Of India, where raging Lantchidol

Beats on the regions with his boist'rous blows,
That never seaman yet discovered.

All Asia is in arms with Tamburlaine,
Even from the midst of fiery Cancer's tropick,
To Amazonia, under Capricorn;

And thence as far as Archipelago,

All Afric is in arms with Tamburlaine;

Therefore, viceroy, the Christians must have peace.
Enter SIGISMUND, FREDERICK, BALDWIN, and
their Train, with Drums and Trampets.
SIG. 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.

ORC. Stay, Sigismund! forget'st thou I am he That with the cannon shook Vienna's walls, And made it dance upon the continent, As when the massy substance of the earth Quivers about the axle-tree of heaven? Forget'st thou that I sent a show'r 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, and the Aust. ick Duke, Sent heralds out, which basely on their knees,

In all

your names desir'd a truce of me?
Forget'st thou, that to have me raise my siege,
Waggons of gold were set before my tents,
Stampt with the princely fowl, that in her wings,
Carries the fearful thunderbolts of Jove?

How canst thou think of this, and offer war?
SIG. 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 Bagdad's lofty tower;

Or as the ocean, to the traveller

That rests upon the snowy Appenines;
And tell me whether I should stoop so low,
As treat of peace with the Natolian king.
GAZ. 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 parley might become you both.

FRED. And we from Europe, to the same intent, Which if your general refuse or scorn,

Our tents are pitch'd, our men stand in array,
Ready to charge you ere you stir your feet.

ORC. So prest 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.

ΤΟΣ. Ι.

7

my

hand,

SIG. Then here I sheath it, and give thee
Never to draw it out, or manage arms
Against thyself or thy confederates,

But whilst I live will be at truce with thee.
ORC. But, Sigismund, confirm it with an oath,
And swear in sight of heav'n and by thy Christ.
SIG. By Him that made the world and sav'd my
soul,

The Son of God and issue of a maid,

Sweet Jesus Christ, I solemnly protest

And vow to keep this peace inviolable.

ORC. By sacred Mahomet, the friend of God,
Whose holy alcoran remains with us,

Whose glorious body, when he left the world,
Clos'd in a coffin mounted up the air,
And hung on stately Mecca's temple-roof,
I swear to keep this truce inviolable;
Of whose condition and our solemn oaths,
Sign'd with our hands each shall retain a scroll
As memorable witness of our league.

Now Sigismund, if any Christian king
Encroach upon the confines of thy realm,

Send word, Orcanes of Natolia

Confirm'd this league beyond Danubius' stream,
And they will (trembling) sound a quick retreat;
So am I fear'd among all nations.

SIG. If any heathen potentate or king
Invade Natolia, Sigismund will send

A hundred thousand horse train'd to the war,
And back'd by stout lancers of Germany,

The strength and sinews of the Imperial seat.

ORC. I thank thee, Sigismund; but, when I war, All Asia minor, Africa, and Greece,

Follow my standard and my thund'ring drums.
Come, let us go and banquet in our tents;
I will dispatch chief of my army hence
To fair Natolia and to Trebizond,

To stay my coming 'gainst proud Tamburlaine.
Friend Sigismund, and peers of Hungary,
Come, banquet and carouse with us a while,
And then depart we to our territories.

SCENE II.

[Exeunt.

CALLAPINE with ALMEDA, his Keeper, discovered. CALL. Sweet Almeda, pity the ruthful plight

Of Callapine, the son of Bajazet,

Born to be monarch of the western world,

Yet here detain'd by cruel Tamburlaine.

ALM. My lord, I pity it, and with all my heart Wish your release; but he whose wrath is death, My sovereign lord, renowned Tamburlaine,

Forbids you farther liberty than this.

CALL. Ah, were I now but half so eloquent To paint in words what I'll perform in deeds, I know thou would'st depart from hence with me. ALM. Not for all Afric: therefore move me not. CALL. Yet hear me speak, my gentle Almeda. ALM. No speech to that end, by your favour, sir. CALL. By Cairo runs

ALM. No talk of running, I tell you, sir.

CALL. A little farther, gentle Almeda.
ALM. Well, sir, what of this?

CALL. By Cairo runs to Alexandria bay
Darote's streams, wherein at anchor lies
A Turkish gallery of my royal fleet,
Waiting my coming to the river's side,
Hoping by some means I shall be releas'd,
Which, when I come aboard, will hoist up sail,
And soon put forth into the Tyrrhene sea,

Whence, 'twixt the isles of Cyprus and of Crete,

We quickly may in Turkish seas arrive.

Then shalt thou see a hundred kings and more
Upon their knees, all bid me welcome home.
Amongst so many crowns of burnish'd gold,
Choose which thou wilt, all are at thy command;
A thousand gallies, mann'd with Christian slaves,
I freely give thee, which shall cut the straits,
And bring armados from the coasts of Spain
Fraughted with gold of rich America;
The Grecian virgins shall attend on thee,
Skilful in musick and in am'rous lays,
As fair as was Pygmalion's ivory girl
Or lovely lo metamorphosed.

With naked negroes shall thy coach be drawn,
And as thou rid'st in triumph through the streets
The pavement underneath thy chariot wheels
With Turkey carpets shall be covered,
And cloth of Arras hung about the walls,

* Where, in both the old editions.