A Lady of Fashion, who had taken Lodgings at a Breeches Makers, in, or near Piccadilly, whose Sign was the Cock and Breeches, told her Landlord soon after she came there, that she lik’d her Appartments very well, but was asham’d to tell her Acquaintance at what Sign she liv’d; to which the Landlord answer’d, That if she did not approve of his Sign, he’d make any Alteration she should think proper. Then Sir, says the Lady, I desire you to take down your Breeches, and let your Cock Stand.

2015 translation: A woman moves into a flat above a pants-maker’s shop, but is embarrassed to tell people she lives above the shop with the rooster (“cock”) sign. When she tells her landlord, he says he’ll change the sign. The lady then explains that she only wanted the pants removed from the sign, but that the rooster could stay, which she phrased as “let your cock stand.”