COCK-FIGHTING

Evening Star, Issue 19272, 10 June 1926, Page 1

COCK-FIGHTING

STORIES OF DEGBWIG PASTIME

Cock-fighting, which has . recently been _ found to be still flourishing in certain parte of the country, in spit® of all legislation against it, is, one of our very oldest “sports ” (states 'John o’ London’s Weekly ’) . It was well known to the Greeks and Romans of classical times, and no doubt it was the latter who introduced it to us. For many centuries it was an immensely popular pastime, and its suppression by Act ot Parliament occurred less than a century ago, in 1834. 1 ‘ There is no pleasure more noble, delightsome, or void of cozenage ana deceit, than this pleasure of codring,” wrote a chronicler of James I.’s reign. And at that time it was openly patronised by the highest in the land. So popular was it, in fact, that famous fighting cocks lived in as dazzling a blaze of limelight-then as do famous racehorses now. In the early part of the seventeenth century, for example, there were two celebrated cocks, “Noble” and “Griswold,” whoso names are handed down as “tn® two famousest cocks that ever fought.” Even wider, perhaps, was the reputation of a certain hen named “Jinks,” the mother of so many brilliant fighters that ever} 7 egg she laid cams at length to be regarded with a sort of superstitious veneration. TRAINING METHODS.

Whenever a young bird showed promise he was put into strict training. At the age of a month he wag sprinkled every morning with burnt rosemary, and then taken for a constitutional on a grass plot. Directly his comb appeared it was cut away and the scar rubbed with butter. Should he crow too soon he was scornfully rejected, for a good fighter never raises his voice until late m life. If, however, he continued to show promise he was jealously guarded, and led on cheese-parings, chopped-leeks, and toast dipped in wine. It was not until the eighteenth century that refinements of cruelty, such ■as metal spurs, were introduced into the sport-, eventually to lead to its legal suppression. The preparation of the birds before this consisted simply in cutting off the long feathers of the neck and tail, clipping the wings, and smoothing and sharpening the beak and heels with a knife A ROYAL COCKPIT.

In the early part of the nineteenth’ century one of the most celebrated cockpits in England was the Royal Cockpit in Turton street. London. This was filthily dirty and gloomy, and was approached through one of the vilest neighborhoods of, Westminster. Loafers of the mast ruffianly type used to stand in groups around the doors from morning to night. Nevertheless, in spite of-the attendant darkness and squalor, the cream of ihe aristocracy of those-days (not even, on occasions, excluding. Royalty) would gather round to see the .“'fun'.* Here one might watch ! the rotund Luke of Norfolk loudly making beta with some costermonger-bookie, whilf Reau llruinmell and : the Prince of " H ' ps . stood looking on. In fact, “cocking” jn those days was no less aristocratic a sport than horsos-racinix is to-day.