The Middleton Accounts of 1526: #16

The next three entries in the Middleton household accounts for Sir Henry Willoughby in 1526 were undated except for the month. However, from their location in the accounts, it can be determined that their date was probably either the 2nd or 3rd of April. The amount for each of these individual entries was 4 pence, which was the equivalent of about £7.35 today.

The first entry was described as a reward to the young men of the town (Middleton village) that gathered for the church. The second entry was described as a payment for arrows for Master Hugh Willoughby, who was Sir Henry’s youngest son, and the children of the chapel. Finally, the third entry was described as a reward to the women of the town that gathered for St Stephen. The term “gathering” in this context meant raising charitable money.

In pre-Reformation Tudor England, Easter Monday and Tuesday were days of merriment and joy which involved feasts, charitable activities, sports and other social activities. These two days were like the twelve days of Christmas in terms of a complete or partial break from work for all.

These days were also known as Hocktide, with the Monday called Hock Eve and the Tuesday Hock Day. They were a time of “misrule” in which commoners would “hock”, which meant to bind or trap others with ropes (often travellers) and demand a small payment (a “ransom”) for their release. This payment was then donated to the church. On the Monday, women would bind men and, on the Tuesday, the men would bind women. This is one method by which the young men of Middleton may have raised money for the church.

It is uncertain why the women of Middleton were gathering for St Stephen at this time of year and we have been unable to find any source to fully explain it. The issue is that St Stephen’s Day is the 26th December. In Tudor times, it was a day of charity when the church and the wealthy would distribute food, money and “Christmas boxes” to servants and the poor. It is known that donations could be made at certain times during the year and placed in church “boxes”, the contents of which were distributed to the poor on St Stephen’s Day. However, most documents refer to this having been undertaken primarily throughout Advent, not at Easter.

Sports and games were a key part of the festivities of these two days and included activities such as bowling, tennis, an early version of football, wrestling, hunting, dice games, card games and egg rolling. However, one of the key sports on these days in Tudor times was archery and an archery contest was normally held. This was in part because it was the law at that time that all men had to practice archery on Sundays and all holidays.

A member of Living History UK depicts a longbowman from Warwickshire c.1520.

Hocktide was initially suppressed after the Reformation. However, it was revived during the time of Queen Elizabeth I, before gradually fading away from most areas by the end of the 17th century. The money raised from the “ransoms” normally continued to be used for the parish.

Next entry: 4th April

Further Reading: W. H. Stevenson, Report on the Manuscripts of Lord Middleton, Historical Manuscripts Commission, 1911. p.382.

Author - Debbie Jordan, Middleton Hall Volunteer.

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