M. Gun.
Sirrah, thou know'st how Orleans is besieged,
And how the English have the suburbs won.

Boy.
Father, I know; and oft have shot at them,
Howe'er unfortunate I miss'd my aim.

M. Gun.
But now thou shalt not. Be thou ruled by me:
Chief master-gunner am I of this town;
Something I must do to procure me grace.
The prince's espials ^note have informed me
How the ^note English, in the suburbs close intrench'd,
Wont ^note through a secret grate of iron bars
In yonder tower to overpeer the city
And thence discover how with most advantage
They may vex us with shot or with assault.
To intercept this inconvenience,
A piece of ordnance 'gainst it I have placed;
And even these three days have I watch'd,
If I could see them.
Now do thou watch, for I can stay no longer. ^{note note}
If thou spy'st any, run and bring me word;
And thou shalt find me at the governor's. [Exit.

Boy.
Father, I warrant you; take you no care;
I'll never trouble you, if I may spy them. [Exit. ^note

Enter ^note, on the turrets, the Lords Salisbury and Talbot, Sir William Glansdale, Sir Thomas Gargrave, and others.

Sal.
Talbot, my life, my joy, again return'd!
How wert thou handled being prisoner?
Or by what means got'st ^note thou to be released?
Discourse, I prithee, on this turret's top.

Tal.
The Duke ^note of Bedford had a prisoner
Call'd ^note the brave Lord ^note Ponton de Santrailles ^note;
For him was I exchanged and ransomed ^note.
But with a baser man of arms by far
Once in contempt they would have barter'd me:
Which I disdaining scorn'd and craved death
Rather than I would be so vile-esteem'd ^note.
In fine, redeem'd I was as I desired.
But, O! the treacherous Fastolfe ^note wounds my heart,
Whom with my bare fists I would execute,
If I now had him brought into my power.

Sal.
Yet tell'st thou not how thou wert entertain'd.

Tal.
With scoffs and scorns and contumelious taunts.
In open market-place produced they me,
To be a public spectacle to all:
Here, said they, is the terror of the French,
The scarecrow ^note that affrights our children so.
Then broke I from the officers that led me,
And with my nails digg'd stones out of the ground,
To hurl at the beholders of my shame:
My grisly countenance made others fly;
None durst come near for fear of sudden death.
In iron walls they deem'd me not secure;

So great fear of my name 'mongst them was ^note spread ^note
That they supposed I could rend bars of steel
And spurn in pieces posts of adamant:
Wherefore a guard of chosen shot I had
That ^note walked about me every minute while;
And if I did but stir out of my bed,
Ready they were to shoot me to the heart. Enter ^note the Boy with a linstock.

Sal.
I grieve to hear what torments you endured,
But we will be revenged sufficiently.
Now it is supper-time in Orleans:
Here, through ^note this grate ^note, I count each one ^note
And view the Frenchmen how they fortify:
Let us look in; the sight will much delight thee.
Sir Thomas Gargrave, and Sir William Glansdale,
Let me have your express opinions
Where is best place to make our battery next. ^note

Gar.
I think, at the north gate; for there stand ^note lords.

Glan.
And I, here, at the bulwark of the bridge.

Tal.
For aught I see, this city must be famish'd,
Or with light skirmishes enfeebled. [Here they shoot ^note. Salisbury and Gargrave ^note fall ^note. ^note

Sal.
O Lord, have mercy on us, wretched sinners!

Gar.
O Lord, have mercy on me, woful man!

Tal.
What chance is this that suddenly hath cross'd us?
Speak, Salisbury; at least, if thou canst speak ^note:
How farest thou, mirror of all martial men?

One of thy eyes ^note and thy cheek's side struck off!
Accursed tower! accursed fatal hand
That hath contrived this woful tragedy!
In thirteen battles Salisbury o'ercame;
Henry the Fifth he first train'd to the wars;
Whilst any trump did sound, or drum struck up,
His sword did ne'er leave striking in the field.
Yet livest thou, Salisbury? though thy speech doth fail,
One eye thou hast, to look to heaven for grace:
The sun with one eye vieweth all the world ^note.
Heaven, be thou gracious to none alive,
If Salisbury wants mercy at thy hands! ^note
Bear hence his body; I will help to bury it.
Sir Thomas Gargrave, hast thou any life?
Speak unto Talbot; nay, look up to him.
Salisbury, cheer ^note thy spirit with this comfort;
Thou shalt not die whiles— ^note
He beckons with his hand and smiles on me,
As who should say ‘When I am dead and gone,
Remember to avenge me on the French.’
Plantagenet, I will; and like thee, Nero, ^note
Play on the lute, beholding the towns burn:
Wretched shall France be only in my name ^note. [Here an alarum, and it thunders and lightens.
What stir is this? what tumult's in the heavens?
Whence cometh this alarum, and the noise ^note? Enter a Messenger.

Mess.
My lord, my lord, the French have gather'd head:
The Dauphin, with one Joan la Pucelle ^note join'd,

A holy prophetess new risen up,
Is come with a great power to raise the siege. [Here Salisbury lifteth himself up and groans.

Tal.
Hear, hear how dying Salisbury doth groan!
It irks his heart he cannot be revenged.
Frenchmen, I'll be a Salisbury to you:
Pucelle or puzzel ^note, dolphin or dogfish,
Your hearts I'll stamp out with my horse's heels,
And make a quagmire of your mingled brains. ^note
Convey me ^note Salisbury into his tent,
And then we'll try ^note what these ^note dastard Frenchmen dare. [Alarum. ^note Exeunt. ^{note note}

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