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