lawes and holy rites To maintaine peace and gouerne bloodie fights Then some sage man aboue the vulgar wise Knowing that lawes could not in quiet dwell Vnlesse they were obserued did first deuise The names of Gods religion heauen and hell And gan of paines and faind rewards to tell Paines for those men which did neglect the law Rewards for those that liu'd in quiet awe Whereas indeed they were meer fictions And if they were not Selim thinkes they were And these religions obseruations Onely bug-beares to keepe the world in feare And make men quietly a yoake to beare So that religion of it selfe a bable Was onely found to make vs peaceable Hence in especiall come the foolish names Of father mother brother and such like For who so well his cogitation frames Shall finde they serue but onely for to strike Into our minds a certaine kind of loue For these names too are but a policie To keepe the quiet of societie Indeed I must confesse they are not bad Because they keepe the baser sort in feare But we whose minde in heauenly thoughts is clad Whose bodie doth a glorious spirit beare That hath no bounds but flieth euery where Why should we seeke to make that soule a slaue To which dame Nature so large freedome gaue Amongst vs men there is some difference Of actions tearmed by vs good or ill As he that doth his father recompence Differs from him that doth his father kill And yet I thinke thinke other what they will That Parricides when death hath giuen them rest Shall haue as good a part as the rest And that 's iust nothing for as I suppose In deaths voyd kingdome raignes eternall night Secure of euill and secure of foes Where nothing doth the wicked man affright No more then him that dies in doing right Then since in death nothing shall to vs fall Here while I liue I le haue a snatch at all And that can neuer neuer be attaind Vnlesse old Baiazet do die the death For long inough the gray-beard now hath raign'd And liu'd at ease while others liu'd vneath And now its time he should resigne his breath T' were good for him if he were pressed out T' would bring him rest and rid him of his gout Resolu'd to do it cast to compasse it Without delay or long procrastination It argueth an vnmanured wit When all is readie for so strong inuasion To draw out time an vnlookt for mutation May soone preuent vs if we do delay Quick speed is good vvhere vvisedome leades the vvay Occhi. My Lord Sel. Lo flie boy to my father Baiazet And tell him Selim his obedient sonne Desires to speake with him and kisse his hands Tell him I long to see his gratious face And that I come with all my chiualrie To chase the Christians from his Signiorie In any wise say I must speake with him Exit Occhiali Now Sinam if I speed Sinam What then my Lord Sel What then why Sinam thou art nothing woorth I will endeuour to persuade him man To giue the Empire ouer vnto me Perhaps I shall attaine it at his hands If I cannot this right hand is resolu'd To end the period with a fatall stabbe Sin My gratious Lord giue Sinam leaue to speake If you resolue to worke your fathers death You venture life thinke you the Ianissaries Will suffer you to kill him in their sight And let you passe free without punishment Sel. If I resolue as sure as heauen is heauen I meane to see him dead or my selfe King As for the Bassaes they are all my friends And I am sure would pawne their dearest blood That Selim might be Emperour of Turkes Sim. Yet Acomat and Corcut both suruiue To be reuenged for their fathers death Sel. Sinam if they or twentie such as they Had twentie seuerall Armies in the field If Selimus were once your Emperour I de dart abroad the thunderbolts of warre And mow their hartlesse squadrons to the ground Sin Oh yet my Lord after your highnesse death There is a hell and a reuenging God Seli. Tush Sinam these are schoole conditions To feare the diuell or his cursed damme thinkst thou I care for apparitions Of Sisiphus and of his backward stone And poore Ixions lamentable mone Now I thinke the caue of damned ghoasts Is but a tale to terrifie yoong babes Like diuels faces scor'd on painted poasts Or fained circles in our astrolabes Why their 's no difference when we are dead And death once come then all alike are sped Or if there were as I can scarce beleeue A heauen of ioy and hell of endlesse paine Yet by my soule it neuer should me greeue So I might on the Turkish Empire raigne To enter hell and leane on faire heauens gaine An Empire Sinam is so sweete a thing As I could be a diuell to be a King But go we Lords and solace in our campe Till the returne of yoong Occhiali And if his answere be to thy desire Selim thy minde in kingly thoughts attire Exeunt All Enter Baiazet Mustaffa Cherseoli Occhiali and the Ianissaries Baia. Euen as the great Aegyptian Crocodile Wanting his praye with artificiall teares And fained plaints his subtill tongue doth file T' entrap the silly wandring traueller And moue him to aduance his footing neare That when he is in danger of his clawes He may deuour him with his famished iawes So plaieth craftie Selimus with me His haughtie thoughts still wait on Diadems And not a step but treads to maiestie The Phoenix gazeth on the Suns bright beames The Echinaeis swimmes against the streames Nought but the Turkish scepter can him please And there I know lieth his chiefe disease He sends his messenger to craue accesse And saies he longs to kisse my aged hands But howsoeuer he in shew professe His meaning with his words but weakly stands And sooner will the Syrteis boyling sands Become a quiet roade for fleeting shippes Then Selimus heart agree with Selims lippes Too well I know the Crocodiles fained teares Are but nettes wherein to catch his pray Which who so mou'd with foolish pitie heares Will be the authour of his owne decay Then hie thee Baiazet from hence away A fawning monster is false Selimus Whose fairest words are most pernicious Yoong man would Selim come and speak with vs What is his message to vs canst thou tell Occhi. He craues my Lord another seigniorie Nearer to you and to the Christians That he may make them know that Selimus Is borne to be a scourge vnto them all Baia Hee 's born to be a scourge to me mine He neuer would haue come with such an hoast Vnlesse he meant my state to vndermine What though in word he brauely seeme to boast The forraging of all the Christian coast Yet we haue cause to feare when burning brands Are vainly giuen into a mad mans hands Well I must seeme to winke at his desire Although I see it plainer then the light My lenitie addes fuell to his
world to punish wicked men Black Demogorgon grandfather of night Send out thy furies from thy firie hall The pitilesse Erynnies arm'd with whippes And all the damned monsters of black hell To powre their plagues on cursed Acomat How shall I mourne or which way shall I turne To powre my teares vpon my dearest friends Couldst thou endue false-hearted Acomat To kill thy nephew and thy sister thus And wound to death so valiant a Lord And will you not you al beholding heauens Dart down on him your piercing lightning brand Enrold in sulphur and consuming flames Ah do not Ioue Acomat is my sonne And may perhaps by counsell be reclaim'd And brought to filiall obedience Aga thou art a man of peirsant wit Go thou and talke with my sonne Acomat And see if he will any way relent Speake him faire Aga least he kill thee too And we my Lords will in and mourne a while Ouer these princes lamentable tombs Exeunt all Enter Acomat Visir Regan and their souldiers Aco. As Tityus in the countrie of the dead With restlesse cries doth call vpon high Iove The while the vulture tireth on his heart So Acomat revenge still gnawes thy soule In sheading blood and murthring innocents I thinke my wrath hath bene too patient Since ciuill blood quencheth not out the flames Which Baiazet hath kindled in my heart Visir. My gratious Lord here is a messenger Sent from your father the Emperour Enter Aga and one with him Aco. Let him come in Aga what newes with you Aga. Great Prince thy father mightie Baiazet Wonders your grace whom he did loue so much And thought to leaue possessour of the crowne Would thus requite his loue with mortall hate To kill thy nephewes with reuenging sword And massacre his subiects in such sort Aco. Aga my father traitrous Baiazet Detaines the crowne iniuriously from me Which I will haue if all the world say nay I am not like the vnmanured land Which answeres not his honours greedie mind I sow not seeds vpon the barren sand A thousand wayes can Acomat soone finde To gaine my will which if I cannot gaine Then purple blood my angry hands shall staine Aga. Acomat yet learne by Selimus That hastie purposes haue hated endes Aco. Tush Aga Selim was not wise inough To set vpon the head at the first brunt He should haue done as I do meane to do Fill all the confines with fire sword and blood Burne vp the fields and ouerthrow whole townes And when he had endammaged that way Thē teare the old man peecemeale with my teeth And colour my strong hands with his gore-blood Aga. O see my Lord how fell ambition Deceiues your sences and bewitches you Could you vnkind performe so foule a deed As kill the man that first gaue life to you Do you not feare the peoples aduerse fame Aco. It is the greatest glorie of a king When though his subiects hate his wicked deeds Yet are they forst to beare them all with praise Aga. Whom feare constraines to praise their princes deeds That feare eternall hatred in them feeds Aco. He knowes not how to sway the kingly mace That loues to be great in his peoples grace The surest ground for kings to build vpon Is to be fear'd and curst of euery one What though the world of nations me hate Hate is peculiar to a princes state Aga. Where ther 's no shame no care of holy law No faith no iustice no integritie That state is full of mutabilitie Aco. Bare faith pure vertue poore integritie Are ornaments fit for a priuate man Beseemes a prince for to do all he can Aga. Yet know it is a sacrilegious will To slaie thy father were he nere so ill Aco. T is lawfull gray-beard for to do to him What ought not to be done vnto a father Hath he not wip't me from the Turkish crowne Preferr'd he not the stubborne Ianizaries And heard the Bassaes stout petitions Before he would giue eare to my request As sure as day mine eyes shall nere tast sleepe Before my sword haue riuen his periur'd brest Aga. Ah let me neuer liue to see that day Aco. Yes thou shalt liue but neuer see that day Wanting the tapers that should giue thee light Puls out his eyes Thou shalt not see so great felicitie When I shall rend out Baiazets dimme eyes And by his death install my selfe a king Aga. Ah cruell tyrant and vnmercifull More bloodie then the Anthropomphagi That fill their hungry stomachs with mans flesh Thou shouldst haue slaine me barbarous Acomat Not leaue me in so comfortlesse a life To liue on earth and neuer see the sunne Aco. Nay let him die that liueth at his ease Death would a wretched caitiue greatly please Aga. And thinkst thou then to scape vnpunished No Acomat though both mine eyes be gone Yet are my hands left on to murther thee Aco. T' was wel remembred Regan cut them off They cur of his hands and giue them Acomat Now in that sort go tell thy Emperour That if himselfe had but bene in thy place I would haue vs'd him crueller then thee Here take thy hands I know thou lou'st them wel Opens his bosome and puts them in Which hand is this right or left canst thou tell Aga. I know not which it is but t is my hand But oh thou supreme architect of all First mouer of those tenfold christall orbes Where all those mouing and vnmouing eyes Behold thy goodnesse euerlastingly See vnto thee I lift these bloudie armes For hands I haue not for to lift to thee And in thy iustice dart thy smouldring flame Vpon the head of cursed Acomat Oh cruell heauens and iniurious fates Euen the last refuge of a wretched man Is tooke from me for how can Aga weepe Or ruine a brinish shew'r of pearled teares Wanting the watry cesternes of his eyes Come lead me backe againe to Baiazet The wofullest and sadd'st Embassadour That euer was dispatch'd to any King Aco. Why so this musicke pleases Acomat And would I had my doating father here I would rip vp his breast and rend his heart Into his bowels thrust my angry hands As willingly and with as good a mind As I could be the Turkish Emperour And by the cleare declining vault of heauen Whither the soules of dying men do flee Either I meane to dye the death my selfe Or make that old false faitour bleed his last For death no sorrow could vnto me bring So Acomat might die the Turkish king Exeunt All Enter Baiazet Mustaffa Cali Hali and Aga led by a souldier who keeling before Baiazet and holding his legs shall say Aga. Is this the bodie of my soueraigne Are these the sacred pillars that support The image of true magnanimitie Ah Baiazet thy sonne false Acomat Is full resolued to take thy life from thee T is true t is true witnesse these handlesse armes VVitnesse these emptie lodges of mine eyes VVitnesse the gods that from the highest heauen Beheld the tyrant
Selimus As euer subiect to his soueraigne So helpe me God and holy Mahomet Seli. You did it not because you hated vs But for you lou'd the sonnes of Acomat Sinam I charge thee quickly strangle him He loues not me that loues mine enemies As for your holy protestation It cannot enter into Selims eares For why Mustaffa euery marchant man Will praise his own ware be it ne'r so bad Solima For Solimas sake mightie Selimus Spare my Mustaffas life and let me die Or if thou wilt not be so gratious Yet let me die before I see his death Seli. Nay Selima your selfe shall also die Because you may be in the selfesame fault Why stai'st thou Sinam strangle him I say Sinam strangles him Soli. Ah Selimus he made thee Emperour And wilt thou thus requite his benefits Thou art a cruell tygre and no man That coul'st endure to see before thy face So braue a man as my Mustaffa was Cruelly strangled for so small a fault Seli. Thou shalt not after liue him Solima T were pitie thou shouldst want the company Of thy deare husband Sinam strangle her And now to faire Amasia let vs march Acomats wife and her vnmanly hoast Will not be able to endure our sight Much lesse make strong resistance in hard fight Exeunt Enter Acomat Tonombeius Visir Regan and their souldiers Aco. Welcome my Lords into my natiue soyle The crowne whereof by right is due to me Though Selim by the Ianizaries choyce Through vsurpation keep the same from me You know contrary to my fathers mind He was enthronized by the Bassaes will And after his enstalling wickedly By poyson made good Baiazet to die And strangled Corcut and exiled me These iniuries we come for to reuenge And raise his siege from faire Amasia walles Tonom. Prince of Amasia and the rightful heire Vnto the mightie Turkish Diadem With willing heart great Tonombey hath left Aegyptian Nilus and my fathers court To aide thee in thy vndertaken warre And by the great Vsancassanos ghoast Companion vnto mightie Tamberlaine From whom my father lineally descends Fortune shall shew her selfe too crosse to me But we will thrust Selimus from his throne And reuest Acomat in the Empirie Aco. Thanks to the vncontrolled Tonombey But let vs haste vs to Amasia To succour my besieged citizens None but my Queene is ouerseer there And too too weake is all her pollicie Against so great a foe as Selimus Exeunt All Enter Selimus Sinam Hali Cali and the Ianizaries Seli. Summon a parley sirs that we may know Whether these Mushroms here will yeeld or no A parley Queene of Amasia and her souldiers on the walles Queen What crauest thou bloud-thirstie parricide I st not inough that thou hast foulely slaine Thy louing father noble Baiazet And strangled Corcut thine vnhappie brother Slaine braue Mustaffa and faire Selima Because they fauoured my vnhappie sonnes But thou must yet seeke for more massacres Go wash thy guiltie hands in luke-warme blood Enrich thy souldiers with robberies Yet do the heauens still beare an equall eye And vengeance followes thee euen at the heeles Seli. Queene of Amasia wilt thou yeeld thy selfe Queen First shall the ouer-flowing Euripus Of swift Euboea stop his restlesse course And Phoebs bright globe bring the day frō the west And quench his hot flames in the Esterne sea Thy bloudie sword vngratious Selimus Sheath'd in the bowels of thy dearest friends Thy wicked gard which still attends on thee Fleshing themselues in murther lust and rape What hope of fauour what securitie Rather what death do they not promise me Then thinke not Selimus that we will yeeld But looke for strong resistance at our hands Seli, Why then you neuer danted lanizaries Aduance your shields and vncontrolled speares Your conquering hands in foe-mens blood embay For Selimus himselfe will lead the way Allarum beats them off the walles Allarum Enter Selimus Sinam Hali Cali Ianizaries with Acomats Queene prisoner Se. Now sturdie dame where are your men of war To gard your person from my angry sword What though brau'd vs on your citie walles Like to that Amanonian Menalip Leauing the bankes of swift-stream'd Thermodon To challenge combat with great Hercules Yet Selimus hath pluckt your haughtie plumes Nor can your spouse rebellious Acomat Nor Alinda or Amurath your sonnes Deliuer you from our victorious hands Queen Selim I scorne thy threatnings as thy selfe And though ill hap hath giuen me to thy hands Yet will I neuer beg my life of thee Fortune may chance to frowne as much on thee And Acomat whom thou doest scorne so much May take thy base Tartarian concubine As well as thou hast tooke his loyall Queene Thou hast not fortune tied in a chaine Nor doest thou like a warie pilot sit And wisely stir this all conteining barge Thou art a man as those whom thou hast slaine And some of them were better far then thou Seli. Strangle her Hali let her scold no more Now let vs march to meet with Acomat He brings with him that great Aegyptian bug Strong Tonombey Vsan-Cassanos sonne But we shall soone with our fine tempered swords Engraue our prowesse on their buganets Were they as mightie and as fell of force As those old earth-bred brethren which once Heape hill on hill to scale the starrie skie When Briareus arm'd with a hundreth hands Flung foorth a hundreth mountaines at great Ioue And when the monstrous giant Monichus Hurld mount Olimpus at great Mars his targe And darted cedars at Mineruas shield Exeunt All Allarum Enter Selimus Sinam Cali Hali and the Ianizaries at one doore and Acomat Tonombey Regan Vissr and their souldiers at another Seli. What are the vrchins crept out of their dens Vnder the conduct of this porcupine Doest thou not tremble Acomat at vs To see how courage masketh in our lookes And white-wing'd victorie sits on our swordes Captaine of Aegypt thou that vant'st thy selfe Sprung from great Tamberlaine the Scythia theefe Who bad the enterprise this bold attempt To set thy feete within the Turkish confines Or lift thy hands against our maiestie Aco. Brother of Trebisond your squared words And broad-mouth'd tearmes can neuer conquer vs We come resolu'd to pull the Turkish crowne Which thou doest wrongfully detaine from me By conquering sword from of thy coward crest Seli. Acomat sith the quarrell toucheth none But thee and me I dare and challenge thee Tonum. Should he accept the combat of a boy Whose vnripe yeares and farre vnriper wit Like to the bold foole-hardie Phaetun That sought to rule the chariot of the sunne Hath mou'd thee t' vndertake an Empirie Seli. Thou that resoluest in peremptorie tearmes To call him boy that scornes to cope with thee But thou canst better vse thy bragging blade Then thou canst rule thy ouerflowing tongue Soone shalt thou know that Selims mightie arme Is able to ouerthrow poore Tonombey Allarum Tonombey beates Hali and Cali in Selim beats Tonombey in Allarum Exit Tonombey Tonom. The field is lost
Corcut the Soldan of Magnesia Hearing of Selims worthie ouerthrow And of the comming of yoong Acomat Doth certifie your maiestie by me How ioyfull he is of your victorie And there withall he humbly doth require Your grace would do him iustice in his cause His brethren both vnworthie such a father Do seeke the Empire while your grace doth liue And that by vndirect sinister meanes But Corcuts mind free from ambitious thoughts And trusting to the goodnesse of his cause Ioyned vnto yours highnesse tender loue Onely desires your grace should not inuest Selim nor Acomat in the Diademe Which appertaineth vnto him by right But keepe it to your selfe the while you liue And when it shall the great creator please Who hath the spirits of all men in his hands Shall call your highnesse to your latest home Then will he also sue to haue his right Baia. Like to a ship sayling without starres Whom waues do tosse one way and winds another Both without ceasing euen so my poore heart Endures a combat betwixt loue and right The loue I beare to my deare Acomat Commands me giue my suffrage vnto him But Corcuts title being my eldest sonne Bids me recall my hand and giue it him Acomat he would haue it in my life But gentle Corcut like a louing sonne Desires me liue and die an Emperour And at my death bequeath my crowne to him Ah Corcut thou I see lou'st me indeed Selimus sought to thrust me downe by force And Acomat seekes the kingdome in my life And both of them are grieu'd thou liu'st so long But Corcut numbreth not my dayes as they O how much dearer loues he me then they Bassaes how counsell you your Emperour Must. My gratious Lord my self wil speak for al For all I know are minded as I am Your highnesse knowes the Ianissaries loue How firme they meane to cleaue to your behest As well you might perceiue in that sad fight When Selim set vpon you in your flight Then we do all desire you on our knees To keepe the crowne and scepter to your selfe How grieuous will it be vnto your thoughts If you should giue the crowne to Acomat To see the brethren disinherited To flesh their anger one vpon another And rend the bowels of this mightie raigne Suppose that Corcut would be well content Yet thinkes your grace if Acomat were king That Selim ere long would ioine league with him Nay he would breake from forth his Trebisond And waste the Empire all with fire and sword Ah then too weake would be poore Acomat To stand against his brothers puissance Or saue himselfe from his enhanced hand While Ismael and the cruell Persians And the great Soldane of th' Egyptians Would smile to see our force dismembred so I and perchance the neighbour Christians Would take occasion to thrust out their heads All this may be preuented by your grace If you will yeeld to Corcuts iust request And keepe the kingdome to you while you liue Meane time we that your graces subiects are May make vs strong to fortify the man Whō at your death your grace shal chuse as king Baia. O how thou speakest euer like thy selfe Loyall Mustaffa well were Baiazet If all his sonnes did beare such loue to him Though loth I am longer to weare the crowne Yet for I see it is my subiects will Once more will Baiazet be Emperour But we must send to pacific our sonne Or he will storme as earst did Selimus Come let vs go vnto our councell Lord And there consider what is to be done Exeunt All Enter Acomat Regan Visir and his souldiers Acomat must read a letter and then renting it say Aco. Thus will I rend the crowne from off thy head False hearted and iniurious Baiazet To mocke thy sonne that loued thee so deare What for because the head-strong Ianissaries Would not consent to honour Acomat And their base Bassaes vow'd to Selimus Thought me vnworthie of the Turkish crowne Should he be rul'd and ouerrul'd by them Vnder pretence of keeping it himselfe To wipe me cleane for euer being king Doth he esteeme so much the Bassaes words And prize their fauour at so high a rate That for to gratifie their stubborne mindes He casts away all care and all respects Of dutie promise and religious oathes Now by the holy Prophet Mahomet Chiefe president and patron of the Turkes I meane to chalenge now my right by Armes And winne by sword that glorious dignitie Which he iniuriously detaines from me Haply he thinkes because that Selimus Rebutted by his warlike Ianissaries Was faine to flie in hast from whence he came That Acomat by his example mou'd Will feare to manage Armes against his sire Or that my life forepassed in pleasures court Promises weake resistance in the fight But he shall know that I can vse my swoord And like a lyon seaze vpon my praie If euer Selim mou'd him heretofore Acomat meanes to mooue him ten times more Visir. T' were good your grace would to Amasia And there increase your camp with fresh supply Aco. Visir I am impatient of delaie And since my father hath incenst me thus I le quēch those kindled flames with his hart blood Not like a sonne but a most cruell foe Will Acomat henceforth be vnto him March to Natolia there we will begin And make a preface to our massacres My nephew Mahomet sonne to Alemshae Departed lately from Iconium Is lodged there and he shall be the first Whom I will sacrifice vnto my wrath Exeunt All Enter the yoong Prince Mahomet the Belierbey of Natolia and one or two souldiers Maho. Lord Gouernour what thinke you best to doo If we receiue the Souldaine Acomat Who knoweth not but his blood-thirstie swoord Shall be embowell'd in our country-men You know he is displeasde with Baiazet And will rebell as Selim did to fore And would to God with Selims ouerthrow You know his angrie heart hath vow'd reuenge On all the subiects of his fathers land Bel. Yoong prince thy vncle seekes to haue thy life Because by right the Turkish crowne is thine Saue thou thy selfe by flight or otherwise And we will make resistance as we can Like an Armenian tygre that hath lost Her loued whelpes so raueth Acomat And we must be subiect to his rage But you may liue to venge your citizens Then flie good prince before your vncle come Maho. Nay good my Lord neuer shall it be said That Mahomet the sonne of Alemshae Fled from his citizens for feare of death But I will staie and helpe to fight for you And if you needs must die I le die with you And I among the rest with forward hand Will helpe to kill a common enemie Exeunt All Enter Acomat Visir Regan and the souldiers Aco. Now faire Natolia shall thy stately walles Be ouerthrowne and beaten to the ground My heart within me for reuenge still calles Why Baiazet thought'st thou that Acomat Would put vp such a monstrous iniurie Then had
I brought my chiualrie in vaine And to no purpose drawne my conquering blade VVhich now vnsheath'd shal not be sheath'd againe Till it a world of bleeding soules hath made Poore Mahomet thou thought'st thy selfe too sure In thy strong citie of Iconium To plant thy Forces in Natolia VVeakned so much before by Selims swoord Summon a parley to the citizens That they may heare the dreadfull words I speak And die in thought before they come to blowes All A parley Mahomet Belierbey and souldiers on the walles Maho. What craues our vncle Acomat of vs Aco. That thou all the citie yeeld themselues Or by the holie rites of Mahomet His wondrous tomb and sacred Alcoran You all shall die and not a common death But euen as monstrous as I can deuise Maho. Vncle if I may call you by that name Which cruelly hunt for your nephewes blood You do vs wrong thus to besiege our towne That nere deseru'd such hatred at your hands Being your friends and kinsmen as we are Aco. In that thou wrongst me that thou art my kinsman Maho. Why for I am thy nephew doest thou frowne Aco. I that thou art so neare vnto the crowne Maho. Why vncle I resigne my right to thee And all my title were it nere so good Aco. Wilt thou then know assuredly from me I le seale the resignation with thy blood Though Alemshae thy father lou'd me well Yet Mahomet thy sonne shall downe to hell Mah. Why vncle doth my life put you in feare Aco. It shall not nephew since I haue you here Maho. VVhen I am dead mote hindrers shalt thou finde Acom. VVhen ones cut off the fewer are behinde Maho. Yet thinke the gods do beare an equall eye Aco. Faith if they all were squint-ey'd what care I Maho. Then Mahomet know we will rather die Then yeeld vs vp into a tyrants hand Aco. Beshrew me but you be the wiser Mahomet For if I do but catch you boy aliue T were better for you runne through Phlegiton Sirs scale the walles and pull the caitiues downe I giue to you the spoyle of all the towne Alarum Scale the walles Enter Acomat Visir and Regan with Mahomet Acom. Now yoongster you that brau'dst vs on the walles And shooke your plumed crest against our shield VVhat wouldst thou giue or what wouldst thou not giue That thou wert far inough from Acomat How like the villaine is to Baiazet VVel nephew for thy father lou'd me well I will not deale extreemly with his sonne Then heare a briefe compendium of thy death Regan go cause a groue of steelehead speares Be pitched thicke vnder the castle wall And on them let this youthfull captaine fall Ma. Thou shalt not fear me Acomat with death Nor will I beg my pardon at thy hands But as thou giu'st me such a monstrous death So do I freely leaue to thee my curse Exit Regan with Mahomet Aco. O that wil serue to fil my fathers purse Alarum Enter a souldier with Zonara sister to Mahomet Zon. Ah pardon me deare vncle pardon me Aco. No minion you are too neare a kin to me Zon. If euer pitie entered thy brest Or euer thou wast touch'd with womans loue Sweete vncle spare wretched Zonaras life Thou once wast noted for a quiet prince Soft-hearted mild and gentle as a lambe Ah do not prooue a lyon vnto me Aco. VVhy would'st thou liue when Mahomet is dead Ron. Ah who slew Mahomet Vncle did you Aco. He that 's prepar'd to do as much for you Zon. Doest thou not pitie Alemshae in me Aco. Yes that he wants so long thy companie Zon. Thou art not false groome son to Baiazet He would relent to heare a woman weepe But thou wast borne in desart Cavcasus And the Hircanian tygres gaue thee sucke Knowing thou wert a monster like themselues Aco. Let you her thus to rate vs Strangle her They strangle her Now scoure the streets and leaue not one aliue To carrie these sad newes to Baiazet That all the citizens may dearly say This day was fatall to Natolia Exeunt All Enter Baiazet Mustaffa and the Ianissaries Ba. Mustaffa if my minde deceiue me not Some strange misfortune is not farre from me I was not wont to tremble in this sort Me thinkes I feele a cold run through my bones As if it hastned to surprize my heart Me thinkes some voice still whispereth in my eares And bids me to take heed of Acomat Must. T is but your highnesse ouercharged mind VVhich feareth most the things it least desires Enter two souldiers with the Belierbey of Natolia in a chaire and the bodie of Mahomet and Zonara in two coffins Ba. Ah sweet Mustaffa thou art much deceiu'd My minde presages me some future harme And loe what dolefull exequie is here Our chiefe commander of Natolia VVhat caitiue hand is it hath wounded thee And who are these couered in tomblack hearse Bel. These are thy nephewes mightie Baiazet The sonne and daughter of good Alemshae VVhom cruell Acomat hath murdred thus These eyes beheld when from an ayrie toure They hurld the bodie of yoong Mahomet VVhereas a band of armed souldiers Receiued him falling on their speares sharp points His sister poore Zonara Entreating life and not obtaining it VVas strangled by his barbarous souldiers Baiazet fals in a sownd and being recouered say Baia. Oh you dispencers of our haplesse breath Why do you glut your eyes and take delight To see sad pageants of mens miseries Wherefore haue you prolong'd my wretched life To see my sonne my dearest Acomat To lift his hands against his fathers life Ah Selimus now do I pardon thee For thou did'st set vpon me manfully And mou'd by an occasion though vniust But Acomat iniurious Acomat Is tentimes more vnnaturall to me Haplesse Zonara haplesse Mahomet The poore remainder of my Alemshae Which of you both shall Baiazet most waile Ah both of you are worthie to be wailde Happily dealt the froward fates with thee Good Alemshae for thou didst die in field And so preuentedst this sad spectacle Pitifull spectacle of sad dreeriment Pitifull spectacle of dismall death But I haue liu'd to see thee Alemshae By Tartar Pirates all in peeces torne To see yoong Selims disobedience To see the death of Alemshaes poore seed And last of all to see my Acomat Prooue a rebellious enemie to me Beli. Ah cease your teares vnhappie Emperour And shead not all for your poore nephews death Six thousand of true-hearted citizens In faire Natolia Acomat hath slaine The channels run like riuerets of blood And I escap'd with this poore compande Bemangled and dismembred as you see To be the messenger of these sad newes And now mine eyes fast swimming in pale death Bids me resigne my breath vnto the heauens Death stands before readie for to strike Farewell deare Emperour and reuenge our losse As euer thou doest hope for happinesse He dies Baia. Auernus iawes and loathsome Taenarus From whence the damned ghoasts do often creep Back to the
shall be torne in peeces with diuels and goblins Corcut. By all the ioyes thou hop'st to haue in heauen Giue some meate to poore hunger-starued men Bulli. Oh these are as a man should say beggars Now will I be as stately to them as if I were maister Pigwiggen our constable well sirs come before me tell me if I should entertain you would you not steale Page If we did meane so sir we would not make your worship acquainted with it Bulli. A good well nutrimented lad well if you will keepe my sheepe truly and honestly keeping your hands from lying and slandering and your tongues from picking and stealing you shall be maister Bullithrumbles seruitures Corcut. With all our hearts Bulli. Then come on and follow me we will haue a hogges cheek and a dish of tripes and a societie of puddings to field a societie of puddings did you marke that well vsed metaphor Another would haue said a company of puddings if you dwel with me long sirs I shall make you as eloquent as our parson himselfe Exeunt Corcut and Bullithrumble Page Now is the time when I may be enrich'd The brethren that were sent by Selimus To take my Lord Prince Corcut prisoner Finding him fled proposed large rewards To them that could declare where he remaines Faith I le to them and get the portagues Though by the bargain Corcut loose his head Exit Page Enter Selimus Sinam-bassa the courses of Mustaffa and Aga with funerall pompe Mustaffa and the Ianizaries Seli. Why thus must Selim blind his subiect eies And straine his owne to weep for Baiazet They will not dreame I made him away When thus they see me with religious pompe To celebrate his tomb-blacke mortarie To himselfe And though my heart cast in an iron mould Cannot admit the smallest dramme of griefe Yet that I may be thought to loue him well I le mourne in shew though I reioyce indeed To the courses Thus after he hath fiue long ages liu'd The sacred Phoenix of Arabia Loadeth his wings with pretious perfumes And on the altar of the golden sunne Offers himselfe a gratefull sacrifice Long didst thou liue triumphant Baiazet A feare vnto thy greatest enemies And now that death the conquerour of Kings Dislodged hath thy neuer dying soule To flee vnto the heauens from whence she came And leaue her fraile earth pauilion Thy bodie in this auntient monument Where our great predecessours sleep in rest Suppose the Temple of Mahomet Thy wofull sonne Selimus thus doth place Thou wert the Phoenix of this age of ours And diedst wrapped in the sweete perfumes Of thy magnifick deeds whose lasting praise Mounteth to highest heauen with golden wings Princes come beare your Emperour companie In till the dayes of mourning be ore past And then we meane to rouze false Acomat And cast him foorth of Macedonia Exeunt All Enter Hali Cali Corcuts Page and one or two souldiers Page My Lords if I bring you not where Corcut is then let me be hanged but if I deliuer him vp into your hands then let me haue the reward due to so good a deed Hali. Page if thou shew vs where thy maister is Be sure thou shalt be honoured for the deed And high exalted aboue other men Enter Corcut and Bullithrumble Page That same is he that in disguised robes Accompanies yon shepheard to the fields Cor. The sweet content that country life affoords Passeth the royall pleasures of a King For there our ioyes are interlaced with feares But here no feare nor care is harboured But a sweete calme of a most quiet state Ah Corcut would thy brother Selimus But let thee liue here should'st thou spend thy life Feeding thy sheep among these grassie lands But sure I wonder where my Page is gone Hali Corcut Corcut. A y-me who nameth me Halâ— Hali the gouernour of Magnesia Poore prince thou thoughtst in these disguised weeds To maske vnseene and happily thou might'st But that thy Page betraied thee to vs And be not wrath with vs vnhappie prince If we do what our soueraigne commands T is for thy death that Selim sends for thee Cor. Thus I like poore Ampharaus sought By hiding my estate in shepheards coate T escape the angry wrath of Selimus But as his wife false Eriphyle did Betray his safetie for a chaine of gold So my false Page hath vilely dealt with me Pray God that thou maist prosper so as she Hali I know thou sorrowest for my case But it is bootlesse come and let vs go Corcut is readie since it is must be so Cali. Shepheard Bulli. That 's my profession sir Cali. Come you must go with vs Bulli. Who I Alasse sir I haue a wife and seuenteene cradles rocking two ploughs going two barnes filling and a great heard of beasts feeding and you should vtterly vndo me to take me to such a great charge Cali. Well there is no remedie Exeunt all but Bullithrumble stealing from them closely away Bulli. The more 's the pitie Go with you quoth he marrie that had bene the way to preferment downe Holburne vp Tiburne well I le keepe my best ioynt from the strappado as well as I can hereafter I le haue no more seruants Exit running away Enter Selimus Sinam-Bassa Mustaffa and the Ianizaries Seli. Sinam we heare our brother Acomat Is fled away from Macedonia To aske for aide of Persian Ismael And the Aegyptian Soldane our chiefe foes Sinam Herein my Lord I like his enterprise For if they giue him aide as sure they will Being your highnesse vowed enemies You shall haue iust cause for to warre on them For giuing succour gainst you to your foe You know they are two mightie Potentates And may be hurtfull neighbours to your grace And to enrich the Turkish Diademe With two so worthie kingdomes as they are Would be eternall glorie to your name Seli. By heauens Sinam th' art a warriour And worthie counceller vnto a King Sound within Enter CaliHali and Hali with Corcut and his Page How now what newes Calâ—. My gratious Lord we here present to you Your brother Corcut whom in Smirna coasts Feeding a flocke of sheepe vpon a downe His traitrous Page betraied to our hands Seli. Thanks ye bold brethren but for that false part Let the vile Page be famished to death Corcut. Selim in this I see thou art a Prince To punish treason with condigne reward Seli. O sir I loue the fruite that treason brings But those that are the traitors them I hate But Corcut could not your Philosophie Keepe you safe from my Ianizaries hands We thought you had old Gyges wondrous ring That so you were inuisible to vs Cor. Selim thou dealst vnkindly with thy brother To seeke my death and make a iest of me vpbraid'st thou me with my philosophie Why this I learn'd by studying learned arts That I can beare my fortune as it falles And that I feare no whit thy crueltie Since thou wilt deale no otherwise with me Then thou hast
increase their insolentnesse To resist them were ouerhardinesse And worse it were to leaue my enterprize Well how so ere resolue to venture it Fortune doth fauour euery bold assay And t' were a trick of an vnsetled wit Because the bees haue stings with them alway To fare our mouthes in honie to embay Then resolution for me leades the dance And thus resolu'd I meane to trie my chance Exeunt all Enter Baiazet Mustaffa Calibassa Halibassa and the Ianizaries Baia. What prince so ere trusts to his mightie pow'r Ruling the reines of many nations And feareth not least fickle fortune loure Ar thinkes his kingdome free from alterations If he were in the place of Baiazet He would but litle by his scepter set For what hath rule that makes it acceptable Rather what hath it not worthie of hate First of all is our state still mutable And our continuance at the peoples rate So that it is a slender thred whereon Depends the honour of a princes throne Then do we feare more then the child new borne Our friends our Lords our subiects our sonnes Thus is our minde in sundry pieces torne By care by feare suspition and distrust In wine in meate we feare pernicious poyson At home abroad we feare seditious treason Too true that tyrant Dionysius Did picture out the image of a King When Daniocles was placed in his throne And ore his head a threatning sword did hang Fastned vp onely by a horses haire Our chiefest trust is secretly distrust For whom haue we whom we may safely trust If our owne sonnes neglecting awfull dutie Rise vp in Armes against their louing fathers Their heart is all of hardest marble wrought That can laie wayt to take away their breath From whom they first sucked this vitall ayre My heart is heauie and I needs must sleepe Bassaes withdraw your selues from me awhile That I may rest my ouerburdned soule They stand aside while the curtins are drawne Eunuchs plaie me some musicke while I sleepe Musicke within Must. Good Baiazet who would not pitie thee Whom thine owne sonne so vildly persecutes More mildly do th' vnreasonable beasts Deale with their dammes then Selimus with thee Halibas Mustaffa we are princes of the land And loue our Emperour as well as thou Yet will we not for pitying his estate Suffer our foes our wealth to ruinate If Selim haue playd false with Baiazet And ouerslipt the dutie of a sonne Why he was mou'd by iust occasion Did he not humbly send his messenger To craue accesse vnto his maiestie And yet he could not get permission To kisse his hands and speake his mind to him Perhaps he thought his aged fathers loue Was cleane estrang'd from him and Acomat Should reape the fruite that he had laboured for T is lawfull for the father to take Armes I and by death chastize his rebell sonne Why should it be vnlawfull for the sonne To leauie Armes gainst his iniurious sire Must. You reason Hali like a sophister As if t' were lawfull for a subiect prince To rise in Armes gainst his soueraigne Because he will not let him haue his will Much lesse i st lawfull for a mans owne sonne If Baiazet had iniur'd Selimus Or sought his death or done him some abuse Then Selimus cause had bene more tollerable But Baiazet did neuer iniure him Nor sought his death nor once abused him Vnlesse because he giues him not the crowne Being the yoongest of his highnesse sonnes Gaue he not him an Empire for his part The mightie Empire of great Trebisond So that if all things rightly be obseru'd Selim had more then euer he deseru'd I speake not this because I hate the prince For by the heauens I loue yoong Selimus Better then either of his brethren But for I owe alleagiance to my king And loue him much that fauours me so much Mustaffa while old Baiazet doth liue Will be as true to him as to himselfe Cali. Why braue Mustaffa Hali and my selfe Were neuer false vnto his maiestie Our father Hali died in the field Against the Sophi in his highnesse warres And we will neuer be degenerate Nor do we take part with prince Selimus Because we would depose old Baiazet But for because we would not Acomat That leads his life still in lasciuious pompe Nor Corcut though he be a man of woorth Should be commander of our Empire For he that neuer saw his foe mans face But alwaies slept vpon a Ladies lap Will scant endure to lead a souldiers life And he that neuer handled but his penne Will be vnskilfull at the warlike lance Indeed his wisedome well may guide the crowne And keepe that safe his predecessors got But being giuen to peace as Corcut is He neuer will enlarge the Empire So that the rule and power ouer vs Is onely fit for valiant Selimus Must. Princes you know how mightie Baiazet Hath honoured Mustaffa with his loue He gaue his daughter beautious Solima To be the soueraigne mistresse of my thoughts He made me captaine of the Ianissaries And too vnnaturall should Mustaffa be To rise against him in his dying age Yet know you warlike peere Mustaffa is A loyall friend vnto prince Selimus And ere his other brethren get the crowne For his sake I my selfe will pull them downe I loue I loue them dearly but the loue Which I do beare vnto my countries good Makes me a friend to noble Selimus Onely let Baiazet while he doth liue Enioy in peace the Turkish Diademe When he is dead and layd in quiet graue Then none but Selimus our helpe shall haue Sound within A Messenger enters Baiazet awaketh Baia. How now Mustaffa what newes haue we there Is Selim vp in Armes gainst me againe Or is the Sophi entred our confines Hath the Aegyptian snatch'd his crowne againe Or haue the vncontrolled Christians Vnsheath'd their swords to make more war on vs Such newes or none will come to Baiazet Must. My gratious Lord here 's an Embassador Come from your sonne the Soldan Acomat Baia. From Acomat oh let him enter in Enter Regian Embassadour how fares our louing sonne Reg. Mightie commander of the warlike Turks Acomat Souldane of Amasia Greeteth your grace by me his messenger He giues him a Letter And gratulates your highnesse good successe Wishing good fortune may befall you still Baia. Mustaffa reade He giues the letter to Mustaffa and speakes the rest to himself Acomat craues thy promise Baiazet To giue the Empire vp into his hands And make it sure to him in thy life time And thou shalt haue it louely Acomat For I haue bene encombred long inough And vexed with the cares of kingly rule Now let the trouble of the Empirie Be buried in the bosome of thy sonne Ah Acomat if thou haue such a raigne So full of sorrow as thy fathers was Thou wilt accurse the time the day and houre In which thou was establish'd Emperour Sound A Messenger from Corcut Yet more newes Mess. Long liue the mightie Emperor Baiazet