————————_Two Valiant Cocks in_ Albion _bred, That from the insulting Conqueror never Fled: A Match in Strength, in Courage, and in Age, And with keen Weapons Arm’d, alike engage Each other they assault with furious Beaks, And their twin’d Plumes distain with Bloody streaks, Each nimble Warrior from the Mat-ment bounds, And wing’d with death, their heels deal ghastly Wounds By turns they take, by turns fierce stroaks they give, And with like Hopes, and Fears for Conquest strive. Both obstinate maintain the Bloody Field, Both can in Combat Die, but neither yield. Till with their bleeding Wounds grown weak & faint, And choak’d with flowing gore they gasp and pant: Disabled on the Crimson Floor they lie, Both Honour win, but neither Victory. And now the throng rush in, the Combat’s done, By neither Hero lost, by neither won: And rending with their Shouts the tortured Air, Back from the Pit the Combatants they bear_. A POEM WRIT UPON COCKING. By a Person of Honour. _The lureing Falkner flies over the_ Downs, _And_ Tom _the Huntsman with his deep mouth’d Hounds_, Joler, & Smooker _make the Woods to ring, Whilst_ Poacher _with his_ Light-foot _in a String, Goes silent on, beating each Hedge and Bush, With a design to snap poor frightful_ Puss: _And next_ Jockey _comes prancing o’er the_ Plain, _Guiding his Courser with an Artful Rein; And off the scoreful speed he scours away, And whips, and spurs in hopes to gain the Day. Whilst th’wanton_ Swains _they Dance, and piping sit, As if in Amrous Airs were only Wit. Next these Gamesters at Cards and Dice we place, The Rook, the Silver Fool, and Sattin Ass, That play the Knave, and Cogg a Dye to make Themselves a gainer by the ill got stake. These are all sports that little profit bring: } But noble_ Cocking _is the Game I Sing, } Worthy the greatest Captain, greatest King. } This Pastime I above the rest prefer, In that it fits a Man for Peace or War_. Cocking _breeds courage where before was none, And makes men Stout and die that us’d to run_, Cocking _breeds cunning too, makes men contrive, And puts them in a way to live and thrive: And if the Pious_ Indians _say true, It makes Men Witty, Good, and Godly too. Who then would Hunt and Hawk their time away, Or at the Cards, or Dice sit down to Play: When they by powerful_ Cocking, _this may do, Gain Courage, Wit, and Wealth, and Heaven too._ A Copy of Verses UPON TWO COCKS FIGHTING. By Dr. _R. Wild_.