_And_ Pliny _in the tenth Book of his Natural History, sufficiently sets forth at large, the high and mighty Value and Respect that the antient Romans bore towards Fighting-Cocks, says he there_: [Sidenote: Plin. _chap._ 21.] These Birds about our Houses are our Centinels by Night, Nature has Created them to awaken and call Men up to do their Work; they have also a Sence and Understanding of Glory: Moreover, they are Astronomers, and know the Course of the Stars, they divide the Day by their Crowing, from three Hours to three Hours; when the Sun goes to Rest, they go to Roost: And like Centinels, they keep the Relief of the Fourth Watch; in the Camp they call Men up to their careful Labour and Travel: They will not suffer the Sun to rise and steal upon us, but they give us warning of it: By their Crowing, they tell us the Day is coming, and they foretel their Crowing likewise, by clapping their Sides with their Wings. Ye shall see them to march Stately, carrying their Neck bolt upright, with a Comb on their Heads, like the Crest of a Soldiers Helmet; and there is not a Bird besides himself that so oft looketh aloft to the Sun and Sky; and hereupon it is that marching thus Proudly as they do, the very Lyons (which of all wild Beasts be most Couragious) stand in Fear and Awe of them, and will not abide the sight of them. _So that hence may be inferred the great Use and Benefit that the Romans made of these vigilant Astronomical Monitors; Experience plainly taught them, what would be difficult to make some now-a-days to believe, Namely, that the Fighting-Cock is a Bird in himself both useful and profitable, as I shall prove more fully anon, to the silencing of all those whom Ignorance prompts to say any thing against it, for you know the abuse of a thing should not take away the right use of it; and if so, I don’t doubt but to clear the Point, against any one that shall oppose me herein; but before I leave this famous Philosopher, see here what_ Plinie _yet farther says of Fighting-Cocks_: —They are great Commanders, _says he_, and Rulers, and are made for War and Fighting; and the Countries from whence they first came, are grown into Name, being much renowned for their Breed, as namely, _Tenagra_ and _Rhodus_ in the first and highest Degree: in a second rank and place, be those of _Melos_ and _Chalcis_. And unto these Birds (for their Worth and Dignity) the Purple Robe at _Rome_, and all Magistrates of State disdain not to give Honour. These rule our great Rulers every Day: And there is not a mighty Lord or State of _Rome_, that dare open or shut the Door of his House, before he knows the good Pleasure of these Fowles: And that which is more, the Soveraign Magistrate in his Majestie of the Roman Empire, with the regal Ensigns of Rods and Axes, carried before him, neither sets he forward, nor reculeth back, without Direction from these Birds; they give order to whole Armies to Advance forth to Battle, and again