Yellow Tulip. _Tulipa Sylvestris._
Dedicated to _St. Joachim_ of Sienna.
[91] Brewster’s Hist. of the Kaleidoscope.
~April 17.~
_St. Anicetus_, Pope, 2d. Cent. _St. Stephen_, Abbot, A. D. 1134. _St.
Simeon_, Bishop, and other Martyrs, A. D. 341.
Hock,
OR
HOKE DAY OR TIDE.
Antiquaries are exceedingly puzzled respecting the derivation of this
annual festival, which commenced the fifteenth day after Easter, and was
therefore a movable feast dependent upon Easter.[92] Though Matthew
Paris, who is the oldest authority for the word Hoke-_day_, says it is
“quindena paschæ,” yet Mr. Douce assigns convincing reasons for taking
it as the second _Tuesday_ after Easter. At Hock-_tide_, which seems to
have included Monday and Tuesday, collections of Hock-money were made in
various parishes by the churchwardens, until the Reformation.[93]
Tuesday was the principal day. Hock Monday was for the men, and Hock
Tuesday for the women. On both days the men and women alternately, with
great merriment, intercepted the public roads with ropes, and pulled
passengers to them, from whom they exacted money to be laid out for
pious uses; Monday probably having been originally kept as only the
vigil or introduction to the festival of Hock-day. Mr. Brand
unaccountably, because inconsistently with his previous representations
respecting the antiquity of the custom of heaving at Easter, derives
that custom from the men and women _Hocking_ each other, and collecting
money at Hock-tide.
It is a tradition that this festival was instituted to commemorate the
massacre of the Danes in England, under Etheldred, in the year 1002; a
supposition however wholly unsupportable, because that event happened on
the feast of St. Brice, in the month of November. Another and more
reasonable opinion is, that the institution celebrated the final
extinction of the Danish power by the death of Hardicanute, on the sixth
day before the ides of June, 1042.[94] Yet, in relation to the former
event, “certain good-hearted men of Coventry” petitioned, “that they
might renew their old storial show” of the Hock-tide play before queen
Elizabeth, when she was on a visit to the earl of Leicester, at his
castle of Kenilworth, in July, 1575. According to “Laneham’s Letter,”
this “storial show” set forth how the Danes were for quietness borne,
and allowed to remain in peace withal, until on the said St. Brice’s
night they were “all despatched and the realm rid;” and because the
matter did show “in action and rhymes” how valiantly our English women,
for love of their country, behaved, the “men of Coventry” thought it
might move some mirth in her majesty. “The thing,” said they, “is
grounded in story, and for pastime (was) wont to be played in our city
yearly without ill example of manners, papistry, or any superstition:”
and they knew no cause why it was then of late laid down, “unless it was
by the zeal of certain of their preachers; men very commendable for
their behaviour and learning, and sweet in their sermons, but somewhat
too sour in preaching away their pastime.” By license, therefore, they
got up their Hock-tide play at Kenilworth, wherein “capt. Cox,” a person
here indescribable without hindrance to most readers, “came marching on
valiantly before, clean trussed and garnished above the knee, all fresh
in a velvet cap, flourishing with his ton-sword, and another
fence-master with him, making room for the rest. Then proudly came the
Danish knights on horseback, and then the English, each with their
alder-pole martially in their hand.” The meeting at first waxing warm,
then kindled with courage on both sides into a hot skirmish, and from
that into a blazing battle with spear and shield; so that, by outrageous
races and fierce encounters, horse and man sometimes tumbled to the
dust. Then they fell to with sword and target, and did clang and bang,
till, the fight so ceasing, afterwards followed the foot of both hosts,
one after the other marching, wheeling, forming in squadrons, triangles,
and circles, and so winding out again; and then got they so grisly
together, that inflamed on each side, twice the Danes had the better,
but at the last were quelled, and so being wholly vanquished, many were
led captive in triumph by our English women. This matter of good pastime
was wrought under the window of her highness, who beholding in the
chamber delectable dancing, and therewith great thronging of the people,
saw but little of the Coventry play; wherefore her majesty commanded it
on the Tuesday following, to have it full out, and being then
accordingly presented, her highness laughed right well. Then too, played
the “good-hearted men of Coventry” the merrier, and so much the more,
because her majesty had given them two bucks, and five marks in money;
and they prayed for her highness long happily to reign, and oft to come
thither, that oft they might see her; and rejoicing upon their ample
reward, and triumphing upon their good acceptance, vaunted their play
was never so dignified, nor ever any players before so beatified.[95]
* * * * *