• - ^ I "W OF e- I U Cs S3 113 « in n u. mm ,>&J3&$$& LINT E GLASG< THE . KS .L i m ■. ■ , n SSI _ THE HISTORY OF He that does buy this little Book, Observe what you in it do look, When you have read it, then may say. Your money is not thrown away. CHAP. I. O fhis Birth, Parentage, and Education . In the reign before William the conqueror, I have heard in ancient his- tory that there dwelt a man in the parish of the Isle of Ely, in the coun- 4 ty of Cambsidge, whose name was Thomas Hickathrift, a poor man and a day labourer, yet he was a very stout man, and able to perform two days work instead of one : He having one son, and no more children in the world, he called him by his own name, Thomas Hickathrift, This old man put his son to good learning, but he would take none, for he was as we call them in this age, none of the wisest sort, but something less, and had no docility at all in him. His father beinQ- soon called out of the world, his mother was tender of him, maintained him bv her hand-la- hour as well as she could ; he being slothful, and not willing to work to get a penny for his living, but all his delight was to be in the chimney cor- ner, and would eat as much at one lime as would serve four or five men ; for be was in height, when he was 5 Mit ten years of age, about eight feet Jul in thickness five feet, and his land was like unto a shoulder of mut< Rn ; and in all his parts from top to toe, he was like unto a monster, ■id vet his great strength was not wiown. I CHAP, 1! How Thomas Hickathrift Strength, came to be known. The first time that his strength Ivas known, was by his mother going to a rich farmer's house (she being Jbut I poor woman) to desire a buttle oi ttraw to shift herself and her son uhomiis. The farmer being a very honest, charitable man, bid her take hvhat she would. She going home to rer son Tom, said, I pray go to such place and fetch me a buttle of straw, I have asked him leave. He swbt6 fie would not go : nay, pray thee, 1 om £0, said his old mother. He swore again he would not go, unless she would barrow him a cart rope. She being willing to please him, went and borrowed him a cart rope to his desire. He taking it went his way ; coming to the farmer's house, the master was in the barn, and two men threshing. Said Tom, I am come for a buttle of straw. Tom, said the master, take as much as thou canst carry. He laid down the cart rope, and began to make his buttle ; said they, Tom thy rope is to short, and jeer'd poor Tom, but he fitted the man well for it : for he made his buttle, and when he had fin- ished it, there was supposed to be a load of straw in it, of two thousand weight, Said they, what a great fool art thou, thou canst not carry the tenth of it? Tom took the buttle and piling it over his shoulder, and made o more of it than we do of an hundred weight, to the great admiration of mas- er and men. Tom Hickathrift's strength being hen known in the town, they would (no longer let him lie baking by the fire in the chimney corner, every one 'would be hiring him to work ; they [seeing him to have so much strength, told him that it was a shame for him !to live such a lazy course of life, and 'to lie idle day after day, as he did. Tom seeing them bait him in s manner as they did, went first to on a work then to another ; but at length came a man who would hire him to go to the wood ; for he had a tree to bring home, and he would content him. Tom went with him, and hi took with him four men besides ; but when they came to the wood, they set the carl op. the tree, and began to o draw it up with pullies ; Tom seeing them not able to stir it, said, stand a Way, ye tools, then takes it up and set it on one end, and lays it on the cart Now, says he, see what a man can do Merry is it true, said they. Whei ihey had done, as they came through the wood they met the wood-man, Tom asked him for a stick to make his mother a fire with. Aye, says the wood-man, take one that thou canst carry. Tom espyed a tree bigger than the one that was in the cart, and lays it on his shoulder, and goes home with it as fast as the cart and six horses could draw it. This was the second time that Tom's strength was known. When Tom began to know that he had more strength than twenty men, lie then began to be merry and very tractable, and would run, or jump, took great delight to be amongst com- ny, and to go to fairs and meetings to see sports and pastimes Going to a feast, the young men were all met, some to cudgels, some to wrestling, some throwing the ham- mer and the like ; Tom stood a while to see the sport, and at last goes to them that were throwing the hammer ; and standing a little to see their man- like sport, at last he takes the hammer in his hand to feel the weight of it, and bid them stand out of the way, for he would throw it as far as he could. Aye, said the smith and jeered poor Tom, you'll throw it a great way I'll warrant you ; Tom took the hammer in his hand and flung it; and their was a river about five or six furlongs off, and fl 11112; it into that : When he had done, he hid the smith fetch the hammer again, and laughed the smith to scorn. When Tom had done this exploit, he would go to wrestling, tho' he had w 10 )iu more skill of it than an ass, but what he'had by strength ; yet liefJ img all that came to oppose him, ibr if once he laid hold of them, they were gone. Some he would throw over his head, some he would lay down silly, and how he pleased ; he would not like to strike at their heels, but flung them two or three yards from him, ready to break their necks asunder; so that none at last durst go into the ring to wrestle with him, for they took him to be some devil that was come among them ; so Tom's fame soon spread more and more in the country. CHAP. III. How Tom came to be a Brewers man ; and how lie came to hill a Giant, and at last was Mr Hickathrift. Tom's fame being spread abroad both far and near, (here was not a 11 man durst give him an angry word for he was something fool-hardy, and did not care what he did unto them ; so that all them who knew him would not in the least displease him. At length there was a Brewer at Lynn, who wanted a good lusty man to carry his beer to the marsh, and to Wisbech; hearing of Tom, went to hire him, but Tom seemed coy, and would not be his man, until his mother and friends persuaded him, and his master intreated him ; likewise promised him that he should have a new suit of clothes and every thing answerable from top to toe ; besides he should eat and drink of the best. Tom at last yielded to be his man, and his master told him how far he must go ; for you must under- stand there was a monstrous giant, who kept some part of the marsh, and durst not go that way : for if they did, he would keep them, or kill them ; or 12 else he would make bond slaves of them. But to come to Tom and his in; ter, lie did more work in one day, than all his men could do in three ; so that his master seeing him very tractable, and to look so well after his busine made him his head man to go into the marsh, to carry beer by himself, for he needed no man with him. Tom went every day in the week to. Wisbech, which was a very good journey, and it was twenty miles the road way. Tom going so long that wearisome journey and finding that way which the giant kept was nearer by half, and Tom before by being so well kept, and drinking so much strong ale as he did ; one day he was goifte to Wisbech, and without saying any thing to his ma ter, or to any of his fellow servants, lie was resolved to take the nearest w to the wood ; or lose his life to win the 13 or lose the saddle, to kill or i :iiled, if lie met with th< h this resolution he goes tin ar- est way with his cart and horses to go Wisbech, hut the giant perceiving him, and seeing him to he so hold, thought to prevent him, and came hi- ding to take his cart from him. The giant met Tom like a lion, as thought he would have swallowed him up at a mouthful ; Sirrah, says he, who tave you authority to come this way ? Do you not know that I make all stand n fear of my sight, and you like an mpudent rogue must come and fling )pen my gates at your pleasure ! How lare you presume to do this ? Are you [o careless of your life ? I will make liee a sample for all rogues under he sun ; dost thou not care what thou lost; And do you not see how many Is hang upon yonder tree that have nde.fj me ! But thy head shall hang 14 higher than all the rest for an exauipie, Tom made answer, A turd in your teeth for your news, for yon shall no find me like one of them. No, sail the giant, why ? Thou art but a foo if thou comest to fight with such a one as I am, and bring no weapon to di fend thyself withal. Said Tom,, I havi a weapon here will make you under- stand you are a traitorily rogue. Ayt sirrah said the Giant, and took tha word in high disdain, that Tom shoulf call him a traitorily rogue, and wit that he ran into his cave to fetch his club, intending to dash out Tom' brains at the first blow. Tom knew not what to do for a wea- pon, for he knew his whip would do but little good against such a monstrous beast as he was, for he was in height about twelve feet, and six feet about the waist ; but while the Giant went for his club, Tom bethought himself oi 15 two very good weapons, for he makes no more ado, but takes out the axle- tree, and a wheel lor his shield and buckler ; and very good weapons they were, especially in time of need. The Giant coming out again, began to stare at Tom, to see him take the wheel in one hand and axle-tree in the other to defend himself with. ! said the Giant, you are like to do great service with these weapons ; I have here 'a twig that will beat thee and thy wheel and axle-tree to the ground ; that which the Giant called a twio- was as thick as some mill-posts are, but Tom was not daunted for all his bier and threatening speeches, for he saw perfectly there was no way except one, which was, to kill or be killed ; so the Giant made at Tom with such a vehe- ment force, that he made Tom's wheel crack again, and Torn lent the Giant as good, for he gave him such a weighty 16 Wow on the side of his head, that ma*. the Giant reel again. What, said Toj are you drunk with my strong bed already. The Giant recovering laid on Ton most sad blows ; but still as they came Tom kept them' off with his wheel, so that he had no hurt at all : In short; Tom plied his work so well, and laid uch huge blows on the Giant, that sweat and blood together ran down his face and being fat and foggy, with fighting so long, he was almost tired out, and asked Tom to let him drink a little water, and then he would fight with him again. No, said Tom, my mother did not teach me that wit ; who would be the fool then? Tom finding the Giant began to weary, and that he failed in his blows, thought it was best to make hay while the sun did shine, for he laid on so fast as though he was mad, till he brought the Giant down 17 to the ground. The Giant seeing him- self down, and Tom laying so hard on him, made him roar in a most lament- able manner, and prayed for him not to take away his life, and he would do any thing for him, and yield himself to him and be his servant ; but Tom having no more mercy on him than a dog or bear, laid still at the Giant, 'till he laid him for dead and when he had done he cut oft' his head and went into the cave, where he found a great store of silver and gold which made his heart to leap. Now having done this action, killing the Giant he put his cart together again, loaded it and drove it to Wisbech and delivered his beer ; and coming home to his master, he told it to him ; his master was so overjoyed at the news, that he would not believe h till had seen; and getting up A day, he and his master went to see if he spoke truth or not togethq Willi most of the town of Lynn. Whea they came to the place and found thl Giant dead, he then shewed the placj where his head was, and what silvel and gold there was in the cave, all oi them leaped for joy, for this monstel was a great enemy to all the countryl This news was spread all up an J down the country how Tom Hickathril had killed the Giant, and well was hi that could run or go to see the GiaiJ and the cave ; then all the folks ma