Other entertainment included lots of animal and blood sports such as...
Bear Baiting
Bears were chained to a post in a pit with raised seating areas for spectators. Dogs then attacked the bear while spectators placed bets on how long the bear would survive.
Cock Fighting
Two cocks would fight in a pit. King Henry VIII even had his own cockpit built in his royal grounds. Cocks were bred and conditioned until about two years old. Bets were placed on this sport and, while not all fights were to the death, many cocks were very badly injured.
Dog Fighting
Game dogs fought against eachother. This sport produced a lot of money from stud fees, ticket sales and gambling.
Cock Throwing
A popular sport where a Rooster would be tied to a post and have people take turns at throwing 'coksteles' (specially weighted sticks) at them. A contributor to 'The Gentleman's Magazine' in 1737 claimed that the tradition of using a cock arose from the British rivalry with the French.
Picture on banner above is a carving of Elizabethan Bear Baiting
 Bear Baiting |  Cock fighting |
