Hock Day, or Hock Tuesday, in our ancient customs (die Martis, quem quindecim pascha vocant), the second Tuesday after Easter week; a solemn festival celebrated for many ages in England in memory of the great slaughter of the Danes in the time of king Ethelred, they having been in that reign almost all destroyed in one day in different parts of the kingdom, and that principally by women. This is still kept up in some counties; and the women bear the principal sway in it, stopping all passengers with ropes and chains, and exacting some small matter from them to make merry with. This day was very remarkable in former times, insomuch as to be used on the same footing with Michaelmas for a general term or time of account. We find leaves without date referring to such rent payable ad duos anni terminos, scil. ad le hoke-day, &c. ad festum sancti Michaelis. In the accounts of Magdalen college, Oxford, there is yearly an allowance pro mulieribus bockantibus of some manors of theirs in Hampshire; where the men hock the women on Mondays, and the women hock them on Tuesdays. The meaning of it is, that on that day the women in merriment stopped the way with ropes, and pulled passengers to them, desiring something to be laid out for pious uses.

Hoke Day Money, or Hock Tuesday Money, a tribute anciently paid the landlord, for giving his tenants and bondmen bondmen leave to celebrate hock-day, or hoke-day, in memory of the expulsion of the domineering Danes.