Tamburlaine the Great Volume I Part 1

Tamburlaine the Great.

Part I.

by Christopher Marlowe.

TO THE GENTLEMEN-READERS [1] AND OTHERS THAT TAKE PLEASURE IN READING HISTORIES. [2]

Gentlemen and courteous readers whosoever: I have here published in print, for your sakes, the two tragical discourses of the Scythian shepherd Tamburlaine, that became so great a conqueror and so mighty a monarch. My hope is, that they will be now no less acceptable unto you to read after your serious affairs and studies than they have been lately delightful for many of you to see when the same were shewed in London upon stages. I have purposely omitted and left out some fond [3] and frivolous gestures, digressing, and, in my poor opinion, far unmeet for the matter, which I thought might seem more tedious unto the wise than any way else to be regarded, though haply they have been of some vain-conceited fondlings greatly gaped at, what time they were shewed upon the stage in their graced deformities: nevertheless now to be mixtured in print with such matter of worth, it would prove a great disgrace to so honourable and stately a history.

Great folly were it in me to commend unto your wisdoms either the eloquence of the author that writ them or the worthiness of the matter itself. I therefore leave unto your learned censures [4]

both the one and the other, and myself the poor printer of them unto your most courteous and favourable protection; which if you vouchsafe to accept, you shall evermore bind me to employ what travail and service I can to the advancing and pleasuring of your excellent degree.

Yours, most humble at commandment, R[ichard] J[ones], printer.

THE FIRST PART OF TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT.

THE PROLOGUE.

From jigging veins of rhyming mother-wits, And such conceits as clownage keeps in pay, We'll lead you to the stately tent of war, Where you shall hear the Scythian Tamburlaine Threatening the world with high astounding terms, And scourging kingdoms with his conquering sword.

View but his picture in this tragic gla.s.s, And then applaud his fortunes as you please.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE.

MYCETES, king of Persia.

COSROE, his brother.

MEANDER, ]

THERIDAMAS, ]

ORTYGIUS, ] Persian lords.

CENEUS, ]

MENAPHON, ]

TAMBURLAINE, a Scythian shepherd.

TECh.e.l.lES, ]

USUMCASANE, ] his followers.

BAJAZETH, emperor of the Turks.

KING OF FEZ.

KING OF MOROCCO.

KING OF ARGIER.

KING OF ARABIA.

SOLDAN OF EGYPT.

GOVERNOR OF DAMASCUS.

AGYDAS, ]

MAGNETES, ] Median lords.

CAPOLIN, an Egyptian.

PHILEMUS, Ba.s.soes, Lords, Citizens, Moors, Soldiers, and Attendants.

ZENOCRATE, daughter to the Soldan of Egypt.

ANIPPE, her maid.

ZABINA, wife to BAJAZETH.

EBEA, her maid.

Virgins of Damascus.

THE FIRST PART OF TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT.

ACT I.

SCENE I.

Enter MYCETES, COSROE, MEANDER, THERIDAMAS, ORTYGIUS, CENEUS, MENAPHON, with others.

MYCETES. Brother Cosroe, I find myself agriev'd; Yet insufficient to express 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. Unhappy Persia,--that in former age Hast been the seat of mighty conquerors, That, in their prowess and their policies, Have triumph'd over Afric, [5] and the bounds Of Europe where the sun dares scarce appear For freezing meteors and congealed cold,-- Now to be rul'd and govern'd by a man At whose birth-day Cynthia with Saturn join'd, And Jove, the Sun, and Mercury denied To shed their [6] influence in his fickle brain!

Now Turks and Tartars shake their swords at thee, Meaning to mangle all thy provinces.

MYCETES. Brother, I see your meaning well enough, And through [7] your planets I perceive you think I am not wise enough to be a king: But I refer me to my n.o.blemen, That know my wit, and can be witnesses.

I might command you to be slain for this,-- Meander, might I not?

MEANDER. Not for so small a fault, my sovereign lord.

MYCETES. I mean it not, but yet I know I might.-- Yet live; yea, live; Mycetes wills it so.-- Meander, thou, my faithful counsellor, Declare the cause of my conceived grief, Which is, G.o.d knows, about that Tamburlaine, That, like a fox in midst of harvest-time, Doth prey upon my flocks of pa.s.sengers; And, as I hear, doth mean to pull my plumes: Therefore 'tis good and meet for to be wise.

MEANDER. Oft have I heard your majesty complain Of Tamburlaine, that st.u.r.dy Scythian thief, That robs your merchants of Persepolis Trading by land unto the Western Isles, And in your confines with his lawless train Daily commits incivil [8] outrages, Hoping (misled by dreaming prophecies) To reign in Asia, and with barbarous arms To make himself the monarch of the East: But, ere he march in Asia, or display His vagrant ensign in the Persian fields, Your grace hath taken order by Theridamas, Charg'd with a thousand horse, to apprehend And bring him captive to your highness' throne.

MYCETES. Full true thou speak'st, and like thyself, my lord, Whom I may term a Damon for thy love: Therefore 'tis best, if so it like you all, To send my thousand horse incontinent [9]

To apprehend that paltry Scythian.

How like you this, my honourable lords?

Is it not a kingly resolution?

COSROE. It cannot choose, because it comes from you.

MYCETES. Then hear thy charge, valiant Theridamas, The chiefest [10] captain of Mycetes' host, The hope of Persia, and the very legs Whereon our state doth lean as on a staff, That holds us up and foils our neighbour foes: Thou shalt be leader of this thousand horse, Whose foaming gall with rage and high disdain Have sworn the death of wicked Tamburlaine.

Go frowning forth; but come thou smiling home, As did Sir Paris with the Grecian dame: Return with speed; time pa.s.seth swift away; Our life is frail, and we may die to-day.

THERIDAMAS. Before the moon renew her borrow'd light, Doubt not, my lord and gracious sovereign, But Tamburlaine and that Tartarian rout [11]

Shall either perish by our warlike hands, Or plead for mercy at your highness' feet.