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Pray thee； tell why art thou so sad？ if thou wilt have a song；
the Turk shall strain his voice： but why is it？
ZENOCRATE。 My lord； to see my father's town besieg'd；
The country wasted where myself was born；
How can it but afflict my very soul？
If any love remain in you； my lord；
Or if my love unto your majesty
May merit favour at your highness' hands；
Then raise your siege from fair Damascus' walls；
And with my father take a friendly truce。
TAMBURLAINE。 Zenocrate； were Egypt Jove's own land；
Yet would I with my sword make Jove to stoop。
I will confute those blind geographers
That make a triple region in the world；
Excluding regions which I mean to trace；
And with this pen reduce them to a map；
Calling the provinces； cities； and towns；
After my name and thine； Zenocrate：
Here at Damascus will I make the point
That shall begin the perpendicular：
And wouldst thou have me buy thy father's love
With such a loss？ tell me； Zenocrate。
ZENOCRATE。 Honour still wait on happy Tamburlaine！
Yet give me leave to plead for him； my lord。
TAMBURLAINE。 Content thyself： his person shall be safe；
And all the friends of fair Zenocrate；
If with their lives they will be pleas'd to yield；
Or may be forc'd to make me emperor；
For Egypt and Arabia must be mine。
Feed； you slave； thou mayst think thyself happy to be fed from
my trencher。
BAJAZETH。 My empty stomach； full of idle heat；
Draws bloody humours from my feeble parts；
Preserving life by hastening 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 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。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 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 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； 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 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 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
Will never be dispens'd with till our deaths。
Therefore； for these our harmless virgins' sakes；
Whose honours and whose lives rely on him；
Let us have hope that their unspotted prayers；
Their blubber'd cheeks； and hearty humble moans；
Will melt his fury into some remorse；
And use us like a loving conqueror。
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 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 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 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 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 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 them on their disdainful eyes；
As now when fury and incensed hate
Flings slaughtering terror from my coal…black tents；
And tells for truth submission 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 blood
The jealous body of his fearful wife；
Whose cheeks and hearts； so punish'd with conceit；
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 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 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； 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 sw