Chapter 9, Item 89a
Things for hawking
Things Necessary and belonging to Hawks
A Rufter Hood, is the first hood a Hawk wears, being large Wind and open behind, it is a plain and easie leather hood.
A Hood.
Bewetts, Bewitts, or Buetts: Boots or Leathers to which the Bells are fastned, and are buttoned about the Hawds Legs.
Bells or Hawks Bells; which are round hollow sounding Balls, with little Pellets, in them, made of Copper, or founding Mettle.
Jesses, are those short straps of Leather, which are fitted to the Hawds Legs, at the Bewetts; at the ends thereof are Knots. They are about half a hoot long, and sometimes have no Knots at the ends, but Vervells or little round rings or Plate.
Vervells, or Anlets, are round rings of Silver, or other Mettle, which are fastned to the Jesses, on which is engraven the name, place of aboad of him that is owner of the Hawk: throw the rings is put the lease.
Lease or Lash, is a small long thong of Leather, by which the Falconer (having run it throw the Vervels) holdeth his Hawk fast upon his fist, foulding it many times about his finger.
Creance, or Croiance, is a fine small long line of strong and even wound Pack-thread, which is fastned to the Hawks lease when she is first Lured, or taught to come to the hand: and is only to keep young Hawks from flying away.
Falconers Glove, is a thick strong Leather Glove, with a Button and Tassell at the lower part of it, on which he carrieth his Hawk to secure his hand from her Tallens.
Lure, is that whereunto the Falconer calls his Hawk, by casting it up into the Air; by help of a Lease that he hangs it over his shoulder withall: It is made of Feathers and Leather, in such wise, that in the motion it looks not unlike a Fowl.
Pearch, is a cross piece of Wood, or such like, lapt about with cloath or a straw robe; on which the Hawk rests, when she is off the Falconers fist. This cross piece is usually fastned in a four square planke, of about a Foot and half; and so is capable of removing to be set any where.
Mew, is the place (whether it be abroad, or in the house) in which the Hawk is put, during the time she casts or doth change her Feathers.
Feeding, is her meat, whether small Birds, Chickens, or the hearts of Mutton, or Veal.
Tyreing, is the bare Leg, or Ponion of a Pullet or Pigeon, or such like, to pull at, to exercise his Body and Lymbs.
Casting, is any thing given the Hawk to make her cast, there by to purge, and cleanse her Gorge, and Belly.
[Book II Chapter 11, section 3]
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Chapter 9, Item 89b
Poultry
Several sorts of Poultry, how called according to their Age.
A Cock, first a Peep, then a Chicken, then a Poot, then a Cockrel, then a Crowing Cock; and if his Comb and Wattles be cut off, and Scicle Tail trimmed, then a fighting Cock; if the Cock have his Testicles cut away, then he is a Capon.
A Hen, a Chick, then a Chicken, then a Pullet, then a Pullen, then a young Hen, then a laying Hen.
A Duck or Mallard; first a dig Bird, then a Duckling, then a Duck.
A Goose, first a Gazeling, then a Green-Goose, then a Stubble-Goose, then a Goose.
A Partridge, first a Peckle-Head, then a Chicken-Tail, then a 1, 2, 3, and 4 Feather, then a round set; then an old Partridge.
Nestling, are all sorts of young Birds, not yet parted with their Nests.
Branchers, young Birds which when they forsake their Nest, begin to fly from Branch to Branch.
Fledged Birds, ripe Birds that are able to fly any where, and provide themselves.
[Chapter 13 Section 6]
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Chapter 9, Item 89c
Fighting cocks
LXXXIX. He beareth two fighting Cocks sparing. These are termed fighting Cocks, because prepared for Fight, having their Combs, Wattles and Tails cut off. If they were House, or Dunghill Cocks wanting nothing, and were thus sparing, them they may properly be termed two Cocks fighting.
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Chapter 9, Item 89d
Cock-masters' terms
Terms used by Cock-Masters about fighting Cocks.
The Cock-pit is the House, or Hovel covered over, in which the Cocks do fight.
The Clod is the green Sod on which they fight; which is generally round that all may see.
The Seats, or places on which the Spectators sit, which is three heights, or more, one above and wider then another.
The Cocks Walk, is the place where he is bred which usually is a place that no other Cock comes to.
A Clear Walk, is the place that the Fighting Cock is in, and none other.
The Pen is the place in which the Cock is fed; which is so made, that if there be never so many Cocks in it, they see not one another.
A Stive, or Stove, is a thing made of straw almost after the manner of a Bee-Hive, to put the Cock in, to keep him warm.
A Bag, is a linnen Bag made up in the sides and on end, in which the Cock is carried from place to place.
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Chapter 9, Item 89e
Sorts of fighting cocks.
A Cockerel, a young Cock bred up for Fighting.
A Ducker, or Doucker, is such a kind of Cock, as in his Fighting will run about the Clod almost at every blow he gives.
A Raumer, is a high fighting Cock, that strikes high: called of some, a High-bearing Cock.
A Heeler, or a Bloody-heel Cock; is such a Cock as strikes, or wounds much with his Spurs. Cock-Masters know such a Cock, whilst it is a Chicken, by the striking of his two Heels together in his going.
A Shake-bag, is a Cock turned out of the Bag to fight another Cock, unsight unseen, or unmatched; a Battle at a venture.
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Chapter 9, Item 89f
Feeding cocks
Terms in feeding Cocks.
To Feed, is to take them from the Walk, and put them in the Pen.
High feeding, is when the Cock is too high in flesh to fight.
Low feeding, is when he is poor and low in flesh.
Scouring, is the cleansing of his body weekly from his filth.
Shuting the Body, is to purge it from its groser dung.
Sparing, is to fight a Cock with another, to breath him, in which fight they put Hots or Huts on the Spurs that they hurt not one another.
Spar the Cock, is breath him to embolden him to fight.
Washing his Mouth, is to make clean his Beak and Mouth after his Meat, least any filth should annoy him.
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Chapter 9, Item 89g
Matching cocks
Terms in Matching and Fighting of Cocks.
Matching of Cocks, is to see they be of an equal height, length, and bigness in body.
Girth, is the compass of the body, which is known by handling.
Handling, is to measure the Girth of him, by griping of ones Hands, and Fingers, about the body of the Cock.
High Bearing Cock, is one that is higher and bigger then the Cock he fights with.
Low bearing Cock, is one over-matched for height.
Sparing, is the first beginning of the fight, which is by rising and striking with the Heels; fighting with Wings and Feet.
Beaking, is fighting with the Bills: or holding with the Bill, and striking with the Heels.
Seting is when a Cock hath fought so long, that he is not able to stand, or gives over fight: then he is brought and set to the other Cock, Beak to Beak; and if he do not strike the Battle is lost.
Shake-back Battle, is a fight between two Cocks unmatched, unsight unseen. To fight Shake-bag, is a kind of Challenge to fight any Cock that is brought to the Cock pit, or any other place.
Battle Royal, is a fight between either 3 or 5 or 7 Cocks altogether, and that as stands longest, gets the day.
Plate fight, or fighting of Cocks, for a peece of Plate; or any such thing. Is the fighting of four staves of Cocks (or 16 Cocks) two & two at a time, which makes 8 Battles; and then the eight wining Cocks (by lot) are to fight again, which makes four 4 Battles: and the four wining Cocks of them (by lot) are to fight again, which makes two Battles. And last of all, the two wining Cocks are to fight, which of them shall have the Prize.
A Challenged Cock-fight, is generally to meet with 10 staves of Cocks, and to make out of them 21 Battles (or more or less) the odd Battle, to have the Mastery.
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Chapter 9, Item 89h
Ordering of cocks to fight.
Dubing of a Cock, is the cuting off his Comb and Wattles.
Shurling of a Cock, is to trim the ends of his band, or neck feathers.
Grubing a Cock, is the cuting the feathers under the Wings. This is a thing not to be done according to Cock-pit Law, neither to cut of his feathers in any handling place of the Cock.
Triming a Cock, is to cut all his feathers of him from behind, as the rump, vent, and belly: which usually is cut all bare.
Spurs, are a kind of Horny Nails naturally set on the inside of the middle of his Legs.
Gablocks are Spurs made of Iron, or Brass, or Silver, and are fixed on the Legs of such Cocks as want their natural Spurrs, some call them Gaffs.
------[sic] are the Boots or Stays about the Cocks Legs, by which the Gablocks are kept fast on.
Hotts or Hutts, are the sharp end of the Spurs, to keep Cocks that they shall not hurt one another in sparing or breathing themselves.
Bearing Claws, are his fore-most Toes on which he goes, which if they be hurt, or Gravell'd he cannot fight.
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Chapter 9, Item 89j
Cock-pit laws.
In Setting of a Cock, none are to be upon the clod but the 2 Setters chosen for that end.
When the Cocks are set Beak to Beak in the middle of the clod, and there left by the Setters; if the set Cock do not strike in counting of 20, and six times 10, and 20 after all; then the Battle is lost. If he strike then to begin the counting again.
In Setting, if any offer a Mark, to a Groat; or Forty shillings, to one: or Ten pound, to Five shillings. Then the Setting is done, and the Battle is to be lost.
If any take the Wager, then the Cock is to be set, and they are to fight it out.
Dun and Dun, is a Wager, or sufficient Betting, when Cocks are cast on the clod, or in fighting.
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Chapter 9, Item 89k
Cock-feeders
Rules and Observations in Cock Feeders.
When a Cock is taken from his walk, he is to feed a mounth before the fight.
The first Fortnight, he is to be fed with ordinary wheat bread.
The Cock not to be spared of 4 or 5 days, that he hath been in the Pen.
Then to spar them daily, or every other day, till about 4 days he be to fight.
The second Fortnight, he is to be fed with fine bread of wheat, Knodden with white of eggs, and milk. Every meal having 12 picks, or Corns of Barly.
The Water is not to stand by him; then he will drink too much. But to give him Water 3 or 4 times in a day.
If too high fed; stive him, and give him a clove of Garlack, in a little sweet Oyl for some few days.
If two low fed, they give him a yoke of an egg, beaten and warmed (till it be as thick as treacle) with his bread.
Four days before fighting, they give the Cock Hyssop, Violet, and Strawberry leaves, made small; in fresh butter.
The morning he is to fight, put down his Throat a piece of fresh butter, mixt with powder of white Sugar candy.
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