then to the Pit.

Now Gentlemen, Match your Cock carefully, or what you have hitherto
done, is nothing. And here observe the Length, and Strength of Cocks.
The Length is thus known: Gripe the Cock by the Waste, and make him
shoot out his Legs, and in this Posture compare, _And have your Judgment
about you_. The Strength is known by this Maxim, _The largest in the
Garth, is the Strongest Cock_. The Dimension of the _Garth_ is thus
known: Gripe the _Cock_ about from the joynts of your Thumb, to the
Points of your great Finger, and you will find the Disadvantage, _The
weak long Cock is the quickest easier Riser, and the short strong one,
the surest Striker._

Thus being well Matcht, accoutre him for the Pit. Clip his _Main_ off
close to his Neck, from his head to his shoulders. Clip his Tail close
to his Rump, the Redder it appears the better. His wings sloping, with
sharp Points; scrape smooth, and sharpen his Spurs; leave no feathers on
his Crown; then moisten his head with Spittle.

The Battle done, search and suck your Cocks wounds, and wash them well
with hot _Urine_, then give him a Roll of your best Scouring, and stove
him for that Night. If he be swelled, the next morning, suck and bathe
his Wounds again, and pounce them with the Powder of the Herb _Robert_,
through a fine Bag; give him an handful of Bread in warm _Urine_, and
stove him, till swelling be down. If he be hurt in his Eye, chew a
little ground _Ivy_, and Spit the Juice in it; which is good for
_Films_, _Haws_, _Warts_, &c. Or if he hath _veined_ himself in his
fight, by narrow striking, or other cross blows, when you have found the
hurt, bind the soft Down of Hair to it, will cure it.

When you visit your wounded _Cocks_, a month or two after you have put
them to their Walks, if you find about their heads any swollen Bunches,
hard and blackish at one end, then there are unsound Cores undoubtedly
in them; therefore open them, and with your Thumb crush them out, suck
out the Corruption, and fill the holes with fresh Butter; and that will
infallibly cure them.

_Cures for Distempers incident to the Cock or Chick of the Game._

For _Lice_, being most common, I begin with; proceeding from corrup
Meat, and want of Bathing, _&c._ Take _Pepper_ beaten to Powder, mix it
with warm Water, and wash them with it.

For the _Roup_; a filthy swelling on the Rump, and very contagious to
the whole body; the staring and turning back of the Feathers is its
Sympt