Sc. Obs. Also -an, -and. [a. F. coq-à-l’âne ‘a libell, pasquin, satyre’ (Cotgr.), ‘an incoherent story, passing from one subject to another’: see Littré, and cf. COCK-AND-BULL.]
1. ‘A comic or ludicrous representation’ (Jam.); a satire, lampoon.
1605. Ayr Session Rec., 25 Feb. Ony ryme or cokalane.
1609. Act Jas. VI., c. 9. By their pasquils, lybels, rymes, cockalans, comedies … they slander, maligne and revile the people, estate, and country of England.
1610. J. Melvill, Diary, 781. Spreideris of cokalandis sould be banischit.
2. A disconnected story, discourse, etc.
c. 1650. J. Wishard, Lett., in Spottiswoode’s Mem. (1811), 50 (Jam.). Excuse the rather cockaland then Letter from him who carethe not howe disformall his penn’s expression be to you.
1676. Etheredge, Man of Mode, IV. 62 (Jam.). What a Coque a Lasne is this? I talk of Women and thou answer’st Tennis.
