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The Works of Christopher Marlowe

Tamburlaine Part 1

Act: 1 Scene: 1

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.

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?

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

Mycetes

Unlesse they have a wiser king than you ?

These are his words, Meander set them downe.

Mycetes

Well here I sweare by this my royal seat —

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.

Act: 2 Scene: 2

Mycetes

Come my Meander, let us to this geere,

I tel you true my heart is swolne with wrath,

On this same theevish villaine Tamburlaine

And of that false Cosroe, my traiterous brother.

Would it not grieve a King to be so abusde,

And have a thousand horsmen tane away?

And which is worst to have his Diadem

Sought for by such scalde knaves as love him not?

I thinke it would: wel then, by heavens I sweare,

Aurora shatl not peepe out of her doves,

But I will have Cosroe by the head,

And kill proud Tamburlaine with point of sword.

Tell you the rest (Meander) I have said.

Mycetes

Was there such brethren, sweet Meander, say,

That sprong of teeth of Dragons venomous?

Mycetes

And tis a prety toy to be a Poet.

Wel, wel (Meander) thou art deeply read:

And having thee, I have a jewell sure:

Go on my Lord, and give your charge I say,

Thy wit will make us Conquerors to day.

Mycetes

He tells you true, my maisters, so he does.

Drums, why sound ye not when Meander speaks.

Act: 2 Scene: 4

Mycetes

Accurst be he that first invented war,

They knew not, ah, they knew not simple men,

How those were hit by pelting Cannon shot,

Stand staggering like a quivering Aspen leafe,

Fearing the force of Boreas boistrous blasts.

In what a lamentable case were I,

If Nature had not given me wisedomes lore?

For Kings are clouts that every man shoots at,

Our Crowne the pin that thousands seeke to cleave.

Therefore in pollicie I thinke itgood

To hide it close: a goodly Stratagem,

And far from any man that is a foole.

So shall not I be knower, or if I bee,

They cannot take away my crowne from me.

Here will I hide it in this simple hole.

Enter Tamburlain.

Mycetes

Thou liest.

Mycetes

Away, I am the King: go, touch me not.

Thou breakst the law of Armes unlesse thou kneele,

And cry me mercie, noble King.

Mycetes

I marie am I: have you any suite to me?

Mycetes

So I can when I see my time.

Mycetes

I, Didst thou ever see a fairer?

Mycetes

Such another word, and I will have thee executed.

Come give it me.

Mycetes

You lie, I gave it you.

Mycetes

No, I meane, I let you keep it.

Mycetes

O Gods, is this Tamburlaine the thiefe,

Imarveile much he stole it not away.