172
NOTES AND QUERIES. 19 th s. n. AUG. 27,
second Sunday after "Easter Day. Some
authorities favour the opinion that it cele-
brated the death of Hardicanute, which
happened on Tuesday, 8 June, 1041, and
released the Saxons from the oppressive rule
of the Danes. This is thought by Strutt
(' Sports and Pastimes ') to be the most pro-
bable origin of the holiday. A suggestion
has also been made that it was a remnant of
a heathen custom, perhaps introduced into
Britain during the period of the Roman
occupation (Archceologia, vol. vii. p. 244). The
holiday is referred to in some old church-
wardens' accounts, from which it appears that
there was no fixed formula for its celebration,
as the customs varied in different localities.
As an instance of local custom, there was a
play at Coventry known as the Hock Tuesday
play,* a description of which is given by
Laneham in his account of the entertainment
to Queen Elizabeth at Kenilworth. This
play is said to have been founded on the
massacre of the Danes, and was exhibited
by Coventry men before the queen in July,
1575, and appears to have been performed by
dumb show, " whereat her Majestic laught
well," and rewarded the players with two
bucks and five marks in money. Another
instance is mentioned by Bevil Higgons in
his 'Short View of English History' (8vo.
p. 17, c. 1734). He states that St. Brice's Eve
was still celebrated by the Northern English
in commemoration of the massacre of the
Danes, the women beating brass instruments
and singing old rhymes in praise of their
cruel ancestors. Spelman ('Glossary,' s.v.
'Hockday') gives some account of th'e holi-
day, and says it was still celebrated in his
clay. Brand (' Popular Antiquities') and Strutt
(' Sports and Pastimes ') also give some parti-
culars. All the accounts appear to indicate
that the women took an active part and
collected considerable sums for religious pur-
poses. B. H. L.
In the interest of accurate knowledge' I would invite MR. WALLACE to state the exact date to which the newspaper cutting that he has forwarded refers. Some doubl has been expressed from time to time as to the true date of Hockday ; and he could at least remove this doubt, even if he cannol solve the hitherto impenetrable mystery oi the origin of the name, or of the horse-plaj with which the day was celebrated. (See also
- This play is not to be confounded with th(
Mysteries on Corpus Christi acted by the Francis cans at Coventry, an account of which is given in Warton's ' Hist, of English Poetry, 'and in Malone's ' Shakespeare/ vol. ii. pt. ii. pp. 13, 14.
Hokeday.' 9 th S. i. 287; ii. 92 ; and 7 th S. xi.
491, and references.)
I subjoin a note (just received from the
3eputy Keeper of Public Records) of an early instance of the word :
"1257, Ancient Deed in P.R.O. 11 Nov., Sciant universi quod ego Michael filius Rogeri Buletel de comitatu Essex debeo Deulecresse* filio Aaron] Judei quatuor libras sterlingorum reddendas ei die del Hoke day anno regni regis Henrici filii regis Johannis quadragcsimo sccundo."
Q. V.
SYNTAX OF A PREFACE (9 th S. ii. 105). MR. BAYNE may be thought hypercritical of Miss Corelli's English. His first four examples ome fairly under the rule of the Latin gram- mar, that a noun of multitude takes, or may take, a verb in the plural. "These sort of men " is, of course, indefensible ; but it must be endured as an established solecism. I am sure that I have found it in writers of the seventeenth century. I have a lady friend, somewhat of a purist, who always says "Those sorts of things," etc. To the shame of my better judgment I must "own that it always sounds to me some what pedantic. A"monied" man (I say nothing about the spelling) is about as presentable as, e. g., a bearded man or a landed proprietor. Lastly, "helpmeet" can- not be thought entirely absurd, when we recall that for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. One may dislike to see it cast into a single word ; but this is not more incorrect than scarcely so incorrect as (I must be on my guard !) " after awhile," " Whatever do you mean by it 1 " and other such amalgamations, which we are constantly coming across. C. B. MOUNT.
Great English writers have used a verb in the plural after "neither nor":
Nor heaven nor earth have been at peace to-night. Shakspeare, ' Julius Ctesar,' II. ii.
I have noticed also the same construction in Gibbon's ' Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.' E. YARDLEY.
SIR WALTER SCOTT ON GRIMM'S ' POPULAR STORIES ' (9 th S. i. 262 ; ii. 33, 93). It is true that only "einige Zeileii" of Scott's letter appear in the preface to the current edition of Taylor's 'Gammer Grethel,' but at the end is given what professes to be the complete letter. MR. HEELIS says that his first note " dealt only with Grimm's ' Kinder- und Haus- marchen,' " but he also speaks in that note of 'Gammer Grethel,' Taylor's "now scarce work." Hence my mention of the reprint.
- =Gedaliah : see- J. Jacobs, ' Jews in Angevin
England '(1893), p. 36P.
