And here by the way give me leave to recommend to you the frequent sparring of your young Cocks: I confess ’tis a thing practised by few or none, and by the generality of Cock-masters judged injurious and hurtful, and therefore much declaimed against; yet notwithstanding all this, I have practiced it for many Years, with good success and advantage; And do constantly affirm it to be one of the greatest helps that can be conferred upon a young Cock, provided it be performed by a Skilful Master, whose care and diligence may be manifested in the well ordering of the Cocks in these their early heats: And a better way I know not than this, which I have ever observed, and been very successful in.
First then, after you have placed a young Cock some little time at his Walk, where he Reigns like a supream Lord and Master over all, without the least controul, or molestation from any Antagonist, then take a Brother, or some other young Cock, as near to his Age and Size as may be, and go to this his Walk, and there, after having secured their budding Spurs, by putting them on little Hutts made for that purpose; _Take_ Ive-berry-leaves, Ground-Ive-leaves, _bruised with_ Herb of Grace, Sweet Butter, _and the fine Powder of brown_ Sugar-Candy, _mix these well, and make them into Pills as big as a large Bean_, give to each Cock a Pill, or two, and then turn them down in some green Field or Pasture, where they may run if they please, and by hard Wrestling and Sparring, heat themselves until they begin to close, and come to mouth it; then take them up and loose their Hutts, and bag them close, for should you permit them longer to Combat, they will by heavy strokes bruise and bather each other, and with deep mouthing displume themselves, and thereby make the damage far greater than the advantage would have been, had they been rightly managed.
Now the Bags wherein you put your heated Cocks, must be well lined with Rie Straw, and set in some warm place, for three or four Hours at least, and supposing it then near Roosting time, take the Cocks out of the Bags, and give to each a White-bread Toast, soaked in warm Urine, for there is nothing that tempers and cleanses a Cock after Sparring better than such a Toast. Also let the Head and Feet of the Cocks be well suppled, and bathed in warm Urine, and then put them up to Roost to the Hens, and so leave them to their Walks.