_Thomas Hickathrift was made Governor of the Island of the East Angles,
now called Thanet, and of the wonderful Achievements he performed
there._
The King hearing the aforesaid dreadful Tydings, immediately sate
in Council to consider what was to be done for the overcoming this
monstrous Giant, and barbarous savage Lyons and Bears that with him had
invaded his Princely territories. At length it was agreed upon that
Thomas Hickathrift was the most likeliest man in the whole kingdom,
for undertaking of so dangerous an enterprise; he being not only a
fortunate man of great strength, but likewise a true and trusty subject
one that was always ready and willing to do his King and country
service, for which reason it was thought necessary to make him Governor
of the aforesaid Island; which place of trust and honour, he readily
received, and accordingly he forthwith went down with his wife and
family, to take possession of the same, attended with a hundred Knights
and Gentlemen, who conducted him to the entrance of the Island which he
was to govern. A castle in those days there was, in which he was to
take up his head-quarters, the same being situated with that advantage
that he could view the Island for several miles upon occasion; the
Knights and Gentlemen at last taking their leave of him, wish’d him all
happy success and prosperity. Many days he had not been there before it
was his fortune to behold the monstrous Giant mounted upon a dreadful
Dragon, bearing upon his shoulder a club of Iron, having but one eye,
the which was placed in his forehead, and larger in compass than a
barber’s bason, and seem’d to appear like a flaming fire; his visage
was dreadful, grim and tawny; the hair of his head hanging down his
back and shoulders, like snakes of a prodigious length; the bristles of
his Beard like rusty wire: And lifting up his blare eye, he happened to
discover Sir Thomas Hickathrift, who was looking upon him from one of
his windows of the castle; the Giant then began to knit his brow, and
breath forth threatening words to the Governor, who indeed was a little
surpriz’d at the approach of so monstrous a brute; the Giant finding
that Tom did not make much haste down to meet him, he alighted from the
back of the dragon, and chained the same to an Oak tree, then marching
furiously to the castle, setting his broad shoulder against a corner of
the stone walls, as if he intended to overthrow the whole building at
once which Tom perceiving, said is this the game you would be at; faith
I shall spoil your sport, for I have a delicate tool to pick your teeth
withal; then taking his two handed sword of five foot long, a weapon
which the King had given him to govern with taking this I say, down he
went, and flinging open the Gates, he there found the Giant, who by an
unfortunate slip in his thrusting was fallen all along, where he lay
and could not help himself. What, quoth Tom, do you come here to take
up your Lodging? This is not to be suffer’d, and with that he ran his
long broad sword in betwixt the monstrous Giant’s brawny Buttocks and
out at his Belly, which made the monstrous Brute give such a terrible
groan that it seemed like roaring thunder, making the very neighbouring
trees to tremble; and then Tom pulling out his sword again, at six or
seven blows he separated his head from his unconscionable trunk, which
head, when it was off, seemed like the root of a mighty Oak. Then
turning to the Dragon, which was all this while chain’d to a tree,
without any farther discourse, with four blows with his two-handed
sword, he cut off his head also. This fortunate adventure being over,
he sent immediately for a team of horses and a waggon: which he loaded
with these heads, and then summoning all the Constables in the Country
for a guard, sent them to Court, with a promise to his Majesty, that he
would rid the whole Island likewise of Bears and Lyons before he left
it.
[Illustration]