PROLOGU E.

Of all the mufe's various labours, none

Have lafted longer, or have higher flown,

Than thole that tell the fame by ancient heroes on.
With pleasure, Rome, and great Auguftus, beard
"Arms and the man" fung by the Mantuan bard.
In fpite of time, the facred flory lives,
And Cæfar and his empire ftill furvives.
Like him (tho' much unequal to his flame).
Our author makes a pious prince his theme:
High with the foremost names, in arms he flood,
Hud fought and fuffer'd for his country's good,
Yet fought not fame, but peace, in fields of blood.
Safe under him his happy people fute,

And griev'd, at diftance, for their neighbour's fate;
Whilft with fuccefs a Turkish monarch crown'd,
Like fpreading fame, deform'd the nations round ;
With fword and fire he forc'd his impious way
To lawless pow'r, and univerfal fway.
Some abject ftates, for fear, the tyrant join,
Others, for gold, their liberties refign,
And venal princes fold their right divine:
"Till Heav'n, the growing evil to redress,
Sent Tamerlane to give the world a peace.
The hero roused, afferts the glorious cause,
And to the field the chearful foldier draws.
Around, in crowds, bis valiant leaders wait,
Anxious for glory, and fecure of fate;
Well pleas'd, once more, to venture on his fide,
And prove that faith again, which had so oft been try3d.
The peaceful fathers, who in fenates meet,

Approve an enterprize fo juft, so great ;

While with their prince's arms, their voice thus join'd,
Gains half the praise of having fav'd mankind.
Ev'n in a circle, where, like this, the fair
Were met, the bright assembly did declare,
Their houfe, with one confent, avere for the war;

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Each

Each urg'd her lover to unheath his fword,
And never fpare a man who broke his word.
Thus fir'd, the brave on to the danger prefs;
Their arms were crown'd abroad with just success,
And bleft at home with beauty and with peace.

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TAMER

TAMER LANE.

H

A C T I.

SCENE before Tamerlane's tent.
Enter the Prince of Tanais, Zama, and Mirvan.
Prince of TANAIS.

AIL to the fun! from whofe returning light
The chearful foldier's arms new luftre take,.
To deck the pomp of battle. Oh, my friends!
Was ever fuch a glorious face of war?

See, from this height, how all Galatia's plains
With nations numberlefs are cover'd o'er;
Who, like a deluge, hide the face of earth,
And leave no object in the vast horizon,
But glitt'ring arms and fkies.

Zam. Our Afian world,

From this important day expects a lord;
This day they hope an end of all their woes,
Of tyranny, of bondage, and oppreffion,
From our victorious emp'ror, Tamerlane.

Mir. Well has our holy Alha mark'd him out
The fcourge of lawlefs pride, and dire ambition,
The great avenger of the groaning world.
Well has he worn the facred caufe of juftice
Upon his profp'rous fword. Approving Heav'n
Still crown'd the righteous warrior with fuccefs;
As if it faid, go forth, and be my champion,
Thou, most like me of all my works below.
• Pr. No luft of rule, the common vice of kings,
No furious zeal, infpir'd by hot-brain'd priests,
Ill hid beneath religion's fpecious name,
E er drew his temp rate courage to the field:
But to redrefs an injur'd people's wrongs,
To fave the weak one from the strong oppreffor,
Is all his end of war. And when he draws

• The

The fword to punish, like relenting Heav'n, 'He feems unwilling to deface his kind.

• Mir. So rich his foul in ev'ry virtuous grace,
That, had not nature made him great by birth,
Yet all the brave had fought him for their friend.
The Chriftian prince, Axalla, nicely bred
In polifh'd arts of European courts,
For him forfakes his native Italy,

And lives a happy exile in his fervice.

Pr. Pleas'd with the gentle manners of that prince, Our mighty lord is lavish to his friendship;

Tho' Omar and the Tartar lords repine,
And loudly tax their monarch as too partial.

Zam. Ere the mid-hour of night, from tent to tent, Unweary'd, thro' the num'rous host he past, Viewing with careful eyes each fev'ral quarter; Whilft from his looks, as from divinity, • The foldiers took prefage, and cry'd, Lead on, • Great Alha, and our emperor, lead on, To victory, and everlasting fame.'

Mir. Hear you of Bajazet ?

Pr. Late in the evening

A flave of near attendance on his perfon

'Scap'd to our camp. From him we learn'd, the tyrant With rage redoubled, for the fight prepares ;

Some accidental paffion fires his breast

(Love, as 'tis thought, for a fair Grecian captive)
And adds new horror to his native fury.

For five returning funs, fcarce was he seen
By any the most favour'd of his court,

But in lafcivious eafe, among his women,
Liv'd from the war retir'd; or elfe alone,
• In fullen mood, fat meditating plagues
And ruin to the world; 'till yefter morn,
Like fire that lab'ring upwards rends the earth,
• He burst with fury from his tent, commanding
All fhould be ready for the fight this day.

'Zam. I know his temper well, fince in his court, Companion of the brave Axalla's embaffy..

• I oft obferv'd him proud, impatient

Of aught fuperior, e'en of Heav'n that made him.
Fond of falie glory, of the favage pow'r

• Of

Of ruling without reafon, of confounding Juft and unjust, by an unbounded will; By whom religion, honour, all the bands That ought to hold the jarring world in peace, • Were held the tricks of ftate, fnares of wife princes, To draw their eafy neighbours to destruction.

• Mir. Thrice, by our law and prophet, has he fworn, By the world's Lord and Maker, lasting peace With our great master, and his royal friend The Grecian emperor; as oft, regardless Of plighted faith, with moft unkingly bafenefs, Without a war proclaim'd or caufe pretended, 'Has ta'en th' advantage of their abfent arms,

To wafte with sword and fire their fruitful fields: 'Like fome accurfed fiend, who, 'fcap'd from hell, • Poisons the balmy air thro' which he flies,

way

He blasts the bearded corn, and loaded branches, The lab'ring hind's best hopes, and marks his with Pr. But fee his fate! The mighty Tamerlane [ruin. Comes, like the proxy of inquiring Heav'n, To judge, and to redress.

[Flourish of trumpets.

Enter Tamerlane, guards, and other attendants.
Tam. Yet, yet a little, and deftructive flaughter
Shall rage around, and mar this beauteous profpect,
Pass but an hour, which stands betwixt the lives
Of thousands and eternity, what change

Shall hafty death make in yon glitt'ring plain?
Oh, thou fell monster, war! that in a moment
Lay'st waste the nobleft part of the creation,
The boast and mafter-piece of the great Maker,
'That wears in vain th' impreffion of his image,
Unprivileg'd from thee.

Health to our friends, and to our arms fuccefs,

[To the Prince, Zama, and Mirvan. Such as the caufe for which we fight deferves: Pr. Nor can we afk beyond what Heav'n bestows, Preventing still our wishes. See, great Sir, The univerfal joy your foldiers wear,

Omen of profp'rous battle.

Impatient of the tedious night, in arms
Watchful they stood, expecting op'ning day;
And now are hardly by their leaders held

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