14 



stay, horse-racing being only one of the amusements. There wore 

 also hunting, coursing, cock-fighting, theatrical plays, and hawking, 

 which latter, according to the " Harleian Miscellany,'' was one of 

 the "Merry Monarch's" favourite diversions, "because it was so 

 commodious for the ladies." 



I might go on quoting from old works and writings ad, infinitum, 

 but however interesting they may be, it is not possible to do so in a 

 hfctle work like the present. It would only be multiplying proofs of 

 the general breeding of the game fowl throughout the length and 

 breadth of the land, including Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. 

 Almost every noble family had their particular strain of cocks, until 

 at the beginning of the present century perfection seems to have 

 been reached. To show in what quantities they were bred, it is 

 said that one breeder alone had three thousand cocks at walk, each 

 cock's pedigree and parents on both sides being known, and each 

 bird marked in foot, nostril, eyelid, or wing, as the case might be. 

 Many people imagine that these birds were of all colours, but it was 

 not so ; the different colours were bred much more perfectly than at 

 present, and.£ye, beak, and leg must match, so that, although there 

 might perhaps be a hundred cocks or more of one strain in the pens 

 for training, yet they would be almost all alike to a feather. 



The celebrated winning cocks of the year were as regularly 

 engraved as the winners of the Derby, and as much care was lavished 

 in breeding them ; all sorts and conditions of men were represented, 

 and the names of Lords Derby, Sefton, Anson, Lowther ; Dr. 

 Bellyse, Halford, Germain and Clarke, may serve to show how 

 general was the pursuit ; whilst in the Church itself were many en- 

 thusiastic admirers of the sport ; one noted Dean of York frequently 

 attended the cock-pit, and bred such fine cooks as to hold his own 

 against all comers. The Eev. Mr. Brooks, of Shifnal, Shropshire, 

 was also a large breeder of good birds. At York the cock-pit was 

 near the Cathedral, and at Canterbury the cock-pit was an apart- 

 ment of the gateway forming part of St. Augustine's Monastery. 

 The last pit built in England was the one at Melton Mowbray, at a 

 cost of 700 guineas. The old pit at Chester is about 4:5ft. by 45ft., 

 nearly 40 feet high, with nine large windows, and a glass dome over 

 the pit which was 20 feet in diameter. 



Enough, I hope, has been written to show the modern fancier 

 how generally, and in what perfection the game cock was bred by 

 our ancestors, and how long he has been famous in England. Long 



