26 



ascertained weight but by judgment. This 

 authority says : 



"In your matching there is two things to 

 be considered ; that is the length of cocks 

 and the strength of cocks ; for if your 

 adversary cock be too long, yours shall 

 hardly catch his head and then he can neither 

 endanger eye nor life ; and if he be the 

 stronger, he will over-bear your cock and 

 not suffer him to rise and strike with any 

 advantage ; therefore for the knowledge of 

 these two rules, though experience be the 

 best tutor, yet the first, which is length, you 

 shall judge by your eye when you grip the 

 cock about the waist and make him shoot 

 out his legs in which posture you shall see 

 the utmost of his height, and so compare 

 them in your judgement. . . . Now for his 

 strength, which is known by the thickness of 

 his body, for that cock is ever held the 

 strongest which is largest in the girth, you 

 shall know it by the measure of your hands 

 gripping the cock " 



Artificial spurs had not at this time come 

 into use. To prepare the cock for battle the 

 beak and spurs were smoothed and sharpened 

 with a knife ; the " mane " was clipped off 

 close to the neck, from head to setting on of the 



