Marlowe, Christopher · published 1590 · first performed or written 1587 [1587-1588] (Annals) tragedy · Admiral's (Nottingham's) Men T17 Eastern conquest: Persians, Turks and so typicality 0.81 · 514 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T17: tamburlaine, persian, cyrus, king, mahomet, arms, mighty, assyrian, thousand, army.
Well hast thou portrayed in thy terms of life, The face and parsonage of a wondrous man: Nature doth strive with Fortune and his stars, To make him famous in accomplished worth: And well his merits show him to be made: His Fortune's master, and the king of men. That could persuade at such a sudden pinch, With reasons of his valour and his life, A thousand sworn and overmatching foes: Then when our powers in points of swords are joined And closed in compass of the killing bullet, Though straight the passage and the port be made, That leads to Palace of my brother's life, Proud is his fortune if we pierce it not. And when the princely persian Diadem, Shall overweigh his weary witless head, And fall like mellowed fruit, with shakes of death, In fair Persia noble tamburlaine Shall be my Regent, and remain as King: In happy hour we have set the Crown Upon your kingly head, that seeks our honour, In joining with the man, ordained by heaven To further every action to the best. He that with Shepherds and a little spoil, Durst in disdain of wrong and tyranny, Defend his freedom 'gainst a Monarchy. What will he do supported by a king: Leading a troup of Gentlemen and Lords, And stuffed with treasure for his highest thoughts, And such shall wait on worthy Tamburlaine. Our army will be forty thousand strong, When Tamburlaine and brave Theridamas Have met us by the river Araris: And all conjoined to meet the witless King. That now is marching near to Parthia. And with unwilling soldiers faintly armed, To seek revenge on me and Tamburlaine. To whom sweet Menaphon, direct me straight. I will my Lord. COme my Meander, let us to this gear, I tell you true my heart is swollen with wrath, On this same thievish villain tamburlaine. And of that false Cosroe, my traitorous brother Would it not grieve a King to be so abused. And have a thousand horsemen ta'en away? And which is worst to have his Diadem Sought for by such scald knaves as love him net. I think it would: well then, by heavens I swear, Aurora shall not peep out of her doors, But I will have Cosroe by the head, And kill proud Tamburlaine with point of sword. Tell you the rest (Meander) I have said. Then having passed Armenian deserts now, And pitch our tents under the georgian hills. Whose tops are covered with Tartarian thieves, That lie in ambush, waiting for a prey: What should we do but bid them battle straight, And rid the world of those detested troops; lest if we let them linger here a while, They gather strength by power of fresh supplies. This country swarms with vile outrageous men, That live by rapine and by lawless spoil, Fit Soldiers for the wicked Tamburlaine. And he that could with gifts and promises. Inveigle him that led a thousand horse, And make him false his faith unto his King, Will quickly win such as are like himself.
seed 43: T18 · seed 44: T18 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Wel hast thou pourtraid in thy tearms of life, The face and personage of a woondrous man: Nature doth striue with Fortune and his stars, To make him famous in accomplisht woorth: And well his merits show him to be made: His Fortunes mister, and the king of men. That could perswade at such a sodaine pinch, With reasons of his valour and his life, A thousand sworne and ouermatching foes: Then when our powers in points of swords are ioin'd And closde in compasse of the killing bullet, Though straight the passage and the port be made, That leads to Pallace of my brothers life, Proud is his fortune if we pierce it not. And when the princely Persean Diadem, Shall ouerway his wearie witlesse head, And fall like mellowed fruit, with shakes of death, In faire Persea noble tamburlaine Shall be my Regent, and remaine as King: In happy hower we haue set the Crowne Vpon your kingly head, that seeks our honor, In ioyning with the man, ordain'd by heauen To further euery action to the best. He that with Shepheards and a litle spoile, Durst in disdaine of wrong and tyrannie, Defend his freedome gainst a Monarchie. What will he doe supported by a king: Leading a troope of Gentlemen and Lords, And stuft with trasure for his highest thoughts, And such shall wait on worthy Tamburlaine. Our army will be forty thousand strong, When Tamburlain and braue Theridamas Haue met vs by the riuer Araris: And all conioin'd to meet the witlesse King. That now is marching neer to Parthia. And with vnwilling souldiers faintly arm'd, To seeke reuenge on me and Tamburlaine. To whom sweet Menaphon, direct me straight. I will my Lord. COme my Meander, let vs to this geere, I tel you true my heart is swolne with wrath, On this same theeuish villaine tamburlaine. And of that false Cosroe, my traiterous brothet Would it not grieue a King to be so abusde. And haue a thousand horsmen tane away? And which is worst to haue his Diadem Sought for by such scalde knaucs as loue him net. I thinke it would: wel then, by heauens I sweare, Aurora shall not peepe out of her doores, But I will haue Cosroe by the head, And kill proud Tamburlaine with point of sword. Tell you the rest (Meander) I haue said. Then hauing past Armenian desarts now, And pitch our tents vnder the Georgean hilles. Whose tops are couered with Tartarian thieues, That lie in ambush, waiting for a pray: What should we doe but bid them battaile straight, And rid the world of those detested troopes; Least if we let them lynger here a while, They gather strength by power of fresh supplies. This countrie swarntes with vile eutragious men, That liue by rapine and by lawlesse spoile, Fit Souldiers for the wicked Tamburlaine. And he that could with giftes and promises. Inueigle him that lead a thousand horse, And make him false his faith vnto his King, Will quickly win such as are like himselfe.