To cry cockles; to be hanged: perhaps from the noise made whilst strangling. Cant.—This will rejoice the cockles of one’s heart; a saying in praise of wine, ale, or spirituous liquors.
Definition taken from The 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, originally by Francis Grose.
Cockish * Cock PimpNathan Bailey's 1736 Dictionary of canting and thieving slang
John S. Farmer's collection of canting songs and slang rhymes