 |
THERIDAMAS. Ay, my lord: but none save kings must feed with these.
TECHELLES. 'Tis enough for us to see them, and for Tamburlaine only to enjoy them.
TAMBURLAINE. Well; here is now to the Soldan of Egypt, the King of Arabia, and the Governor of Damascus. Now, take these three crowns, and pledge me, my contributory kings. I crown you here, Theridamas, king of Argier; Techelles, king of Fez; and Usumcasane, king of Morocco. [236]—How say you to this, Turk? these are not your contributory kings.
BAJAZETH. Nor shall they long be thine, I warrant them.
TAMBURLAINE. Kings of Argier, Morocco, and of Fez, You that have march'd with happy Tamburlaine As far as from the frozen plage [237] of heaven Unto the watery Morning's ruddy bower, And thence by land unto the torrid zone, Deserve these titles I endow you with By valour [238] and by magnanimity. Your births shall be no blemish to your fame; For virtue is the fount whence honour springs, And they are worthy she investeth kings.
THERIDAMAS. And, since your highness hath so well vouchsaf'd, If we deserve them not with higher meeds Than erst our states and actions have retain'd, Take them away again, [239] and make us slaves.
TAMBURLAINE. Well said, Theridamas: when holy Fates Shall stablish me in strong Aegyptia, We mean to travel to th' antarctic pole, Conquering the people underneath our feet, And be renowm'd [240] as never emperors were.— Zenocrate, I will not crown thee yet, Until with greater honours I be grac'd.
[Exeunt.]
ACT V.
SCENE I.
Enter the GOVERNOR OF DAMASCUS [241] with three or four CITIZENS, and four VIRGINS with branches of laurel in their hands.
GOVERNOR. Still doth this man, or rather god of war, Batter our walls and beat our turrets down; And to resist with longer stubbornness, Or hope of rescue from the Soldan's power, Were but to bring our wilful overthrow, And make us desperate of our threaten'd lives. We see his tents have now been altered With terrors to the last and cruel'st hue; His coal-black colours, every where advanc'd, Threaten our city with a general spoil; And, if we should with common rites of arms Offer our safeties to his clemency, I fear the custom proper to his sword, Which he observes as parcel of his fame, Intending so to terrify the world, By any innovation or remorse [242] Will never be dispens'd with till our deaths. Therefore, for these our harmless virgins' sakes, [243] Whose honours and whose lives rely on him, Let us have hope that their unspotted prayers, Their blubber'd [244] cheeks, and hearty humble moans, Will melt his fury into some remorse, And use us like a loving conqueror. [245]
FIRST VIRGIN. If humble suite or imprecations (Utter'd with tears of wretchedness and blood Shed from the heads and hearts of all our sex, Some made your wives, and some your children,) Might have entreated your obdurate breasts To entertain some care [246] of our securities Whiles only danger beat upon our walls, These more than dangerous warrants of our death Had never been erected as they be, Nor you depend on such weak helps [247] as we.
GOVERNOR. Well, lovely virgins, think our country's care, Our love of honour, loath to be enthrall'd To foreign powers and rough imperious yokes, Would not with too much cowardice or [248] fear, Before all hope of rescue were denied, Submit yourselves and us to servitude. Therefore, in that your safeties and our own, Your honours, liberties, and lives were weigh'd In equal care and balance with our own, Endure as we the malice of our stars, The wrath of Tamburlaine and power [249] of wars; Or be the means the overweighing heavens Have kept to qualify these hot extremes, And bring us pardon in your cheerful looks.
SECOND VIRGIN. Then here, before the Majesty of Heaven And holy patrons of Aegyptia, With knees and hearts submissive we entreat Grace to our words and pity to our looks, That this device may prove propitious, And through the eyes and ears of Tamburlaine Convey events of mercy to his heart; Grant that these signs of victory we yield May bind the temples of his conquering head, To hide the folded furrows of his brows, And shadow his displeased countenance With happy looks of ruth and lenity. Leave us, my lord, and loving countrymen: What simple virgins may persuade, we will.
GOVERNOR. Farewell, sweet virgins, on whose safe return Depends our city, liberty, and lives.
[Exeunt all except the VIRGINS.]
Enter TAMBURLAINE, all in black and very melancholy, TECHELLES, THERIDAMAS, USUMCASANE, with others.
TAMBURLAINE. What, are the turtles fray'd out of their nests? Alas, poor fools, must you be first shall feel The sworn destruction of Damascus? They knew [250] my custom; could they not as well Have sent ye out when first my milk-white flags, Through which sweet Mercy threw her gentle beams, Reflexed [251] them on their [252] disdainful eyes, As [253] now when fury and incensed hate Flings slaughtering terror from my coal-black tents, [254] And tells for truth submission [255] comes too late?
FIRST VIRGIN. Most happy king and emperor of the earth, Image of honour and nobility, For whom the powers divine have made the world, And on whose throne the holy Graces sit; In whose sweet person is compris'd the sum Of Nature's skill and heavenly majesty; Pity our plights! O, pity poor Damascus! Pity old age, within whose silver hairs Honour and reverence evermore have reign'd! Pity the marriage-bed, where many a lord, In prime and glory of his loving joy, Embraceth now with tears of ruth and [256] blood The jealous body of his fearful wife, Whose cheeks and hearts, so punish'd with conceit, [257] To think thy puissant never-stayed arm Will part their bodies, and prevent their souls From heavens of comfort yet their age might bear, Now wax all pale and wither'd to the death, As well for grief our ruthless governor Hath [258] thus refus'd the mercy of thy hand, (Whose sceptre angels kiss and Furies dread,) As for their liberties, their loves, or lives! O, then, for these, and such as we ourselves, For us, for infants, and for all our bloods, That never nourish'd [259] thought against thy rule, Pity, O, pity, sacred emperor, The prostrate service of this wretched town; And take in sign thereof this gilded wreath, Whereto each man of rule hath given his hand, And wish'd, [260] as worthy subjects, happy means To be investers of thy royal brows Even with the true Egyptian diadem!
TAMBURLAINE. Virgins, in vain you labour to prevent That which mine honour swears shall be perform'd. Behold my sword; what see you at the point?
FIRST VIRGIN. Nothing but fear and fatal steel, my lord.
TAMBURLAINE. Your fearful minds are thick and misty, then, For there sits Death; there sits imperious [261] Death, Keeping his circuit by the slicing edge. But I am pleas'd you shall not see him there; He now is seated on my horsemen's spears, And on their points his fleshless body feeds.— Techelles, straight go charge a few of them To charge these dames, and shew my servant Death, Sitting in scarlet on their armed spears.
VIRGINS. O, pity us!
TAMBURLAINE. Away with them, I say, and shew them Death! [The VIRGINS are taken out by TECHELLES and others.] I will not spare these proud Egyptians, Nor change my martial observations For all the wealth of Gihon's golden waves, Or for the love of Venus, would she leave The angry god of arms and lie with me. They have refus'd the offer of their lives, And know my customs are as peremptory As wrathful planets, death, or destiny.
Re-enter TECHELLES.
What, have your horsemen shown the virgins Death?
TECHELLES. They have, my lord, and on Damascus' walls Have hoisted up their slaughter'd carcasses.
TAMBURLAINE. A sight as baneful to their souls, I think, As are Thessalian drugs or mithridate: But go, my lords, put the rest to the sword.
[Exeunt all except TAMBURLAINE.]
Ah, fair Zenocrate!—divine Zenocrate! Fair is too foul an epithet for thee,— That in thy passion [262] for thy country's love, And fear to see thy kingly father's harm, With hair dishevell'd wip'st thy watery cheeks; And, like to Flora in her morning's pride, Shaking her silver tresses in the air, Rain'st on the earth resolved [263] pearl in showers, And sprinklest sapphires on thy shining face, Where Beauty, mother to the Muses, sits, And comments volumes with her ivory pen, Taking instructions from thy flowing eyes; Eyes, when that Ebena steps to heaven, [264] In silence of thy solemn evening's walk, Making the mantle of the richest night, The moon, the planets, and the meteors, light; There angels in their crystal armours fight [265] A doubtful battle with my tempted thoughts For Egypt's freedom and the Soldan's life, His life that so consumes Zenocrate; Whose sorrows lay more siege unto my soul Than all my army to Damascus' walls; And neither Persia's [266] sovereign nor the Turk Troubled my senses with conceit of foil So much by much as doth Zenocrate. What is beauty, saith my sufferings, then? If all the pens that ever poets held Had fed the feeling of their masters' thoughts, And every sweetness that inspir'd their hearts, Their minds, and muses on admired themes; If all the heavenly quintessence they still [267] From their immortal flowers of poesy, Wherein, as in a mirror, we perceive The highest reaches of a human wit; If these had made one poem's period, And all combin'd in beauty's worthiness, Yet should there hover in their restless heads One thought, one grace, one wonder, at the least, Which into words no virtue can digest. But how unseemly is it for my sex, My discipline of arms and chivalry, My nature, and the terror of my name, To harbour thoughts effeminate and faint! Save only that in beauty's just applause, With whose instinct the soul of man is touch'd; And every warrior that is rapt with love Of fame, of valour, and of victory, Must needs have beauty beat on his conceits: I thus conceiving, [268] and subduing both, That which hath stoop'd the chiefest of the gods, Even from the fiery-spangled veil of heaven, To feel the lovely warmth of shepherds' flames, And mask in cottages of strowed reeds, Shall give the world to note, for all my birth, That virtue solely is the sum of glory, And fashions men with true nobility.— Who's within there?
Enter ATTENDANTS.
Hath Bajazeth been fed to-day?
ATTEND. [269] Ay, my lord.
TAMBURLAINE. Bring him forth; and let us know if the town be ransacked.
[Exeunt ATTENDANTS.]
Enter TECHELLES, THERIDAMAS, USUMCASANE, and others.
TECHELLES. The town is ours, my lord, and fresh supply Of conquest and of spoil is offer'd us.
TAMBURLAINE. That's well, Techelles. What's the news?
TECHELLES. The Soldan and the Arabian king together March on us with [270] such eager violence As if there were no way but one with us. [271]
TAMBURLAINE. No more there is not, I warrant thee, Techelles.
ATTENDANTS bring in BAJAZETH in his cage, followed by ZABINA. Exeunt ATTENDANTS.
THERIDAMAS. We know the victory is ours, my lord; But let us save the reverend Soldan's life For fair Zenocrate that so laments his state.
TAMBURLAINE. That will we chiefly see unto, Theridamas, For sweet Zenocrate, whose worthiness Deserves a conquest over every heart.— And now, my footstool, if I lose the field, You hope of liberty and restitution?— Here let him stay, my masters, from the tents, Till we have made us ready for the field.— Pray for us, Bajazeth; we are going. [Exeunt all except BAJAZETH and ZABINA.]
BAJAZETH. Go, never to return with victory! Millions of men encompass thee about, And gore thy body with as many wounds! Sharp forked arrows light upon thy horse! Furies from the black Cocytus' lake, Break up the earth, and with their fire-brands Enforce thee run upon the baneful pikes! Vollies of shot pierce through thy charmed skin, And every bullet dipt in poison'd drugs! Or roaring cannons sever all thy joints, Making thee mount as high as eagles soar!
ZABINA. Let all the swords and lances in the field Stick in his breast as in their proper rooms! At every pore [272] let blood come dropping forth, That lingering pains may massacre his heart, And madness send his damned soul to hell!
BAJAZETH. Ah, fair Zabina! we may curse his power, The heavens may frown, the earth for anger quake; But such a star hath influence in [273] his sword As rules the skies and countermands the gods More than Cimmerian Styx or Destiny: And then shall we in this detested guise, With shame, with hunger, and with horror stay, [274] Griping our bowels with retorqued [275] thoughts, And have no hope to end our ecstasies.
ZABINA. Then is there left no Mahomet, no God, No fiend, no fortune, nor no hope of end To our infamous, monstrous slaveries. Gape, earth, and let the fiends infernal view A [276] hell as hopeless and as full of fear As are the blasted banks of Erebus, Where shaking ghosts with ever-howling groans Hover about the ugly ferryman, To get a passage to Elysium! [277] Why should we live?—O, wretches, beggars, slaves!— Why live we, Bajazeth, and build up nests So high within the region of the air, By living long in this oppression, That all the world will see and laugh to scorn The former triumphs of our mightiness In this obscure infernal servitude?
BAJAZETH. O life, more loathsome to my vexed thoughts [278] Than noisome parbreak [279] of the Stygian snakes, Which fills the nooks of hell with standing air, Infecting all the ghosts with cureless griefs! O dreary engines of my loathed sight, That see my crown, my honour, and my name Thrust under yoke and thraldom of a thief, Why feed ye still on day's accursed beams, And sink not quite into my tortur'd soul? You see my wife, my queen, and emperess, Brought up and propped by the hand of Fame, Queen of fifteen contributory queens, Now thrown to rooms of black abjection, [280] Smeared with blots of basest drudgery, And villainess [281] to shame, disdain, and misery. Accursed Bajazeth, whose words of ruth, [282] That would with pity cheer Zabina's heart, And make our souls resolve [283] in ceaseless tears, Sharp hunger bites upon and gripes the root From whence the issues of my thoughts do break! O poor Zabina! O my queen, my queen! Fetch me some water for my burning breast, To cool and comfort me with longer date, That, in the shorten'd sequel of my life, I may pour forth my soul into thine arms With words of love, whose moaning intercourse Hath hitherto been stay'd with wrath and hate Of our expressless bann'd [284] inflictions.
ZABINA. Sweet Bajazeth, I will prolong thy life As long as any blood or spark of breath Can quench or cool the torments of my grief.
[Exit.]
BAJAZETH. Now, Bajazeth, abridge thy baneful days, And beat the [285] brains out of thy conquer'd head, Since other means are all forbidden me, That may be ministers of my decay. O highest lamp of ever-living [286] Jove, Accursed day, infected with my griefs, Hide now thy stained face in endless night, And shut the windows of the lightsome heavens! Let ugly Darkness with her rusty coach, Engirt with tempests, wrapt in pitchy clouds, Smother the earth with never-fading mists, And let her horses from their nostrils breathe Rebellious winds and dreadful thunder-claps, That in this terror Tamburlaine may live, And my pin'd soul, resolv'd in liquid air, May still excruciate his tormented thoughts! Then let the stony dart of senseless cold Pierce through the centre of my wither'd heart, And make a passage for my loathed life!
[He brains himself against the cage.]
Re-enter ZABINA.
ZABINA. What do mine eyes behold? my husband dead! His skull all riven in twain! his brains dash'd out, The brains of Bajazeth, my lord and sovereign! O Bajazeth, my husband and my lord! O Bajazeth! O Turk! O emperor! Give him his liquor? not I. Bring milk and fire, and my blood I bring him again.—Tear me in pieces—give [287] me the sword with a ball of wild-fire upon it.—Down with him! down with him!—Go to my child; away, away, away! ah, save that infant! save him, save him!—I, even I, speak to her. [288]—The sun was down—streamers white, red, black—Here, here, here!—Fling the meat in his face—Tamburlaine, Tamburlaine!—Let the soldiers be buried.—Hell, death, Tamburlaine, [289] hell!—Make ready my coach, [290] my chair, my jewels.—I come, I come, I come! [291]
[She runs against the cage, and brains herself.]
Enter ZENOCRATE with ANIPPE.
ZENOCRATE. Wretched Zenocrate! that liv'st to see Damascus' walls dy'd with Egyptians' [292] blood, Thy father's subjects and thy countrymen; The [293] streets strow'd with dissever'd joints of men, And wounded bodies gasping yet for life; But most accurs'd, to see the sun-bright troop Of heavenly virgins and unspotted maids (Whose looks might make the angry god of arms To break his sword and mildly treat of love) On horsemen's lances to be hoisted up, And guiltlessly endure a cruel death; For every fell and stout Tartarian steed, That stamp'd on others with their thundering hoofs, When all their riders charg'd their quivering spears, Began to check the ground and rein themselves, Gazing upon the beauty of their looks. Ah, Tamburlaine, wert thou the cause of this, That term'st Zenocrate thy dearest love? Whose lives were dearer to Zenocrate Than her own life, or aught save thine own love. But see, another bloody spectacle! Ah, wretched eyes, the enemies of my heart, How are ye glutted with these grievous objects, And tell my soul more tales of bleeding ruth!— See, see, Anippe, if they breathe or no.
ANIPPE. No breath, nor sense, nor motion, in them both: Ah, madam, this their slavery hath enforc'd, And ruthless cruelty of Tamburlaine!
ZENOCRATE. Earth, cast up fountains from thy [294] entrails, And wet thy cheeks for their untimely deaths; Shake with their weight in sign of fear and grief! Blush, heaven, that gave them honour at their birth, And let them die a death so barbarous! Those that are proud of fickle empery And place their chiefest good in earthly pomp, Behold the Turk and his great emperess! Ah, Tamburlaine my love, sweet Tamburlaine, That fight'st for sceptres and for slippery crowns, Behold the Turk and his great emperess! Thou that, in conduct of thy happy stars, Sleep'st every night with conquest on thy brows, And yet wouldst shun the wavering turns of war, [295] In fear and feeling of the like distress Behold the Turk and his great emperess! Ah, mighty Jove and holy Mahomet, Pardon my love! O, pardon his contempt Of earthly fortune and respect of pity; And let not conquest, ruthlessly pursu'd, Be equally against his life incens'd In this great Turk and hapless emperess! And pardon me that was not mov'd with ruth To see them live so long in misery!— Ah, what may chance to thee, Zenocrate?
ANIPPE. Madam, content yourself, and be resolv'd Your love hath Fortune so at his command, That she shall stay, and turn her wheel no more, As long as life maintains his mighty arm That fights for honour to adorn your head.
Enter PHILEMUS.
ZENOCRATE. What other heavy news now brings Philemus?
PHILEMUS. Madam, your father, and the Arabian king, The first affecter of your excellence, Come [296] now, as Turnus 'gainst Aeneas did, Armed [297] with lance into the Aegyptian fields, Ready for battle 'gainst my lord the king.
ZENOCRATE. Now shame and duty, love and fear present A thousand sorrows to my martyr'd soul. Whom should I wish the fatal victory, When my poor pleasures are divided thus, And rack'd by duty from my cursed heart? My father and my first-betrothed love Must fight against my life and present love; Wherein the change I use condemns my faith, And makes my deeds infamous through the world: But, as the gods, to end the Trojans' toil, Prevented Turnus of Lavinia, And fatally enrich'd Aeneas' love, So, for a final [298] issue to my griefs, To pacify my country and my love, Must Tamburlaine by their resistless powers, With virtue of a gentle victory, Conclude a league of honour to my hope; Then, as the powers divine have pre-ordain'd, With happy safety of my father's life Send like defence of fair Arabia
[They sound to the battle within; and TAMBURLAINE enjoys the victory: after which, the KING OF ARABIA [299] enters wounded.]
KING OF ARABIA. What cursed power guides the murdering hands Of this infamous tyrant's soldiers, That no escape may save their enemies, Nor fortune keep themselves from victory? Lie down, Arabia, wounded to the death, And let Zenocrate's fair eyes behold, That, as for her thou bear'st these wretched arms, Even so for her thou diest in these arms, Leaving thy [300] blood for witness of thy love.
ZENOCRATE. Too dear a witness for such love, my lord! Behold Zenocrate, the cursed object Whose fortunes never mastered her griefs; Behold her wounded in conceit [301] for thee, As much as thy fair body is for me!
KING OF ARABIA. Then shall I die with full contented heart, Having beheld divine Zenocrate, Whose sight with joy would take away my life As now it bringeth sweetness to my wound, If I had not been wounded as I am. Ah, that the deadly pangs I suffer now Would lend an hour's licence to my tongue, To make discourse of some sweet accidents Have chanc'd thy merits in this worthless bondage, And that I might be privy to the state Of thy deserv'd contentment and thy love! But, making now a virtue of thy sight, To drive all sorrow from my fainting soul, Since death denies me further cause of joy, Depriv'd of care, my heart with comfort dies, Since thy desired hand shall close mine eyes.
[Dies.]
Re-enter TAMBURLAINE, leading the SOLDAN; TECHELLES, THERIDAMAS, USUMCASANE, with others.
TAMBURLAINE. Come, happy father of Zenocrate, A title higher than thy Soldan's name. Though my right hand have [302] thus enthralled thee, Thy princely daughter here shall set thee free; She that hath calm'd the fury of my sword, Which had ere this been bath'd in streams of blood As vast and deep as Euphrates [303] or Nile.
ZENOCRATE. O sight thrice-welcome to my joyful soul, To see the king, my father, issue safe From dangerous battle of my conquering love!
SOLDAN. Well met, my only dear Zenocrate, Though with the loss of Egypt and my crown!
TAMBURLAINE. 'Twas I, my lord, that gat the victory; And therefore grieve not at your overthrow, Since I shall render all into your hands, And add more strength to your dominions Than ever yet confirm'd th' Egyptian crown. The god of war resigns his room to me, Meaning to make me general of the world: Jove, viewing me in arms, looks pale and wan, Fearing my power should [304] pull him from his throne: Where'er I come the Fatal Sisters sweat, [305] And grisly Death, by running to and fro, To do their ceaseless homage to my sword: And here in Afric, where it seldom rains, Since I arriv'd with my triumphant host, Have swelling clouds, drawn from wide-gaping [306] wounds, Been oft resolv'd [307] in bloody purple showers, A meteor that might terrify the earth, And make it quake at every drop it drinks: Millions [308] of souls sit on the banks of Styx, Waiting the back-return of Charon's boat; Hell and Elysium [309] swarm with ghosts of men That I have sent from sundry foughten fields To spread my fame through hell and up to heaven: And see, my lord, a sight of strange import,— Emperors and kings lie breathless at my feet; The Turk and his great empress, as it seems, Left to themselves while we were at the fight, Have desperately despatch'd their slavish lives: With them Arabia, too, hath left his life: All sights of power to grace my victory; And such are objects fit for Tamburlaine, Wherein, as in a mirror, may be seen His honour, that consists in shedding blood When men presume to manage arms with him.
SOLDAN. Mighty hath God and Mahomet made thy hand, Renowmed [310] Tamburlaine, to whom all kings Of force must yield their crowns and emperies; And I am pleas'd with this my overthrow, If, as beseems a person of thy state, Thou hast with honour us'd Zenocrate.
TAMBURLAINE. Her state and person want no pomp, you see; And for all blot of foul inchastity, I record [311] heaven, her heavenly self is clear: Then let me find no further time [312] to grace Her princely temples with the Persian crown; But here these kings that on my fortunes wait, And have been crown'd for proved worthiness Even by this hand that shall establish them, Shall now, adjoining all their hands with mine, Invest her here the [313] Queen of Persia What saith the noble Soldan, and Zenocrate?
SOLDAN. I yield with thanks and protestations Of endless honour to thee for her love.
TAMBURLAINE. Then doubt I not [314] but fair Zenocrate Will soon consent to satisfy us both.
ZENOCRATE. Else [315] should I much forget myself, my lord.
THERIDAMAS. Then let us set the crown upon her head, That long hath linger'd for so high a seat.
TECHELLES. My hand is ready to perform the deed; For now her marriage-time shall work us rest.
USUMCASANE. And here's the crown, my lord; help set it on. [316]
TAMBURLAINE. Then sit thou down, divine Zenocrate; And here we crown thee Queen of Persia, And all the kingdoms and dominions That late the power of Tamburlaine subdu'd. As Juno, when the giants were suppress'd, That darted mountains at her brother Jove, So looks my love, shadowing in her brows Triumphs and trophies for my victories; Or as Latona's daughter, bent to arms, Adding more courage to my conquering mind. To gratify the[e], sweet Zenocrate, Egyptians, Moors, and men of Asia, From Barbary unto the Western India, Shall pay a yearly tribute to thy sire; And from the bounds of Afric to the banks Of Ganges shall his mighty arm extend.— And now, my lords and loving followers, That purchas'd kingdoms by your martial deeds, Cast off your armour, put on scarlet robes, Mount up your royal places of estate, Environed with troops of noblemen, And there make laws to rule your provinces: Hang up your weapons on Alcides' post[s]; For Tamburlaine takes truce with all the world.— Thy first-betrothed love, Arabia, Shall we with honour, as beseems, [317] entomb With this great Turk and his fair emperess. Then, after all these solemn exequies, We will our rites [318] of marriage solemnize.
[Exeunt.]
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 1: To the Gentlemen-readers, &c.] From the 8vo of 1592: in the 4tos this address is worded here and there differently. I have not thought it necessary to mark the varioe lectiones of the worthy printer's composition.]
[Footnote 2: histories] i.e. dramas so called,—plays founded on history.]
[Footnote 3: fond] i.e. foolish.—Concerning the omissions here alluded to, some remarks will be found in the ACCOUNT OF MARLOWE AND HIS WRITINGS.]
The "Account of Marlowe and His Writings," is the introduction to this book of 'The Works of Christopher Marlowe.' That is, the book from which this play has been transcribed. The following is from pages xvi and xvii of that introduction.
"This tragedy, which was entered in the Stationers' Books, 14th August, 1590,[a] and printed during the same year, has not come down to us in its original fulness; and probably we have no cause to lament the curtailments which it suffered from the publisher of the first edition. "I have purposely," he says, "omitted and left out some fond 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."[b] By the words, "fond and frivolous gestures," we are to understand those of the "clown;" who very frequently figured, with more or less prominence, even in the most serious dramas of the time. The introduction of such buffooneries into tragedy[c] is censured by Hall towards the conclusion of a passage which, as it mentions "the Turkish Tamberlaine," would seem to be partly levelled at Marlowe:[d]
"One higher-pitch'd doth set his soaring thought On crowned kings that Fortune hath low brought, Or some vpreared high-aspiring swaine, As it might be THE TURKISH TAMBERLAINE. Then weeneth he his base drink-drowned spright Rapt to the three-fold loft of heauen hight, When he conceiues vpon his fained stage The stalking steps of his greate personage, Graced with huf-cap termes and thundring threats, That his poore hearers' hayre quite vpright sets.
* * * * * * * * *
NOW, LEAST SUCH FRIGHTFULL SHOWES OF FORTUNE'S FALL AND BLOUDY TYRANTS' RAGE SHOULD CHANCE APALL THE DEAD-STROKE AUDIENCE, MIDST THE SILENT ROUT COMES LEAPING IN A SELFE-MISFORMED LOUT, AND LAUGHES, AND GRINS, AND FRAMES HIS MIMIK FACE, AND IUSTLES STRAIGHT INTO THE PRINCE'S PLACE: THEN DOTH THE THEATRE ECCHO ALL ALOUD WITH GLADSOME NOYSE OF THAT APPLAUDING CROWD: A GOODLY HOCH-POCH, WHEN VILE RUSSETTINGS ARE MATCHD WITH MONARCHS AND WITH MIGHTIE KINGS!"[e]
But Hall's taste was more refined and classical than that of his age; and the success of TAMBURLAINE, in which the celebrated Alleyn represented the hero,[f] was adequate to the most sanguine expectations which its author could have formed.]
[a] "A ballad entituled the storye of Tamburlayne the greate," &c. (founded, I suppose, on Marlowe's play) was entered in the Stationers' Books, 5th Nov. 1594.
[b] P. 4 of the present volume.
[c] In Italy, at the commencement of the 18th century (and probably much later), it was not unusual to introduce "the Doctor," "Harlequin," "Pantalone," and "Coviello," into deep tragedies. "I have seen," says Addison, "a translation of THE CID acted at Bolonia, which would never have taken, had they not found a place in it for these buffoons." REMARKS ON SEVERAL PARTS OF ITALY, &C. IN THE YEARS 1701, 1702, 1703, p. 68, ed. 1745.
[d] Perhaps I ought to add, that Marlowe was dead when (in 1597) the satire, from which these lines are quoted, was first given to the press.
[e] Hall's VIRGID. Lib. I. Sat. iii., ed. 1602.
[Footnote 4: censures] i.e. judgments, opinions.]
[Footnote 5: Afric] So the 8vo.—The 4to "Affrica."]
[Footnote 6: their] Old eds. "his."]
[Footnote 7: through] So the 4to.—The 8vo "thorough."]
[Footnote 8: incivil] i.e. barbarous.—So the 8vo.—The 4to "vnciuill."]
[Footnote 9: incontinent] i.e. forthwith, immediately.]
[Footnote 10: chiefest] So the 8vo.—The 4to "chiefe."]
[Footnote 11: rout] i.e. crew.]
[Footnote 12: press] So the 8vo.—The 4to "prease."]
[Footnote 13: you] So the 8vo.—0mitted in the 4to.]
[Footnote 14: all] So the 4to.—0mitted in the 8vo.]
[Footnote 15: mated] i.e. confounded.]
[Footnote 16: pass not] i.e. care not.]
[Footnote 17: regiment] i.e. rule, government.]
[Footnote 18: resolve] i.e. dissolve.—So the 8vo.—The 4to "dissolue."]
[Footnote 19: ships] So the 4to.—The 8vo "shippe."]
[Footnote 20: Pass] So the 8vo.—The 4to "Hast."]
[Footnote 21: you] So the 8vo.—The 4to "they."]
[Footnote 22: Ceneus] Here both the old eds. "Conerus."]
[Footnote 23: states] i.e. noblemen, persons of rank.]
[Footnote 24: their] So the 8vo.—The 4to "the."]
[Footnote 25: and Persia] So the 8vo.—The 4to "and OF Persia."]
[Footnote 26: ever-raging] So the 8vo.—The 4to "RIUER raging."]
[Footnote 27: ALL] So the 4to.—Omitted in the 8vo.]
[Footnote 28: And Jove may, &c.] i.e. And may Jove, &c. This collocation of words is sometimes found in later writers: so in the Prologue to Fletcher's WOMAN'S PRIZE,—"WHICH this may PROVE!"]
[Footnote 29: knew] So the 8vo.—The 4to "knowe."]
[Footnote 30: lords] So the 4to.—The 8vo "Lord."]
[Footnote 31: injury] This verb frequently occurs in our early writers. "Then haue you INIURIED manie." Lyly's ALEXANDER AND CAMPASPE, sig. D 4, ed. 1591. It would seem to have fallen into disuse soon after the commencement of the 17th century: in Heywood's WOMAN KILLED WITH KINDNESS, 1607, we find,
"You INJURY that good man, and wrong me too." Sig. F 2.
but in ed. 1617 "injury" is altered to "iniure."]
[Footnote 32: ALL] So the 4to.—0mitted in the 8vo.]
[Footnote 33: Who, travelling, &c.] The halting metre shews that there is some corruption in this and the next line.]
[Footnote 34: thorough] So the 8vo.—The 4to "through."]
[Footnote 35: unvalued] i.e. not to be valued, or estimated.]
[Footnote 36: conceit] i.e. fancy, imagination.]
[Footnote 37: Rhodope] Old eds. "Rhodolfe."]
[Footnote 38: valurous] i.e. valuable.]
[Footnote 39: pools] So the 8vo.—The 4to "Poles."]
[Footnote 40: resolv'd] i.e. dissolved.—So the 8vo.—The 4to "desolu'd."]
[Footnote 41: Shall we all offer] The 8vo "Shall we offer" (the word "all" having dropt out).—The 4to "WE ALL SHALL offer."]
[Footnote 42: in] The 8vo "it."—Omitted in the 4to.]
[Footnote 43: triumph'd] So the 8vo.—The 4to "tryumph."]
[Footnote 44: brave] i.e. splendidly clad.]
[Footnote 45: top] So the 4to.—The 8vo "foot."]
[Footnote 46: mails] i.e. bags, budgets.]
[Footnote 47: lance] So the 4to.—Here the 8vo has "lanch;" but more than once in the SEC. PART of the play it has "lance."]
[Footnote 48: this] So the 8vo.—The 4to "the."—Qy. "Where is this Scythian SHEPHERD Tamburlaine"? Compare the next words of Theridamas.]
[Footnote 49: vaults] Here the 8vo has "vauts,"—"which," says one of the modern editors, "was common in Marlowe's time:" and so it was; but in the SEC. PART of this play, act ii. sc. 4, the same 8vo gives,—
"As we descend into the infernal VAULTS."]
[Footnote 50: thy] So the 8vo.—The 4to "the."]
[Footnote 51: brave] See note in preceding column.[i.e. note 44.]]
[Footnote 52: renowmed] i.e. renowned.—So the 8vo.—The 4to "renowned." —The form "RENOWMED" (Fr. renomme) occurs repeatedly afterwards in this play, according to the 8vo. It is occasionally found in writers posterior to Marlowe's time. e.g.
"Of Constantines great towne RENOUM'D in vaine." Verses to King James, prefixed to Lord Stirling's MONARCHICKE TRAGEDIES, ed. 1607.]
[Footnote 53: cliffs] So the 8vo.—The 4to "cliftes."]
[Footnote 54: merchants] i.e. merchant-men, ships of trade.]
[Footnote 55: stems] i.e. prows.]
[Footnote 56: vail] i.e. lower their flags.]
[Footnote 57: Bootes] The 8vo "Botees."—The 4to "Boetes."]
[Footnote 58: competitor] i.e. associate, partner (a sense in which the word is used by Shakespeare).]
[Footnote 59: To these] Old eds. "ARE these."]
[Footnote 60: renowmed] See note , p. 11.[i.e. note 52.] So the 8vo. The 4to "renowned."]
[Footnote 61: statues] So the 4to.—"The first edition reads 'statutes,' but, as the Scythians worshipped Pylades and Orestes in temples, we have adopted the reading of the quarto as being most probably the correct one." Ed. 1826.]
[Footnote 62: kings] So the 8vo.—The 4to "king."]
[Footnote 63: Nor thee nor them] The modern editors silently print "Nor THEY nor THEIRS."]
[Footnote 64: will] So the 8vo.—Omitted in the 4to.]
[Footnote 65: pitch] Is generally equivalent to—stature. ("I would have you tell me what PITCH he was of, Velim mihi dicas qua STATURA fuerit." Coles's DICT.) But here it means the highest part of the body,—the shoulders (see the 10th sign. of PITCH in Halliwell's DICT. OF ARCH. AND PROV. WORDS),—the "pearl" being, of course, his head.]
[Footnote 66: and] So the 4to.—The 8vo "with."]
[Footnote 67: His arms and fingers long and sinewy] So the 8vo, except that, by a misprint, it has "snowy" for "sinewy."—The 4to gives the line thus,—
"His armes long, HIS fingers SNOWY-WHITE."!!
(and so the line used to stand in Lamb's SPEC. OF DRAM. POETS, till I made the necessary alteration in Mr. Moxon's recent ed. of that selection.)]
[Footnote 68: subdu'd] So the 8vo.—The 4to "subdue."]
[Footnote 69: Nature doth strive with Fortune, &c.] Qy did Shakespeare recollect this passage when he wrote,—
"Nature and Fortune join'd to make thee great"? KING JOHN, act iii. sc. 1.]
[Footnote 70: port] i.e. gate.]
[Footnote 71: is] So the 8vo.—The 4to "in."]
[Footnote 72: In fair, &c.] Here "fair" is to be considered as a dissyllable: compare, in the Fourth Act of our author's JEW OF MALTA,
"I'll feast you, lodge you, give you FAIR words, And, after that," &c.]
[Footnote 73: of] i.e. on.]
[Footnote 74: worse] So the 8vo.—The 4to "worst."]
[Footnote 75: the] So the 8vo.—The 4to "that."]
[Footnote 76: his] So the 8vo.—The 4to "the."]
[Footnote 77: be] So the 8vo.—The 4to "are."]
[Footnote 78: Beside] So the 8vo.—The 4to "Besides."]
[Footnote 79: champion] i.e. champaign.]
[Footnote 80: greedy after] Old eds. "after greedie."]
[Footnote 81: Sprung] Here, and in the next speech, both the old eds. "Sprong": but in p. 18, l. 3, first col., the 4to has "sprung", and in the SEC. PART of the play, act iv. sc. 4, they both give "SPRUNG from a tyrants loynes."
[Page 18, First Column, Line 3, This Play: "For he was never sprung[118: of human race,"]
[Footnote 82: teeth of] So the 8vo.—Omitted in the 4to.]
[Footnote 83: lance] Here both the old eds. "lanch": but see note , p. 11.(i.e. note 47.)]
[Footnote 84: the] So the 8vo.—0mitted in the 4to.]
[Footnote 85: some] So the 4to.—The 8vo "scorne."]
[Footnote 86: will] So the 8vo.—The 4to "shall."]
[Footnote 87: top] i.e. rise above, surpass.—Old eds. "stop."]
[Footnote 88: renowmed] See note , p. 11.[i.e. note 52.] So the 8vo. The 4to "renowned."]
[Footnote 89: thirst] The 8vo "thrust": the 4to "thrist."]
[Footnote 90: and] So the 4to.—The 8vo "not."]
[Footnote 91: the fair] So the 8vo.—The 4to "THEE faire."]
[Footnote 92: she] i.e. Nemesis.]
[Footnote 93: Rhamnus'] Old eds. "Rhamnis."]
[Footnote 94: meeds] So the 8vo.—The 4to "deeds."]
[Footnote 95: into] Used here (as the word was formerly often used) for UNTO.]
[Footnote 96: sure] A dissyllable here. In the next line "assure" is a trisyllable.]
[Footnote 97: with his crown in his hand] The old eds. add "offering to hide it;" but THAT he does presently after.]
[Footnote 98: those were] i.e. those who were, who have been.]
[Footnote 99: Stand staggering] So the 8vo.—The 4to "Stand THOSE staggering."]
[Footnote 100: For kings are clouts that every man shoots at,
Our crown the pin, &c.
CLOUT means the white mark in the butts; PIN, the peg in the centre, which fastened it.]
[Footnote 101: me] So the 4to.—Omitted in the 8vo.]
[Footnote 102: MYCETES. Ay, marry, &c.] From this to "TAMBURLAINE. Well, I mean you shall have it again" inclusive, the dialogue is prose: compare act iv. sc. 4, p. 29.]
[Footnote 103: renowmed man-at-arms] See note , p. 11.[i.e. note 52.] So the 8vo. The 4to "RENOWNED MEN at armes."]
[Footnote 104: chiefest] So the 4to.—The 8vo "chiefe."]
[Footnote 105: happy] So the 8vo.—The 4to "happiest."]
[Footnote 106: aim'd] So the 4to.—The 8vo "and."]
[Footnote 107: it] So the 4to.—The 8vo "is."]
[Footnote 108: our] So the 4to.—Omitted in the 8vo.]
[Footnote 109: we] So the 8vo.—The 4to "I."]
[Footnote 110: in earth] i.e. on earth. So in the Lord's Prayer, "Thy will be done IN EARTH."]
[Footnote 111: Casane] Both the old eds. here "Casanes."]
[Footnote 112: a-piece] So the 4to.—The 8vo "apace."]
[Footnote 113: purchase] i.e. booty, gain.]
[Footnote 114: quite] i.e. requite.]
[Footnote 115: this] So ([[deiktikos]]) the 8vo.—The 4to "the."]
[Footnote 116: him] Old eds. "his."]
[Footnote 117: and] So the 8vo.—The 4to "with."]
[Footnote 118: sprung] See note , p. 14.[i.e. note 81.]]
[Footnote 119: dares] So the 8vo.—The 4to "dare."]
[Footnote 120: fate] Old eds. "state."]
[Footnote 121: Resolve] Seems to mean—dissolve (compare "our bodies turn to elements," p. 12, sec. col.): but I suspect some corruption here.
Page 12, Second Column, This Play: "TAMBURLAINE. . . . . Until our bodies turn to elements, And both our souls aspire celestial thrones.—" etc.]]
[Footnote 122: Barbarous] Qy. "O barbarous"? in the next line but one, "O treacherous"? and in the last line of the speech, "O bloody"? But we occasionally find in our early dramatists lines which are defective in the first syllable; and in some of these instances at least it would almost seem that nothing has been omitted by the transcriber or printer.]
[Footnote 123: artier] i.e. artery. This form occurs again in the SEC. PART of the present play: so too in a copy of verses by Day;]
"Hid in the vaines and ARTIERS of the earthe." SHAKESPEARE SOC. PAPERS, vol. i. 19.
The word indeed was variously written of old:
"The ARTER strynge is the conduyt of the lyfe spiryte." Hormanni VULGARIA, sig. G iii. ed. 1530.
"Riche treasures serue for th'ARTERS of the war." Lord Stirling's DARIUS, act ii. Sig. C 2. ed. 1604.
"Onelye the extrauagant ARTIRE of my arme is brused." EVERIE WOMAN IN HER HUMOR, 1609, sig. D 4.
"And from the veines some bloud each ARTIRE draines." Davies's MICROCOSMOS, 1611, p. 56.]
[Footnote 124: regiment] i.e. rule.]
[Footnote 125: fruit] So the 4to.—The 8vo "fruites."]
[Footnote 126: are] Old eds. "Is."]
[Footnote 127: talents] Was often used by our early writers for TALONS, as many passages might be adduced to shew. Hence the quibble in Shakespeare's LOVE'S LABOUR<KOST, act iv. sc. 2., "If a TALENT be a claw," &c.]
[Footnote 128: harpy] So the 8vo.—The 4to "Harper;" and with that reading the line is cited, in a note on MACBETH, act iv. sc. 1, by Steevens, who also gives "tires UPON my life;" but "TIRES" (a well-known term in falconry, and equivalent here to—preys) is to be pronounced as a dissyllable. (In the 4to it in spelt "tyers."]
[Footnote 129: the] So the 4to.—The 8vo "thy."]
[Footnote 130: bassoes] i.e. bashaws.]
[Footnote 131: Christians renied] i.e. Christians who have denied, or renounced their faith.—In THE GENT. MAGAZINE for Jan. 1841, J. M. would read "Christians RENEGADENS" or "CHRISTIAN RENEGADES:"
but the old text is right; among many passages that might be cited, compare the following;
"And that Ydole is the God of false Cristene, that han RENEYED hire FEYTHE." THE VOIAGE AND TRAVAILE OF SIR JOHN MAUNDEVILE, p. 209. ed. 1725.
"For that thou should'st RENY THY FAITH, and her thereby possesse. The Soldan did capitulat in vaine: the more thy blesse." Warner's ALBIONS ENGLAND, B. XI. Ch. 68. p. 287. ed. 1596.]
[Footnote 132: Terrene] i.e. Mediterranean.]
[Footnote 133: Renowmed] See note , p. 11.[i.e. note 52.] So the 8vo. The 4to "renowned."]
[Footnote 134: basso] So the 8vo.—The 4to "Brother."]
[Footnote 135: Not] So the 8vo.—The 4to "Nor."]
[Footnote 136: in] So the 8vo.—The 4to "on."]
[Footnote 137: Or spread, &c.] A word has dropt out from this line.]
[Footnote 138: measur'd heaven] So the 8vo.—The 4to "measured THE heauen."]
[Footnote 139: pioners] The usual spelling of the word in our early writers (in Shakespeare, for instance).]
[Footnote 140: ceaseless] So the 8vo.—The 4to "carelesse."]
[Footnote 141: conceits] i.e[.] fancies, imaginations.]
[Footnote 142: counterfeit] i.e. picture, resemblance.]
[Footnote 143: his] So the 8vo.—The 4to "the."]
[Footnote 144: you] So the 8vo.—The 4to "me."]
[Footnote 145: Leave] The author probably wrote, "AGYDAS, leave," &c.]
[Footnote 146: facts] i.e. deeds.]
[Footnote 147: much] So the 8vo.—The 4to "more."]
[Footnote 148: Pierides] i.e. The daughters of Pierus, who, having challenged the Muses to a trial of song, were overcome, and changed into magpies.]
[Footnote 149: the young Arabian] Scil. Alcidamus; see p. 10, l. 9, sec. col.
(Page 10, Second Column, Line 9, This Play: "Where her betrothed lord, Alcidamus,")]
[Footnote 150: Fearing his love] i.e. Fearing with respect to his love.]
[Footnote 151: of] so the 4to.—The 8vo "and."]
[Footnote 152: fury] So the 4to.—The 8vo "furies."]
[Footnote 153: shone] Old eds. "shine."]
[Footnote 154: send] Old eds. "sent."]
[Footnote 155: menace] So the 8vo.—The 4to "meane."]
[Footnote 156: fetch] So the 8vo.—The 4to "fetcht."]
[Footnote 157: set] So the 8vo.—The 4to "seate."]
[Footnote 158: Terrene] i.e. Mediterranean.]
[Footnote 159: to rest or breathe] So the 8vo.—The 4to "to BREATH AND REST."]
[Footnote 160: bastones] i.e. bastinadoes.]
[Footnote 161: they] So the 8vo.—0mitted in the 4to.]
[Footnote 162: Morocco] Here the old eds. "Moroccus,"—a barbarism which I have not retained, because previously, in the stage-direction at the commencement of this act, p. 19, they agree in reading "Morocco."]
[Footnote 163: titles] So the 8vo.—The 4to "title."]
[Footnote 164: sarell] i.e. seraglio.]
[Footnote 165: I'll] So the 8vo.—The 4to "I will."]
[Footnote 166: the] So the 8vo.—The 4to "this."]
[Footnote 167: hugy] i.e. huge.]
[Footnote 168: renowm'd] See note , p. 11.[i.e. note 52.] So the 8vo. The 4to "renowned."]
[Footnote 169: of] So the 8vo.—The 4to "all."]
[Footnote 170: rule] So the 8vo.—The 4to "raigne."]
[Footnote 171: braver] So the 8vo.—The 4to "braue."]
[Footnote 172: pash] i.e. crush to pieces by a stroke.]
[Footnote 173: y-sprung] Here the old eds. "ySPRONG."—See note , p. 14. i.e. note 81.]
[Footnote 174: them] Old eds. "thee."]
[Footnote 175: the] Has perhaps crept in by a mistake of the transcriber or printer.]
[Footnote 176: And make your strokes to wound the senseless light] The old eds. have,
"And make OUR strokes to wound the sencelesse LURE."
(the last word being, perhaps, in the 8vo "lute.") Here "light" is a very questionable reading: qy. "air"? (though the third line above ends with that word).)]
[Footnote 177: boss] In the GENT. MAG. for Jan. 1841, J. M. proposed to alter "boss" to "Bassa." But Cotgrave, in his DICT., has; "A fat BOSSE. Femme bien grasse et grosse; une coche."]
[Footnote 178: advocate] So the 4to.—The 8vo "aduocates."]
[Footnote 179: That dare, &c.] Something dropt out from this line.]
[Footnote 180: Re-enter Bajazeth, pursued by Tamburlaine] The old eds. have,
"Bajazeth flies, and he pursues him. The battell short (Qto. is short), and they enter, Bajazeth is ouercome."
This not very intelligible stage-direction means perhaps that, after Bajazeth and Tamburlaine had entered, a short combat was to take place between them.]
[Footnote 181: foil] The old eds. "soil."]
[Footnote 182: gat] So the 8vo.—The 4to "got."]
[Footnote 183: pilling] i.e. plundering.]
[Footnote 184: British] So the 4to.—The 8vo "brightest."]
[Footnote 185: martial] So the 8vo.—The 4to "materiall."]
[Footnote 186: Awake, ye men of Memphis!] These words are put into the mouth of Judas, in Fletcher's BONDUCA, at the commencement of act ii.; and in Fletcher's WIT WITHOUT MONEY, act v. sc. 2. we find "thou man of Memphis."]
[Footnote 187: basilisks] Pieces of ordnance so called. They were of immense size; see Douce's ILLUST. OF SHAKESPEARE, i. 425.]
[Footnote 188: monstrous] To be read as a trisyllable.]
[Footnote 189: Or ever-drizzling] So the 4to.—The 8vo "Or drisling."]
[Footnote 190: should] So the 4to.—The 8vo "shal."]
[Footnote 191: he devil] So the 8vo.—The 4to "he THE deuill."]
[Footnote 192: Arabian king] Scil. Alcidamus: see p. 10, l. 9, sec. col.
(Page 10, Second Column, Line 9, This Play: "Where her betrothed lord, Alcidamus,")]
[Footnote 193: it] So the 4to.—Omitted in the 8vo.]
[Footnote 194: it should] So the 4to.—The 8vo "should it."]
[Footnote 195: this] So the 8vo.—The 4to "it."]
[Footnote 196: into] So the 4to.—The 8vo "vnto."]
[Footnote 197: heart] So the 4to.—The 8vo "soul."]
[Footnote 198: stoop] Qy. "stoop, STOOP"?]
[Footnote 199: your] Old eds. "their."—Compare the tenth line of the speech.]
[Footnote 200: to] So the 8vo.—The 4to "on."]
[Footnote 201: brent] i.e. burnt. So the 8vo.—The 4to "burnt."]
[Footnote 202: kings] So the 8vo.—The 4to "king."]
[Footnote 203: from] So the 4to.—The 8vo "in."]
[Footnote 204: then, for you] So the 4to.—The 8vo "for you then."]
[Footnote 205: stark nak'd] Compare (among many passages which might be cited from our early poets),—
"rather on Nilus' mud Lay me STARK NAK'D, and let the water-flies Blow me into abhorring!" Shakespeare's ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA, act v. sc. 2. (where the modern editors print "naked.")]
[Footnote 206: dignities] So the 8vo.—The 4to "dignitie."]
[Footnote 207: whiles] So the 8vo.—The 4to "while."]
[Footnote 208: shalt] So the 4to.—The 8vo "shal."]
[Footnote 209: grace] Olds eds. "grac'd."]
[Footnote 210: stature] So the 8vo.—The 4to "statue:" but again, in the SECOND PART of this play, act ii. sc. 4, we have, according to the 8vo—
"And here will I set up her STATURE."
and, among many passages that might be cited from our early authors, compare the following;
"The STATURES huge, of Porphyrie and costlier matters made." Warner's ALBIONS ENGLAND, p. 303. ed. 1596.
"By them shal Isis STATURE gently stand." Chapman's BLIND BEGGER OF ALEXANDRIA, 1598, sig. A 3.
"Was not Anubis with his long nose of gold preferred before Neptune, whose STATURE was but brasse?" Lyly's MIDAS, sig. A 2. ed. 1592.]
[Footnote 211: bird] i.e. the ibis.]
[Footnote 212: are] Old eds. "is."]
[Footnote 213: country] Old eds. "countries."]
[Footnote 214: King of Arabia] i.e. Alcidamus; see p. 10, l. 9, sec. col.
(Page 10, Second Column, Line 9, This Play: "Where her betrothed lord, Alcidamus,")]
[Footnote 215: Calydonian] So the 8vo.—The 4to "Calcedonian."]
[Footnote 216: lusty] So the 8vo.—Omitted in the 4to.]
[Footnote 217: and] So the 4to.—0mitted in the 8vo.]
[Footnote 218: Renowmed] See note . p. 11.[i.e. note 52.] So the 8vo. The 4to "Renow[ned."]]
[Footnote 219: Ibis' holy name] The ibis has been already alluded to in the lines (p. 27, sec. col.),—
"The golden stature of their feather'd bird, That spreads her wings upon the city-walls";
and it is well known to have been a sacred bird among the Egyptians (see Cicero DE NAT. DEORUM, I. 36). Compare the old play of THE TAMING OF A SHREW;
"Father, I SWEARE BY IBIS' GOLDEN BEAKE, More faire and radiente is my bonie Kate Then siluer Zanthus," &c. p. 22. ed. Shakespeare Soc.
In the passage of our text the modern editors substitute "Isis'" for "Ibis'."]
[Footnote 220: the] So the 8vo.—The 4to "and."]
[Footnote 221: and] So the 8vo.—Omitted in the 4to.]
[Footnote 222: thy baseness and] So the 8vo.—The 4to "THE basnesse OF."]
[Footnote 223: mask] So the 8vo.—The 4to "walke."]
[Footnote 224: My lord, &c.] Something has dropt out: qy. "TAMELY suffer"?]
[Footnote 225: a goodly refreshing for them] So the 8vo.—The 4to "a GOOD refreshing TO them."]
[Footnote 226: Here] So the 8vo.—The 4to "there."]
[Footnote 227: it from] So the 8vo.—The 4to "it VP from."]
[Footnote 228: slice] So the 8vo.—The 4to "fleece."]
[Footnote 229: will fall] So the 8vo.—The 4to "will NOT fall."]
[Footnote 230: let] i.e. hinder.]
[Footnote 231: while] i.e. until.]
[Footnote 232: consort] i.e. band.]
[Footnote 233: pen] i.e. his sword.]
[Footnote 234: hastening] So the 4to.—The 8vo "hasting."]
[Footnote 235: 'specially] So the 8vo.—The 4to "especially."]
[Footnote 236: Morocco] Here and in the next speech the old eds. have "Morocus" and "Moroccus:" but see note , p. 22.(i.e. note 162.)]
[Footnote 237: plage] i.e. region.—Old eds. "place."]
[Footnote 238: valour] Old eds. "value."]
[Footnote 239: again] So the 8vo.—Omitted in the 4to.]
[Footnote 240: renowm'd] See note . p. 11.[i.e. note 52.] So the 8vo. The 4to "renown'd."]
[Footnote 241: Damascus] Both the old eds. here "Damasco:" but in many other places they agree in reading "Damascus."]
[Footnote 242: remorse] i.e. pity.]
[Footnote 243: sakes] So the 8vo.—The 4to. "sake."]
[Footnote 244: blubber'd] That this word formerly conveyed no ludicrous idea, appears from many passages of our early writers.]
[Footnote 245: And use us like a loving conqueror] "i.e. And that he will use us like, &c." Ed. 1826.]
[Footnote 246: care] So the 4to.—The 8vo "cares."]
[Footnote 247: helps] So the 8vo.—The 4to "help."]
[Footnote 248: or] So the 8vo.—The 4to "for."]
[Footnote 249: power] So the 8vo.—The 4to "powers."]
[Footnote 250: knew] So the 8vo.—The 4to "know."]
[Footnote 251: Reflexed] Old eds. "Reflexing."]
[Footnote 252: their] Old eds. "your."]
[Footnote 253: As] So the 8vo.—The 4to "And."]
[Footnote 254: tents] So the 8vo.—The 4to "tent."]
[Footnote 255: submission] Old eds. "submissions."]
[Footnote 256: of ruth and] So the 8vo.—The 4to "AND ruth OF."]
[Footnote 257: conceit] i.e. fancy, imagination.]
[Footnote 258: Hath] So the 4to.—The 8vo "Haue."]
[Footnote 259: nourish'd] So the 8vo.—The 4to "nourish."]
[Footnote 260: wish'd] So the 8vo.—The 4to "wish."]
[Footnote 261: imperious] So the 8vo.—The 4to "imprecious."]
[Footnote 262: passion] i.e. sorrow.]
[Footnote 263: resolved] i.e. dissolved.]
[Footnote 264: Eyes, when that Ebena steps to heaven, &c.] Either the transcriber or the printer has made sad work with this passage; nor am I able to suggest any probable emendation.]
[Footnote 265: fight] So the 8vo.—The 4to "fights."]
[Footnote 266: Persia's] Old eds. "Perseans," and "Persians."]
[Footnote 267: still] i.e. distil.]
[Footnote 268: I thus conceiving, and subduing both, That which hath stoop'd the chiefest of the gods, Even from the fiery-spangled veil of heaven, To feel the lovely warmth of shepherds' flames, And mask in cottages of strowed reeds, &c.
i.e. I thus feeling, and also subduing, the power of Beauty, which has drawn down the chiefest of the gods even from, &c.
The 8vo has, "I thus conceiuing and subduing both. That which hath STOPT the TEMPEST of the Gods, Euen from the fiery spangled vaile of heauen, To feele the louely warmth of shepheards flames, And MARTCH in cottages of strowed WEEDS," &c.
The 4to has, "I thus concieuing and subduing both, That which hath STOPT the TEMPEST of the Gods, Euen from the SPANGLED FIRIE vaile of heauen, To feele the louely warmth of Shepheardes flames, And MARCH in COATCHES of strowed WEEDES," &c.
The alterations which I have made in this corrupted passage are supported by the following lines of the play;
"See now, ye slaves, my children STOOP YOUR PRIDE (i.e. make your pride to stoop), And lead your bodies sheep-like to the sword." Part Second,—act iv. sc. 1.
"The chiefest god, FIRST MOVER OF THAT SPHERE", &c. Part First,—act iv. sc. 2.
"Jove SOMETIME masked IN A SHEPHERD'S WEED", &c. Part First,—act i. sc. 2.
Perhaps in the third line of the present passage "fiery-spangled" should be "FIRE-YSPANGLED."]
[Footnote 269: Attend.] Old eds. "An." (a misprint probably), which the modern editors understand as "Anippe" (the waiting-maid of Zenocrate).]
[Footnote 270: March on us with] So the 4to.—The 8vo "MARTCHT on WITH vs with."]
[Footnote 271: As if there were no way but one with us] i.e. as if we were to lose our lives. This phrase, which is common in our early writers, was not obsolete in Dryden's time: "for, if he heard the malicious trumpeter proclaiming his name before his betters, he knew THERE WAS BUT ONE WAY WITH HIM." Preface to ALL FOR LOVE.]
[Footnote 272: pore] So the 8vo.—The 4to "dore."]
[Footnote 273: in] i.e. on.]
[Footnote 274: stay] Old eds. "aie" and "aye."]
[Footnote 275: retorqued] i.e. bent back in reflections on our former happiness. So the 8vo.—The 4to "retortued."]
[Footnote 276: A] Old eds. "As."]
[Footnote 277: Elysium] Old eds. "Elisian."]
[Footnote 278: thoughts] So the 8vo.—The 4to "thought."]
[Footnote 279: parbreak] i.e. vomit.]
[Footnote 280: abjection] Old eds. "obiection."]
[Footnote 281: villainess] i.e. servant, slave,]
[Footnote 282: ruth] So the 8vo.—The 4to "truth."]
[Footnote 283: resolve] i.e. dissolve.]
[Footnote 284: bann'd] i.e. cursed.]
[Footnote 285: the] So the 4to.—The 8vo "thy."]
[Footnote 286: ever-living] So the 8vo.—The 4to. "euerlasting."]
[Footnote 287: give] So the 4to.—The 8vo "AND giue."]
[Footnote 288: her] Must mean Zenocrate, whom Zabina fancies herself to be addressing.]
[Footnote 289: Let the soldiers be buried.—Hell, death, Tamburlaine] So the 8vo.—Omitted in the 4to. (Where the modern editors got their reading, "Let the soldiers be CURSED," I know not.)]
[Footnote 290: Make ready my coach] Shakespeare seems to have remembered this passage when he made Ophelia say, "Come, my coach," &c. HAMLET, act iv. sc. 5.]
[Footnote 291: I come, I come, I come] So the 8vo.—The 4to "I come, I come."]
[Footnote 292: Egyptians'] So the 4to.—The 8vo "Egiptian.']
[Footnote 293: The] Old eds. "Thy."]
[Footnote 294: thy] So the 8vo.—The 4to "thine."]
[Footnote 295: war] So the 8vo.—The 4to "warres."]
[Footnote 296: Come] Old eds. "Comes" and "Comep."]
[Footnote 297: Armed] So the 8vo.—The 4to "Armes."]
[Footnote 298: final] So the 4to.—The 8vo "small."]
[Footnote 299: King of Arabia] i.e. Alcidamus; see p. 10, l. 9, sec. col.]
[Page 10, Second Column, Line 9, This Play: "Where her betrothed lord, Alcidamus,"]
[Footnote 300: thy] So the 4to.—The 8vo "my."]
[Footnote 301: conceit] i.e. fancy, imagination.]
[Footnote 302: have] So the 8vo.—The 4to "hath."]
[Footnote 303: Euphrates] So our old poets invariably, I believe, accentuate this word. [Note: 'Euphrates' was printed with no accented characters at all.]
[Footnote 304: should] So the 8vo.—The 4to "shall."]
[Footnote 305: sweat] So the 8vo.—The 4to "sweare."]
[Footnote 306: wide-gaping] Old eds. "wide GASPING."]
[Footnote 307: resolv'd] i.e. dissolved.]
[Footnote 308: Millions] So the 8vo.—The 4to "Million."]
[Footnote 309: Elysium] Old eds. "Elisian."]
[Footnote 310: Renowmed] See note , p. 11.[i.e. note 52.] So the 8vo. The 4to "Renowned."]
[Footnote 311: record] i.e. take to witness.]
[Footnote 312: no further time] i.e. no more distant time.]
[Footnote 313: the] So the 8vo.—The 4to "my."]
[Footnote 314: I not] So the 8vo.—The 4to "not I."]
[Footnote 315: Else] So the 4to.—The 8vo "Then."]
[Footnote 316: on] So the 4to.—Omitted in the 8vo.]
[Footnote 317: as beseems] So the 4to.—The 8vo "as BEST beseemes."]
[Footnote 318: We will our rites, &c.] Old eds. "We will our CELEBRATED rites," &c.—"The word 'CELEBRATED' occurs in both the old editions, but may well be dispensed with as regards both the sense and measure." Ed. 1826. "I think this word got into the text from either the author or printer, who was perhaps the editor, doubting whether to use 'SOLEMNIZE' or 'CELEBRATE;' and it slipt from the margin, where it was probably placed, into the verse itself." J. M. in GENT. MAG. for Jan. 1841.]
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