Gentlemen and courteous readers whosoever: I have here
published in print for your sakes, the two tragical discourses
of the Scythian shepherd Tamburlaine, that became so great
a conqueror and so mighty a monarch. My hope is, that they
will be now no less acceptable unto you to read after your
serious affairs and studies than they have been, lately, delightful
for many of you to see, when the same were showed in
London upon stages. I have purposely omitted and left out
some fond and frivolous jestures, digressing and, in my poor
opinion, far unmeet for the matter, which I thought might
10 seem more tedious unto the wise than any way else to be
regarded – though, haply, they have been of some vain conceited
fondlings greatly gaped at, what times they were
showed upon the stage in their graced deformities. Nevertheless,
now to be mixtured in print with such matter of worth,
it would prove a great disgrace to so honourable and stately
a history. Great folly were it in me to commend unto your
wisdoms, either the eloquence of the author that writ them,
or the worthiness of the matter itself; I therefore leave unto
your learned censures both the one and the other, and myself
20 the poor printer of them unto your most courteous and favourable
protection: which if you vouchsafe to accept, you
shall evermore bind me to employ what travail and service I
can to the advancing and pleasuring of your excellent degree.
Yours, most humble at commandment,
Printer.
PROLOGUE
From jigging veins of rhyming mother-wits
And such conceits as clownage keeps in pay,
We’ll lead you to the stately tent of war,
Where you shall hear the Scythian Tamburlaine
5 Threat’ning the world with high astounding terms
And scourging kingdoms with his conquering sword.
View but his picture in this tragic glass,
And then applaud his fortunes as you please.
[Exit.]