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 13
... for that he is wont to entice men into a tavern , and to make them play at dice there against their will . He appeared , and , being asked 1 Riotous person . how he would acquit himself thereof , he said that GAMBLING IN ENGLAND 13.
... for that he is wont to entice men into a tavern , and to make them play at dice there against their will . He appeared , and , being asked 1 Riotous person . how he would acquit himself thereof , he said that GAMBLING IN ENGLAND 13.
Page 34
... appeared in the news- papers about the year 1744 , when it was entitled " Cards Spiritualized . " The name of the soldier is there stated to be one Richard Middleton , who attended divine service , at a church in Glasgow , with the rest ...
... appeared in the news- papers about the year 1744 , when it was entitled " Cards Spiritualized . " The name of the soldier is there stated to be one Richard Middleton , who attended divine service , at a church in Glasgow , with the rest ...
Page 73
... appeared to be extremely ignorant of religion , having been accustomed to swear , to drink ( though he was not in liquor when he uttered the above execrable wish ) , to game , and to profane the Sabbath , though he was only in his ...
... appeared to be extremely ignorant of religion , having been accustomed to swear , to drink ( though he was not in liquor when he uttered the above execrable wish ) , to game , and to profane the Sabbath , though he was only in his ...
Page 74
... appeared all over discoloured , or spotted ; and it might be said , in the most literal sense , that his flesh rotted on his bones before he died . " But this is a digression . Among the deaths recorded in the Gents ' Magazine for 1776 ...
... appeared all over discoloured , or spotted ; and it might be said , in the most literal sense , that his flesh rotted on his bones before he died . " But this is a digression . Among the deaths recorded in the Gents ' Magazine for 1776 ...
Page 80
... appeared in a Morning Paper of the pre- ceding day . The Lady vows she will call in the aid of an Attorney to support her reputation : and observes , that the credit of her house will suffer , if such reports are permitted to go ...
... appeared in a Morning Paper of the pre- ceding day . The Lady vows she will call in the aid of an Attorney to support her reputation : and observes , that the credit of her house will suffer , if such reports are permitted to go ...
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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