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The Works of Christopher Marlowe

Tamburlaine Part 1

Act: 1 Scene: 1

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.

Cosroe

It cannot choose, because it comes from you.

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.

Cosroe

And ad this to them, that all Asia

Lament to see the follie of their King.

Cosroe

You may doe well to kisse it then.

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.

Cosroe

But Menaphon , what means this trumpets sound?

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.

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.

Cosroe

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

Act: 2 Scene: 1

Cosroe

Thus farre are we towards Theridamas,

And valiant Tamburlaine, the man of fame,

The man that in the forhead of his fortune,

Beares figures of renowne and myracle:

But tell me, that hast seene him, Menephon,

What stature wields he, and what personage?

Cosroe

Wel hast thou pourtraid in thy tearms of life,

The face and personage of a woondrous man:

Nature doth strive with Fortune and his stars,

To make him famous in accomplisht woorth:

And well his merits show him to be made

His Fortunes maister, and the king of men,

That could perswade at such a sodaine pinch,

With reasons of his valour and his life,

A thousand sworne and overmatching foes:

Then when our powers in points of swords are join'd,

And closde in compasse of the killing bullet,

Though straight the passage and the port be made,

That leads to Pallace of my brothers life,

Proud is his fortune if we pierce it not.

And when the princely Persean Diadem,

Shall overway his wearie witlesse head,

And fall like mellowed fruit, with shakes of death,

In faire Persea noble Tamburlaine

Shall be my Regent, and remaine as King.

Cosroe

And such shall wait on worthy Tamburlaine

Our army will be forty thousand strong,

When Tamburlain and brave Theridamas

Have met us by the river Araris:

And all conjoin'd to meet the witlesse King,

That now is marching neer to Parthia :

And with unwilling souldiers faintly arm'd,

To seeke revenge on me and Tamburlaine.

To whom sweet Menaphon, direct me straight.

Act: 2 Scene: 3

Cosroe

Now worthy Tamburlaine, have I reposde,

In thy approoved Fortunes all my hope,

What thinkst thou man, shal come of our attemptes?

For even as from assured oracle,

I take thy doome for satisfaction.

Cosroe

Which I esteeme as portion of my crown.

Usumcansae and Techelles both,

When she that rules in Rhamnis golden gates,

And makes a passage for all prosperous Armes,

Shall make me solely Emperour of Asia :

Then shall your meeds and vallours be advaunst

Toroomes of honour and Nobilitie.

Cosroe

Come, Tamburlain, now whet thy winged sword

And lift thy lofty arme into the cloudes,

That it may reach the King of Perseas crowne,

And set it safe on my victorious head.

Cosroe

Thy words assure me of kind successe:

Go valiant Souldier, go before and charge

The fainting army of that foolish King.

Act: 2 Scene: 5

Cosroe

So do I thrice renowmed man at armes,

And none shall keepe the crowne but Tamburlaine:

Thee doo I make my Regent of Persea ,

And Generall Lieftenant of my Armies.

Meander, you that were our brothers Guide,

And chiefest Counsailor in all his acts,

Since he is yeelded to the stroke of War,

On your submission we with thanks excuse,

And give you equall place in our affaires.

Cosroe

Thanks good Meander, then Cosroe reign

And governe Persea in her former pomp:

Now send Ambassage to thy neighbor Kings,

And let them know the Persean King is chang'd:

From one that knew not what a King should do,

To one that can commaund what longs thereto:

And now we will to faire Persepolis,

With twenty thousand expert souldiers.

The Lords and Captaines of my brothers campe,

With litle slaughter take Meanders course,

And gladly yeeld them to my gracious rule:

Ortigius and Menaphon, my trustie friendes,

Now will I gratify your former good,

And grace your calling with a greater sway.

Cosroe

I will not thank thee (sweet Ortigius)

Better replies shall proove my purposes.

And now Lord Tamburlaine, my brothers Campe

I leave to thee, and to Theridamas,

To follow me to faire Persepolis

Then will we march to all those Indian Mines,

My witlesse brother to the Christians lost:

And ransome them with fame and usurie.

And till thou overtake me Tamburlaine,

(Staying to order all the scattered troopes)

Farewell Lord Regent, and his happie friends,

I long to sit upon my brothers throne.

Act: 2 Scene: 6

Cosroe

What means this divelish shepheard to aspire

With such a Giantly presumption,

To cast up hils against the face of heaven:

And dare the force of angrie Jupiter

But as he thrust them underneath the tails,

And press outfire from their burning jawes:

So will I send this monstrous slave to hell,

Where flames shall ever feed upon his soule.

Cosroe

Nobly resolv'd, my good Ortygius.

And since we all have suckt one wholsome aire,

And with the same proportion of Elements

Resolve, I hope we are resembled,

Vowing our loves to equall death and life.

Let's cheere our souldiers to incounter him,

That grievous image of ingratitude:

That fiery thirster after Soveraigntie:

And burne him in the fury of that flame,

That none can quence but blood and Emperie.

Resolve my Lords and loving souldiers now,

To save your King and country from decay:

Then strike up Drum, and all the Starres that make

The loathsome Circle of my dated life,

Direct my weapon to his barbarous heart,

That thus opposeth him against the Gods,

And scornes the Powers that governe Persea.

Act: 2 Scene: 7

Cosroe

Barbarous and bloody Tamburlaine,

Thus to deprive me of my crowne and life.

Treacherous and false Theridamas,

Even at the morning of my happy state,

Scarce being seated in my royall throne,

To worke my downfall and untimely end.

An uncouth paine torments my grieved soule,

And death arrests the organe of my voice,

Who entring at the breach thy sword hath made

Sackes every vaine and artier of my heart.

Bloody and insatiate Tamburlain

Cosroe

The strangest men that ever nature made,

I know not how to take their tyrannies.

My bloodlesse body waxeth chill and colde,

And with my blood my life slides through my wound,

My soule begins to take her flight to hell:

And sommons all my sences to depart.

The heat and moisture which did feed each other,

For want of nourishment to feed them both,

Is drie and cold, and now dooth gastly death

With greedy tallents gripe my bleeding hart,

And like a Harpyr tires on my life.

Theridamas and Tamburlaine, I die,

And fearefull vengeance light upon you both.

All

Tamburlaine, Tamburlaine.

All

Long live Tamburlaine, and raigne in Asia.