Enter MYCETES with his crown in his hand.
MYCETES.Accurs'd be he that first invented war!
They knew not, ah, they knew not, simple men, How those were hit by pelting cannon-shot Stand staggering like a quivering aspen-leaf Fearing the force of Boreas' boisterous blasts!
<page 16>
In what a lamentable case were I, If nature had not given me wisdom's lore!
For kings are clouts that every man shoots at, Our crown the pin that thousands seek to cleave:
Therefore in policy I think it good To hide it close; a goodly stratagem, And far from any man that is a fool:
So shall not I be known; or if I be, They cannot take away my crown from me.
Here will I hide it in this simple hole.
Enter TAMBURLAINE.
TAMBURLAINE.
What, fearful coward, straggling from the camp, When kings themselves are present in the field?">
<181> aspect] So the 8vo.--The 4to "aspects."
<182> sits asleep] At the back of the stage, which was supposed to represent the interior of the tent.
<183> You cannot] So the 8vo.--The 4to "Can you not."
<184> scare] So the 8vo.--The 4to "scarce."
<185> tall] i.e.bold, brave.
<186> both you] So the 8vo.--The 4to "you both."
<187> should I] So the 8vo.--The 4to "I should."
<188> ye] So the 8vo.--The 4to "my."
<189> stoop your pride] i.e.make your pride to stoop.
<190> bodies] So the 8vo.--The 4to "glories."
<191> mine] So the 4to.--The 8vo "my."
<192> may] So the 4to.--The 8vo "nay."
<193> up] The modern editors alter this word to "by," not understanding the passage.Tamburlaine means--Do not KNEEL
to me for his pardon.
<194> once] So the 4to.--The 8vo "one."
<195> martial] So the 8vo.--The 4to "materiall." (In this line "fire" is a dissyllable")
<196> thine] So the 8vo.--The 4to "thy."
<197> which] Old eds."with."
<198> Jaertis'] So the 8vo.--The 4to "Laertis." By "Jaertis'"
must be meant--Jaxartes'.
<199> incorporeal] So the 8vo.--The 4to "incorporall."
<200> for being seen] i.e."that thou mayest not be seen."
Ed.1826.See Richardson's DICT.in v.FOR.
<201> you shall] So the 8vo.--The 4to "shall ye."
<202> Approve] i.e.prove, experience.
<203> bloods] So the 4to.--The 8vo "blood."
<204> peasants] So the 8vo.--The 4to "parsants."
<205> resist in] Old eds "resisting."
<206> Casane] So the 4to.--The 8vo "VSUM Casane."
<207> it] So the 8vo.--Omitted in the 4to.
<208> Excel] Old eds."Expell" and "Expel."
<209> artier] See note *, p.18.
<Note *, from p.18.(The First Part of Tamburlaine the Great):
"Artier] i.e.artery.This form occurs again in the SEC.
PART of the present play: so too in a copy of verses by Day;
"Hid in the vaines and ARTIERS of the earthe."
SHAKESPEARE SOC.PAPERS, vol.i.19.
The word indeed was variously written of old:
"The ARTER strynge is the conduyt of the lyfe spiryte."
Hormanni VULGARIA, sig.G iii.ed.1530.
"Riche treasures serue for th'ARTERS of the war."
Lord Stirling's DARIUS, act ii.Sig.C 2.ed.1604.
"Onelye the extrauagant ARTIRE of my arme is brused."
EVERIE WOMAN IN HER HUMOR, 1609, sig.D 4.
"And from the veines some bloud each ARTIRE draines."
Davies's MICROCOSMOS, 1611, p.56.">
<210> remorseful] i.e.compassionate.
<211> miss] i.e.loss, want.The construction is--Run round about, mourning the miss of the females.
<212> behold] Qy "beheld"?
<213> a] So the 4to.--The 8vo "the."
<214> Have] Old eds."Hath."
<215> to] So the 8vo.--The 4to "and."
<216> in] So the 8vo.--The 4to "to."
<217> now, my lord; and, will you] So the 8vo.--The 4to "GOOD my Lord, IF YOU WILL."
<218> mouths] So the 4to.--The 8vo "mother."
<219> rebated] i.e.blunted.
<220> thereof] So the 8vo.--The 4to "heereof."
<221> and will] So the 4to.--The 8vo "and I wil."
<222> She anoints her throat] This incident, as Mr.Collier observes (HIST.OF ENG.DRAM.POET., iii.119) is borrowed from Ariosto's ORLANDO FURIOSO, B.xxix, "where Isabella, to save herself from the lawless passion of Rodomont, anoints her neck with a decoction of herbs, which she pretends will render it invulnerable: she then presents her throat to the Pagan, who, believing her assertion, aims a blow and strikes off her head."
<223> my] Altered by the modern editors to "thy,"--unnecessarily.
<224> Elysium] Old eds."Elisian" and "Elizian."
<225> do borrow] So the 4to.--The 8vo "borow doo."
<226> my] So the 4to (Theridamas is King of Argier).--The 8vo "thy."
<227> Soria] See note ?, p.44.<i.e.note 13.>
<228> his] So the 4to.--The 8vo "their."
<229> led by five] So the 4to.--The 8vo "led by WITH fiue."
<230> Holla, ye pamper'd jades of Asia, &c.] The ridicule showered on this passage by a long series of poets, will be found noticed in the ACCOUNT OF MARLOWE AND HIS WRITINGS.
<The "Account of Marlowe and His Writings," is the introduction to this book of "The Works of Christopher Marlowe." That is, the book from which this play has been transcribed.The following is a footnote from page xvii of that introduction.>
<"Tamb.Holla, ye pamper'd jades of Asia!" &c.
p.64, sec.col.
This has been quoted or alluded to, generally with ridicule, by a whole host of writers.Pistol's "hollow pamper'd jades of Asia" in Shakespeare's HENRY IV.P.II.Act ii.sc.4, is known to most readers: see also Beaumont and Fletcher's COXCOMB, act ii.sc.2; Fletcher's WOMEN PLEASED, act iv.
sc.1; Chapman's, Jonson's, and Marston's EASTWARD HO, act ii.sig.B 3, ed.1605; Brathwait's STRAPPADO FOR THE
DIUELL, 1615, p.159; Taylor the water-poet's THIEFE and his WORLD RUNNES ON WHEELES,--WORKES, pp.111 [121], 239, ed.1630; A BROWN DOZEN OF DRUNKARDS, &c.1648, sig.A 3;
the Duke of Newcastle's VARIETIE, A COMEDY, 1649, p.72;
--but I cannot afford room for more references.--In 1566
a similar spectacle had been exhibited at Gray's Inn:
there the Dumb Show before the first act of Gascoigne and Kinwelmersh's JOCASTA introduced "a king with an imperiall crowne vpon hys head," &c."sitting in a chariote very richly furnished, drawen in by iiii kings in their dublets and hosen, with crownes also vpon theyr heads, representing vnto vs ambition by the historie of Sesostres," &c.
