¶Of the Cocke. chap. 16.
A Cocke is called Gallos, and hath that name of gelding, for among fowles onely the Cocke is gelded, & men in old time called them Gallos, that were ker∣ned, as Isidore saith.
Plinius li. 29. cap. 4. speaketh of the Cocke and sayth, that Cocks flesh raw, and layde hot vpon the biting of a Ser∣pent, doth awaye the venime, and to the same his braine is good, taken in drink. And if a man be noynted wt his grea••t, or with his iuyce, he shall be sure from Panthers and Lyons. And if the bones of a Cock or of an Hen, be medled with gold when it is molte, they destroy and wast the golde, and so Henne boanes be venemous to golde, and that is won∣der. Also the Cocke is hot and drye of complection: & therefore he is full bolde and hardie, and so fighteth boldly for his hens against his aduersaries, and assay∣leth and reeseth on them, and teareth and woundeth them with his bill, and with his spores, and when he hath the mastry he croweth presently, and ere he croweth he beateth himselfe with his wings to make him the more able to sing. And he vseth late in the night to crowe most cléerely and strongly, and about the mor∣row tide, he shapeth tight voice & song, as Ambrose saith.
The Cocke beareth a redde combe on his head, in steede of a crowne, which béeing left, he looseth his hardinesse, and is more slowe and cowardlye to assayle his aduersary. And he loueth ieolouslye his hennes: and when he findeth meate, he calleth his Hennes, together with a certaine voyce, and spareth his owne meate to féede them therewith: and he setteth next to him on the rooste, the hen that is most fat and tender, and leueth hir best, & desireth most to haue hir pre∣sence. In the morrow tide when he fly∣eth to get his meate, first he layeth his side to hir side, and by certayne tokens and beckes, as it were long ••aches, he wooeth and prayeth hir to treading.
And he fighteth for hir speciallye, as though he were iealous, and with bill and spores he chaseth and driueth away from him other Cockes, that come nigh his hennes. And in fighting he smiteth the ground with his bill, and reareth vp the feathers about his necke, so make him the more bold & hardy, and mooueth the feathers of his tayle vpwarde and downward, that he maye so the more ably come to the battaile. And he bree∣deth a precious stone called Aflect••e••∣••••, like to the stone that is named Cal∣ceduneus,* 1.1 & the Cock beareth that stone, and because of that stone (as some men trow) the Lion dreadeth and abhorreth, & specially if the Cocke be white: for the Lyon dreadeth the white Cocke, as Pli∣nius sayth.
The Cocke hée searcheth his meate with his bill and feete, and setayeth and ouertourneth strawe and duste. And when hée findeth a grayne, hée calleth, and cackeleth to him his Hens.
Also the Cocke dreadeth the Eagle and the Gossehawke, which take theyr pray on the ground. For such sowles of pray, spye and wayte for Birds which goe on the grounde. And the Cocke is right sharpe of sight, and therefore he looketh downwarde with the one eye to search his meate, an vpwarde into the ayre with the other eye, that he might beware of the comming of the