The Ten Pleasures of Marriage: and the Second Part, The Confession of the New Married CoupleMarsh, A.
General
The Ten Pleasures of Marriage: and the Second Part, The Confession of the New Married Couple
Marsh, A.
Marriage
Here you may see abundance of Country Gentlemen and rich Farmers,
coming from several parts with their Cocks in their bags to the
Battel; hanging them up there in ample form till it be their turns to
fight. And there also you may behold Lord Spendall brought thither in
his Coach very magnificently, and carried home in no less state; but
seldom goes away before he hath either won or lost a pretty number of
Guinneys.
Yea there's Squire Clearpurse, with his Princely companion, who keep
alwaies six and thirty Game-Cocks at nurse by the Master of the Pit;
never goes away from thence, before he hath got, by his ordinary
dunghill Cock that runs about the streets, and without false spurs
too, half a score Crown-pieces, and as much more as will pay his
reckoning in his pocket. But if they both begin to appear with their
Shake-bags, then it is, Stand clear Gentlemen, here comes the honour
of the Pit; and then the Master of the Pit must have out of each
Battel for Sharpning the Spurs, and clipping of the neck feathers,
half a Ginny; and then when the Battels ended, he brings into the
reckoning half a Crown _extra_ for Brandy, Salve, and cherishing and
chafing it by the fire, &c. But for this, they have the honour also to
be in the Chamber with the principallest Gentlemen, to sit in the best
places of the Pit; to turn the hour-glass and like prudent Aldermen,
in the presence of all the Auditors, to give their judgements touching
the contending parties; where there are generally more Consultations,
Advices, and Sentences, held and pronounced, then are to be found or
heard of in the principallest Law-books or Statutes of the Kingdom.
It would be here an everlasting shame; if the Conqueror, like a
Niggard, should carry all this mony home; therefore the greatest part
must be given and generously spent with the company. This is the duty
of every one, whose Cock hath beaten anothers out of the Pit, and went
away Crowing like a Conqueror. Nay, what's matter if it were all
spent, its no such great peece of business; the honours more worth
then the mony.
In the mean while it grows late in the night, and the good woman, with
the Table covered, sits longing, telling every minute, and hoping for
the coming home of him, who seems to find and take more pleasure in
Cockfighling, then like a brave Game-Cock himself to enter into the
Pit with his Wife. O most contrary and miserable Pleasure of marriage
on the mens side.
But amongst these Cock-Merchants, I am of opinion, there's none hath
more pleasure then the Master of the Pit; because he gets more for the
feeding, clipping, salving, and anointing of them, &c. then ten good
Nurses, and put them all together. And moreover he hath all the
pleasure for nothing, and is mighty observant to feed and tickle their
fancies, and obey their commands, that their delight therein may the
more and more increase, and the reckoning also be ne'r a whit the
less.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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