“Why, since you were bumbasted that your lubberly legs would not carry your lobcock body.”
These words have their value in proving how familiarly the term cock was employed in forming nicknames. That it should similarly be appended to baptismal names, especially the nick form of Sim, Will, or Jeff, can therefore present no difficulty.
Cock was almost as common as “kin” as a desinence. Sim-cock was Simcock to the end of his days, of course, if his individuality had come to be known by the name.
“Hamme, son of Adecock, held 29 acres of land.
“Mokock de la Lowe, for 10 acres.
“Mokock dal Moreclough, for six acres.
“Dik, son of Mocock, of Breercroft, for 20 acres.”—“The De Lacy Inquisition,” 1311.
Adecock is Adam, and Mocock or Mokock is Matthew. In the same way Sander-cock is a diminutive of Sander, Lay-cock of Lawrence, Luccock of Luke, Pidcock and Peacock of Peter, Maycock and Mycock of Matthew, Jeff-cock of Jeffrey, Johncock of John, Hitch-cock or Hiscock or Heacock of Higg or Hick (Isaac), Elcock of Ellis, Hancock or Handcock of Han or Hand (Dutch John), Drocock or Drewcock of Drew, Wilcock of William, Badcock or Batcock of Bartholomew, and Bawcock of Baldwin, Adcock or Atcock of Adam, Silcock of Silas, and Palcock of Paul:
“Johannes Palcock, et Beatrix uxor ejus, iiiid.”—W. D. S.
“Ricardus Sylkok, et Matilda uxor ejus, iiiid.”—W. D. S.