BAJAZETH. My empty stomach, full of idle heat, Draws bloody humours from my feeble parts, Preserving life by hastening(234) cruel death. My veins are pale; my sinews hard and dry; My joints benumb'd; unless I eat, I die.
ZABINA. Eat, Bajazeth; let us live in spite of them, looking some happy power will pity and enlarge us.
TAMBURLAINE. Here, Turk; wilt thou have a clean trencher?
BAJAZETH. Ay, tyrant, and more meat.
TAMBURLAINE. Soft, sir! you must be dieted; too much eating will make you surfeit.
THERIDAMAS. So it would, my lord, 'specially(235) having so small a walk and so little exercise. [A second course is brought in of crowns.]
TAMBURLAINE. Theridamas, Techelles, and Casane, here are the cates you desire to finger, are they not?
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.