Crossword-Solution: HOCKTIDE 8 letters, 3 clues 🏆 scrabble score: 18

The Hocktide play was of a different character, the actors being persons of inferior degree, and their habits the better fitted for the occasion, the more incongruous and ridiculous that they were in themselves.

The Church authorised many holidays in the course of the year; and what with May Day festivities, Plough Mondays, Hocktide and Shrovetide sports, harvest suppers, fairs, and "ales," the villagers had plenty of amusement, and their lives certainly could not be described as dull.

This was called "going a-mothering." The old poet Herrick alludes to the custom in Gloucestershire in these words:-- "I'll to thee a simnell bring, 'Gainst thou go'st a-mothering; So that when she blesseth thee, Half that blessing thou'lt give me." Then came the diversions of Hocktide, on the second Monday and Tuesday after Easter, when the men and women intercepted the public on alternate days with ropes, and boldly exacted money for pious purposes.

Not much, however, is in this case lost, for Hungerford contains little of interest, and were it not for its singular Hocktide customs, and for the fact that it was the first town to obtain the free delivery of letters between its post-office and the houses to which letters were addressed, would scarce demand an extended notice.

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.