enclosing it. The audience crowded round the 

 pit and occupied rising tiers of seats 



Matches out of doors were always fought on 

 the grass, and when they took place in a room 

 in the country, where such preparation was 

 feasible the floor was spread with sods of turf. 

 This not being practicable in London and 

 large towns whose pits were in constant use, 

 matting, at a later elate carpet, was used in place 

 of turf; nevertheless, so closely was the grass- 

 covered pit associated with the sport, that " the 

 sod '' bore to cocking the same significance as 

 " the turf ' bears to racing in our clays 



COCKING IN JAMES II 's REIGN 



Cock-fighting continued to flourish during 

 the brief reign of James II (1685-88), though 

 that monarch does not appear to have taken 

 interest in the sport 



The following letter, written in April, 1687, 

 by Bridget Noel to her sister the Countess of 

 Rutland, shows the interest taken by ladies in 

 the sport at this period : 



" I am extremely sorry it is not possible 

 for us to wait on my dear sister sooner than 

 the 28th and 2Oth of May, for there is a 

 cocking and horse matches which we have 



