and none of the derivations yet proposed seem to be deserving of our
consideration.[34] The custom may be traced, by its name at least, as
far back as the thirteenth century, and appears to have prevailed in all
parts of England, but it became obsolete early in the last century. At
Coventry, which was a great place for pageantry, there was a play or
pageant attached to the ceremony, which, under the title of “The old
Coventry play of Hock Tuesday,” was performed before Queen Elizabeth
during her visit to Kenilworth, in July 1575. It represented a series of
combats between the English and Danish forces, in which twice the Danes
had the better, but at last, by the arrival of the Saxon women to assist
their countrymen, the Danes were overcome, and many of them were led
captive in triumph by the women. Queen Elizabeth laughed well at this
play, and is said to have been so much pleased with it that she gave the
actors two bucks and five marks in money. The usual performance of this
play had been suppressed in Coventry soon after the Reformation, on
account of the scenes of riot which it occasioned.
[34] Some have supposed that the term hock-day is equivalent to “_dies
irrisionis_,” or _irrisiorius_, a day of scorn and triumph, or, as we
now say, “a day of hoaxing”--_Med. Ævi Kalend._, 1841, vol. ii. p.
198. Verstegan derives Hoc-tide from _Heughtyde_, which, he says, in
the Netherlands means a festival season.
Denne conjectures the name of this festivity to have been derived from
_Hockzeit_, the German word for a wedding. Skinner mentions a
derivation from the Dutch _hocken_, _desidere_, and adds, “mallem
igitur deducere ab A.S. _Heah-tid_.” Kennett (_Paroch. Antiq._ p. 495)
suggests the Saxon _headœg_, which answers to the French
_haut-jour_.--See Brand, _Pop. Antiq._ 1849, vol. i. pp. 184-191.
It will be seen that this Coventry play was founded on the statement
which had found a place in some of our chronicles as far back as the
fourteenth century, that these games of hock-tide were intended to
commemorate the massacre of the Danes on St. Brice’s Day, 1002; while
others, alleging the fact that St. Brice’s Day is the 13th of November,
suppose it to commemorate the rejoicings which followed the death of
Hardicanute, and the accession of Edward the Confessor, when the country
was delivered from Danish tyranny. Others, however, and probably with
more reason, think that these are both erroneous explanations; and this
opinion is strongly supported by the fact that Hock Tuesday is not a
fixed day, but a movable festival, and dependent on the great
Anglo-Saxon pagan festival of Easter, like the similar ceremony of
heaving, still practised on the borders of Wales on Easter Monday and
Tuesday. Such old pagan ceremonies were preserved among the Anglo-Saxons
long after they became Christians, but their real meaning was gradually
forgotten, and stories and legends, like this of the Danes, afterwards
invented to explain them. It may also be regarded as a confirmation of
the belief that this festival is the representation of some feast
connected with the pagan superstitions of our Saxon forefathers, that
the money which was collected was given to the church, and was usually
applied to the reparation of the church buildings. We can hardly
understand why a collection of money should be thus made in
commemoration of the overthrow of the Danish influence, but we can
easily imagine how, when the festival was continued by the Saxons as
Christians, what had been an offering to some one of the pagan gods
might be turned into an offering to the church. The entries on this
subject in the old churchwardens’ registers of many of our parishes not
only show how generally the custom prevailed, but to what an extent the
middle classes of society took part in it.
In Reading these entries go back to a rather remote date, and mention
collections by men as well as women, while they seem to show that there
the women “hocked,” as the phrase was, on the Monday, and the men on the
Tuesday.
In the registers of the parish of St. Laurence, under the year 1499, we
have:
“Item, received of Hock money gaderyd of women, xx^{s.}
Item, received of Hock money gaderyd of men, iiij^{s.}”
In the parish of St. Giles, under the date 1535:
“Hoc money gatheryd by the wyves (women), xiij^{s.} ix^{d.}”
In St. Mary’s parish, under the year 1559:
“Hoctyde money, the mens gatheryng, iiij^{s.}
The womens, xij^{s.}”
In the “Privy Purse Expenses” of Henry VIII. for the year 1505, is the
following entry:--
“May 2.--To Lendesay for the wiffs at Grenewiche upon Hock Monday,
3_s._ 4_d._”
Higgins, in his _Short View of English History_, says that, “At Hoctide
the people go about beating brass instruments, and singing old rhymes in
praise of their cruel ancestors.” Dr. Plot says that one of the uses of
the money collected at _Hoketyde_ was the reparation of the several
parish churches where it was gathered. This is confirmed by extracts
from the _Lambeth Book_.--Brand, _Pop. Antiq._ 1849, vol. i. p. 189.
BERKSHIRE.
Some singular Hocktide customs observed at Hungerford are thus described
in the _Standard_ of April 14th, 1874:--These customs are connected with
the Charter for holding by the Commons the rights of fishing, shooting,
and pasturage of cattle on the lands and property bequeathed to the town
by John O’Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. The proceedings commenced on Friday
evening with a supper, at which the fare was macaroni, Welsh rare-bits,
watercress, salad, and punch. To-day--John O’Gaunt’s Day--known in the
town as “Tuth” Day, the more important business of the season is
transacted at the Town Hall, from the window of which the town-crier
blows the famous old horn, which has done service on these occasions for
many long years. The tything or “tuth” men thereupon proceed to the high
constable’s residence, to receive their “tuth” poles, which are usually
decorated with ribbons and flowers. The first business of these
officials, who are generally tradesmen of the borough, is to visit the
various schools and ask a holiday for the children; then to call at each
house and demand a toll from the gentlemen, and a kiss from the ladies,
and distribute oranges _ad libitum_ throughout the day, in expectation
of which a troop of children follow them through the streets, which are
for several hours kept alive by the joyous shouts and huzzas. The high
constable is elected at the annual court held to-day, and one of the
curious customs is the sending out by that officer’s wife of a bountiful
supply of cheesecakes among the ladies of the place.
APRIL 20.] WORCESTERSHIRE.
The 20th of April is the great fair-day of Tenbury, and there is a
belief in the county that the cuckoo is never heard till Tenbury
fair-day, or after Pershore fair-day, which is the 26th of
June.[35]--_N. & Q. 2nd S._ vol. i. p. 429.
[35] Formerly there prevailed a singular custom peculiar to the county
of Shropshire, called the “cuckoo-ale,” which was celebrated in the
month of May, and sometimes near the latter end of April. As soon as
the first cuckoo had been heard all the labouring classes left off
work, even if in the middle of the day, and the time was devoted to
mirth and jollity over what was called the cuckoo-ale.--_Morning
Post_, May 17th, 1821.
APRIL 23.] ST. GEORGE’S DAY.
St. George’s Day, though now passed over without notice, was formerly
celebrated by feasts of cities and corporations, as we learn from Johan
Bale, who, speaking of the neglect of public libraries, has the
following curious apostrophe:
“O cyties of Englande, whose glory standeth more in bellye chere then in
the serche of wysdome godlye. How cometh it that neyther you, nor your
ydell masmongers, have regarded thys most worthy commodyte of your
countrey? I mean the conservacyon of your antiquytees, and of the worthy
labours of your lerned men. I thynke the renowne of suche a notable acte
wolde have muche longar endured than of all your belly bankettes and
table tryumphes, eyther yet of your newly purchased hawles to kepe St.
Georges feast in.”--Preface to the _Laboryeuse Journey and Serche of
John Lyelande for Englande’s Antiquitees_ in _Lives of Leland, Hearne,
and Wood_, vol. i., sign C.
Among courtiers and people of fashion blue coats were worn on this day.
Captain Face, a character in the _Ram Alley_, alludes to the custom
among the knights:--
“Do you bandy tropes? By Dis I will be knight,
Wear a blue coat on great St. George’s Day,
And with my fellows drive you all from Paul’s.”
Dodsley’s _Old Plays_, vol. v. p. 486.
In Epigram 33 of _The Seconde Bowle_, by Thomas Freeman, 4to, 1614,
quoted also in Dodsley’s _Old Plays_, vol. xii. p. 398, its this
distich:
“With’s eorum nomine keeping greater sway,
Than a Court blew coat on St. George’s Day.”
Dr. Forster, in his _Perennial Calendar_ (1824, p. 185), mentioning an
allusion to this dress in Reed’s _Old Plays_ (vol. xii.), observes that
it was probably because blue was the fashionable colour of Britain, over
which St. George presides, and not in imitation of the clothing of the
fields in blue, by the flowering of the blue-bells, as many have
supposed.
The king’s spurs became the fee of the choristers at Windsor on
installations and feasts on St. George’s Day. In the “Privy Purse
Expenses of Henry VII.” is an entry under the year 1495:
“Oct. 1. At Windesor. To the children for the spoures.”
A similar disbursement occurs thrice in the Privy Purse Expenses of
Henry VIII. in 1530.--_Med. Ævi Kalend._ vol. i. p. 214.
Strype, in his _Ecclesiastical Memorials_ (1822, vol. iii. pt. ii. p.
3), says, “April 23rd [1557], being St. George’s Day, the King’s grace
went a procession at Whitehall, through the hall, and round about the
court hard by the gate, certain of the Knights of the Garter
accompanying him, viz., the Lord Mountagu, the Lord Admiral St. Anthony
St. Leger, the Lord Cobham, the Lord Dacre, Sir Thomas Cheyne, the Lord
Paget, the Earl of Pembroke, the Earl of Arundel, the Lord Treasurer,
and Secretary Petre, in a robe of crimson velvet, with the garter
embroidered on his shoulder (as Chancellor of the Garter). One bare a
rod of black, and a doctor the book of records. Then went all the
heralds, and then the Lord Talbot bare the sword, and after him the
sergeant-at-arms. And then came the king, the Queen’s grace looking out
of a window beside the court on the garden side. And the bishop of
Winchester did execute the mass, wearing his mitre. The same afternoon
were chosen three Knights of the Garter, viz., the Lord Fitz-Water, the
deputy of Ireland; Lord Grey of Wilton, deputy of Guynes; and Sir Robert
Rochester, comptroller of the Queen’s house. After, the duke of Muscovia
(as that ambassador was usually termed) came through the hall and the
guard stood on a row, in their rich coats, with halberts; and so passed
up to the Queen’s chamber, with divers aldermen and merchants. And after
came down again to the chapel to evensong, to see the ceremonies. And
immediately came the king, (the Lord Strange bearing the sword), and the
Knights of the Garter, to evensong, which done, they went all up to the
chamber of presence. After came the ambassador, and took his barge to
London.[36]
[36] See also Machyn’s _Diary_, 1848, p. 195.
BERKSHIRE.
The following is a curious account of the expenses for decorating a
figure of St. George on this day, taken from Coates’s _History of
Reading_, p. 221:
“_Charge of Saynt George._
“First payd for iij caffes-skynes, and ij horse-skynnes, iij^{s.}
vj^{d.}
“Payd for makeying the loft that Saynt George standeth upon, vj^{d.}
“Payd for ij plonks for the same loft, viij^{d.}
“Payd for iiij pesses of clowt lether, ij^{s.} ij^{d.}
“Payd for makeyng the yron that the hors resteth upon, vj^{d.}
“Payd for makeyng of Saynt George’s cote, viij^{d.}
“Payd to John Paynter for his labour, xlv^{s.}
“Payd for roses, bells, gyrdle, sword, and dager, iij^{s.} iiij^{d.}
“Payd for settyng on the bells and roses, iij^{d.}
“Payd for naylls necessarye thereto, x^{d.} ob.”
CHESHIRE.
In a pamphlet entitled _Certayne Collections of Anchiante Times,
concerninge the Anchante and Famous Cittie of Chester_ (already alluded
to) and published in Lysons’ _Magna Britannia_, 1810, vol. ii. pt. ii.
pp. 588-590, is the following account of races at one time annually held
at Chester on St. George’s Day: In A.D. 1609, Mr. William Lester,
mercer, being mayor of Chester, one Mr. Robert Amerye, ironmonger,
sometime sherife of Chester (A.D. 1608), he, with the assent of the
mayor and cittie, at his own coste chiefly, as I conceive, caused three
silver cuppes of good value to be made, the whiche saide silver cuppes
were, upon St. George’s Daye, for ever to be thus disposed. All
gentlemen that would bringe their horses to the Rood-dee that daye, and
there rune, that horse which with spede did over-rune the rest, should
have the beste cuppe there presently delivered, and that horse which
came seconde, nexte the firste, before the rest, had the seconde cuppe
there also delivered, and for the third cuppe it was to be rune for at
the ringe, by any gentleman that would rune for the same upon the said
Rood-dee, and upon St. George’s Daye, being thus decreed, that every
horse putt in soe much money as made the value of the cupps or bells,
and had the money, which horses did winne the same, and the use of the
cupps, till that day twelve month, being in bond to deliver in the cupps
that daye, soe also for the cuppe for the ringe, which was yearly
continued accordingly untill the yeare of our Lord 1623; John Brereton,
inn-holder, being mayor of Chester, he altered the same after this
manner and caused the three cupps to be sould, and caused more money to
be gathered and added, soe that the intereste thereof woulde make one
faire silver cuppe, of the value of £8, as I suppose, it may be more
worth, and the race to be altered, viz., from beyonde the New-tower a
great distance, and soe to rune five times from that place rownd about
the Rood-dee, and he that overcame all the rest the last course, to have
the cup freely for ever, then and there delivered, which is continued to
this daye. But here I must not omitt the charge, and the solemnitie
made, the first St. George’s daye; he had a poet, one Mr. Davies, who
made speeches and poeticale verses, which were delivered at the high
crosse before the mayor and aldermen, with shewes of his invention,[37]
which booke was imprinted and presented to that famous Prince Henry,
eldest sonne to the blessed King James, of famous memorie. Alsoe, he
caused a man to go upon the spire of St. Peter’s steeple in Chester, and
by the fane, at the same time he sounded a drum, and displayed a baner
upon the top of the same spire. And this was the original of St.
George’s race, with the change thereof.
[37] The following description of this show, written as it appears by
Mr. Amorye himself, is copied from some Cheshire collections, among
the Harleian MSS. No. 2150, f. 356. It appears that instead of three
cups, as stated by Mr. Rogers, the prizes that year were two bells and
one cup:
“The manner of the showe, that is, if God spare life and health, shall
be seene by all the behoulders upon St. George’s Day next, being the
23rd April, 1610, and the same with more addytions to continue, being
for the kyng’s crowne and dignitie, and the homage to the Kyng and
Prynce, with that noble victor St. George, to be continued for
ever.--God save the Kyng.
“Item.--Two men in greene liveries set with worke upon their other
habit, with blacke heare, and blacke beards, very ougly to behoulde,
and garlands upon their heads, with firworks to scatter abroad, to
maintaine way for the rest of the showe.
“It. One on horseback, with the buckler and head-peece of St. George,
and three men to guide him, with a drum before him, for the honor of
Englande.
“It. One on horsebacke, called Fame, with a trumpet in his hand, and
three men to guide him, and he to make an oration, with his habit in
pompe.
“It. One called Mercury to descend from above in a cloude, his wings
and all other matters, in pompe, and heavenly musicke with him; and
after his oration spoken, to ryde on horsebacke, with his musicke
before hym.
“It. One on horsebacke, with the Kynge’s arms upon a shield, in pompe.
“It. One called Chester, with an oration, and drums before him, his
habit in pompe.
“It. One on horsebacke, conteening the Kynge’s crowne and dignity,
with an oration in pompe.
“It. One on horsebacke with a bell, dedicated to the kynge, being
double-gilt with the kynge’s armes upon it, carried upon a septer in
pompe, and before him a noise of trumpets, in pompe.
“It. One on horsebacke, with an oration for the Prynce, in pompe.
“It. One on horsebacke, with a bell, dedicated to the Prynce, his
armes upon it, in pompe, and to be carried on a septer, and before the
bell, a noyse of trumpets.
“It. One on horsebacke, with a cup for St. George, carried upon a
septer, in pompe.
“It. One on horsebacke, with an oration for St. George, in pompe.
“It. St. George himself on horseback, in complete armor, with his stag
and buckler, in pompe, and before him a noyse of drums.
“It. One on horsebacke, called Peace, with an oration, in pompe.
“It. One on horsebacke, called Plentye, with an oration, in pompe.
“It. One on horsebacke, called Envy, with an oration, whom Love will
comfort, in pompe.
“It. One on horseback, called Love, with an oration to maintaine all,
in pompe.
“It. The Maior and his bretheren, at the pentes of this citye, with
ther best apparell, and in scarlet; and all the orations to be made
before him, and seene at the high crosse, as they passe to the Roodye,
wher by Gent shall be runne for by thirr horses, for the two bells on
a double staffe and the cup to be runne for at the rynge in some place
by Gent and with a greater mater of the showe by armes, and shott, and
with more than I can recyte, with a banket after in the Pentis to make
welcome the Gent; and when all is done, then judge what you have seen,
and so speak on your mynd, as you fynd the--
“Actor for the presente
“Robert Amorye.”
“Amor is love, and Amorye is his name,
That did begin this pomp and princelye game;
The charge is great to him that all begun,
Who now is satisfied to see all so well done.”
Notwithstanding Mr. Amorye had entertained the citizens so well in
1610, it was ordered in 1612 “that the sports and recreations used on
St. George’s Day should in future be done by the direction of the
Mayor and citizens, and not of any private person.”--_Corporation
Records._
LEICESTERSHIRE.
At Leicester, the “Riding of the George” was one of the principal
solemnities of the town. The inhabitants were bound to attend the
Mayor, or to “ride against the king,” as it is expressed, or for “riding
the George” or for any other thing to the pleasure of the Mayor and
worship of the town.
St. George’s horse, harnessed, used to stand at the end of St. George’s
Chapel, in St. Martin’s Church, Leicester.--Fosbroke, _Dict. of Antiq._
IRELAND.
St. George’s Day was at one time celebrated at Dublin with high
veneration. In the Chain-book of the city of Dublin are several entries
to that purpose:
“Item 1. It was ordered in maintenance of the pageant of St. George,
that the Mayor of the foregoing year should find the Emperor and Empress
with their train and followers well apparelled and accoutered, that is
to say, the Emperor attended with two doctors, and the Empress with two
knights, and two maidens richly apparelled to bear up the train of her
gown.
“Item 2. The Mayor for the time being was to find St. George a horse,
and the wardens to pay 3_s._ 4_d._ for his wages that day. The bailiffs
for the time being were to find four horses, with men mounted on them,
well apparelled, to bear the pole-axe, the standard, and the several
swords of the Emperor and St. George.
“Item 3. The elder master of the guild was to find a maiden well attired
to lead the dragon, and the clerk of the market was to find a golden
line for the dragon.
“Item 4. The elder warden was to find for St. George four trumpets; but
St. George himself was to pay their wages.
“Item 5. The younger warden was obliged to find the King of Dele and the
Queen of Dele, as also two knights, to lead the Queen of Dele, and two
maidens to bear the train of her gown, all being entirely clad in black
apparel. Moreover, he was to cause St. George’s Chapel to be well hung
in black, and completely apparelled to every purpose, and was to provide
it with cushions, rushes, and other necessaries for the festivity of
that day.”--Harris, _History of Dublin_, 1766, p. 146.
APRIL 24.] ST. MARK’S EVE.
In _Poor Robin’s Almanac_ for 1770 is the following:--
“On St. Mark’s Eve, at twelve o’clock,
The fair maid will watch her smock,
To find her husband in the dark,
By praying unto good St. Mark.”
_Ass-ridlin_ is another superstition practised in the northern counties.
The ashes being riddled or sifted on the hearth, if any of the family be
to die within the year the mark of the shoe, it is supposed, will be
impressed on the ashes; and many a mischievous wight has made some of
the credulous family miserable by slyly coming down stairs, after the
rest have retired to bed, and marking the ashes with the shoe of one of
the members.--Jamieson, _Etymol. Dict._
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE.
On St. Mark’s Eve it is customary in this county for young maidens to
make the _dumb-cake_, a mystical ceremony which has lost its origin. The
number of the party never exceeds three; they meet in silence to make
the cake, and as soon as the clock strikes twelve, they each break a
portion off to eat, and when done they walk up to bed backwards without
speaking a word, for if one speaks the spell is broken. Those that are
to be married see the likeness of their sweethearts hurrying after them,
as if wishing to catch them before they get into bed; but the maids
being apprised of this beforehand (by the cautions of old women who have
tried it), take care to unpin their clothes before they start, and are
ready to slip into bed before they are caught by the pursuing shadow. If
nothing is seen, the desired token may be a knocking at the doors, or a
rustling in the house, as soon as they have retired. To be convinced
that it comes from nothing else but the desired cause, they are always
particular in turning out the cats and dogs before the ceremony begins.
Those that are to die unmarried neither see nor hear anything; but they
have terrible dreams, which are sure to be of newly-made graves,
winding-sheets, and churchyards, and of rings that will fit no finger,
or which, if they do, crumble into dust as soon as put on. There is
another dumb ceremony, of eating the yolk of an egg in silence and then
filling the shell with salt, when the sweetheart is sure to make his
visit in some way or other before morning.--_Every Day Book_, vol. i. p.
523.
YORKSHIRE.
In Yorkshire it is usual for the common people to sit and watch in the
church-porch from eleven o’clock at night until one in the morning. In
the third year, for this must be done thrice, it is supposed that they
will see the ghosts of all those who are to die the next year pass into
the church. When any one sickens, who is thought to have been seen in
this manner, it is presently whispered about that he will not recover,
for that such a one who has watched St. Mark’s Eve, says so. The
superstition is in such force that, if the patients themselves hear of
it, they almost despair of recovery, and many are actually said to have
died by the influence of their imaginations on this occasion.
“‘’Tis now,’ replied the village belle,
‘St. Mark’s mysterious Eve;
And all that old traditions tell
I tremblingly believe.
‘How, when the midnight signal tolls,
Along the churchyard green
A mournful train of sentenced souls
In winding-sheets are seen!
‘The ghosts of all whom Death shall doom
Within the coming year,
In pale procession walk the gloom
Amid the silence drear.’”
Brand, _Pop. Antiq._ 1819, vol. i. p. 192; J. Montgomery, _Vigil of
St. Mark_.
APRIL 25.] ST. MARK’S DAY.
This day is distinguished in old kalendars by a second appellation,
_Litania Major_, which had reference to the prayers, and solemn
processions of covered crosses on this day. It was frequently
confounded with the processions of the Rogations, which depended upon
the movable feast of the Ascension, and were also called Litanies,
though it does not appear that the processions of St. Mark were ever
called Rogations. A mistake of this kind was committed by the author of
a Saxon homily on the Litania Major, by applying to it the term Gang
Days, the Saxon name of the three days preceding Holy Thursday.--_Med.
Ævi Kalend._ vol. i. p. 219.
NORTHUMBERLAND.