Tamburlaine the Great, Part 1 | Page 6

towns, Wanting both pay and martial discipline, Begin in troops to threaten civil war, And openly exclaim against their<24> king: Therefore, to stay all sudden mutinies, We will invest your highness emperor; Whereat the soldiers will conceive more joy Than did the Macedonians at the spoil Of great Darius and his wealthy host.
COSROE. Well, since I see the state of Persia droop And languish in my brother's government, I willingly receive th' imperial crown, And vow to wear it for my country's good, In spite of them shall malice my estate.
ORTYGIUS. And, in assurance of desir'd success, We here do crown thee monarch of the East<;> Emperor of Asia and Persia;<25> Great lord of Media and Armenia; Duke of Africa and Albania, Mesopotamia and of Parthia, East India and the late-discover'd isles; Chief lord of all the wide vast Euxine Sea, And of the ever-raging<26> Caspian Lake.
ALL.<27> Long live Cosroe, mighty emperor!
COSROE. And Jove may<28> never let me longer live Than I may seek to gratify your love, And cause the soldiers that thus honour me To triumph over many provinces! By whose desires of discipline in arms I doubt not shortly but to reign sole king, And with the army of Theridamas (Whither we presently will fly, my lords,) To rest secure against my brother's force.
ORTYGIUS. We knew,<29> my lord, before we brought the crown, Intending your investion so near The residence of your despised brother, The lords<30> would not be too exasperate To injury<31> or suppress your worthy title; Or, if they would, there are in readiness Ten thousand horse to carry you from hence, In spite of all suspected enemies.
COSROE. I know it well, my lord, and thank you all.
ORTYGIUS. Sound up the trumpets, then. [Trumpets sounded.]
ALL.<32> God save the king! [Exeunt.]

SCENE II.
Enter TAMBURLAINE leading ZENOCRATE, TECHELLES, USUMCASANE, AGYDAS, MAGNETES, LORDS, and SOLDIERS loaden with treasure.
TAMBURLAINE. Come, lady, let not this appal your thoughts; The jewels and the treasure we have ta'en Shall be reserv'd, and you in better state Than if you were arriv'd in Syria, Even in the circle of your father's arms, The mighty Soldan of Aegyptia.
ZENOCRATE. Ah, shepherd, pity my distressed plight! (If, as thou seem'st, thou art so mean a man,) And seek not to enrich thy followers By lawless rapine from a silly maid, Who, travelling<33> with these Median lords To Memphis, from my uncle's country of Media, Where, all my youth, I have been governed, Have pass'd the army of the mighty Turk, Bearing his privy-signet and his hand To safe-conduct us thorough<34> Africa.
MAGNETES. And, since we have arriv'd in Scythia, Besides rich presents from the puissant Cham, We have his highness' letters to command Aid and assistance, if we stand in need.
TAMBURLAINE. But now you see these letters and commands Are countermanded by a greater man; And through my provinces you must expect Letters of conduct from my mightiness, If you intend to keep your treasure safe. But, since I love to live at liberty, As easily may you get the Soldan's crown As any prizes out of my precinct; For they are friends that help to wean my state Till men and kingdoms help to strengthen it, And must maintain my life exempt from servitude.-- But, tell me, madam, 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 prove; And yet a shepherd by my parentage. But, lady, this fair face and heavenly hue Must grace his bed that conquers Asia, And means to be a terror to the world, Measuring the limits of his empery By east and west, as Phoebus doth his course.-- Lie here, ye weeds, that I disdain to wear! This complete armour and this curtle-axe Are adjuncts more beseeming Tamburlaine.-- And, madam, whatsoever you esteem Of this success, and loss unvalued,<35> Both may invest you empress of the East; And these that seem but silly country swains 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 paws, and threatening herds of beasts, So in his armour looketh Tamburlaine. Methinks I see kings kneeling at his feet, And he with frowning brows and fiery looks Spurning their crowns from off their captive heads.
USUMCASANE. And making thee and me, Techelles, kings, That even to death will follow Tamburlaine.
TAMBURLAINE. Nobly resolv'd, sweet friends and followers! These lords perhaps do scorn our estimates, And think we prattle with distemper'd spirits: But, since they measure our deserts so mean, That in conceit<36> bear empires on our spears, Affecting thoughts coequal with the clouds, They shall be kept our forced followers Till with their eyes they view