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 9
... luck of the game , of the skill and pluck of the players , of the favour , or hostility , of bystanders and betting men . Sometimes they invite you to try the seduction of gambling , sometimes they warn of the risks incurred . Children ...
... luck of the game , of the skill and pluck of the players , of the favour , or hostility , of bystanders and betting men . Sometimes they invite you to try the seduction of gambling , sometimes they warn of the risks incurred . Children ...
Page 12
... luck , in which he had lost all his money , rushed into the streets , had two innocent Roman knights seized , and ordered their goods to be confiscated . Whereupon he returned to his game , remarking that this had been the luckiest ...
... luck , in which he had lost all his money , rushed into the streets , had two innocent Roman knights seized , and ordered their goods to be confiscated . Whereupon he returned to his game , remarking that this had been the luckiest ...
Page 23
... Luck made Mr Bourchier Stark Mad ; but , borrowing 20 Pounds of a Friend , he went to the Temple again , but had first bought a Twopenny Cord to hang himself , in case he lost that too : but the Dice turning on his side , and having won ...
... Luck made Mr Bourchier Stark Mad ; but , borrowing 20 Pounds of a Friend , he went to the Temple again , but had first bought a Twopenny Cord to hang himself , in case he lost that too : but the Dice turning on his side , and having won ...
Page 25
... Luck went so much against him , quoth Mr Bourchier - Sir , if you have any suspicion of any sinister trick put upon your Highness , if you please , I'll give you a Chance for all your Money at once , tossing up at Cross and Pile , and ...
... Luck went so much against him , quoth Mr Bourchier - Sir , if you have any suspicion of any sinister trick put upon your Highness , if you please , I'll give you a Chance for all your Money at once , tossing up at Cross and Pile , and ...
Page 43
... luck in one hand for half an hour together , and on another have no good luck at all : to see how easily here , where they play nothing but guinnys , a £ 100 is won or lost to see two or three gentlemen come in there drunk , and ...
... luck in one hand for half an hour together , and on another have no good luck at all : to see how easily here , where they play nothing but guinnys , a £ 100 is won or lost to see two or three gentlemen come in there drunk , and ...
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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