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 swears shall be perform'd.
Behold my sword; what see you at the point?
FIRST VIRGIN.Nothing but fear and fatal steel, my lord.
TAMBURLAINE.Your fearful minds are thick and misty, then, For there sits Death; there sits imperious Death, Keeping his circuit by the slicing edge.
But I am pleas'd you shall not see him there;
He now is seated on my horsemen's spears, And on their points his fleshless body feeds.--
Techelles, straight go charge a few of them To charge these dames, and shew my servant Death, Sitting in scarlet on their armed spears.
VIRGINS.O, pity us!
TAMBURLAINE.Away with them, I say, and shew them Death!
[The VIRGINS are taken out by TECHELLES and others.]
I will not spare these proud Egyptians, Nor change my martial observations For all the wealth of Gihon's golden waves, Or for the love of Venus, would she leave The angry god of arms and lie with me.
They have refus'd the offer of their lives, And know my customs are as peremptory As wrathful planets, death, or destiny.
Re-enter TECHELLES.
What, have your horsemen shown the virgins Death?
