Tamburlaine the Great, part 2 | Page 4

with surety hold.
ORCANES.<6> Though from the shortest northern parallel, Vast
Grantland, compass'd with the Frozen Sea, (Inhabited with tall and
sturdy men, Giants as big as hugy<7> Polypheme,) Millions of soldiers
cut the<8> arctic line, Bringing the strength of Europe to these arms,
Our Turkey blades shall glide through all their throats, And make this
champion<9> mead a bloody fen: Danubius' stream, that runs to
Trebizon, Shall carry, wrapt within his scarlet waves, As martial
presents to our friends at home, The slaughter'd bodies of these
Christians: The Terrene<10> main, wherein Danubius falls, Shall by
this battle be the bloody sea: The wandering sailors of proud Italy Shall
meet those Christians, fleeting with the tide, Beating in heaps against
their argosies, And make fair Europe, mounted on her bull, Trapp'd
with the wealth and riches of the world, Alight, and wear a woful
mourning weed.
GAZELLUS. Yet, stout Orcanes, pro-rex of the world, Since
Tamburlaine hath muster'd all his men, Marching from Cairo<11>
northward, with his camp, To Alexandria and the frontier towns,
Meaning to make a conquest of our land, 'Tis requisite to parle for a
peace With Sigismund, the king of Hungary, And save our forces for
the hot assaults Proud Tamburlaine intends Natolia.
ORCANES. Viceroy of Byron, wisely hast thou said. My realm, the

centre of our empery, Once lost, all Turkey would be overthrown; And
for that cause the Christians shall have peace. Sclavonians, Almains,
Rutters, Muffs, and Danes, Fear<12> not Orcanes, but great
Tamburlaine; Nor he, but Fortune that hath made him great. We have
revolted Grecians, Albanese, Sicilians, Jews, Arabians, Turks, and
Moors, Natolians, Sorians,<13> black<14> Egyptians, Illyrians,
Thracians, and Bithynians,<15> Enough to swallow forceless
Sigismund, Yet scarce enough t' encounter Tamburlaine. He brings a
world of people to the field, >From Scythia to the oriental plage<16>
Of India, where raging Lantchidol Beats on the regions with his
boisterous blows, That never seaman yet discovered. All Asia is in
arms with Tamburlaine, Even from the midst of fiery Cancer's tropic
To Amazonia under Capricorn; And thence, as far as Archipelago, All
Afric is in arms with Tamburlaine: Therefore, viceroy,<17> the
Christians must have peace.
Enter SIGISMUND, FREDERICK, BALDWIN, and their train, with
drums and trumpets.
SIGISMUND. Orcanes, (as our legates promis'd thee,) We, with our
peers, have cross'd Danubius' stream, To treat of friendly peace or
deadly war. Take which thou wilt; for, as the Romans us'd, I here
present thee with a naked sword: Wilt thou have war, then shake this
blade at me; If peace, restore it to my hands again, And I will sheathe it,
to confirm the same.
ORCANES. Stay, Sigismund: forgett'st thou I am he That with the
cannon shook Vienna-walls, And made it dance upon the continent, As
when the massy substance of the earth Quiver[s] about the axle-tree of
heaven? Forgett'st thou that I sent a shower of darts, Mingled with
powder'd shot and feather'd steel, So thick upon the blink-ey'd burghers'
heads, That thou thyself, then County Palatine, The King of
Boheme,<18> and the Austric Duke, Sent heralds out, which basely on
their knees, In all your names, desir'd a truce of me? Forgett'st thou that,
to have me raise my siege, Waggons of gold were set before my tent,
Stampt with the princely fowl that in her wings Carries the fearful
thunderbolts of Jove? How canst thou think of this, and offer war?

SIGISMUND. Vienna was besieg'd, and I was there, Then County
Palatine, but now a king, And what we did was in extremity But now,
Orcanes, view my royal host, That hides these plains, and seems as vast
and wide As doth the desert of Arabia To those that stand on
Bagdet's<19> lofty tower, Or as the ocean to the traveller That rests
upon the snowy Appenines; And tell me whether I should stoop so low,
Or treat of peace with the Natolian king.
GAZELLUS. Kings of Natolia and of Hungary, We came from Turkey
to confirm a league, And not to dare each other to the field. A friendly
parle<20> might become you both.
FREDERICK. And we from Europe, to the same intent;<21> Which if
your general refuse or scorn, Our tents are pitch'd, our men stand<22>
in array, Ready to charge you ere you stir your feet.
ORCANES. So prest<23> are we: but yet, if Sigismund Speak as a
friend, and stand not upon terms, Here is his sword; let peace be ratified
On these conditions specified before, Drawn with advice of our
ambassadors.
SIGISMUND. Then here I sheathe it, and give thee my hand, Never to
draw it out, or<24> manage arms Against thyself or thy confederates,
But, whilst I live, will be at truce with thee.
ORCANES. But, Sigismund, confirm it with an oath, And swear in
sight of heaven