The Washington herald., 1914-04-19

with battles between game cocks which
he had witnessed when leading the Ath.
enian army against the Persians that he
took occasion from the circumstance "a
animate his soldiers by observing Ia
them: These animals fight not for their
gods or their country. nor for the monu.
ments OF their ancestors nor for glory,
nor for freedom. nor for their children,
but for the sake OF victory. and that one
may not yield to the other"
Referred to by Ancients.
Others as well as ThemIstocIes have
taken advantage Of the sight OF cocks
fighting. and deduced from this circum-
stance an argument for the incitement
and encouragement; Of military vaIor
Socrates endeavored in the same way
/ to incite Iphicrates with courage Diog.
Laert. ii-3o
| Chrysippus also says: Our vaIor is
raised by example Of cocks"
Lucian. likewise Cde Gymas H. p 2a5l.
! introduces SoIon. the great Athenian
legislator. as addressing Anacharis TO
| the same purpose.
MusOnius also cited by Stoheus (Serm.
29l. deduced the same kind Of instruction
| from the battling OF cocks. and we are
! Informed that young men were obliged
| 10 attend the exhibitions Of the theater
in order to avail themselves Of this in
struCtion.
CockfghtinC is without a doubt the
oldest form OF amusement. Jacobus Pal
merius. a writer cited by Pegge. traces
its origin to the barbarians Of Asia. as
early as the reign Of Croesus. King Of
Lydia. as years before Christ. Pliny
tells US that annual exhibitions of cock
lighting were held at PerGamus a city
Of Asia.
The Dardanii. people of Troas. had
on their coins the representation OF two
cocks fighting.
That 1t was once a religious institution
recent discoveries prove. There is
Babylonian cylinder deposited in the
British Museum, discovered by Prof. La
yard. on which a cock is shown. beside
which a priest is standing in sacrifcial
attire.
The learned Rabbi David. interpreting
A chapter in the Bible. says: "Eergal was
a battle or fighting cock and by the Sa-
maritans worshiped for a god"
InstituutIon In Rome.
In Rome cockfighting was partly a re-
hGinus and partly political institution.
The first cause for contention between
the brothers Basseanus and Geat. the
sons of the Emperor Septimus Severus,
was on account OF cockfiGhtinG CHerodian.
ill., 33.
In mythology we find that the game
cock because Of his vigilance and Cour-
age. was sacred TO Apollo. Mercury. Aes-
culapius. and Mars
In trarinG the history cf this pastime
we find that at some period in the history
of all countries. cockfighting was the
universal pastimc. In China. japan. In
dia. the Philippines. Sumatra. Java. New
Guinea. and all Of Europe. cocks were
carefully bred. trained. and fought. and
As each country has its own particular
style Of doing it. the written and printed
instructions which are available con-
cerning the methods in vogue in the diff
ferent countries. form an interesting
mass of sporting literature
When Caesar invaded England. he
found game cocks which were used eX-
for fighting. which. according to
William Fitz-Stephen. who wrote the life
Of Archbishop Beckett. fiourished for hun
dreds IF years. having been introduced
by the FhoeniCans. Shrcve Tuesday was
the day set aside for cock fights all over
England. and for weeks before the car
nival. school children were Obliged to
contribute money with which to buy
cocks. These donations were called
cock pennies" The sChoolmaster was
empowered to buy cocks for the sport .
and. by virtue of his office. he was mas
ter Of ceremonies.
Cockfighting received its first setback
during the reign Of Edward III. who is
sued an edict against il. The prohibition .
OF the sport was received with disfavor
by the sporting noblemen. as well as
members Of the royal household. in con-
of which the act was soon aft
erward rescinded.
Kings Liked 1t.
King James I. also King James II.
were devoted to the sport as was King
Henry VIII, who caused to be erected
the Westminster cockpit. where the
Drury Lane Theater now stands. King
Charles II also was passionately fond OF
IT, and mis- breed OF PILES" which were
white cocks with bright red markings,
attained a worldwide reputation. and
were eagerly sought after by the mon.
archs of Europe. II
The Office Of official cock trainer was
created during the reign of King George
III. who appointed Howell Morgan to
the place. II
Lord Marlborough. Sir Henry Bold
Lord Germaine. the Dukes of
Rutland. Leeds, Westminster. and Nor
folk. Lords Derby, Enniskillen. Clonmell n
and Seton were among the most noted
cookers. Bulwer Lytton. in his poem,
'Glenavril." refers to celebrated strain
D1 nSn1lhB CoChs III the IOlIo"ng hne'
Though fierce Of heart as Sefton's fighting cocks
The business of manufacturing artifi-
,ial cockspurs, with which they were
armed for battle. grew into such proper
ions in one section of London, that
'Cockspur" street derived its name from
t The spurs were manufactured of an
lIroy Of copper and silver. the tempering
II which is now a lost art.
IN 1870 cockfighting was prohibited in
England, since then no public matches
lave been held. though the sport, accord
ng TO reliable information. is still quite
extensively carried on there in secret
In this country the sport can boast Of
many celebrities as devotees. among
ynom may be mentioned Gen. Washing
on. whose fighting stock came to him