a very ancient nickname for a citizen of London. Ray interprets it to mean a young person coaxed or cockered, made a wanton or nestle-cock, and delicately bred and brought up, so as when arrived at man's estate to be unable to bear the least hardship. According to another writer, it signifies a person ignorant of country economy. The term itself originated as follows: A young citizen having been ridiculed for calling the neighing of a horse laughing, and told that it was called neighing, next morning, on hearing a cock crow, being anxious to show that instruction had not been thrown away upon him, exclaimed to his former instructor, How that cock neighs! from which circumstance the citizens of London have ever since been called cockneighs or cockneys. But whatever may be the origin of the term, we learn from the following verses, attributed to Hugh Bagot, earl of Norfolk, that it was in use in the time of King Henry II.

Was I in my castle at Bungay, Fast by the river Waveney, I would not care for the king of Cockney.

The king of the cockney occurs among the regulations for the sports and shows formerly held in the Middle Temple on Childdernas day, when he had his officers, a marshal, constable, butler, and others. See Dugdale's *Origines Juridicales*, p. 247.