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The Works of Christopher Marlowe

Tamburlaine Part 1

Act: 3 Scene: 1

Great Kings of Barbary, and my portly Bassoes,

We heare, the Tartars and the Easterne theeves

Under the conduct of one Tamburlaine,

Presume a bickering with your Emperour:

And thinks to rouse us from our dreadful siege

Of the famous Grecian Constantinople

You know our Armie is invincible:

As many circumcised Turkes we have,

And warlike bands of Christians renied,

As hath the Ocean or the Terrene sea

Small drops of water, when the Moon begins

To joine in one her semi-circled homes:

Yet would we not be brav'd with forrain power,

Nor raise our siege before the Gretians yeeld,

Or breathles lie before the citie walles.

Hie thee my Bassoe fast to Persea,

Tell him thy Lord the Turkish Emperour,

Dread Lord of Affrike, Europe and Asia ,

Great King and conquerour of Grecia ,

The Ocean, Terrene, and the cole-blacke sea,

The high and highest Monarke of the world,

Wils and commands (for say not I intreat)

Not once to set his foot in Affrica,

Or spread his collours in Grecia ,

Least he incurre the furie of my wrath.

Tell him, I am content to take a truce,

Because I heare he beares a valiant mind.

But if presuming on his silly power,

He be so mad to manage Armes with me,

Then stay thou with him, say I bid thee so.

And if before the Sun have measured heaven

With triple circuit thou regreet us not,

We meane to take his mornings next arise

For messenger, he will not be reclaim'd,

And meane to fetch thee in despight of him.

True (Argier) and tremble at my lookes.

All this is true as holy Mahomet,

And all the trees are blasted with our breathes.

I wil the captive Pioners of Argrer,

Cut of the water, that by leaden pipes

Runs to the citie from the mountain Carnon .

Two thousand horse shall forrage up and downe,

That no reliefe or succour come by Land.

And all the sea my Gallies countermaund.

Then shall our footmen lie within the trench,

And with their Cannons mouth'd like Orcus gulfe

Batter the walles, and we will enter in:

And thus the Grecians shall be conquered.