" THE BONNY GRAY"

[jimmy]

EDWARD 12th Earl of Derby, who died in 1834 (or 1884), was passionately fond of cock-fighting. This song, which is taken from an old ballad-sheet, shows that the cock-fight which it describes took place at the cockpit in Liverpool, and that whilst Lord Derby and the Prescot lads backed the cock called "Charcoal Black," the Liverpool lads supported the bird named "Bonny Gray." which proved the victor------


Come all you cock-merchants far and near, Did you hear of a cock-fight happening here?

Those Liverpool lads, I've heard them say,

"Tween the Charcoal Black and the Bonny Gray.

We went to Jim Ward"s, and he called for a pot
Where this grand cock-battle was fought,
For twenty guineas a-side these cocks did play,
The Charcoal Black and the Bonny Gray.

Then Lord Derby came swaggering down,
"I'll bet ten guineas to a crown,
If this Charcoal Black he gets fair play,
He'll clip the wing os your Bonny Gray."

Now when the cocks came to the sod,
Cry the Liverpool lads, "How now ? What odds?"
"The odds," the Prescot lads did say,
"Tween the Charcoal Black and the Bonny Gray."

This cock-fight was fought hard and fast,
Till Black Charcoal he lay dead at last.
The Liverpool lads gave a loud huzza,
And carried away the Bonny Gray.

Jim Ward was a prize- fighter who kept an inn at Liverpool.