THE PREFACE.
THE ROYAL SPORT OF COCKING.
POEMS:
In Praise Of The Fighting-Cock.
Some Lines Upon Two Cocks.
A Poem Writ Upon Cocking.
Upon Two Cocks Fighting.
Upon A Cock-Match.
THE
ROYAL PASTIME
OF
COCK-FIGHTING,
OR
The Art of Breeding, Feeding, Fighting,
and Curing Cocks of the Game.
Published purely for the good, and benefit of all such
as take Delight in that Royal, and Warlike Sport.
To which is Prefixed,
A short Treatise, wherein Cocking is proved not only
Ancient and Honourable, but also Useful, and Profitable.
By R. H. a Lover of the Sport,
And a Friend to such as delight in Military Discipline.
Quem recitas meus est, O Fidentine Libellus,
Sed male cum recitas incipit esse tuus.
LONDON: Printed for D. Brown, at the Black Swan
without Temple-bar, and T. Ballard, at the
Rising-Sun in Little-britain. 1709.
To the Right Worshipful
Sir T. V. Knight.
Worthy Sir,
I Presume I need not here insistupon the long acquaintance, and friendship that has passed betwixtus, to press you to the Patronage of this little BOOK, when thereare so many other considerations that in a manner force it upon you,as having a certain right to it; Cocking being not only to you ahereditary Divertisment, which for many Ages together has by yourValiant Ancestors been carefully handed down to their Posterity,with marks of the greatest love and Honour imaginable, as when yourloyal Grand-father lay Bleeding and Dying on his Turfey Beed,[Pg iv]was thus (like a good Subject) heard to say, My King and a goodCock I ever loved, and like a good Cock in my dread Sovereign’s serviceI shall now expire.
Also your Prudent Father and both your Uncles from their Infancy weregreat admirers of the Noble Science of Cocking.
And you your self in the Morning of your Days, took to the Royal Sport,and closely followed it for many Years: even till mighty Williamcall’d you forth to signalize your Vallor in the Bloody Irish Fields ofAthlone, and Cannough, where you cut through the Squadronsof the affrighted French, and made the Howling Teagues fly tothe Boggs for shelter.
And after this, you in the very depth of Winter, crost those dangerousAtlantic Seas, came home, and with your Friends and Tenants yourgoo