Amongst all the Pleasures and Delights this lower Sphere affords to
Mortals here on Earth, there is nothing more taking with the Heroic,
and truely generous Soul, than the Noble and most Princely Pastime of
Cock-fighting, which really is in itself a Recreation becoming the
greatest Potentate, and surely most suitable to all such whose natural
Genius prompts them on to signalize their Valour in the Field of
Honour, where like the Cock fitted for Battle, with their bright Arms
they move their Fortune, and so raise themselves to the highest pitch
of Glory.
So lively an Emblem of true Valour is the well bred-Cock, that he is
not to be parall’d amongst the many Creatures which the Wise Creator of
all things has been pleased to make Man the Lord and Master of.
_No Bird can with the well-bred Cock compare,
No Creature less than Man shall with him share;
The Honour bravely won by dint of Sword,
From fiercest Foes in open Field where Blood,
Flowing from dying Warriours fatal Wounds.
Breeds richest Rubies in_ Bellona _’s Grounds._
Observable it is, that the best and bravest Men have ever had a high
Esteem and Value for the Fighting Cock, by reason of the Warlike
Pleasure which he affords to Couragious Men, who joy in nothing more
then to see him hew it out in Blood to the last drop: And though
reduced to the lowest Ebb of Fortune, yet even then to struggle with
Fate itself, upon the very brinks of Death, for Victory.
But having in the foregoing Preface fully treated of the great
Antiquity, Innocency, and Excellency of the Fighting Cock, I shall now
as briefly as I can, set down such necessary Rules, and Observations,
as are most requisite to be understood by all that practise the Royal
Sport of Cocking: and that I may prove the more successful in the
ensuing discourse, I shall endeavour to observe such a Method as may be
most agreeable to the end at which I aim.
Now my design herein, is not barely to illuminate the understanding
of such, whose want of Experience in the Art of Cocking has made
them mindless of the admirable Creature, and, possibly out of pure
ignorance, to speak ill of they know not what, for _Nemo scientiæ
Inimicus nisi ignorans_. Nor do we find any more apt to inveigh against
Cocking, than those that least understand Cocks.
And therefore I have also here extracted such choice and rare Secrets
from the best and greatest Cock Masters, both Ancient and Modern, as
may serve to fortify, and improve the skill and knowledge of those
Gamesters which are already arrived at, and come up to a considerable
pitch of understanding in Cocking, insomuch that I am apt to think the
most skilful Master will not grudge at the Mony laid out upon this
Book, and if so? then surely the unexperienced will have no cause to
complain, who hitherto for want of good Instructions in this Art has
been deprived of the greatest delight, and the most solid Pleasure that
this lower Sphere affords to Men of Valour.
_Of the Qualifications of a Game Cock._
Now for the Election of these Royal Warlike Birds, for that is the
first step in Cocking, you must note that there are four things chiefly
to be observed in your choice of Cocks, _viz. Courage, Close-heels,
Shape, and Size_.