The History of Gambling in EnglandDifference between Gaming and Gambling-Universality and Antiquity of Gambling-Isis and Osiris-Games and Dice of the Egyptians-China and India-The Jews-Among the Greeks and Romans-Among Mahometans-Early Dicing-Dicing in England in the 13th and 14th Centuries-In the 17th Century-Celebrated Gamblers-Bourchier-Swiss Anecdote-Dicing in the 18th Century. Gaming is derived from the Saxon word Gamen, meaning joy, pleasure, sports, or gaming-and is so interpreted by Bailey, in his Dictionary of 1736; whilst Johnson gives Gamble-to play extravagantly for money, and this distinction is to be borne in mind in the perusal of this book; although the older term was in use until the invention of the later-as we see in Cotton's Compleat Gamester (1674), in which he gives the following excellent definition of the word: -"Gaming is an enchanting witchery, gotten between Idleness and Avarice: an itching disease, that makes some scratch the head, whilst others, as if they were bitten by a Tarantula, are laughing themselves to death; or, lastly, it is a paralytical distemper, which, seizing the arm, the man cannot chuse but shake his elbow. |
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Page 3
... afterwards joined together , and added to the three hundred and sixty , of which the year formerly consisted : which days are even yet called by the Egyptians , the Epact , or Superadded , and observed by them as the birth days of their ...
... afterwards joined together , and added to the three hundred and sixty , of which the year formerly consisted : which days are even yet called by the Egyptians , the Epact , or Superadded , and observed by them as the birth days of their ...
Page 15
... Afterwards , on the prosecution of Ralph Strode , Common Serjeant of the said City , by another jury , they were found guilty of the fraud and deception so imputed to them . Therefore it was awarded that they should have the punishment ...
... Afterwards , on the prosecution of Ralph Strode , Common Serjeant of the said City , by another jury , they were found guilty of the fraud and deception so imputed to them . Therefore it was awarded that they should have the punishment ...
Page 24
... afterwards laid up by the Republick of Venice in their treasury , to whom it was sold for a great Rarity . . . Once , Mr Bourchier going over to Flanders , with a great Train of Servants , set off in such a fine Equipage , that they ...
... afterwards laid up by the Republick of Venice in their treasury , to whom it was sold for a great Rarity . . . Once , Mr Bourchier going over to Flanders , with a great Train of Servants , set off in such a fine Equipage , that they ...
Page 27
... afterwards , a cause was tried in the Court of King's Bench , on an indictment against a gentleman for winning the sum of £ 500 at hazard about seven years before ; and , after a long trial , the jury found him guilty , the penalty ...
... afterwards , a cause was tried in the Court of King's Bench , on an indictment against a gentleman for winning the sum of £ 500 at hazard about seven years before ; and , after a long trial , the jury found him guilty , the penalty ...
Page 38
... afterwards , should not have made some mention of Cards as a pastime , for , in his Franklin's Tale , he only mentions that " They dancen ; and they play at ches and tables . " The first authentic date we have of playing Cards in ...
... afterwards , should not have made some mention of Cards as a pastime , for , in his Franklin's Tale , he only mentions that " They dancen ; and they play at ches and tables . " The first authentic date we have of playing Cards in ...
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Common terms and phrases
afterwards appeared betting Buckinghamshire Buckley Square called Captain Cards chance cheating Club Coffee House Committee course Court Covent Garden Crockford cross and pile croupiers d'Eon dice dinner Doncaster Duke England Faro bank fortune gambler gambling houses gamester gaming house gaming-house gave gentleman George give Groom Porter guineas hand hath hazard honour horse racing hundred pounds Insurance John John Outlawe Justice keeper King Knave lady late letter London Lord Lordship lose loser lost Lots lottery luck Ludus Latrunculorum Mayor morning never Newmarket night paid Parliament parties person plaintiff play players present prize proprietors Queen Railway Railway Mania reign says servants shillings speculation sport St James's Street stakes Stock story subscribed SUNDAY HOUSES tells Thornton thousand guineas thousand pounds ticket tion town Turf wager whilst White's White's Club witness