Page:Punch and judy.djvu/171

Punch. He wanted to kill me.

J. Ketch. How?

Punch. With his d——d physic.

J. Ketch. That's all gammon. You must come to prison: my name's Ketch.

Punch. Ketch that then. (Punch knocks down Jack Ketch, and continues to dance and sing^[1])

Enter behind, one after the other, the Constable, the Officer, and Jack Ketch. They fall upon Punch in the order in which they enter, and after a noisy struggle, they pin him in a corner, and finally carry him off, while he lustily calls out "Help! murder!" &c.

Scene II.

(the curtain rises at the back of the stage rises, and discovers Punch in prison, rubbing his nose against the bars and poking it through them)

Punch. Oh dear! Oh dear! what will become of poor pill-garlick now. My pretty Poll, when shall I see you again? (sings to the air of "Water parted from the Sea")

Punch, when parted from his dear,
Still must sing in doleful tune.
I wish I had those rascals here,
I'd settle all their hashes soon!

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1. After the defeat of Jack Ketch, we have sometimes seen, with a total disregard of his rank and office, the Chief Justice of England introduced, for the purpose of making the caption of Punch. The dialogue between the two was equally infra dignitatem, at least on the part of the first Judge of the land.

   Chief Justice. Hollo! Punch, my boy!
   

   Punch. Hollo! who are you with your head like a cauliflower?
   

   Chief Justice. Don't you know me? I'm the Lord Chief Justice.
   

   Punch. I don't care if you're the Lord Chancellor. You shan't get me into Chancery, that's all.
   

   Chief Justice. But I shall get you into prison. You're a murderer! you've killed I don't know how many people.