We use some phrases unconscious of their 

 source, but their origin is not less clear : 

 " battle royal " still describes a general quarrel ; 

 "pounded" is still used on the turf in its old 

 cockpit sense of hopelessly beaten 



No cocking phrase is in more frequent use 

 than "pit against." To " show a clean pair of 

 heels " is referable to the craven cock which ran 

 away without striking a blow and showed his 

 heels (i.e. spurs) unstained with blood 



The common way of expressing a young 

 man's fitness for the Army or the Navy is to 

 say he is " cut out " for it, an echo of the cock- 

 pit where a bird was " cut out " or clipped for 

 battle 



To "die game " is surely a cocking phrase. 

 In Mexico and Arizona, and no doubt, in other 

 parts of cattle-raising America, a cowboy is said 

 to be "heeled" when he carries arms, as the 

 fighting cock was said to be " heeled "when the 

 spurs, or " heels " were put on him for battle 



Having regard, then, to the place formerly 

 held by cock-fighting among the English people, 

 it has seemed worth while to compile this brief 

 sketch of its history 



