one Cocks:

Was this James Cock or Cox,‘late of Birckhagg’, Mayor of Kendal 1653/4, who consigned Miles Hallhead to prison in 1652?

See A Book Of some of the Sufferings and Passages OF Myles Halhead of Mount-Joy in Underbarrow in the County of Westmorland ...(London: A. Sowle, 1690) 4.

James Cock also attested to seeing the temporary Quaker convert John Gilpin ‘when he went through the Towne, declaring himselfe the way, truth, and life’.

THE QUAKERS SHAKEN: OR, A Fire-brand snach'd out of the Fire (London: Simon Waterson, 1653) 14.

However, if he was ‘late of Birkhagg’, he was probably related to the Widow Cockes who held Quaker meetings there in her house.

In 1671 a James Cock paid Hearth Tax for one hearth in Highgate. In 1624/5 another James Cock (probably father) was also Alderman (Mayor) of Kendal, and in 1681/2 James Cock junior was also Mayor. The family appear to have been mercers, wiht a sideline in bookselling: a James Cock of Kendal supplied books to Daniel le Fleming of Rydal. They would clearly profit from further research.

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