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COCK-FIGHTING.

says, the oldest information which he has found on thissubject, occurs in the description of London by WilliamFitz-Stephens, a writer who lived in the reign of Henry II. and died A. D. 1191. This writer relates that on Shrove-Tuesday it was customary for school-boys to bring theirgame cocks to their master, when the whole forenoonwas devoted to cock-jigliting, for the amusement of thepupils. The theatre or cock-pit was consecjuently in theschool-house; of the contest the pupils had the direction.In France , as early as 1260, cock-fighting was forbidden,by an order in council, 5 from some mischief which it hadoccasioned.

This pastime met with the same fate in the reign ofEdward III . even in England. 0 Likewise in the reign ofHenry VIII. ; 7 also later. But it is reported that the last-named monarch at another time encouraged it, and himselfinstituted cock-fighting. 8 Moreover, a later writer has shownthat James I. took great delight in that practice. Hence,it is presumed, the origin of the ancient building knownas the Royal Cockpit, by Bird-cage-walk; but this is nowa ruin, and we congratulate ourselves and country that thepractice has of late years fell into much disuse, being nowfollowed by the dregs of the people only, who have noknowledge of the superior delight arising from the softclaims of human feeling, and the eminent gratification ofmental and intellectual pleasures.

In an hieroglyphical sense, a cock signifies a noble dispo-sition of mind, there being no bird of a more generousnature, and undaunted courage at the sight of the mostimminent danger.

We are told the ancients dedicated this noble bird toApollo; it is said, because he is considered the harbingerof day. It was also sacred, w r e know, to Mercury', as theemblem of watchfulness ; in this sense, we have occasionto believe it was viewed by the Egyptians in their hierogly-phical writings. The cock is said to have been sacred to Thotor Tadut, the Egyptian Mercury; on account of its watch-fulness,—summoning men to their business by its crowing.The cock is also said to be generally placed at the top ofchurch steeples, silently to remind prelates of their dutyto bear a watchful eye over their flocks.

The cock, as the herald of day and centinel of the night,

5 Da Cange, Gftxsarium.7 Maitland, p. 933. 1343.

Maitland’s History of London, p* 101.Ibid. p. 1343.