“A Norfolk antiquary has had the goodness to procure for us an authentic report of the present state of Tom’s sepulchre. It is a stone soros, of the usual shape and dimensions; the sculptured lid or cover no longer exists. It must have been entire about fifty years ago, for when we were good Gaffer Crane would rehearse Tom’s achievements, and tell us that he had cut out the moss which filled up the inscription with his penknife, but he could not read the letters.”[C]
And Clare, in his Village Minstrel, tells us that:—
“Here Lubin listen’d with awestruck surprise,
When Hickathrift’s great strength has met his ear;
How he kill’d giants as they were but flies,
And lifted trees as one would a spear,
Though not much bigger than his fellows were;
He knew no troubles waggoners have known,
Of getting stall’d and such disasters drear;
Up he’d chuck sacks as we would hurl a stone,