16 



Stowe, in his Survey of London, 1603, says ; 

 " Cocks of the game are yet cherished by 

 diverse men for their pleasure, much money 

 being laid on their heads when they fight in 

 pits, whereof some be costly made for that 

 purpose " 



Cock-fighting about this time would have 

 received stimulus, if any were needed, from the 

 patronage of royalty. James I (1603-1625) 

 was particularly fond of it. Mons. Le Fevre de 

 la Boclerie, French Ambassador to England 

 from 1606 to 1611, says that the King amused 

 himself with cocking, regularly two days a 

 \veek 



When the King paid a visit to Lincoln in 

 1617 cocking formed one of the diversions 

 arranged for his amusement. On Wednesday, 

 2nd April, in that year " His Majesty did come 

 in his caroche (coach) to the sign of the George 

 by the Stonebow to see a cocking there, where 

 he appointed four cocks to be put on the pit 

 together, which made his Majesty very merry " * 



Here perhaps was the crude beginning of 

 that form of cock-fighting afterwards known as 

 the u Battle Royal " to which reference will be 

 made later 



* MSS. of the Corporation of Lincoln. Hist. MSS. Comm. 



