SCENE IX.

LORD GRIZZLE, FOODLE, REBELS, _on one side_; TOM THUMB, GLUMDALCA, _on the other._

_Food._ At length the enemy advances nigh, I hear them with my ear, and see them with my eye.[189]

_Griz._ Draw all your swords: for liberty we fight, And liberty the mustard is of life.[190]

_Thumb._ Are you the man whom men famed Grizzle name?

_Griz._ Are you the much more famed Tom Thumb?[191]

_Thumb._ The same.

_Griz._ Come on, our worth upon ourselves we'll prove; For liberty I fight.

_Thumb._ And I for love.

[_A bloody engagement between the two armies; drums beating, trumpets sounding, thunder, lightning, They fight off and on several times. Some fall._ GRIZZLE _and_ GLUMDALCA _remain._

_Glum._ Turn, coward, turn; nor from a woman fly.

_Griz._ Away--thou art too ignoble for my arm.

_Glum._ Have at thy heart.

_Griz._ Nay, then I thrust at thine.

_Glum._ You push too well; you've run me through the body, And I am dead.

_Griz._ Then there's an end of one.

_Thumb._ When thou art dead, then there's an end of two. Villain.[192]

_Griz._ Tom Thumb!

_Thumb._ Rebel!

_Griz._ Tom Thumb!

_Thumb._ Hell!

_Griz._ Huncamunca!

_Thumb._ Thou hast it there.

_Griz._ Too sure I feel it.

_Thumb._ To hell then, like a rebel as you are, And give my service to the rebels there.

_Griz._ Triumph not, Thumb, nor think thou shalt enjoy Thy Huncamunca undisturb'd; I'll send My ghost to fetch her to the other world;[193] It shall but bait at heaven, and then return.[194] But, ha! I feel death rumbling in my brains:[195] Some kinder sprite knocks softly at my soul,[196] And gently whispers it to haste away. I come, I come, most willingly I come. So when some city wife, for country air, To Hampstead or to Highgate does repair, Her to make haste her husband does implore, And cries, "My dear, the coach is at the door:" With equal wish, desirous to be gone, She gets into the coach, and then she cries--"Drive on!"

_Thumb._ With those last words he vomited his soul,[197] Which, like whipt cream, the devil will swallow down.[198] Bear off the body, and cut off the head, Which I will to the king in triumph lug. Rebellion's dead, and now I'll go to breakfast.