Tamburlaine the Great — Part 2 - Christopher Marlowe

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Jesus Christ, I solemnly protest

      And vow to keep this peace inviolable!

      ORCANES.  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 conditions 25 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 26 this league beyond Danubius' stream,

      And they will, trembling, sound a quick retreat;

      So am I fear'd among all nations.

      SIGISMUND.  If any heathen potentate or king

      Invade Natolia, Sigismund will send

      A hundred thousand horse train'd to the war,

      And back'd by 27 stout lanciers of Germany,

      The strength and sinews of the imperial seat.

      ORCANES.  I thank thee, Sigismund; but, when I war,

      All Asia Minor, Africa, and Greece,

      Follow my standard and my thundering drums.

      Come, let us go and banquet in our tents:

      I will despatch chief of my army hence

      To fair Natolia and to Trebizon,

      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.

 [Exeunt.]

      SCENE II

      Enter CALLAPINE, and ALMEDA his keeper.

      CALLAPINE.  Sweet Almeda, pity the ruthful plight

      Of Callapine, the son of Bajazeth,

      Born to be monarch of the western world,

      Yet here detain'd by cruel Tamburlaine.

      ALMEDA.  My lord, I pity it, and with my heart

      Wish your release; but he whose wrath is death,

      My sovereign lord, renowmed 28 Tamburlaine,

      Forbids you further liberty than this.

      CALLAPINE.  Ah, were I now but half so eloquent

      To paint in words what I'll perform in deeds,

      I know thou wouldst depart from hence with me!

      ALMEDA.  Not for all Afric:  therefore move me not.

      CALLAPINE.  Yet hear me speak, my gentle Almeda.

      ALMEDA.  No speech to that end, by your favour, sir.

      CALLAPINE.  By Cairo 29 runs—

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

      CALLAPINE.  A little further, gentle Almeda.

      ALMEDA.  Well, sir, what of this?

      CALLAPINE.  By Cairo runs to Alexandria-bay

      Darotes' stream, 30 wherein at 31 anchor lies

      A Turkish galley of my royal fleet,

      Waiting my coming to the river-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 Terrene 32 sea,

      Where, 33 '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 galleys, mann'd with Christian slaves,

      I freely give thee, which shall cut the Straits,

      And bring armadoes, from 34 the coasts of Spain,

      Fraughted with gold of rich America:

      The Grecian virgins shall attend on thee,

      Skilful in music and in amorous lays,

      As fair as was Pygmalion's ivory girl

      Or lovely Io 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,

      Fit objects for thy princely eye to pierce:

      A hundred bassoes, cloth'd in crimson silk,

      Shall ride before thee on Barbarian steeds;

      And, when thou goest, a golden canopy

      Enchas'd with precious stones, which shine as bright

      As that fair veil that covers all the world,

      When Phoebus, leaping from his hemisphere,

      Descendeth downward to th' Antipodes:—

      And

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