,—a place appropriated entirely to the purpose of COCK-FIGHTING, for which it is erected; it is usually of an oblong or circular form, surrounded with seats, to which the spectators pay for admission; and in great mains, or subscription matches, the FEEDERS generally agree with the masters of the match to receive the whole of this door money, (equally divided between them,) as their compensation for the fortnight or three weeks they are engaged in feeding the cocks.
COCKPIT ROYAL
.—The cockpit royal is considered sanction sufficient for the diversion of COCK-FIGHTING in every part of the kingdom. It is situate on the south side of St. James's Park, from which it has its entrance, and was erected in the reign of King Charles the Second, who, having been himself fond of the sport, is said to have frequently honoured it with his presence, when matches were made and fought amongst his nobles. It is the only place where long mains, and great SUBSCRIPTION MATCHES, are fought in the Metropolis; some of which are for considerable sums between opulent individuals, who procure their cocks from different parts of the country; and others (particularly the subscription matches) by many members on each side, who breed their cocks in distant counties, but fight them only in town; of which description many matches are annually fought during all the spring months, when both STAGS and COCKS are in the finest feather and highest perfection.
The cockpit is circular, and completely surrounded with seats six tier deep; exclusive of a rail, with standing room all round the summit of the uppermost seat; forming, in the whole, a perfect amphitheatre. The centrical circle upon which the cocks fight is a raised mound of earth, (surrounded with boarding,) about twenty feet in diameter, and should, according to the technical term of the sport, be covered with a fine green turf, denominated sod; in conformity with the general acceptation of the word in the sporting world, where by "the sod" is implied COCKING. By "the turf," RACING is equally understood. In all mains or matches fought in the country parts of the kingdom, cocks invariably fight upon the sod; but as it is an article difficult to obtain in the Metropolis, and would be inconvenient and inapplicable during hard frosty weather, when many matches are fought, matting upon the surface is substituted in its stead.
On each side the circular mound, at its extremity, and exactly opposite to each other, are two small seats for the setters-to; who retire to those seats during long fighting, or when ordered by the betters and spectators so to do. Directly over the centre is suspended from the dome, by a chain, a very large circular branch, containing a great number of candles, affording a profusion of light; for nearly all the matches fought here are very unnaturally decided by night, the company going to pit at six o'clock in the evening.
At the hour previously agreed on, the bags containing the cocks are brought into the pit by the FEEDERS, or who ever they may appoint: they are there received by persons called the setters-to, whose qualifications depend upon a quick eye, a light hand, and agile heel; without the whole of which, celebrity can never be acquired in their way. The cocks being taken from the bags, are most scrupulously compared in feather and marks with the original description entered in the match-bill on the day of weighing; if there should prove the most trifling deviation from which, a mistake wilful or accidental is supposed to have taken place, and no progress whatever is made in fighting, till it is completely rectified, and the cause done away. This scrutiny is seriously critical, and made by the FEEDERS, who attend minutely to the match-bill and marks of each other's cocks; which ceremony gone through, and admitted to be right, the feeders retire from the centre of the pit, becoming spectators; and the setters-to are then the sole possessors with the cocks in hand. In this state they are shewn to each other "beak to beak;" and if they "show fight," they are (for form's sake in the first battle only) given into the hands of the makers (called masters) of the match, who are situate in the lowest circular seat opposite to each other, and they giving the cocks a set-to toss upon the mat, the battle begins amidst clamours indescribable, and offers of bets innumerable, according to the pecuniary sensations, opinions and predictions of the different parties interested in the event, constituting a scene very far beyond the power of description, and which must be seen to be perfectly understood.
Bettings now take place of every kind, as well upon the battle then fighting, as upon the main (meaning the odd battle) of the first three, the first five, &c. Bets made upon the "LONG MAIN," imply the winner of the match at its termination, in contra-distinction to betting upon the main of three, of five, or of seven battles, which are very frequently made. Sometimes the cocks on one side are rather greater favourites than on the other, from an idea of their being better blood, better fed, or in finer condition; in this case, there are offers of, "a shilling,"—"eighteen-pence,"—and not unfrequently even "half a crown for a guinea;" the meaning of which is, the person so offering, is willing to give you either of the sums mentioned, to bet him a guinea upon the battle, he taking his choice for buying the bet. The person receiving the half-crown to bet a guinea, stands precisely thus; if his cock is successful, he is the winner of one pound, three shillings and sixpence; on the contrary, he can be a loser of only eighteen shillings and sixpence, having previously received half a crown from his adversary toward the guinea he has got to pay: a recollection of this advantage is equally necessary in proportional betting of greater magnitude, as sometimes half a guinea is offered for five pounds, or a guinea for ten.
Persons taking these bets, whether for large or small sums, should, if the odds in fighting come to two or three to one in favor of the cock they have backed, immediately take such odds, which is called "hedging," (alluding to a fence for the bet,) and the party then stands the chance of winning a certain number of pounds to the losing of nothing! This is the only mode by which money can be made in a cockpit, and what the professional amateurs are always prompted by prudence to do; as it is a very common thing, during a battle, for the odds to vary, till three, four, or five to one are betted upon each cock: a person taking the five to one each way, will consequently derive an advantage of four guineas from either cock, let which ever will win. There are never wanting persons in a pit who are attached to the cocks on one side or the other; these are always ready to offer bets of ten, eleven, and twelve to four, that the opposite party "does not win two battles running:" If the cocks on that side are healthy, properly fed, and in equal condition, with those in the other pens, these are not bad bets to take. As for instance; A bets B twelve half guineas to four, that Charles Walter (the feeder) does not win two battles running; it happens he wins the first, (which is no more or less than even betting he does;) then B prudently backs the opposite party for two guineas the second battle of the two, and of course stands the winning of four guineas to the losing of nothing.
In a cockpit, the faculties of every man, who sports his money, must be feelingly alive, to escape the most villainous depredations. The family, who exist only by the most abandoned and unprincipled scenes of infamy, are always prepared to deny their bets when they lose, particularly with noviciates; and with this advantage, they are always supported by gentlemen of their own party on each side of them, ready to swear, "he had no bet with you;" but if he wins, he demands his money of you, and receives it; consequently, in the difference of receiving and not paying, he has ten to one the advantage of a YOUNG ADVENTURER, particularly as you cannot call for "cover," in the ten thousand clamours, and Babel-like building, of a cockpit. At the termination of every battle, the betters leave their seats to adjust, pay and receive the winnings and losings dependent upon the battle just decided; it being a regular point, that the winner makes application to the better who has lost; and no disgrace is annexed to the character of the latter by his omitting to follow the former, it being sufficient to pay the bet when demanded.
There are certain rules and laws of custom to be observed in fighting; the most material of which it is necessary to explain. When once the cocks are pitted, neither of the SETTERS-TO have the privilege to touch or handle his cock, so long as they continue to fight, unless their weapons hang in the mat, they are entangled with each other, are got too close to the edge of the pit, or have left off fighting while the umpire or law-teller can count forty; when, in either of those cases, each setter-to instantly handles his cock, bringing them beak to beak in the middle of the pit: if one cock has refused to fight while the telling forty took place, his adversary, who made the last fight, with either heel or beak, is said to have the first law in his favour. When brought beak to beak, and set on their legs, if the cock who did not fight while the forty was telling, continues to decline fighting, the setter-to of his adversary (or umpire, if there is one) proceeds to tell ten; which being done, they are again handed, and brought beak to beak; if the same cock continues still unwilling or unable to fight, the ceremony of telling ten, and bringing beak to beak, at the conclusion of every ten, takes place, till it has been repeated ten different times, when the cock so refusing to fight has lost his battle. But should he fight during any part of the law, (even in telling the last ten,) what has been told is of no effect, and the first ten must be begun again, whenever a fight is renewed. Instances sometimes happen, when the cock who has the long law in his favour, retreats from the cock seemingly beaten, and in his turn has the law going on against him; so that the cock who fights last has the law in his favour, till one side or other is counted out.