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. |
From inside the book
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Page 2
... lose , no fool would embark in it . The direct appropriation of other people's property to one's own use , is ... loses . The winner is not reverenced , and the loser is not pitied . But it is a disease that is most contagious ...
... lose , no fool would embark in it . The direct appropriation of other people's property to one's own use , is ... loses . The winner is not reverenced , and the loser is not pitied . But it is a disease that is most contagious ...
Page 12
... loses submits to servitude , though younger and stronger than his antagonist , and patiently permits himself to be bound , and sold in the market ; and this madness they dignify by the name of honour . " In early English times we get ...
... loses submits to servitude , though younger and stronger than his antagonist , and patiently permits himself to be bound , and sold in the market ; and this madness they dignify by the name of honour . " In early English times we get ...
Page 13
... lose more than twenty shillings in one whole day and night , under a penalty of one hundred shillings , to be paid to the archbishops in the army . The two monarchs had the privi- lege of playing for what they pleased , but their ...
... lose more than twenty shillings in one whole day and night , under a penalty of one hundred shillings , to be paid to the archbishops in the army . The two monarchs had the privi- lege of playing for what they pleased , but their ...
Page 14
... lose . " And they followed him to the house of the said Nicholas in Friday Street , and there they found the said Nicholas with a pair of tables , on the outside of which was painted a chequer board , that is called a ' quek . ' And the ...
... lose . " And they followed him to the house of the said Nicholas in Friday Street , and there they found the said Nicholas with a pair of tables , on the outside of which was painted a chequer board , that is called a ' quek . ' And the ...
Page 15
... lose . The said tables were then turned , and the complainants played with the defendant Nicholas at ' quek ' until they had lost at the games of tables and quek 39s . 2d . After which the complainants , wondering at their continued ...
... lose . The said tables were then turned , and the complainants played with the defendant Nicholas at ' quek ' until they had lost at the games of tables and quek 39s . 2d . After which the complainants , wondering at their continued ...
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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