THE ROYAL SPORT
OF COCKING.
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.