Hock-day, or Hock-Tuesday, in our ancient customs (dies Martis, quem quinquendam pascche 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 day or time of account. We find leaves without date referring so much rent payable ad duos anni terminos, feil. ad le hoke-day, &c. ad februm sancti Michaelis. In the account of Magdalen college, Oxford, there is yearly an allowance pro multibus hockantibus 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.

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

HO-KIEN-Fou, a city of China, and one of the principal in the province of Pe-tcheli. It has two cities of the second, and fifteen of the third class in its district, but is remarkable for nothing but the neatness of its streets.