Tamburlaine the Great — Part 2

TAMBURLAINE.  They shall, Casane, and 'tis time, i'faith.

TECHELLES.  And I have march'd along the river Nile
To Machda, where the mighty Christian priest,
Call'd John the Great, 56 (#x6_x_6_i90) sits in a milk-white robe,
Whose triple mitre I did take by force,
And made him swear obedience to my crown.
]From thence unto Cazates did I march,
Where Amazonians met me in the field,
With whom, being women, I vouchsaf'd a league,
And with my power did march to Zanzibar,
The western part of Afric, where I view'd
The Ethiopian sea, rivers and lakes,
But neither man nor child in all the land:
Therefore I took my course to Manico,
Where, 57 (#x6_x_6_i95) unresisted, I remov'd my camp;
And, by the coast of Byather, 58 (#x6_x_6_i98) at last
I came to Cubar, where the negroes dwell,
And, conquering that, made haste to Nubia.
There, having sack'd Borno, the kingly seat,
I took the king and led him bound in chains
Unto Damascus, 59 (#x6_x_6_i101) where I stay'd before.

TAMBURLAINE.  Well done, Techelles!—What saith Theridamas?

THERIDAMAS.  I left the confines and the bounds of Afric,
And made 60 (#x6_x_6_i108) a voyage into Europe,
Where, by the river Tyras, I subdu'd
Stoka, Podolia, and Codemia;
Then cross'd the sea and came to Oblia,
And Nigra Silva, where the devils dance,
Which, in despite of them, I set on fire.
]From thence I cross'd the gulf call'd by the name
Mare Majore of the inhabitants.
Yet shall my soldiers make no period
Until Natolia kneel before your feet.

TAMBURLAINE.  Then will we triumph, banquet and carouse;
Cooks shall have pensions to provide us cates,
And glut us with the dainties of the world;
Lachryma Christi and Calabrian wines
Shall common soldiers drink in quaffing bowls,
Ay, liquid gold, when we have conquer'd him, 61 (#x6_x_6_i111)
Mingled with coral and with orient 62 (#x6_x_6_i114) pearl.
Come, let us banquet and carouse the whiles.

[Exeunt.]

ACT II

SCENE I

Enter SIGISMUND, FREDERICK, and BALDWIN, with their train.

SIGISMUND.  Now say, my lords of Buda and Bohemia,
What motion is it that inflames your thoughts,
And stirs your valours to such sudden arms?

FREDERICK.  Your majesty remembers, I am sure,
What cruel slaughter of our Christian bloods
These heathenish Turks and pagans lately made
Betwixt the city Zula and Danubius;
How through the midst of Varna and Bulgaria,
And almost to the very walls of Rome,
They have, not long since, massacred our camp.
It resteth now, then, that your majesty
Take all advantages of time and power,
And work revenge upon these infidels.
Your highness knows, for Tamburlaine's repair,
That strikes a terror to all Turkish hearts,
Natolia hath dismiss'd the greatest part
Of all his army, pitch'd against our power
Betwixt Cutheia and Orminius' mount,
And sent them marching up to Belgasar,
Acantha, Antioch, and Caesarea,
To aid the kings of Soria 63 (#x6_x_6_i117) and Jerusalem.
Now, then, my lord, advantage take thereof, 64 (#x6_x_6_i120)
And issue suddenly upon the rest;
That, in the fortune of their overthrow,
We may discourage all the pagan troop
That dare attempt to war with Christians.

SIGISMUND.  But calls not, then, your grace to memory
The league we lately made with King Orcanes,
Confirm'd by oath and articles of peace,
And calling Christ for record of our truths?
This should be treachery and violence
Against the grace of our profession.

BALDWIN.  No whit, my lord; for with such infidels,
In whom no faith nor true religion rests,
We are not bound to those accomplishments
The holy laws of Christendom enjoin;
But, as the faith which they profanely plight
Is not by necessary policy
To be esteem'd assurance for ourselves,
So that we vow 65 (#x6_x_6_i123) to them should not infringe
Our liberty of arms and victory.