OF COCK-FIGHTING. 



Cocking to the Romans. Yet it does not occur 

 among our writers, till the time of Henry II. when 

 Fiiz-Stepbens § mentions it as the fchool-boys di- 

 ver/ion on Carnelevaria, or Sbrove-Tuefday. Ed* 

 ward III. disapproved and prohibited Cock-fight- 

 ing j[. But that barbarous prince Henry VIII. 

 gave it fo much encouragement as to build a 

 theatre, near Whitehall, for that purpofe, to this 

 day known by the name of the Cockpit. At length 

 CHver Cromweily in 1654, by a humane edict, 

 fuppreiTed thefe difgraceful meetings; which, after 

 his time, revived with full fury: yet it is fome 

 confolation, in this profligate age, that whatibever 

 other follies rlouriHi, this lofes credit, and drops 

 (excepting among the dregs of the people) into 

 the utmoft difrepute *. 



§ p. 4;. |i lilaitland London, i. 15L 



* It will be injuflice not to fay, that almoft the whole of this 

 is borrowed from the memoir on this fubject, by that able 

 antiquary the Rev. Mr. Pegge. See drchaolcgia, vol. iii. 132. 



VOL. 



