And in "Richard Coeur de Lion" (Weber, ii. 208):
"On knees he fel down, and cryde, crêaunt."
It then became _cravant_, _cravent_, and at length _craven_.
In the time of Shakespeare the word _cock_ was used as a vulgar corruption or purposed disguise of the name of God, an instance of which occurs in "Hamlet" (iv. 5): "By cock, they are to blame." This irreverent alteration of the sacred name is found at least a dozen times[178] in Heywood's "Edward the Fourth," where one passage is,
"_Herald._ Sweare on this booke, King Lewis, so help you God, You mean no otherwise then you have said.
_King Lewis._ So helpe me Cock as I dissemble not."
[178] Dyce's "Glossary to Shakespeare," p. 85.
We find, too, other allusions to the sacred name, as in "cock's passion," "cock's body;" as in "Taming of the Shrew" (iv. 1): "Cock's passion, silence!" A not uncommon oath, too, in Shakespeare's time was "Cock and pie"--_cock_ referring to God, and _pie_ being supposed to mean the service-book of the Romish Church; a meaning which, says Mr. Dyce, seems much more probable than Douce's[179] supposition that this oath was connected with the making of solemn vows by knights in the days of chivalry, during entertainments at which a roasted peacock was served up. It is used by Justice Shallow ("2 Henry IV.," v. 1): "By cock and pye, sir, you shall not away to-night." We may also compare the expression in the old play of "Soliman and Perseda" (1599): "By cock and pye and mousefoot." Mr. Harting[180] says the "Cock and Pye" (_i. e._, magpie) was an ordinary ale-house sign, and may have thus become a subject for the vulgar to swear by.
[179] "Illustrations of Shakespeare," 1839, p. 290.
[180] "Ornithology of Shakespeare," p. 171.
The phrase, "Cock-a-hoop"[181]--which occurs in "Romeo and Juliet" (i. 5),
"You'll make a mutiny among my guests! You will set cock-a-hoop! you'll be the man!"
--no doubt refers to a reckless person, who takes the cock or tap out of a cask, and lays it on the top or hoop of the barrel, thus letting all the contents of the cask run out. Formerly, a quart pot was called a hoop, being formed of staves bound together with hoops like barrels. There were generally three hoops to such a pot; hence, in "2 Henry VI." (iv. 2), one of Jack Cade's popular reformations was to increase their number: "the three-hooped pot shall have ten hoops; and I will make it felony to drink small beer." Some, however, consider the term Cock-a-hoop[182] refers to the boastful crowing of the cock.