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Hide his crown as the foolish king of Persia did. SYR. No, Tamburlaine; he shall not be put to that exigent, I warrant thee.

TAM. You know not, sir.

But now, my followers and my loving friends,
Fight as you ever did, like conquerors,
The glory of this happy day is yours.
My stern aspect shall make fair victory,
Hov'ring betwixt our armies, light on me
Laden with laurel wreaths to crown us all.

TECH. I smile to think how, when this field is fought
And rich Natolia ours, our men shall sweat
With carrying pearl and treasure on their backs.
TAMB. You shall be princes all, immediately;
Come,fight ye Turks, or yield us victory.

ORC. No; we will meet thee, slavish Tamburlaine.

[Exeunt.

ACT THE FOURTH.

SCENE I.

Alarums.-AMYRAS and CELEBINUS issue from the tent where CALPHAS sits asleep.

AMY. Now in their glories shine the golden crowns Of these proud Turks, much like so many suns That half dismay the majesty of heaven. Now, brother, follow we our father's sword, That flies with fury swifter than our thoughts,

And cuts down armies with his conquering wings.
CEL. Call forth our lazy brother from the tent,
For if my father miss him in the field,
Wrath, kindled in the furnace of his breast,
Will send a deadly lightning to his heart.

AMY. Brother! Ho! what given so much to sleep,
You cannot leave it, when our enemies' drums
And rattling cannons thunder in our ears
Our proper ruins and our father's foil?

CAL. Away, ye fools! my father needs not me, Nor you in faith, but that you will be thought More childish valourous than manly wise. If half our camp should sit and sleep with me, My father were enough to scare the foe. You do dishonour to his majesty,

To think our helps will do him any good.

AMY. What! Dar'st thou then be absent from the field,

Knowing my father hates thy cowardice,

And oft hath warn'd thee to be still in field,
When he himself amidst the thickest troops
Beats down our foes, to flesh our taintless swords.
CAL. I know, sir, what it is to kill a man ;

It works remorse of conscience in me;

I take no pleasure to be murderous,

Nor care for blood when wine will quench my thirst. CEL. O cowardly boy! Fie! for shame come

forth;

Thou dost dishonour manhood and thy house.

CAL. Go, go, tall stripling, fight you for us both,

And take my other toward brother here,
For person like to prove a second Mars.
'Twill please my mind as well to hear, both you
Have won a heap of honour in the field
And left your slender carcases behind,
As if I lay with you for company.

Amy. You will not go then?
Cal. You say true.

Amy. Were all the lofty mounts of Zona Mundi
That fill the midst of farthest Tartary
Turn'd into pearl and proffer'd for my stay,
I would not bide the fury of my father,
When, made a victor in these haughty arms,
He comes and finds his sons have had no shares
In all the honours he proposed for us.

Cal. Take you the honour, I will take my ease; My wisdom shall excuse my cowardice. I go into the field before I need!

[Alarums.- Amyras and Celebinus exeunt. The bullets fly at random where they list; And should I go and kill a thousand men, I were as soon rewarded with a shot, And sooner far, than he that never fights; And should I go and do no harm nor good, I might have harm which all the good I have, Join'd with my father's crown, would never cure. I will to cards. Perdicas.

Perd. Here, my lord.

Cal. Come thou and I will go away to cards to drive away the time. VOL. I.

10

PERD. Content, my lord: but what shall we play for?

CAL. Who shall kiss the fairest of the Turk's concubines first, when my father hath conquer'd them. PERD. Agreed, i'faith. [They play.

CAL. They say I am a coward, Perdicas, and I fear as little their taratantaras, their swords or their cannons as I do a naked lady in a net of gold, and, for fear I should be afraid, would put it off and come to bed with me.

PERD. Such a fear, my lord, would never make ye retire.

CAL. I would my father would let me be put in the front of such a battle once to try my valour. [Alarms.] What a coil they keep! I believe there will be some hurt done anon amongst them.

SCENE II.

[Exeunt.

Enter TAMBURLAINE, THERIDAMAS, TECHELLES, USUMCASANE, AMYRAS, and CELEBINUS, lead

ing the Turkish kings.

TAMB. See how, ye slaves, my children, stoop

your pride,

And lead your bodies sheeplike to the sword.
Bring them my boys, and tell me if the wars
Be not a life that may illustrate gods,

And tickle not your spirits with desire
Still to be train'd in arms and chivalry?

AMY. Shall we let go these kings again, my lord,

To gather greater numbers 'gainst our power,
That they may say it is not chance doth this,
But matchless strength and magnanimity?
TAMB. No, no, Amyras; tempt not fortune so:
Cherish thy valour still with fresh supplies,
And glut it not with stale and daunted foes.
But where's this coward villain, not my son,
But traitor to my name and majesty ?

[He goes in and brings him out.
Image of sloth, and picture of a slave,
The obloquy and scorn of my renown!
How may my heart, thus fired with my eyes,
Wounded with shame and kill'd with discontent,
Shroud any thought may hold my striving hands
From martial justice on thy wretched soul?

THER. Yet pardon him, I pray your majesty. TECH. AND USUм. Let all of us entreat your highness' pardon.

TAMB. Stand by, ye base, unworthy soldiers! Know ye not yet the argument of arms?

AMY. Good my lord, let him be forgiv'n for once, And we will force him to the field hereafter.

TAMB. Stand up, my boys, and I will teach ye

arms,

And what the jealousy of wars must do.
O Samarcanda, (where I breathed first
And joy'd the fire of this martial flesh)
Blush, blush, fair city, at thine honour's foil
And shame of nature, which Jakertis' stream,
Embracing thee with deepest of his love,

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