Obs. [Alteration of WRETCHOCK, prob. by misprint in the text of Jonson, and adopted from this by Gifford.] = WRETCHOCK.
1641. B. Jonson’s Gipsies Metam., Wks. 50. The famous impe yet grew a wretchcocke [1692 wretchcock].
1816. Gifford, B. Jonson’s Wks., Masque, VII. 371, note. In every large breed of domestic fowls, there is usually a miserable little stunted creature…. This unfortunate abortive, the goodwives … call a wret[c]hcock. Ibid. (1817), Persius, ii. 55, note. The poor puny wretchcock in whom the good old grandmother sees the future son-in-law of kings.
