The Royal Pastime of Cockfighting, London, 1709

A cockfight is a blood sport between two cocks, or gamecocks, held in a ring called a cockpit. The history of raising fowl for fighting goes back 6,000 years. The first documented use of the word gamecock, denoting use of the cock as to a “game”, a sport, pastime or entertainment, was recorded in 1634. This work was printed in 1709, by Robert Howlett, or R.H. as on the title page. Although banned in England, and the U.K. it is still popular in many cultures. In the 18^th century it was the sport of Gentlemen who would pay great sums of money breeding, caring for, and purchasing birds for the pit. This work was taken from an exceptionally clean copy found in a private collection. 96 pp with a printed frontispiece.