Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	call_v	day_n	read_v	1,634	5	5.9250	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15503	The commendation of cockes, and cock-fighting VVherein is shewed, that cocke-fighting was before the comming of Christ.	Wilson, George, fl. 1607.	1607 (1607)	STC 25768; ESTC S111808	15,587	32

THE Commendation of Cockes and Cock-fighting Wherein is shewed that Cocke-fighting was before the comming of Christ LONDON Printed for Henrie Tomes and are to be sold at his Shop ouer against Graies Inne gate in Holburne 16●7 TO THE RIGHT WORshipfull Sir Henrie Bedingfield in the Countie of Norffolke Knight George Wilson wisheth in this world health wealth and prosperitie and in the world to come eternall felicitie THis Treatise right Worshipfull tending to the commendation of Cockes and Cocke-fighting was by me long since promised in London Bostone and other places but like an ill Debtor I haue broken many dayes of payment yet now at the last I haue made perfourmance although perchance not altogether in such good manner as some men may expect yet is it in the best sort that I can and as it is I hope you will accept it Mison could not paint so exquisitely as Apelles did yet Darius allowed of his labours Silly Baucis could not feast Iupiter in siluer plate but in wodden vessels All that honour Esculape cannot decke his shrine with Iewels neither can all they that write expresse their mindes so well as they would But as Apollo gaue Oracles as well to the poore man for his mite as to the rich man for his million so I doubt not but your worship will accept of this my poore offering and patronize this booke as willingly as I dedicate it hartily and although I know it is vnworthy to weare your worthy name yet haue I presuming on your wonted curtesie placed it on the browe of it to be an ornament vnto it to grace it and a shield to defend it against all enuious detractors Now the reason why I haue made choyse of you rather than of any other is both in regard of the good will you beare to Cocke-fighting wherein I know you take exceeding great delight and also to manifest my loue and dutie vnto your worship to whom I am more than much beholding for many and most vndeserued curtesies Being loath to trouble you with too tedious an Epistle in all humility commending my booke to your fauourable protection I end hoping one day to doe something that shal be more worthy of your acceptance till when and euer I rest your Worships to commaund George Wilson To the Reader whosoeuer GEntle Reader in regard that I haue alwayes been greatly affectioned to the most pleasant sport of Cock-fighting I haue thought good to shewe vnto thee in this following treatise the excellent nature rare qualities stout courage vndaunted resolution and the most admirable vertues that are in fighting Cockes and withall to discribe and shew forth the manner custome and good order that is obserued and vsed in the pleasing pastime of Cock-fighting with a briefe repetition of the high commendations that learned writers and mighty princes as Themistocles Plutarch Plinie Caesar Marke Anthony and many other great personages haue giuen vnto them not onely to satisfie and please mine owne humor therin but to fulfill the earnest request and expectation of diuers men of great account who haue longe time labored with me often incited me to doe it Wherfore considering with my selfe that although many men in this Realme hold it in most high estimation yet there are not nor haue been any that euer gaue it any publike commendation I thought good to shew my simple skill in the discribing of it which description although it be farre inferiour to the worthinesse of my subiect yet I intreat thee to accept it kindely or else to amend it quickely but if thou wilt neither accept of it nor amend it but scorne my worke and contemne mee for my good will then the care is taken and I am constant in my resolution Thus kindly commending both my selfe and my Booke to the curtesie of all courteous Readers I bid thee farewell From Wretton in the Countie of Noffolke Thine in what he may G. W. The Commendation of Cockes and Cocke-fighting Chapter I. IT is written in the first Chapter of the first Booke of Moses called Genesis that God gaue vnto man Soueraigntie Rule Dominiō ouer the fishes in the sea ouer the fowles of the aire and ouer euery liuing thing that he had made and behold it was excéeding good and was appointed vnto man for to doe him homage and to serue him in all places and times in his seuerall and necessary vses and not onely for clothing and sustenance for his bodie but also for recreation and pastime to delight his minde as with Cocke-fighting Hawking Hunting and such like For honest recreation is not prohibited by the word of God but rather tollerated and allowed The Kingly Prophet Dauid rehearsing the miraculous workes of the Almighty in the 104 Psalme saith speaking of the sea there goe the ships and there is that Leuiathan whom thou hast made to take his pastime therein Now if the fish be admitted to take their pastime in the sea and the foules to sport them in the aire How much more may man which is the king of Creatures take his pleasure vpon the earth for our Sauiour Christ saith you are of more worth then many Sparrowes And the wise Salomon verifieth that this is the portion of a man vnder the sunne to eate and to drinke and to make his heart merrie with the moderate vse of the good creatures of God Diuers other places in the Holy Scriptures tending to this effect might be alleaged to proue and maintaine the lawfulnesse of mirth and modest pastime which in all ages and in all places whatsoeuer hath alwaies bene both tollerated and commended but I will omit the recitall of them and proceede in my pretended description of Cockes and Cocke-fighting which pleasant and delightfull sport is so excellent of it selfe that it meriteth much praise and so auncient that it may easily be prooued it was vsed long time before our Sauiour Christs peregrination for doe but looke into Plutarchs Bookes called the liues of the Romanes and you shall find in the story of M. Antonius that the Soothsayers counselled him to beware take héede of Caesar because his Cockes did alwayes loose the day when they fought with Caesars And I also reade that Themistocles that worthy valiant and time-eternized Conqueror when he besieged the famous and great Countrey Dalmatia did vse Cocke-fighting for at his beginning and first entrance into that enterprize before he gaue any assault or made any offer of batterie against the countrey he commanded that two Cockes of the kind should bee brought vnto him and be set downe to fight before him in the open view of all his valiant souldiers whom he earnestly requested most seriously to behold and marke the battell which was performed on both parts with such stout courage and magnanimitie that all the spectators did admire and wonder to behold the dreadfulnesse of their fight the deepe indented woundes that each of them had and in the end with what excéeding great resolution both of