54 



for a match varied from a fat pig at the 

 public-house pit to a thousand guineas at a 

 fashionable resort 



Foreign visitors took a keen interest in 

 English cocking, and purchased game - fowl 

 from us then as they buy horses now. King 

 Christian V of Denmark was a great lover of the 

 sport ; he not only held cock-fights at appointed 

 times but " always hung out costly ensigns and 

 rich flags whereon is portrayed both the place 

 (of cocking) and very gestures of the cock " 



This King had music to play " martial airs " 

 when the cocks were brought upon the pit ; and 

 the birds and the weapons which were to be 

 fastened upon their heels were displayed to the 

 spectators before the cocks were set to. Sir 

 William Corby, Resident at the Danish Court, 

 testified to the esteem in which English game- 

 fowl were held in Denmark 



It was an age of gaming and high play, and 

 large stakes were sometimes put up on cocking 

 matches. The largest stake advertised during 

 Queen Anne's reign was 10 guineas the battle 

 and 500 guineas the odd. This was a main 

 fought at the " Old Red Lyon Cock-pit,'* 

 behind Gray's Inn Walks, between the Gentle- 

 men of Essex against the rest of Great Britain 

 it lasted a week 



