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 nurtured, 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 origin of the term has been accounted for as follows: A young citizen having called the neighing of a horse laughing, was told that it was called neighing,—and next morning on hearing a cock crow, being anxious to show that he had benefited by instruction, he exclaimed, How that cock neighs! from which circumstance the citizens of London were thenceforward 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 Henry II.

Was I in my castle at Bungay, Past by the river Waveney, I would no 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 Chillemas day, when he had his officers, a marshal, constable, butler, and others. See Dugdale's Origines Juridicales, p. 247.