Hock-Day, or Hock-Tuesday, in our ancient customs, 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, when they were almost all destroyed in one day in different parts of the kingdom, and principally by women. This is still observed in some counties; and the women bear the principal part in the observance, stopping all passengers with ropes and chains, and exacting some small matter from them to make merry withal. This day was very remarkable in former times, inasmuch as to be, like Michaelmas, a general term or time of account. We find leases without date reserving so much rent payable ad diuos anni terminos, siletet, ad le hoke-day, et ad festum sancti Michaelis. In the account of Magdalen College, Oxford, there is yearly an allowance pro mulieribus hoc-