Hie thee, my basso,(134) fast to Persia; Tell him thy lord, the Turkish emperor, Dread lord of Afric, Europe, and Asia, Great king and conqueror of Graecia, The ocean, Terrene, and the Coal-black sea, The high and highest monarch of the world, Wills and commands, (for say not I entreat,) Not(135) once to set his foot in(136) Africa, Or spread(137) his colours in Graecia, Lest he incur the fury of my wrath: Tell him I am content to take a truce, Because I hear he bears a valiant mind: But if, presuming on his silly power, He be so mad to manage arms with me, Then stay thou with him,--say, I bid thee so; And if, before the sun have measur'd heaven(138) With triple circuit, thou regreet us not, We mean to take his morning's next arise For messenger he will not be reclaim'd, And mean to fetch thee in despite of him.
BASSO. Most great and puissant monarch of the earth, Your basso will accomplish your behest, And shew your pleasure to the Persian, As fits the legate of the stately Turk. [Exit.]
KING OF ARGIER. They say he is the king of Persia; But, if he dare attempt to stir your siege, 'Twere requisite he should be ten times more, For all flesh quakes at your magnificence.
BAJAZETH. True, Argier; and tremble[s] at my looks.
KING OF MOROCCO. The spring is hinder'd by your smothering host; For neither rain can fall upon the earth, Nor sun reflex his virtuous beams thereon, The ground is mantled with such multitudes.
BAJAZETH. All this is true as holy Mahomet; And all the trees are blasted with our breaths.
KING OF FEZ. What thinks your greatness best to be achiev'd In pursuit of the city's overthrow?
BAJAZETH. I will the captive pioners(139) of Argier Cut off the water that by leaden pipes Runs to the city from the mountain Carnon; Two thousand horse shall forage up and down, That no relief or succour come by land; And all the sea my galleys countermand: Then shall our footmen lie within the trench, And with their cannons, mouth'd like Orcus' gulf, Batter the walls, and we will enter in; And thus the Grecians shall be conquered. [Exeunt.]
SCENE II.
Enter ZENOCRATE, AGYDAS, ANIPPE, with others.
AGYDAS. Madam Zenocrate, may I presume To know the cause of these unquiet fits That work such trouble to your wonted rest? 'Tis more than pity such a heavenly face Should by heart's sorrow wax so wan and pale, When your offensive rape by Tamburlaine (Which of your whole displeasures should be most) Hath seem'd to be digested long ago.
ZENOCRATE. Although it be digested long ago, As his exceeding favours have deserv'd, And might content the Queen of Heaven, as well As it hath chang'd my first-conceiv'd disdain; Yet since a farther passion feeds my thoughts With ceaseless(140) and disconsolate conceits,(141) Which dye my looks so lifeless as they are, And might, if my extremes had full events, Make me the ghastly counterfeit(142) of death.
AGYDAS. Eternal heaven sooner be dissolv'd, And all that pierceth Phoebus' silver eye, Before such hap fall to Zenocrate!
ZENOCRATE. Ah, life and soul, still hover in his(143) breast, And leave my body senseless as the earth, Or else unite you(144) to his life and soul, That I may live and die with Tamburlaine!
Enter, behind, TAMBURLAINE, with TECHELLES, and others.
AGYDAS. With Tamburlaine! Ah, fair Zenocrate, Let not a man so vile and barbarous, That holds you from your father in despite, And keeps you from the honours of a queen, (Being suppos'd his worthless concubine,) Be honour'd with your love but for necessity! So, now the mighty Soldan hears of you, Your highness needs not doubt but in short time He will, with Tamburlaine's destruction, Redeem you from this deadly servitude.
ZENOCRATE. Leave(145) to wound me with these words, And speak of Tamburlaine as he deserves: The entertainment we have had of him Is far from villany or servitude, And might in noble minds be counted princely.
AGYDAS. How can you fancy one that looks so fierce, Only dispos'd to martial stratagems? Who, when he shall embrace you in his arms, Will tell how many thousand men he slew; And, when you look for amorous discourse, Will rattle forth his facts(146) of war and blood, Too harsh a subject for your dainty ears.