Cock as I dissemble not."

[178] Dyce's "Glossary to Shakespeare," p. 85.

We find, too, other allusions to the sacred name, as in "cock's
passion," "cock's body;" as in "Taming of the Shrew" (iv. 1): "Cock's
passion, silence!" A not uncommon oath, too, in Shakespeare's time was
"Cock and pie"--_cock_ referring to God, and _pie_ being supposed to mean
the service-book of the Romish Church; a meaning which, says Mr. Dyce,
seems much more probable than Douce's[179] supposition that this oath
was connected with the making of solemn vows by knights in the days of
chivalry, during entertainments at which a roasted peacock was served
up. It is used by Justice Shallow ("2 Henry IV.," v. 1): "By cock and
pye, sir, you shall not away to-night." We may also compare the
expression in the old play of "Soliman and Perseda" (1599): "By cock and
pye and mousefoot." Mr. Harting[180] says the "Cock and Pye" (_i. e._,
magpie) was an ordinary ale-house sign, and may have thus become a
subject for the vulgar to swear by.

[179] "Illustrations of Shakespeare," 1839, p. 290.

[180] "Ornithology of Shakespeare," p. 171.

The phrase, "Cock-a-hoop"[181]--which occurs in "Romeo and Juliet" (i.
5),

"You'll make a mutiny among my guests!
You will set cock-a-hoop! you'll be the man!"

--no doubt refers to a reckless person, who takes the cock or tap out of
a cask, and lays it on the top or hoop of the barrel, thus letting all
the contents of the cask run out. Formerly, a quart pot was called a
hoop, being formed of staves bound together with hoops like barrels.
There were generally three hoops to such a pot; hence, in "2 Henry VI."
(iv. 2), one of Jack Cade's popular reformations was to increase their
number: "the three-hooped pot shall have ten hoops; and I will make it
felony to drink small beer." Some, however, consider the term
Cock-a-hoop[182] refers to the boastful crowing of the cock.

[181] It is also an ale-house sign.

[182] See Dyce's "Glossary to Shakespeare," p. 85.

In "King Lear" (iii. 2) Shakespeare speaks of the "cataracts and
hurricanoes" as having

"drenched our steeples, drowned the cocks!"

Vanes on the tops of steeples were in days gone by made in the form of
a cock--hence weathercocks--and put up, in papal times, to remind the
clergy of watchfulness.[183] Apart, too, from symbolism, the large tail
of the cock was well adapted to turn with the wind.[184]

[183] See "Book of