Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Cock, George
COCK, GEORGE (d. 1679), captain, states that in the civil war he 'was employed by the queen mother to negotiate the raising of Lord Newcastle's army, and helped to supply it with arms; raised a troop himself, was plundered, twice shot, imprisoned some years, and remained out of the kingdom eleven more, for his loyalty.' For such services he was rewarded with the office of searcher of the port of Newcastle, his native place, on 31 July 1660. He was in the service of the admiralty, where he was a commissioner for inspecting the chest, and in November 1664 steward for sick and wounded seamen. He was also a prosperous merchant, and possessed large tanning works at Limerick. His love of hospitality rendered him very popular with his colleagues at the admiralty, especially with Pepys, who considered him ' the greatest epicure in the world.' In his ' Diary ' Pepys records how on 21 July 1662 he ' did take boat and down to Greenwich to Captain Cocke, who hath a most pleasant seat, and neat,' and how on 1 April 1665 he was ' dining at Captain Cocke's in Broad Streete, very merry.' In 1666 he made Pepys a present of plate of the value of 100l. as some return for the profitable contracts which the latter had been able to obtain for him. From his business connections Cock was often enabled to present the Royal Society with some 'natural rarities' from abroad, which led to his being elected a fellow on 21 March 1666. He died in 1679 in the parish of St. Clement Danes, London (Probate Act Book, P. C. C., 1679). In his will, dated 19 Feb., and proved on 3 April of that year, he desired to be buried 'in the parish church of St. Peter's Poore in London, towards the north-east part of that church by my first wife, Anna Maria Cock' (Reg. in P. C. C., 45, King). His second wife, Mary, was, as Pepys tells us, 'a German lady, but a very great beauty.' He left a family of four sons.
[Cal. State Papers, Dom., 1660-1, pp. 66, 136, 575; Pepys's Diary (Bright), i. 380, ii. 83, 247, iii. 78, 137, 288-9, 296, iv. 84, and passim.]