That I may view these milk-white steeds of mine,

All loden with the heads of killed men.

And from their knees, even to their hoofes below,

Besmer'd with blood, that makes a dainty show.

Theridamas

Then now my Lord, I humbly take my leave.

Exit.

Mycetes

Theridamas , farewel ten thousand times.

Ah, Menaphon, why staiest thou thus behind,

When other men prease forward for renowne:

Go Menaphon, go into Scythia,

And foot by foot follow Theridamas.

Cosroe

Nay, pray you let him stay, a greater task

Fits Menaphon, than warring with a Thiefe:

Create him Prorex of Assiria ,

That he may win the Babylonians hearts,

Which will revolt from Persean government,

Unlesse they have a wiser king than you.

Mycetes

Unlesse they have a wiser king than you ?

These are his words, Meander set them downe.

Cosroe

And ad this to them, that all Asia

Lament to see the follie of their King.

Mycetes

Well here I sweare by this my royal seat —

Cosroe

You may doe well to kisse it then.

Mycetes

Embost with silke as best beseemes my state,

To be reveng'd for these contemptuous words.

O where is dutie and allegeance now?

Fled to the Caspean or the Ocean maine?

What, shall I call thee brother? No, a foe,

Monster of Nature, shame unto thy stocke,

That dar'st presume thy Soveraigne for to mocke.

Meander come, I am abus'd Meander.

Exeunt.

Manent Cosroe and Menaphon.

Menaphon

How now my Lord, what, mated and amaz'd

To heare the king thus threaten like himselfe?

Cosroe

Ah Menaphon, I passe not for his threates,

The plot is laid by Persean Noble men,

And Captaines of the Medean garrisons,

To crowne me Emperour of Asia .

But this it is that doth excruciate

The verie substance of my vexed soule:

To see our neighbours that were woont to quake

And tremble at the Persean Monarkes name,

Now sits and laughs our regiment to scorne:

And that which might resolve me into teares,

Men from the farthest Equinoctiall line,

Have swarm'd in troopes into the Easterne India:

Lading their shippes with golde and pretious stones:

And made their spoiles from all our provinces.

Menaphon

This should intreat your highnesse to rejoice,

Since Fortune gives you opportunity,

To gaine the tytle of a Conquerour,

By curing of this maimed Emperie.

Affrike and Europe bordering on your land,

And continent to your Dominions:

How Basely may you with a mightie hoste,

Passe into Groecia, as did Cyrus once.

And cause them to withdraw their forces home,

Least you subdue the pride of Christendome?

Cosroe

But Menaphon , what means this trumpets sound?

Menaphon

Behold, my Lord, Ortigius and the rest,

Bringing the Crowne to make you Emperour.

Enter Ortigius and Ceneus bearing a Crowne,with others.

Ortygius

Magnificent and mightie Prince Cosroe,

We in the name of other Persean states,

And commons of this mightie Monarchie,

Present thee with th'Emperiall Diadem.

Ceneus

The warlike Souldiers, and the Gentlemen,

That heretofore have fild Persepolis

With Affrike Captaines, taken in the field:

Whose ransome made them martch in coates of gold,

With costlie jewels hanging at their eares,

And shining stones upon their loftie Crestes:

Now living idle in the walled townes,

Wanting both pay and martiall discipline,

Begin in troopes to threaten civill warre,

And openly exclaime against the King.

Therefore to stay all sodaine mutinies,

We will invest your Highnesse Emperour:

Whereat the Souldiers will conceive more joy,

Then did the Macedonians at the spoile

Of great Darius and his wealthy hoast.

Cosroe

Wel, since I see the state of Persea droope,

And languish in my brothers government:

I willingly receive th'emperiall crowne,

And vow to weare it for my countries good:

In spight of them shall malice my estate.

Ortygius

And in assurance of desir'd successe,

We here doo crowne thee Monarch of the East,

Emperour of Asia, ad of Persea ,

Great Lord of Medea and Armenia:

Duke of Assiria and Albania,

Mesopotamia and of Parthia,

East lndia and the late discovered Isles,

Chiefe Lord of all the wide vast Euxine sea,

And of the ever raging Caspian Lake:

Long live Cosroe mighty Emperour.

Cosroe

And Jove may never let me longer live,

Then I may seeke to gratifie your love,

And cause the souldiers that thus honour me,

To triumph over many Provinces.

By whose desires of discipline in Armes,

I doubt not shortly but to raigne sole king,

And with the Armie of Theridamas,

Whether we presently will flie (my Lords)

To rest secure against my brothers force.

Ortygius

We knew my Lord, before we brought the crowne,

Intending your investion so neere

The residence of your dispised brother,

The Lords would not be too exasperate,

To injure or suppresse your woorthy tytle.

Or if they would, there are in readines

Ten thousand horse to carte you from hence,

In spite of all suspected enemies.

Cosroe

I know it wel my Lord, and thanke you all.

Ortygius

Sound up the trumpets then, God save the King.

Exeunt [attended].

Act: 1 Scene: 2- -

[Enter] Tamburlaine leading Zenocrate: Techelles, Usumcasane, otherLords [,Magnetes, Agidas,] and Souldiers loden with treasure.

Tamburlaine

Come lady, let not this appal your thoughts.

The jewels and the treasure we have tane

Shall be reserv'd, and you in better state,

Than if you were arriv'd in Siria ,

Even in the circle of your Fathers armes:

The mightie Souldan of Egyptia.

Zenocrate.

Ah Shepheard, pity my distressed plight,

(If as thou seem'st, thou art so meane a man)

And seeke not to inrich thy followers,

By lawlesse rapine from a silly maide.

Who travailing with these Medean Lords

To Memphis, from my uncles country of Medea ,

Where all my youth I have bene governed,

Have past the armie of the mightie Turke:

Bearing his privie signet and his hand:

To safe conduct us thorow Affrica.

Magnetes

And since we have arriv'd in Scythia,

Besides rich presents from the puisant Cham,

We have his highnesse letters to command

Aide and assistance if we stand in need.

Tamburlaine

But now you see these letters and commandes,

Are countermanded by a greater man:

And through my provinces you must expect

Letters of conduct from my mightinesse,

If you intend to keep your treasure safe.

But since I love to live at liberty,

As Basely may you get the Souldans crowne,

As any prizes out of my precinct.

For they are friends that help to weane my state,

Till men and kingdomes help to strengthen it:

And must maintaine my life exempt from servitude.

But tell me Maddam, is your grace betroth'd?

Zenocrate

I am (my Lord,) for so you do import.

Tamburlaine

I am a Lord, for so my deeds shall proove,

And yet a shepheard by my Parentage:

But Lady, this faire face and heavenly hew,

Must grace his bed that conquers Asia:

And meanes to be a terrour to the world,

Measuring the limits of his Emperie

By East and west, as Phoebus doth his course:

Lie here ye weedes that I disdaine to weare,

[Takes off shepheards cloak.]

This compleat armor, and this curtle-axe

Are adjuncts more beseeming Tamburlaine.

And Maddam, whatsoever you esteeme

Of this successe, and losse unvallued,

Both may invest you Empresse of the East:

And these that seeme but silly country Swaines,

May have the leading of so great an host,

As with their weight shall make the mountains quake,

Even as when windy exhalations,

Fighting for passage, tilt within the earth.

Techelles

As princely Lions when they rouse themselves,

Stretching their pawes, and threatning heardes of Beastes,

So in his Armour looketh Tamburlaine:

Me thinks I see kings kneeling at his feet,

And he with frowning browes and fiery lookes,

Spurning their crownes from off their captive heads.

Usumcasane

And making thee and me Techelles, kinges,

That even to death will follow Tamburlaine.

Tamburlaine

Nobly resolv'd, sweet friends and followers.

These Lords (perhaps) do scorne our estimates,

And thinke we prattle with distempered spirits:

But since they measure our deserts so meane,

That in conceit bear Empires on our speares,

Affecting thoughts coequall with the cloudes,

They shall be kept our forced followers,

Till with their eies they view us Emperours.

Zenocrate

The Gods, defenders of the innocent,

Will never prosper your intended driftes,

That thus oppresse poore friendles passengers.

Therefore at least admit us libertie,

Even as thou hop'st to be eternized,

By living Asias mightie Emperour.

Agidas

I hope our Ladies treasure and our owne,

May serve for ransome to our liberties:

Returne our Mules and emptie Camels backe,

That we may traveile into Siria,

Where her betrothed Lord Alcidamus,

Expects th'arrivall of her highnesse person.

Magnetes

And wheresoever we repose our selves,

We will report but well of Tamburlaine.

Tamburlaine

Disdaines Zenocrate to live with me?

Or you my Lordes to be my followers?

Thinke you I way this treasure more than you?

Not all the Gold in lndias welthy armes,

Shall buy the meanest souldier in my traine.

Zenocrate, lovelier than the Love of Jove,

Brighter than is the silver Rhodope.

Fairer than whitest snow on Scythian tails,

Thy person is more woorth to Tamburlaine,

Than the possession of the Persean Crowne,

Which gratious starres have promist at my birth.

A hundreth Tartars shall attend on thee,

Mounted on Steeds, swifter than Pegasus.

Thy Garments shall be made of Medean silke,

Enchast with precious juelles of mine owne:

More rich and valurous than Zenocrates.

With milke-white Hartes upon an Ivorie sled,

Thou shalt be drawen amidst the frosen Pooles,

And scale the ysie mountaines lofty tops:

Which with thy beautie will be soone resolv'd.

My martiall prises with five hundred men,

Wun on the fiftie headed Vuolgas waves,

Shall all we offer to Zenocrate,

And then my selfe to faire Zenocrate.

Techelles

What now? In love?[Aside.]

Tamburlaine

Techelles, women must be flatered.[Aside.]

But this is she with whom I am in love.

Enter a Souldier.

Souldier

Newes, newes.

Tamburlaine

How now, what's the matter?

Souldier

A thousand Persean horsmen are at hand,

Sent from the King to overcome us all.

Tamburlaine

How now my Lords of Egypt and Zenocrate?

Nowmust your jewels be restor'd againe:

And I that triumpht so be overcome.

How say you Lordings, Is not this your hope?

Agidas

We hope your selfe wil willingly restore them.

Tamburlaine

Such hope, such fortune have the thousand horse.

Soft ye my Lords and sweet Zenocrate.

You must be forced from me ere you goe:

A thousand horsmen? We five hundred foote?

An oafs too great, for us to stand against:

But are they rich? And is their armour good?

Souldier

Their plumed helmes are wrought with beaten golde.

Their swords enameld, and about their neckes

Hangs massie chaines of golde downe to the waste,

In every part exceeding brave and rich.

Tamburlaine

Then shall we fight couragiously with them.

Or looke you, I should play the Orator?

Techelles

No: cowards and fainthearted runawaies,

Looke for orations when the foe is neere.

Our swordes shall play the Orators for us.

Usumcasane

Come let us meet them at the mountain foot,

And with a sodaine and an hot alarme

Drive all their horses headlong down the hill.

Techelles

Come let us martch.

Tamburlaine

Stay Techelles , aske a parlee first.

The Souldiers enter.

Open the Males, yet guard the treasure sure,

Lay out our golden wedges to the view,

That their reflexions may amaze the Perseans.

And looke we friendly on them when they come:

But if they offer word or violence,

Weele fight five hundred men at armes to one,

Before we part with our possession.

And gainst the Generall we will lift our swords,

And either ranch his greedy thirsting throat,

Or take him prisoner, and his chaine shall serve

For Manackles, till he be ransom'd home.

Techelles

I heare them come, shal we encounter them?

Tamburlaine

Keep all your standings, and not stir a foote,

My selfe will bide the danger of the brunt.

Enter Theridamas with others.

Theridamas

Where is this Scythian Tamburlaine?

Tamburlaine

Whom seekst thou Persean? I am Tamburlain.

Theridamas

Tamburlaine? [Aside.]

A Scythian Shepheard, so imbellished

With Natures pride, and richest furniture?

His looks do menace heaven and dare the Gods,

His fierie eies are fixt upon the earth,

As if he now devis'd some Stratageme:

Or meant to pierce Avernus darksome vaults,

And pull the triple headed dog from hell.

Tamburlaine

Noble and milde this Persean seemes to be,

[To Techelles.]

If outward habit judge the inward man.

Techelles

His deep affections make him passionate.

Tamburlaine

With what a majesty he rears his looks:—

In thee (thou valiant man of Persea ) [To Theridamas.]

I see the folly of thy Emperour:

Art thou but Captaine of a thousand horse,

That by Characters graven in thy browes,

And by thy martiall face and stout aspect,

Deserv'st to have the leading of an hoste?

Forsake thy king and do but joine with me

And we will triumph over all the world.

I hold the Fates bound fast in yron chaines,

And with my hand turne Fortunes wheel about,

And sooner shall the Sun fall from his Spheare,

Than Tamburlaine be slaine or overcome.

Draw foorth thy sword, thou mighty man at Armes,

Intending but to rase my charmed skin:

And Jove himselfe will stretch his hand from heaven,

To ward the blow, and shield me safe from harme.

See how he raines down heaps of gold in showers,

As if he meant to give my Souldiers pay,

And as a sure and grounded argument,

That I shall be the Monark of the East,

He sends this Souldans daughter rich and brave,

To be my Queen and portly Emperesse.

If thou wilt stay with me, renowmed man,

And lead thy thousand horse with my conduct,

Besides thy share of this Egyptian prise,

Those thousand horse shall sweat with martiall spoile

Of conquered kingdomes, and of Cities sackt.

Both we wil walke upon the lofty cliffs,

And Christian Merchants that with Russian stems

Plow up huge furrowes in the Caspian sea,

Shall vaile to us, as Lords of all the Lake.

Both we will raigne as Consuls of the earth,

And mightie kings shall be our Senators.

Jove sometime masked in a Shepheards weed,

And by those steps that he hath scal'd the heavens,

May we become immortall like the Gods.

Joine with me now in this my meane estate,

(I cal it meane, because being yet obscure,

The Nations far remoov'd admyre me not)

And when my name and honor shall be spread,

As far as Boreas claps his brazen wings,

Or faire Boötes sends his cheerefull light,

Then shalt thou be Competitor with me,

And sit with Tamburlaine in all his majestie.

Theridamas

Not Hermes Prolocutor to the Gods,

Could use perswasions more patheticall.

Tamburlaine

Nor are Apollos Oracles more true,

Then thou shalt find my vaunts substantiall.

Techelles

We are his friends, and if the Persean king

Should offer present Dukedomes to our state,

We thinke it losse to make exchange for that

We are assured of by our friends successe.

Usumcasane

And kingdomes at the least we all expect,

Besides the honor in assured conquestes:

Where kings shall crouch unto our conquering swords,

And hostes of souldiers stand amaz'd at us,

When with their fearfull tongues they shall confesse

Theise are the men that all the world admires.

Theridamas

What stronge enchantments tice my yeelding soule?

Are these resolved noble scythians?

But shall I proove a Traitor to my King?

Tamburlaine

No, but the trustie friend of Tamburlaine.

Theridamas

Won with thy words, and conquered with thy looks,

I yeeld my selfe, my men and horse tothee:

To be partaker of thy good or ill,

As long as life maintaines Theridamas.

Tamburlaine

Theridamas my friend, take here my hand,

Which is as much as if I swore by heaven,

And call'd the Gods to witnesse of my vow,

Thus shall my heart be still combinde with thine,

Untill our bodies turne toElements:

And both our soules aspire celestiall thrones.

Techelles, and Casane, welcome him.

Techelles

Welcome renowmed Persean to us all.

Usumcasane

Long may Theridamas remaine with us.

Tamburlaine

These are my friends in whom I more rejoice,

Than dooth the King of Persea in his Crowne:

And by the love of Pyllades and Orestes,

Whose statutes we adore in Scythia ,

Thy selfe and them shall never part from me,

Before I crowne you kings in Asia.

Make much of them gentle Theridamas,

And they will never leave thee till the death.

Theridamas

Nor thee, nor them, thrice noble Tamburlaine ,

Shal want my heart to be with gladnes pierc'd

To do you honor and securitie.

Tamburlaine

A thousand thankes worthy Theridamas:

And now faire Madam, and my noble Lords,

If you will willingly remaine with me,

You shall have honors, as your merits be:

Or els you shall be forc'd with slaverie.

Agides

We yeeld unto thee happie Tamburlaine.

Tamburlaine

For you then Maddam, I am out of doubt.

Zenocrete

I must be pleasde perforce, wretched Zenocrate.

Exeunt

Nav.