GAME-FOWL IN STUART TIMES 



During James I's reign, the first instructive 



book on the subject was published. Wilson's 



work, already noticed, consisted largely of 



quotations from Greek and Roman writers, and 



was what its title declared : a book in praise of 



cocking ; it contained little practical information. 



The work now under notice was of a different 



character : it was written by Gervaise Markham 



in 1614, and its title "The Pleasure of 



Princes " plainly refers to James I's love of the 



sport. Like Wilson, Markham begins with a 



few lines in praise of the sport for its purity : 



" Since there is no pleasure more noble 7 



delightsome or void of cozenage (free from 



trickery) and deceit than this pleasure of 



cocking is ; and since many of the best 



wisdoms of our nation have been pleased to 



participate with the delights therein, I think 



it not amiss ... to declare in a few lines 



the election, breeding and secrets of dieting 



the fightino- cock, which, having been con- 



o o o 



cealed and unwritten of, is for our pleasure 

 sake as worthy a general knowledge as any 

 delight whatsoever 



Markham proceeds to describe the character 

 and qualities to be sought in the " cock for 

 battle." The first point to be considered was 



