47 

 TRAINING IN QUEEN ANNE'S TIME 



Cocking Hourished during Queen Anne's 

 reign (1702-1714) and some curious variations 

 were introduced at some resorts. Before 

 noticing these it is necessary to draw attention 

 to the changes which had grown up in the 

 system of preparing birds for the pit, as shown 

 in a book * published at this time. The writer 

 of this work did not put his name to it 



The prolonged training- of six weeks with 

 the severe sweatings or "stovings" recom- 

 mended by Gervaise Markham had been given 

 up ; a fortnight's " dieting " was held enough 

 for a small cock, and three weeks or more for 

 a large one ; a mild sweating of 3 or 4 hours 

 once or twice a quarter was recommended in 

 place of the prolonged ordeal which lasted from 

 early morning till four in the afternoon 



The comb was no longer cut close to the 

 skull as in former days, but "smoothly cut into 

 the shape of a half moon," so that it served 

 both for mjard and ornament. No doubt there 



o 



was much to be said in favour of the change, 

 which left the cock's head some slight protec- 

 tion from the beak of its foe, but fashion or 

 regard for appearances also seems to have had 



* The Royal Pastime of Cock-fighting. By R. H., 

 A Lover of the Sport. (1/09) 



