A battle or bout at cudgels or fisty-cuffs, wherein more than two persons are engaged: perhaps from its resemblance, in that particular, to more serious engagements fought to settle royal disputes.
Definition taken from The 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, originally by Francis Grose.
Batchelor’s Son * BawbeeNathan Bailey's 1736 Dictionary of canting and thieving slang
John S. Farmer's collection of canting songs and slang rhymes