bawcock, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

bawcock n.

[Fr. beau coq, lit. ‘a fine cock’ although Nares, Glossary (1822), citing Shakespearian use, prefers boy cock, i.e. a young cock; the term was briefly resuscitated by the 19C historical novelist Harrison Ainsworth in Constable of the Tower (1862)]

a fine fellow.

1599		Shakespeare Henry V IV i: The king’s a bawcock, and a heart of gold.
1600		Shakespeare Twelfth Night III iv: Why how now, my bawcock! how dost thou, chuck?
c.1610		Shakespeare Winter’s Tale I ii: I’fecks? Why that’s my bawcock. What! hast smutch’d thy nose?
1822		R. Nares Gloss. (1888) I 63: bawcock. A burlesque word of endearment, supposed to be derived from beau coq: but rather perhaps from boy and cock.