promised to be at. My Lord Toumand 

 (Thomond) will be at the great cocking, and 

 (Lord) Barney and Lord Grandson and a 

 great many more Lords that I do not 

 know their names. It is said here it will 

 be as great a match has ever as been. 

 Barney intends to back our cocks with 

 some thousands for he is of our side " * 



Men of good social standing made matches 

 which were fought in public, but as a rule the 

 names of the principals were not published. 

 The London Gazette of 22nd May, 1690, 

 notifies ''a great match of cock-fighting 2 gs. 

 and 50 gs., between Two Persons of Honour at 

 the cock-pit, Clerkenwell Close " 



COCKING IN WILLIAM Ill's REIGN 



Mons. Misson, a French gentleman who 

 paid a visit to this country about 1690 or 1691, 

 and wrote an account of all he saw, says : 



li Cock-fighting is one of the great English 

 diversions : they builcl Amphitheatres for 

 this purpose and Persons of Quality some- 

 times appear at them. Great wagers are 



* MSS. of the Duke of Rutland at Belvoiv Castle. Hist- 

 MSS. Comm. 



