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 5
... present time , the Jews did gamble , as Disney1 tells us when writing on Gaming amongst the Jews . " Though they had no written law for it , Gamesters were excluded from the Magistracy , incapable of being chosen into the greater or ...
... present time , the Jews did gamble , as Disney1 tells us when writing on Gaming amongst the Jews . " Though they had no written law for it , Gamesters were excluded from the Magistracy , incapable of being chosen into the greater or ...
Page 15
... of Feversham was killed whilst playing a game of tables with one Mosbie , the paramour of his wife , who had made Mosbie a present of a pair of silver dice to reconcile a disagreement that had subsisted between them GAMBLING IN ENGLAND 15.
... of Feversham was killed whilst playing a game of tables with one Mosbie , the paramour of his wife , who had made Mosbie a present of a pair of silver dice to reconcile a disagreement that had subsisted between them GAMBLING IN ENGLAND 15.
Page 25
... present to the Elector of Bavaria , who had not yet paid him any- thing of the £ 30,000 which he had won of him . Notice hereof being sent to his Highness , the generous action incited him to send over his Gentleman of Horse , into ...
... present to the Elector of Bavaria , who had not yet paid him any- thing of the £ 30,000 which he had won of him . Notice hereof being sent to his Highness , the generous action incited him to send over his Gentleman of Horse , into ...
Page 26
... those particular gentlemen , at the Masquerade , to the value of about £ 400 , and other gentlemen not present at the examination of about £ 4000 more ; and out of about nine pairs of dice which were cut asunder , only 26 THE HISTORY OF.
... those particular gentlemen , at the Masquerade , to the value of about £ 400 , and other gentlemen not present at the examination of about £ 4000 more ; and out of about nine pairs of dice which were cut asunder , only 26 THE HISTORY OF.
Page 27
... present , no other mischief arises from them than the obstruction of the ways . It was far otherwise before 1716 when they generally carried Dice with them , and children were enticed to throw for fruit and nuts , or , indeed , any ...
... present , no other mischief arises from them than the obstruction of the ways . It was far otherwise before 1716 when they generally carried Dice with them , and children were enticed to throw for fruit and nuts , or , indeed , any ...
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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