Herein let us first observe the choice of a Cock of the Game, directed by these four Characters following: That he be:

1. Of a strong Shape, proud and upright, and for this the Middle-sized, neither too small or too large, is best, because most matchable, strong and nimble. His Head small like a Sparrow-Hawks; his Eye large and quick; Back strong crook't at the setting on, and coloured as the Plume of his Feathers; the Beam of his Leg very strong, and colour'd as his Plume; Spurs long, rough, and sharp, hooking inward.

2. Of a good Colour, and herein the Gray, Yellow, or Red Pyle, with a black Breast, are to be preferred; the Pyde rarely good, and the White and Dun never. A Scarlet Head is a demonstration of Courage, but a Pale and wan of Faintness.

3. Of Courage true, which you shall observe by his proud, stately, upright landing and walking, and his frequent Crowing in his Pen.

4. Of a sharp and ready Heel, which (in the Opinion of the best Cock-masters,) of high Estimation; a Sharp-heel'd Cock, tho' somewhat false, is better (as dispatching his business soonest) than a true Cock with a dull Heel.

For Breeding, the Best season is from the Moon's encrease in February, to her encrease in March. The March Bird is best. And now first get a perfect Cock, to a perfect Hen, as the best Breeding, and see the Hen be of an excellent Complexion (i.e.) rightly plumed, as black, brown, speckt, grey, grissel, or yellowish; tufted on her Crown, large bodied, well poked, and having Weapons, are Demonstrations of Excellency and Courage. Observe further her Comportment, if Friendly to her Chickens, and revengeful of Injuries from other Hens.

When the Cock and Hen-Chickens, (going till now promiscuously one with another) begin to quarrel and peck each other, part them and separate their Walks: And the best for a Fighting Cock, are private and undisturbed Walks, as, Wind-mills, Water-mills, Grange-houses, Park-lodges, &c. and their Feeding-place on soft Ground, or Boards; and have for his meet, white Corn, or White-bread Tosts, steept in Drink, or Urine, is good, both to Scower, and Cool them. And do not debilitate and debauch his Courage and Strength, by having too many Hens to walk with; three Hens are enough for one Cock.

If before they be six Months Old, any of your Chickens Crow clear and loud, and unseasonable, then to the Pot or Spit with them, they are Cowards; the true Cock is long ere he gets his Voice, and when he has gotten it, keeps good and judicious Time in Crowing.

Next observe your Roosting Perch, for this makes or marrs a Cock; for forming of which, consult the best Cock-masters Feeding pens, and the Perches there, and accordingly proportion your own; take care that the Ground underneath the Perch be soft, for if it be rough and hard, in leaping down he will hurt his Feet, and make them Gouty and Knotty.

For the Dieting, and Ordering of your Cock for Battle, observe these Rules. Let your Cock be full two years Old, then in the latter end of August, take up and Pen him, (it being now Cocking-time till the end of May) and see that he be sound, hard feather'd, and full summed.

The first four days after Penning, Feed him with the Crumb of Old Manchet cut into square bits, thrice a day, and with the Coldest, and Sweetest Spring-water that can be had. And after you think by this time he is throughly purged of his Corn, Worms, Gravel, and other course Feeding, take him in the Morning out of the Pen, and let him Sparr with another Cock some time to heat and chafe their Bodies, break Fat and Glut, and fit them for Purgation; first having covered their Spurs with Hots of Leather, to hinder their Wounding and drawing Blood of one another.

After they have sufficiently Sparred, that they pant again, take them up, and remove their Hots, and prepare them for a Sweating Bout thus: Take Butter, and Rosemary, finely chopt, and White-sugar-candy, mixt together; and give them the quantity of a Wallnut; which will Scower, strengthen, and prolong Breath: Then having (purposely) deep Straw Baskets, fill them half way with Straw, put in your Cock, and cover him with Straw to the top; lay the lid close, and let him stove till the Evening. At Five a Clock take him out, and lick his Head and Eyes with your Tongue, then Pen him, and fill his Trough with Manchet and hot Urine.

After this, take a Gallon of Wheat, and Oatmeal-flower, and with Ale, half a score Whites of Eggs, and Butter, work it into a stiff Past; bake it into broad Cakes, and when four days Old, cut it into square Bits.

The Second day after Sparring, bring your Cock into a Green-close, and shew him in your Arms a Dung-hill-cock, then run from him, and allure him thus to follow, suffering him now and then to strike the Dung-hill-Cock, and so Chase him up and down for half an Hour, till he pants again; and thus Heated, carry him home, and scour him with half a Pound of Fresh-butter, beaten with the Leaves of the Herb of Grace, Hysop, and Rosemary, to the consistence of a Salve, and give him the quantity of a Wallnut; then Stove, and Feed him as above. And thus for the first Fortnight, Spar or Chase him every other day.

The second Fortnight, twice a Week will be enough to Chase or Spar your Cock: Observing that you Stove and Scour him, proportionable to his Heating.

The third and last Fortnight (for six Weeks is long enough) feed him as before, but do not Spar him, but Chase him moderately twice, or thrice, as before; then roll his aforesaid scouring in Brown-sugar-candy, to prevent his being Sick; rest him four days, and then to the Pit.

Now Gentlemen, Match your Cock carefully, or what you have hitherto done, is nothing. And here observe the Length, and Strength of Cocks. The Length is thus known: Gripe the Cock by the Waste, and make him shoot out his Legs, and in this Posture compare, And have your Judgment about you. The Strength is known by this Maxim, The largest in the Garth, is the Strongest Cock. The Dimension of the Garth is thus known: Gripe the Cock about from the joynts of your Thumb, to the Points of your great Finger, and you will find the Disadvantage, The weak long Cock is the quickest easier Riser, and the short strong one, the surest Striker.

Thus being well Matcht, accoutre him for the Pit. Clip his Main off close to his Neck, from his head to his shoulders. Clip his Tail close to his Rump, the Redder it appears the better. His wings sloping, with sharp Points; scrape smooth, and sharpen his Spurs; leave no feathers on his Crown; then moisten his head with Spittle.

The Battle done, search and suck your Cocks wounds, and wash them well with hot Urine, then give him a Roll of your best Scouring, and stove him for that Night. If he be swelled, the next morning, suck and bathe his Wounds again, and pounce them with the Powder of the Herb Robert, through a fine Bag; give him an handful of Bread in warm Urine, and stove him, till swelling be down. If he be hurt in his Eye, chew a little ground Ivy, and Spit the Juice in it; which is good for Films, Haws, Warts, &c. Or if he hath veined himself in his fight, by narrow striking, or other cross blows, when you have found the hurt, bind the soft Down of Hair to it, will cure it.

When you visit your wounded Cocks, a month or two after you have put them to their Walks, if you find about their heads any swollen Bunches, hard and blackish at one end, then there are unsound Cores undoubtedly in them; therefore open them, and with your Thumb crush them out, suck out the Corruption, and fill the holes with fresh Butter; and that will infallibly cure them.

Cures for Distempers incident to the Cock or Chick of the Game.

For Lice, being most common, I begin with; proceeding from corrup Meat, and want of Bathing, &c. Take Pepper beaten to Powder, mix it with warm Water, and wash them with it.

For the Roup; a filthy swelling on the Rump, and very contagious to the whole body; the staring and turning back of the Feathers is its Symptom. Pull away the Feathers, open and thrust out the Core, and wash the Sore with Water and Salt, or Brine.

For the Pip; visit the mouth, and examine what hinders your Cocks, Hen, or Chicks feeding, and you'll find a white thin Scale on the Tip of the Tongue, which pull off with your Nail, and rubbing the Tongue with Salt, will cure it.

For the Flux; proceeding from eating too moist Meat, give them Pease-Bran scalded, will stop it.

For the Stoppage of the Belly, that they cannot mute; anoint their Vents, and give them either small bits of Bread or Corn, steep'd in Urine of Man.

And now I have one Word of Advice to him that is a Lover (or would be so) of this Royal-Sport: and then have done: Come not to the Pit without Money in your Breeches, and a Judgment of Matches; Done and Done is Cock-Pit Law, and if you venture beyond your Pocket, you must look well to it, or you may lose an Eye by the Battle.