an act to prevent the killing of deer. england and wales. parliament. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a74129 of text r211312 in the english short title catalog (thomason 669.f.16[15]). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 2 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-iv tiff page image. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a74129 wing e1155 thomason 669.f.16[15] estc r211312 99870042 99870042 163172 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a74129) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 163172) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 246:669f16[15]) an act to prevent the killing of deer. england and wales. parliament. 1 sheet ([1] p.) printed by john field, printer to the parliament of england, london : 1651. order to print dated: thursday, the 24th of july, 1651. signed: hen: scobell, cleric. parliamenti. with engraving of parliamentary seal at head of text. reproduction of the original in the british library. eng game laws -england -early works to 1800. great britain -politics and government -1649-1660 -early works to 1800. a74129 r211312 (thomason 669.f.16[15]). civilwar no an act to prevent the killing of deer. england and wales. parliament. 1651 346 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 a this text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. 2008-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2008-08 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2008-10 john pas sampled and proofread 2008-10 john pas text and markup reviewed and edited 2009-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion an act to prevent the killing of deer . be it enacted by this present parliament , and the authority thereof , and it is hereby enacted and ordained , that if any person or persons shall from and after the first day of august , 1651. kill , hurt , or take away any red or fallow-deer , in any forrest , chase or park , or other inclosed ground , within this commonwealth , without the consent of the owner or person chiefly intrusted with the custody thereof ; or shall be ayding or assisting therein , and shall be convicted thereof by confession of the party , or by the oath of one or more credible witnesses ( before one or more justices of the peace , who are hereby impowered to administer an oath to that purpose ) such person being prosecuted for such offence , within three moneths after such offence done , that then every person so offending , shall forfeit for every such offence the sum of fifteen pounds , to be levied by way of distress upon the goods and chattels of every such offender , by warrant under the iustices hand before whom such conviction shall be made ; the one moyety of the said fifteen pounds to be given to the informer , and the other moyety to the poor of the parish where such offence shall be committed ; and for want of distress , the offender shall be committed to prison for twelve moneths , without bail or mainprize . provided , that where any offender shall be punishable by force of this act , that he shall not be prosecuted , nor incur the penalty of any other law or statute for the same offence . thursday , the 24th of july , 1651. ordered by the parliament , that this act be forthwith printed and published . hen : scobell , cleric . parliamenti . london , printed by john field , printer to the parliament of england . 1651. die iovis 18 februarii 1646. whereas provision is made by the statutes of this realme for the perservation [sic] of game in this kingdome, ... england and wales. parliament. house of lords. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a83924 of text r212318 in the english short title catalog (thomason 669.f.9[80]). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 2 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-iv tiff page image. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a83924 wing e2867c thomason 669.f.9[80] estc r212318 99870952 99870952 161178 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a83924) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 161178) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 245:669f9[80]) die iovis 18 februarii 1646. whereas provision is made by the statutes of this realme for the perservation [sic] of game in this kingdome, ... england and wales. parliament. house of lords. 1 sheet ([1] p.) printed for john wright at the kings head in the old baley, london : 1646. [i.e. 1647] title from heading and first lines of text. order to print dated: die sabbathi 20 februarii 1646 and signed: joh. brown cler. parliamentorum. reproduction of the original in the british library. eng game laws -great britain -early works to 1800. great britain -history -civil war, 1642-1649 -early works to 1800. a83924 r212318 (thomason 669.f.9[80]). civilwar no die iovis 18 februarii 1646. whereas provision is made by the statutes of this realme for the perservation [sic] of game in this kingdome, a england and wales. parliament. 1646 308 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 a this text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. 2007-09 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-09 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-10 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2007-10 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion die iovis 18 februarii 1646. whereas provision is made by the statutes of this realme for the perservation of game in this kingdome , and that the justices of the peace , and others are by the said statutes authorized , and required to punish the offenders in that kinde as by the said statutes doth appeare . but by reason of the great liberty that severall idle and loose persons at this time take unto themselves by guns , trasing of hares in the snow , setting doggs , and other unlawfull meanes to kill and destroy the game of all kindes throughout the whole kingdome , in contempt of law and authority , which if not timely prevented will prove a destruction to the said game in all parts . it is ordered by the lords in parliament assembled , that the justices of the peace in the severall counties of the kingdome , and especially about the kings honours , castles , parkes , chases , and houses , are hereby charged and required by vertue of their places , and the tenour of the said statutes , to take speciall care that they put the said statutes in due execution against all such offenders , as shall trespasse in this kinde according to the nature of their severall offences : and herein the said justices of peace , and others authorized , are hereby required to take speciall care in the execution of the premisses , as the contrary will be answered to this house . die sabbathi 20. februarii . 1646. ordered by the lords assembled in parliament , that this order shall be forthwith printed and published , joh. brown cler. parliamentorum . london printed for john wright at the kings head in the old baley . 1646. whereas his majesty hath been certainly informed of the killing and destroying of the game in and about his honour of hampton-court ... england and wales. sovereign (1685-1688 : james ii) 1687 approx. 2 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2009-03 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a46606 wing j404 estc r37024 16186970 ocm 16186970 105016 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a46606) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 105016) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1595:102) whereas his majesty hath been certainly informed of the killing and destroying of the game in and about his honour of hampton-court ... england and wales. sovereign (1685-1688 : james ii) james ii, king of england, 1633-1701. 1 broadside. printed by charles bill, henry hills, and thomas newcomb ..., london : 1687. title from first 3 lines of text. at head of text: james r. "given at our court at hampton-court the thirtieth day of july 1687, in the third year of his majesties reign. by his majesties command, [countersigned] middleton." reproduction of original in the harvard university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng poaching -england. game laws -england. great britain -history -james ii, 1685-1688. 2007-11 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2008-01 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2008-02 elspeth healey sampled and proofread 2008-02 elspeth healey text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-09 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion diev et mon droit james r. whereas his majesty hath been certainly informed of the killing and destroying of the game in and about his honour of hampton-court ; these are therefore to give notice in his majesties name , and by his special order and appointment , that henceforward none presume , of what quality soever ( without his majesties particular leave ) to kill or destroy any hare , partridge , pheasant , heath powt , heron , duck or mallard , within ten miles round about his majesties palace of hampton-court , by hunting , hawking , setting , coursing , shooting , tunnelling , gins , or any way whatsoever , nor to disturb the game there under pretence of shooting at birds ; nor to keep or use any greyhounds , lurchers , setting dogs or guns ; but such persons only as shall be thereunto qualified by the laws made for the preservation of the game ; and that none so qualified , suffer their servants , or any under the notion of such , to shoot , set or course , or by any ways whatsoever to destroy and kill any of the forenamed game , as they will answer the contrary at their peril . and to the end that none may plead ignorance of his majesties pleasure in this matter , his majesty doth further command , that this order be with all speed read and published in the several parish churches within ten miles of his palace of hampton-court , at such time and times , as the respective parishioners meet there for divine worship , upon sundays or holidays ; which the rector , vicar or curate of each parish , is to see duly performed accordingly . given at our court at hampton-court the thirtieth day of july 1687 , in the third year of his majesties reign . by his majesties command , middleton . london , printed by charles bill , henry hills , and thomas newcomb , printers to the kings most excellent majesty . 1687. of the laws of chance, or, a method of calculation of the hazards of game plainly demonstrated and applied to games at present most in use : which may be easily extended to the most intricate cases of chance imaginable. arbuthnot, john, 1667-1735. 1692 approx. 67 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 61 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2004-03 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a25748 wing a3602 estc r31565 12165155 ocm 12165155 55286 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a25748) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 55286) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1495:1) of the laws of chance, or, a method of calculation of the hazards of game plainly demonstrated and applied to games at present most in use : which may be easily extended to the most intricate cases of chance imaginable. arbuthnot, john, 1667-1735. [24], 93 p. printed by benj. motte, and sold by randall taylor ..., london : 1692. attributed to arbuthnot by wing and nuc pre-1956 imprints. reproduction of original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng probabilities. games of chance (mathematics) game theory. 2003-06 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2003-07 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2004-01 emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread 2004-01 emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion of the laws of chance , or , a method of calculation of the hazards of game , plainly demonstrated , and applied to games at present most in use , which may be easily extended to the most intricate cases of chance imaginable . london : printed by benj. motte , and sold by randall taylor near stationers-hall , 1692. preface . it is thought as necessary to write a preface before a book , as it is judg'd civil , when you invite a friend to dinner , to proffer him a glass of hock before-hand for a whet : and this being maim'd enough for want of a dedication , i am resolv'd it shall not want an epistle to the reader too . i shall not take upon me to determine , whether it is lawful to play at dice or not , leaving that to be disputed betwixt the fanatick parsons and the sharpers ; i am sure it is lawful to deal with playing at dice as with other epidemic distempers ; and i am confident that the writing a book about it , will contribute as little towards its encouragement , as fluxing and precipitates do to whoring . it will be to little purpose to tell my reader , of how great antiquity the playing at dice is , i will only let him know , that by the aleae ludus , the antients comprehended all games , which were subjected to the determination of mere chance ; this sort of gaming was strictly forbid by the emperor justinian , cod. lib. 3. tit. 43. under very severe penalties ; and photius nomocan , tit. 9. cap. 27. acquaints us , that the use of this was altogether denied the clergie of that time . seneca says very well , aleator quantò in arte est melior , tantò est nequior ; that by how much the one is more skilful in games , by so much he is the more culpable ; or we may say of this , as an ingenious man says of dancing , that to be extraordinary good at it , is to be excellent in a fault ; therefore i hope no body will imagine i had so mean a design in this , as to teach the art of playing at dice . a great part of this discourse is a translation from mons. hugen's treatise , de ratiociniis in ludo aleae , one , who in his improvements of philosophy , has but one superior , and i think few or no equals . the whole i undertook for my own divertisement , next to the satisfaction of some friends , who would now and then be wrangling about the proportions of hazards in some cases that are here decided . all it requir'd was a few spare hours , and but little work for the brain ; my design in publishing it , was to make it of more general use , and perhaps persuade a raw squire , by it , to keep his money in his pocket ; and if , upon this account , i should ineur the clamours of the sharpers , i do not much regard it , since they are a sort of people the world is not bound to provide for . you will find here a very plain and easie method of the calculation of the hazards of game , which a man may understand , without knowing the quadratures of curves , the doctrin of series's , or the laws of centripetation of bodies , or the periods of the satellites of jupiter ; yea , without so much as the elements of euclid . there is nothing required for the comprehending the whole , but common sense and practical arithmetick ; saving a few touches of algebra , as in the first three propositions , where the reader , without suspicion of popery , may make use of a strong implicit faith ; tho i must confess , it does not much recommend it self to me in these purposes ; for i had rather he would enquire , and i believe he will find the speculation not unpleasant . every man's success in any affair is proportional to his conduct & fortune . fortune ( in the sense of most people ) signifies an event which depends on chance , agreeing with my wish ; and misfortune signifies such an event contrary to my wish : an event depending on chance , signifies such an one , whose immediate causes i don't know , and consequently can neither foretel nor produce it ( for it is no heresie to believe , that providence suffers ordinary matters to run in the channel of second causes ) . now i suppose , that all a wise man can do in such a case is , to lay his business on such events , as have the most or most powerful second causes , and this is true both in the great events of the world , and in ordinary games . it is impossible for a dye , with such a determin'd force and direction , not to fall on such a determin'd side , only i don't know the force and direction which makes it fall on such a determin'd side , and therefore i call that chance , which is nothing but want of art ; that only which is left to me , is to wager where there are the greatest number of chances , and consequently the greatest probability to gain ; and the whole art of gaming , where there is any thing of hazard , will be reduc'd to this at last , viz. in dubious cases , to calculate on which side there are most chances ; and tho this can't be done in the midst of game precisely to an unite , yet a man who knows the principles , may make such a conjecture , as will be a sufficient direction to him ; and tho it is possible , if there are any chances against him at all , that he may lose , yet when he chuseth the safest side , he may partwith his money with more content ( if there can be any at all ) in such a case . i will not debate , whether one may engage another in a disadvantageous wager . games may be suppos'd to be a tryal of wit as well as fortune , and every man , when he enters the lists with another , unless out of complaisance , takes it for granted , his fortune and iudgment , are , at least , equal to those of his play-fellow ; but this i am sure of , that false dice , tricks of leger-de-main , &c. are inexcusable , for the question in gaming is not , who is the best iugler ? the reader may here observe the force of numbers , which can be succesfully applied , even to those things , which one would imagin are subject to no rules . there are very few things which we know , which are not capable of being reduc'd to a mathematical reasoning , and when they cannot , it s a sign our knowledg of them is very small and confus'd ; and where a mathematical reasoning can be had , it 's as great folly to make use of any other , as to grope for a thing in the dark when you have a candle standing by you . i believe the calculation of the quantity of probability might be improved to a very useful and pleasant speculation , and applied to a great many events which are accidental , besides those of games ; only these cases would be infinitely more confus'd , as depending on chances which the most part of men are ignorant of ; and as i have hinted already , all the politicks in the world are nothing else but a kind of analysis of the quantity of probability in casual events , and a good politician signifies no more , but one who is dexterous at such calculations ; only the principles which are made use of in the solution of such problems , can't be studied in a closet , but acquir'd by the observation of mankind . there is likewise a calculation of the quantity of probability founded on experience , to be made use of in wagers about any thing ; for example , it is odds , if a woman is with child , but it shall be a boy ; and if you would know the just odds , you must consider the proportion in the bills that the males bear to the females : the yearly bills of mortality are observ'd to bear such proportion to the live people as 1 to 30 , or 26 ; therefore it is an even wager , that one out of thirteen , dyes within a year ( which may be a good reason , tho not the true one of that foolish piece of superstition ) , because , at this rate , if 1 out of 26 dyes , you are no loser . it is but 1 to 18 if you meet a parson in the street , that he proves to be a non-juror , because there is but 1 of 36 that are such . it is hardly 1 to 10 , that a woman of twenty years old has her maidenhead , and almost the same wager , that a town-spark of that age has not been clap'd . i think a man might venture some odds , that 100 of the gens d'arms beats an equal number of dutch troopers ; and that an english regiment stands its ground as long as another , making experience our guide in all these cases and others of the like nature . but there are no casual events , which are so easily subjected to numbers , as those of games ; and i believe , there the speculation might be improved so far , as to bring in the doctrin of the series's and logarithms . since gaming is become a trade , i think it fit the adventurers should be upon the square ; and therefore in the contrivance of games there ought to be a strict calculation made use of , that they mayn't put one party in more probability to gain than another ; and likewise , if a man has a considerable venture , he ought to be allow'd to withdraw his money when he pleases , paying according to the circumstances he is then in : and it were easie in most games to make tables , by the inspection of which , a man might know what he was either to pay or receive , in any circumstances you can imagin , it being convenient to save a part of ones money , rather than venture the loss of it all . i shall add no more , but that a mathematician will easily perceive , it is not put in such a dress as to be taken notice of by him , there being abundance of words spent to make the more ordinary sort of people understand it . for the sake of those who are not vers'd in mathematicks , i have added the following explanation of signs . = equal . + more , or to be added . − less , or to be subtracted . × multiplied . example . 3 × 4 + 3 − 1 = 14 = 5 / 9 a , is to be read thus , 3 multiplied in 4 more by 3 less by 1 is equal to 14 , which is equal to five ninth parts of a. an exact method for solving the hazards of game . although the events of games , which fortune solely governs , are uncertain , yet it may be certainly determin'd , how much one is more ready to lose than gain . for example : if one should wager , at the first throw with one dye , to throw six , it 's an accident if he gains or not , but by how much it 's more probable he will lose than gain , is really determin'd by the nature of the thing , and capable of a strict calculation . so likewise , if i should play with another on this condition , that the victory should be to the three first games , and i had gain'd one already ; it is still uncertain who shall first gain the third ; yet by a demonstrative reasoning i can estimate both the value of his expectation and mine , and consequently ( if we agree to leave the game unperfect ) determin how great a share of the stakes belong to me , and how much to my play-fellow ; or if any were desirous to take my place , at what rate i ought to sell it . hence may arise innumerable queries among two , three , or more gamesters ; and since the calculation of these things is a little out of the common road , and can be oft-times apply'd to good purpose ; i shall briefly here shew how it is to be done , and afterwards explain those things which belong properly to the dice . in both cases i shall make use of this principle , ones hazard or expectation to gain any thing , is worth so much , as , if he had it , he could purchase the like hazard or expectation again in a just and equal game . for example , if one , without my knowledg , should hide in one hand 7 shillings , and in his other 3 shillings , and put it to my choice which hand i would take , i say this is as much worth to me , as if he should give me 5 shillings ; because , if i have 5 shillings , i can purchase as good a chance again , and that in a fair and just game . proposition i. if i expect a or b , either of which , with equal probability , may fall to me , then my expectation is worth , that is , the half sum of a and b. that i may not only demonstrate , but likewise investigate this rule , suppose the value of my expectation be x ; by the former principle having x , i can purchase as good an expectation again in a fair and just game . suppose then i play with another on these terms ; that every one stakes x , and the gainer give to the loser a , this game is just , and it appears , that at this rate , i have an equal hazard either to get a if i lose the game , or 2 x − a if i gain ; for in this case i get 2 x , which are the stakes , out of which i must pay the other a ; but if 2 x − a were worth b , then i have an equal hazard to get a or b ; therefore making 2 x − a = b , , which is the value of my expectation . the demonstration is easie , for having , i can play with another who will stake against it , on this condition , that the gainer should give to the loser a ; by this means i have an equal expectation to get a if i lose , or b if i win ; for in the last case i get a+b the stakes , out of which i must pay a to my play-fellow . in numbers : if i had an equal hazard to get 3 or 7 , then by this proposition , my expectation is worth 5 , and it is certain , having 5 , i may have the same chance ; for if i play with another so that every one stakes 5 , and the gainer pay to the loser 3 , this is a fair way of gaming ; and it is evident , i have an equal hazard to get 3 if i lose , or 7 if i gain . prop. ii. if i expect a , b , or c , either of which , with equal facility , may happen , then the value of my expectation is , or the third part of the sum of a b and c. for the investigation of which , suppose x be the value of my expectation ; then x must be such , as i can purchase with it the same expectation in a just game : suppose the conditions of the game be , that playing with two others , each of us stakes x , and i bargain with one of the gamesters , if i win , to give him b , and he shall do the same to me ; but with the other , that if i gain , i shall give him c , and vice versâ ; this is fair play : and here i have an equal hazard to get b , if the first win , c if the second , or 3 x − b − c if i gain my self ; for then i get 3 x , viz. the stakes , of which i give the one b and the other c ; but if 3 x − b − c be equal to a , i have an equal expectation of a , b , or c ; therefore making 3 x − b − c = a , , which is the value of my expectation . after the same method you will find , if i had an equal hazard to get a b c or d , the value of my expectation that is the fourth part of the sum of a b c and d , &c. prop. iii. if the number of chances , by which a falls to me , be p , and the number of chances , by which b falls , be q , and supposing all the chances do happen with equal facility , then the value of my expectation is , i. e. the product of a multiplied in the number of its chances added to the product of b , multiplied into the number of its chances , and the summ divided by the number of chances both of a and b. suppose , as before , x be the value of my expectation ; then if i have x , i must be able to purchase with it that same expectation again in a fair game : for this i shall take as many play-fellows as , with me , make up the number of p+q , of which let every one stake x , so the whole stake will be px+qx , and every one plays with equal hopes of winning ; with as many of my fellow-gamesters as the number 9 stands for , i make this bargain one by one , that whoever of them gains shall give me b , and if i win , i shall do so to them ; with every one of the rest of the gamesters , whose number is p − 1 , i make this bargain , that whoever of them gains , shall give me a , and i shall give every one of them as much , if i gain : it 's evident this is fair play ; for no man here is injur'd ; and in this case i have q expectations to gain b , and p − 1 expectations to gain a , and 1 expectation ( viz. when i win my my self ) to get px+qx − bqap+a ; for then i am to deliver b to every one of the q players , and a to every one of the p − 1 gamesters , which makes ab+pa − a ; if therefore qx+bx − ba − ap+a were equal to a , i would have p expectations of a ( since just now i had p − 1 expectations of it ) and q expectations of b , and so would have just come to my first expectation ; therefore putting px+qx − bq − ap+a = a , then is in numbers : if i had 3 chances to gain for 13 , and 2 for 8 , by this rule , my hazard is worth 11 ; for 13 multiplied by 3 gives 39 , and 8 by 2 16 , these two added , make 55 , divided by 5 is 11 , and i can easily shew , if i have 11 , i can come to the like expectation again ; for playing with four others , and every one of us staking 11 , with two of them i make this bargain , that whoever gains shall give me 8 , and i shall too do so to them ; with the other two i make this bargain , that whoever gains shall give me 13 , and i them as much if i gain : it appears , by this means i have two expectations to get 8 , viz. if any of the first two gain , and 3 expectations to get 13 , viz. if either i or any of the other two gain ; for in this case i gain the stakes , which are 55 , out of which i am oblig'd to give the first two 8 , and the other two 13 , and so there remains 13 for my self . prop. iv. that i may come to the question propos'd , viz. the making a just distribution amongst gamesters , when their hazards are unequal ; we must begin with the most easie cases . suppose then i play with another , on condition that he who wins the three first games shall have the stakes , and that i have already gain'd two , i would know , if we agree to break off the game , and part the stakes justly , how much falls to my share ? the first thing we must consider in such questions is , the number of games that are wanting to both : for example , if it had been agreed betwixt us , that he should have the stakes who gain'd the first 20 games , and if i had gain'd already 19 , and my fellow-gamester but 18 , my hazard is as much better than his in that case , as in this proposed , viz ? when of 3 games i have 2 , and he but 1 , because in both cases there 's 2 wanting to him , and 1 to me . in the next place , to find the portion of the stakes due to each of us , we must consider what would happen if the game went on ; it is certain , if i gain the first game , i get the stake , which i call a ; but if he gain'd , both our lots would be equal , and so there would fall to each of us ½ a ; but since i have an equal hazard to gain or lose the first game , i have an equal expectation to gain a , or ½ a , which , by the first proposition , is as much worth as the half sum of both , i. e. ¾a , so there is left to my fellow-gamester ¼ a ; from whence it follows , that he who would buy my game , ought to pay me for it ¾ a ; and therefore , he who undertakes to gain one game before another gains two , may wager 3 to 1. prop. v. suppose i want but one game , and my fellow-gamester three , it is required to make a just distribution of the stake : let us here likewise consider in what state we should be , if i or he gain'd the first game ; if i gain , i have the stake a , if he , then he wants yet 2 games , and i but 1 , and therefore we should be in the same condition which is supposed in the former proposition ; and so there would fall to my share , as was demonstrated there , ¾ a ; therefore with equal facility there may happen to me a , or ¾ a , which , by the first proposition , is worth ⅞ a , and to my fellow-gamester there is left 1 / 8 a , and therefore my hazard to his is as 7 to 1. as the calculation of the former proposition was requisite for this , so this will serve for the following . if i should suppose my self to want but one game , and my fellow four ( by the same method ) you will find 15 / 16 of the stake belongs to me , and 1 / 16 to him . prop. vi. suppose i want two games , and my fellow-gamester three . then by the next game it will happen , that i want but one , and he three , which ( by the preceding proposition ) is worth ⅞ a ; or that we should both want two , whence there will be ½ a due to each of us ; now i being in an equal probability to gain or lose the next game , i have an equal hazard to gain ⅞ a or ½ a , which , by the first proposition is worth 11 / 16 a , and so there are eleven parts of the stakes due to me , and five to my fellow . prop. vii . let us suppose i want two games , and my fellow four . if i gain the next game , then i shall want but one , and my fellow four ; but if i lose it , then i shall want two , and he three : so i have an equal hazard for gaining 15 / 16 a , or 11 / 16 a , which , by the first , is worth 13 / 16 a : so it appears , that he who is to gain two games for the others four , is in a better condition than he who is to gain one for the others two ; for my share in the first case is ¾ a or 12 / 16 a , which is less than 13 / 16 , my share in the last . prop. viii . let us suppose three gamesters , whereof the first and second want 1 game , but the third 2. to find the share of the first , we must consider what would happen if either he , or any of the other two gain'd the first game ; if he gains , then he has the stake a ; if the second gain , he has nothing ; but if the third gain , then each of them would want a game , and so ⅓ a would be due to every one of them . thus the first gamester has one expectation to gain a , one to gain nothing , and one for ⅓ a ( since all are in an equal probability to gain the first game ) which by the second proposition is worth 4 / 9 a : now since the second gamesters condition is as good , his share is likewise 4 / 9 a , and so there remains to the third 1 / 9 a , whose share might have been as easily found by its self . prop. ix . in any number of gamesters you please , amongst whom there are some who want more , some fewer games : to find what is any ones share in the stake , we must consider , what would be due to him , whose share we investigate , if either he , or any of his fellow-gamesters should gain the next following game ; add all their shares together , and divide the sum by the number of the gamesters , the quotient is his share you were seeking . suppose three gamesters , a b and c , a wants 1 game , b 2 , and c likewise 2 , i would find what is the share of the stake due to b , which i shall call q. first we must consider what would fall to b's share , if either he , a , or c , wins the next game ; if a wins , the game is ended , so he gets nothing ; if b himself gain , then he wants 1 game , a 1 , and c 2 ; therefore , by the former proposition , there is due to him in that case 4 / ●q , then if c gains the next play , then a and c would want but 1 , and b 2 ; and therefore , by the eigth proposition , his share would be worth 1 / 9q ; add together what is due to b in all these three cases , viz. o4 / 9q , 1 / 9q , the sum is 5 / 9q , which being divided by 3 , the number of gamesters gives 5 / 27q , which is the share of b sought for : the demonstration of this is clear from the second proposition , because b has an equal hazard to gain o 4 / 9 q or 1 / 9q , that is , , i. e. 5 / 27q ; now it 's evident the divisor 3 is the number of the gamesters . to find what is due to one in any case , viz. if either he , or any of his fellow-gamsters win the following game ; we must consider first the more simple cases , and by their help the following ; for as this case could not be solv'd before the case of the eighth proposition was calculated , in which , the games wanting were 1 , 1 , 2 ; so the case , where the games wanting are 1 , 2 , 3 , cannot be calculated , without the calculation of the case , where the games wanting are 1 , 2 , 2 , ( which we have just now perform'd ) and likewise of the case , where the games wanting are 1 , 1 , 3 , which can be done by the eighth : and by this means you may reckon all the cases comprehended in the following tables , and an infinite number of others . as for the dice ; these questions may be proposed , at how many throws one may wager to throw 6 , or any number below that , with one dye ; how many throws are required for 12 upon two dice ; or 18 on 3 ; and several other questions to this purpose . for the resolving of which , it must be consider'd , that in one dye there are six different throws , all equally probable to come up ; for i suppose the dye has the exact figure of a cube : on two dice there are 36 different throws ; for in respect to every throw of one dye , any one throw of the 6 of the other dye may come up ; and 6 times 6 make 36 : in three dice there are 216 different throws ; for in relation to any of the 36 throws of two dice , any one of the six of the third may come up ; and 6 times 36 make 216 : so in four dice there are 6 times 216 throws , that is , 1296 : and so forward you may reckon the throws of any number of dice , taking always , for the addition of a new dye , 6 times the number of the preceeding . besides , it must be observ'd , that in two dice there is only one way 2 or 12 can come up ; two ways that 3 or 11 can come up ; for if i shall call the dice a and b to make 3 , there may be 1 in a and 2 in b , or 2 in a and 1 in b ; so to make 11 , there may be 5 in a or 6 in b , or 6 in a and 5 in b ; for 4 there are three chances , 3 in a and 1 in b , 3 in b and 1 in a , or 2 as well in a as b ; for 10 there are likewise three chances ; for 5 or 9 there are four chances ; for 6 or 8 five chances ; for 7 there are six chances . in 3 dice there are found for 3 or 18 1 4 or 17 3 5 or 16 6 6 or 15 10 7 or 14 15 8 or 13 21 9 or 12 25 10 or 11 27 prop. x. to find at how many times one may undertake to throw 6 with one dye . if any should undertake to throw 6 the first time , it 's evident there 's one chance gives him the stake , and five which give him nothing ; for there are 5 throws against him , and only 1 for him : let the stake be call'd a , then he has one expectation to gain a , and five to gain nothing , which , by the second proposition , is worth 1 / 6 a , and there remains for the other ⅚ a ; so he who undertakes , with one dye , to throw 6 the first time , ought to wager only 1 to 5. 2. suppose one undertake , at two throws of 1 dye , to throw 6 , his hazard is calculated thus ; if he throw 6 at the first he has a the stake , if he do not , there remains to him one throw , which , by the former case , is worth 1 / 6 a ; but there is but one chance which gives him 6 at the first throw , and five chances against him ; so there is one chance which gives him a , and five which give him 1 / ● a , which , by the second proposition , is worth 11 / 36 a , so there remains to his fellow-gamester 2● / 3● a ; so the value of my expectation to his , is as 11 to 25 , i. e. less than 1 to 2. by the same method of calculation , you will find , that his hazard who undertakes to throw 6 at three times with one dye , is 91 / 216 a ; so that he can only lay 91 against 125 , which is something less than 3 to 4. he who undertakes to do it at four times , his hazard is 671 / 1296 a , so he may wager 671 against 625 , that is , something more than 1 to 1. he who undertakes to do it at five times , his hazard is 4651 / 7776 a , so he can wager 4651 against 3125 , that is something less than 3 to 2. his hazard who undertakes to do it 6 times , is 3●031 / 45656 a , and he can wager 31031 against 15625 , that is something less than 2 to 1. thus any numb . of throws may be easily found , but the following proposition will shew you a more compendious way of calculation . prop. xi . to find at how many times one may undertake to throw 12 with two dice . if one should undertake it at one throw , it 's clear he has but one chance to get the stake a , and 35 to get nothing ; so , by the second proposition , he has much 1 / 36 a. he who undertakes to do it at twice , if he throw 12 the first time gains a , if otherwise , then there remains to him one throw , which , by the former case , is worth 1 / 36 a ; but there is but one chance which gives 12 at the first throw , and 35 chances against him ; so he has 1 chance for a , and 35 for 1 / 36 a , which , by the second proposition , is worth 71 / 1296 a , and there remains to his fellow-gamester 1●2● / 1296 a. from these it's easie to find the value of his hazard , who undertakes it at four times ; passing by his case who undertakes it at three times . if he who undertakes to do it at four times throws 12 the first or second cast , then he has a , if not , there remains two other throws , which , by the former case , are worth 71 / 1296 a ; but for the same reason , in his two first throws , he has 71 chances which give him a , against 1225 chances , in which it may happen otherwise ; therefore at first he has 71 chances which give him a , and 1225 which give him 71 / 1296 a , which , by the second proposition , is worth 19006●5 / 167961● a , which shews that their hazards to one another are as 178991 to 1500625. from which cases it is easie to find the value of his expectation , who undertakes to do it at 8 times , and from that , his case who undertakes to do it at 16 times ; and from his case who undertakes to do it at 8 times ; and his likewise who undertakes to do it at 16 times ; it is easie to determin his expectation who undertakes it at 24 times : in which operation , because that which is principally sought , is the number of throws , which makes the hazard equal on both sides , viz. to him who undertakes , and he who offers , you may , without any sensible error , from the numbers ( which else would grow very great ) cut off some of the last figures . and so i find , that he who undertakes to throw 12 with two dice , at 24 times , has some loss , and he who undertakes it at 25 times , has some advantage . prop. xii . to find with how many dice , one can undertake to throw two sixes at the first cast. this is as much , as if one would know , at how many throws of one dye , he may undertake to throw twice six ; now if any should undertake it at two throws , by what we have shewn before , his hazard would be 1 / 36 a , he who would undertake to do it at 3 ; times , if his first throw were not 6 , then there would remain two throws , each of which must be 6 , which ( as we have said ) is worth 1 / 36 a ; but if the first throw be 6 , he wants only one 6 in the two following throws , which by the tenth proposition , is worth 11 / 36 a ; but since he has but one chance to get 6 the first throw , and five to miss it ; he has therefore , at first , one chance for 11 / 36 a , and five chances for 1 / 36 a , which , by the second proposition , is worth 16 / 216 a , or 2 / 27 a , after this manner still assuming 1 chance more , you will find that you may undertake to throw two sixes at 10 throws of one dye , or 1 throw of ten dice , and that with some advantage . prop. xiii . if i am to play with another one throw , on this condition , that if 7 comes up i gain , if 10 he gains ; if it happens that we must divide the stake , and not play , to find how much belongs to me , and how much to him . because of the 36 different throws of the two dice , there are six which give 7 and 3 , which give 10 and 27 , which equals the game , in which case there is due to each of us ½ a : but if none of the 27 should happen , i have 6 , by which i may gain a , and 3 , by which i may get nothing , which , by the second proposition , is worth ⅔ a ; so i have 27 chances for ½ a , and 9 for ⅔ a , which , by the second proposition , is worth 13 / 24 a , and there remains to my fellow-gamester 11 / 24 a. prop. xiv . if i were playing with another by turns , with two dice , on this condition , that if i throw 7 i gain , and if he throw 6 he gains , allowing him the first throw : to find the proportion of my hazard to his . suppose i call the value of my hazard x , and the stakes a , then his hazard will be a − x ; then whenever it 's his turn to throw , my hazard is x , but when it 's mine , the value of my hazard is greater . suppose i then call it y ; now because of the 36 throws of two dice , there are five which give my fellow-gamester 6 , thirty one which bring it again to my turn to throw , i have five chances for nothing , and thirty one for y , which , by the third proposition , is worth 31 / 36 y ; but i suppos'd at first my hazard to be x ; therefore 31 / 36 y = x , and consequently y = 36 / 3●x . i suppos'd likewise , when it was my turn to throw , the value of my hazard was y , but then i have six chances which give me 7 , and consequently the stake , and thirty which give my fellow the dice , that is , make my hazard worth x ; so i have six chances for a , and thirty for x , which , by prop. 3. is worth but this by supposition is equal to y , which is equal ( by what has been prov'd already ) to 36 / 3● x ; therefore , and consequently x = 31 / 6●a , the value of my hazard , and that of my fellow-gamester is 30 / 61 a ; so that mine is to his as 31 to 30. here follow some questions which serve to exercise the former rules . 1. a and b play together with two dice , a wins if he throws 6 , and b if he throws 7 ; a at first gets one throw , then b two , then a two , and so on by turns , till one of them wins . i require the proportion of a's hazard to b's ? answer , it is as 10355 to 12276. 2. three gamesters , a , b , and c , take 12 counters , of which there are four white and eight black ; the law of the game is this , that he shall win , who , hood-wink'd , shall first chuse a white counter , and that a shall have the first choice , b the second , and c the third , and so , by turns , till one of them win . quaer . what is the proportion of their hazards ? 3. a wagers with b , that of 40 cards , that is , 10 of every suit , he will pick out four ; so that there shall be one of every suit ; a's hazard to b's , in this case , is as 1000 to 8139. 4. supposing , as before , 4 white counters and 8 black , a wagers with b , that out of them , he shall pick 7 counters , of which there are 3 white . i require the proportion of a's hazard to b's ? 5. a and b taking 12 counters , play with three dice after this manner ; that if 12 comes up , a shall give one counter to b , but if 14 comes up , b shall give one to a , and that he shall gain who first has all the counters . a's hazard to b's is 244140625 to 282429 536481. the calculus of the preceeding problems is left out by mons. hugens , on purpose that the ingenious reader may have the satisfaction of applying the former method himself ; it is in most of them more laborious than difficult ; for example , i have pitch'd upon the second and third , because the rest can be solv'd after the same method . problem 1. the first problem is solv'd by the method of prop. 14. only with this difference , that after you have found the share due to b , if a were to get no first throw , you must subtract from it 5 / 36 of the stake which is due to a for his hazard of throwing six at the first throw . probl. 2 as for the second problem , it is solved thus , suppose a's hazard , when it is his own turn to chuse , be x , when it is b's , be y , and when it is c's , be z ; it is evident , when out of 12 counters , of which there are 4 white and 8 black , he endeavours to chuse a white one , he has four chances to get it , and eight to miss it , that is , he has four chances to get the stake a , and eight to make his hazard worth y ; so , and consequently . when it is b's turn to chuse , then he has four chances for nothing , and eight for z , ( that is to bring it to c's turn ) consequently ; this equation reduc'd gives ; when it comes to c's turn to chuse then a has four chances for nothing , and eight for x , consequently z = 8 / 12x , therefore ; this equation reduc'd gives x = 9 / 19a , and consequently there remains to the b and c 10 / 19 a , which must be shar'd after the same manner , that is , so that b have the first choice , c the next , and so on , till one of them gain ; the reason is , because it had been just in a to have demanded 9 / 19 of the stake for not playing , and then the seniority fell to b ; now 10 / 19 a parted betwixt b and c , by the former method , gives 6 / 19 to b , and 4 / 19 to c ; so a , b , and c's hazards , from the beginning , were as 9 , 6 , 4. i have suppos'd here the sense of the problem to be , that when any one chus'd a counter , he did not diminish their number ; but if he miss'd of a white one , put it in again , and left an equal hazard to him who had the following choice ; for if it be otherwise suppos'd , a's share will be 55 / 123 , which is less than 9 / 19. prob. 2. it is evident , that wagering to pick out 4 cards out of 40 , so that there be one of every suit , is no more , than wagering , out of 39 cards to take 3 which shall be of three proposed suits ; for it is all one which card you draw first , all the hazard being , whether out of the 39 remaining you take 3 , of which none shall be of the suit you first drew . suppose then you had gone right for three times , and were to draw your last card , it is clear , that there are ●7 cards , ( viz. of the suits you have drawn before ) of which , if you draw any you lose , and 10 of which , if you draw any , you have the stake a ; so you have 10 chances for a , and 27 for nothing , which , by prop. 3. is worth 10 / 37 a. suppose again you had gone right only for two draughts , then you have 18 cards ( of the suits you have drawn before ) which make you lose , and 20 , which put you in the case suppos'd formerly , viz. where you have but one card to draw , which , as we have already calculated , is worth 10 / 37 a ; so you have 18 chances for nothing , and 20 for 10 / 37 a , which , by prop. 3. is worth 100 / 703 a. suppose again you have 3 cards to draw , then you have 9 ( of the suit you drew first ) which make you lose , and 30 which put you in the case suppos'd last ; so you have 9 chances for nothing , and 30 for 100 / 703 a , which , by prop. 3. is worth 3000 / 27417 a , or 1000 / 9139 a , and you leave to your fellow-gamester 8139 / 9139 a ; so your hazard is to his as 1000 to 8139. it is easie to apply this method to the games that are in use amongst us : for example , if a and b , playing at backgammon , b had already gain'd one end of three , and a none , and if a had the dice in his hand for the last throw of the second end , all his men but two upon the ace point being already cast of : quaer . what is the proportion of as hazard to bs ? solution : there being of the 36 throws of two dice , six which give doublets ; if a throw any of the six , he has the stake a ; if he throw any of the other thirty , then he wants but one game , and his fellow-gamester three , which , by prop. v. is worth ⅞ a ; so a has six chances for a , and thirty for ⅞ a , which , by prop. 3. is worth 129 / 144 a , and there remains to his play-fellow 15 / 144 a ; so a's hazard to b's , is as 129 to 15 , that is , less than 9 to 1. supposing the same case , and if their bargain had been , that he who gain'd three ends before the other gain'd one , should have double of what each stak'd , that is , the stake and a half more , then there had been due to a 282 / 285 of the stake , that is , b ought only to take 1 / ●● , and leave the rest to a. thus likewise , if you apply the former rule to the royal oak-lottery , you will find , that he who wagers that any figure shall come up at the first throw , ought to wagers 1 against 31 ; that he who wagers it shall come up at one of two throws , ought to wager 63 against 961 ; that he who wagers that a figure shall come up at once in three times , ought to lay 124955 against 923621 , &c. it being only somewhat tedious to calculate the rest . where you will find , that the equality will not fall as some imagin on 16 throws , no more than the equality of wagering at how many throws of one dye 6 shall come up , falls on three ; the contrary of which you have seen already demonstrated ; you will find by calculation , that he has the disadvantage , who wagers , that 1 of the 32 different throws of the royal oak-lottery , shall come at once of 20 times , and that he has some advantage , who wagers on 22 times ; so the nearest to equality is on 21 times : but it must be remembred , that i have suppos'd in the former calculation , the ball in the royal oak-lottery to be regular , tho it can never be exactly so ; for he who has the smallest skill in geometry , knows , that there can be no regular body of 32 sides , and yet this can be of no advantàge to him who keeps it . to find the value of the throws of dice as to the quantity . nothing is more easie , than by the former method to determine the value of any number of throws of any number of dice ; for in one throw of a dye , i have an equal chance for 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , consequently my hazard is worth their sum 21 divided by their number 6 , that is , 3½ . now if one throw of a dye be worth 3½ , then two throws of a dye , or one throw of two dice is worth 7 , two throws of two dice , or one throw of four dice is worth 14 , &c. the general rule being to multiply the number of dice , the number of throws , and 3½ continually . this is not to be understood as if it were an equal wager to throw 7 , or above it , with two dice at one throw ; for he who undertakes to do so , has the advantage by 21 against 15. the meaning is only , if i were to have a guinea , a shilling , or any thing else , for every point that i threw with two dice at one throw , my hazard is worth 7 of these , because he who gave me 7 for it , would have an equal probability of gaining or losing by it , the chances of the throws above 7 being as many , as of these below it : so it is more than an equal wager to throw 14 at least at two throws of two dice , because it is more probable that 14 will come , than any one number besides , and as probable that it will be above it as below it ; but if one were to buy this hazard at the rate above-mention'd , he ought just to give 14 for it . the equal wager in one throw of two dice , is to throw 7 at least one time , and 8 at least another time , and so per vices : the reason is , because in the first case i have 21 chances against 15 , and in the second 15 chances against 21. of raffling . in raiffing the different throws and their chances are these ; where it is to be observed , that of the 216 different throws of three dice , there are only 96 that give doublets , or two , at least , of a kind ; so it is 4 to 5 that with three dice throws . chan. 3 18 1 4 17 3 5 16 6 6 15 4 7 14 9 8 13 9 9 12 7 10 11 9 you shall throw doublets , and it is 1 to 35 that you throw a raffle , or all three of a kind . it is evident likewise , that it is an even wager to throw 11 or above it , because there are as many chances for 11 , and the throws above it , as for the throws below it ; but tho it be an even wager to throw 11 at one throw , it is a disadvantage to wager to throw 22 at two throws , and far more to wager to throw 33 at three throws ; and yet it is more than an equal wager that you shall throw 21 at two throws in raffling , because it is as probable that you will , as that you will not throw 11 , at least , the first time , and more than probable that you will throw 10 , at least , the second time . for an instance of the plainness of the preceeding method , i will shew , how by simple subtraction , the most part of the former problems may be solv'd . suppose a and b , playing together , each of 'em stakes 32 shillings , and that a wants one game of the number agreed on , and b wants two ; to find the share of the stakes due to each of ' em . it 's plain , if a wins the next game he has the whole 64 shillings ; if b wins it , then their shares are equal ; therefore says a to b , if you will break off the game , give me 32 , which i am sure of , whether i win or lose the next game , and since you will not venture for the other 32 , let us part them equally , that is , give me 16 , which , with the former 32 , make 48 , leaving 16 to you . suppose a wanted one game , and b three ; if a wins the next game , he has the 64 shillings ; if b wins it , then they are in the condition formerly suppos'd , in which case there is 48 due to a ; therefore says a to b , give me the 48 which i am sure of , whether i win or lose the next game , and since you will not hazard for the other 16 , let us part them equally , that is , give me 8 , which , with the former 48 , make 56 , leaving 8 to you , and so all the other cases may be solv'd after the same manner . suppose a wagers with b , that with one dye he shall throw 6 at one of three throws , and that each of them stakes 108 guineas : to find what is the proportion of their hazards ; now there being in one throw of a dye but one chance for 6 , and five chances against it , one throw for 6 is worth 1 / 6 of the stake ; therefore says b to a , of the 216 guineas take a sixth part for your first throw , that is , 36 ; for your next throw take a sixth part of the remaining 180 , that is , 30 ; and for your third throw , take a sixth part of the remaining 150 , that is , 25 , which in all make 91 , leaving to me 125 ; so his hazard who undertakes to throw 6 at one of three throws , is 91 to 125. suppose a had undertaken to throw 6 with one dye at one throw of four , and that the whole stake is 1296 ; says a to b , every throw for 6 of one dye , is worth the sixth part of what i throw for ; therefore for my first throw give me 216 , which is the sixth part of 1296 , and there remains 1080 , i must have the sixth part of that , viz. 180 , for my second throw ; and the sixth part of the remaining 900 , which is 150 , for my third throw ; and the sixth part of the last remainder 750 , which is 125 for my fourth throw ; all this added together makes 671 , and there remains to you 625 ; so it is evident , that a's hazard , in this case , is to b's 671 to 625. suppose a is to win the stakes ( which we shall suppose to be 36 ) if he throws 7 at once of twice with two dice , and b is to have them if he does not ; says b to a , the chances which give 7 are 6 of the 36 , which is as ' much as 1 of 6 ; therefore for your first throw you shall have a sixth part of the 36 , which is 6 ; and for your next throw a sixth part of the remainder 30 , which is 5 ; this in all makes 11 ; so you leave 25 to me ; so a's hazard is to b's as 11 to 25. it were easie , at this rate to calculate the most intricate hazards , were it not that fractions will occur , which , if they be more than ½ , may be suppos'd equal to an unit , without causing any remarkable error in great numbers . it will not be amiss , before i conclude , to give you a rule for finding in any number of games the value of the first , because hugens's method , in that case , is something tedious . suppose a and b had agreed , that he should have the stakes who did win the first 9 games , and a had already won one of the 9 ; i would know what share of b's mony is due to a for the advantage of this game . to find this , take the first eight even numbers 2 , 4 , 6 , 8 , 10 , 12 , 14 , 16 , and multiply them continually ; that is , the first by the second , the product by the third , &c. take the first eight odd numbers , 1 , 3 , 5 , 7 , 9 , 11 , 13 , 15 , and do just so by them , the product of the even number is the denominator , and the product of the odd number the numerator of a fraction , which expresseth the quantity of b's money due to a upon the winning of the first game of 9 ; that is , if each stak'd a number of guineas , or shillings , &c. express'd by the product of the even numbers , there would belong to a , of b's money , the number express'd by the product of the odd numbers : for example , suppose a had gain'd one game of 4 , then by this rule , i take the three first even numbers , 2 , 4 , 6 , and multiply them continually , which make 48 , and the first three odd numbers , 1 , 3 , 5 , and multiply them continually , which make 15 ; so there belongs to a 15 / 48 of b's money , that is , if each stak'd 48 , there would belong to a , besides his own 15 of a's . now by hugens's method , if a wants but three games while b wants four , there is due to a 21 / 32 of the stake ; by this rule there is due to a 15 / 48 of b's money , which is 15 / 69 of the stake , which , with his own 48 / 96 of the stake , makes 63 / 96 or 21 / 32 of the stake , and so in every case you will find hugens's method and this will give you the same number ; a demonstration of it you may see in a letter of monsieur pascals to monsieur fermat ; tho it be otherwise express'd there than here , yet the consequence is easily supply'd . to prevent the labour of calculation , i have subjoyn'd the following table , which is calculated for two gamesters , as mons. hugens is for three . if each of us stake 256 guineas in there belongs to me of 256 of my play-fellow the use of the table is plain ; for let our stakes be what they will , i can find the portion due to me upon the winning the first , or the first two games , &c. of 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6. for example , if each of us had stak'd 4 guineas , and the number of games to be plaid were 3 , of which i had gain'd 1 , say , as 256 is to 96 , so is 4 to a fourth . 256 : 96 : : 4 : 1½ to find what is the value of his hazard , who undertakes , at the first throw , to cast doublets , in any given number of dice . in two dice it is plain to avoid doublets , every one of the six different throws of the first , can only be combin'd with five of the second , because one of the six is of the same kind , and consequently makes doublets ; for the samo reason , the thirty throws of two dice , which are not doublets , can only be combin'd with four throws of a third dice , and three throws of a fourth dice ; so generally it is this series , 6 × 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 × 1 × 0 , &c. 6 × 6 × 6 × 6 × 6 × 6 × 6 , &c. the second series is the sum of the chances , and the first the number of chances against him who undertakes to throw doublets , each series to be continu'd so many terms , as are the number of dice . for example , if one should undertake to throw doublets at the first throw of four dice , his adversary's hazard is or 5 / 18 leaving to him 13 / 18 , so he has 13 to 5. in seven dice , you see the chances against him are o , because then there must necessarily be doublets . of whist . if there be four playing at whist , it is 15 to 1 that any two of them shall not have the four honours , which i demonstrate thus : suppose the four gamesters be a , b , c , d : if a and b had , while the cards are a dealing , already got three honours , and wanted only one , since it is as probable that c and d will have the next honour , as a and b ; if a and b had laid a wager to have it , there is due to them but ½ of the stake : if a and b wanted two of the four , and had wager'd to have both those two , then they have an equal hazard to get nothing ; if they miss the first of those two , or to put themselves in the former case if they get it ; so they have an equal hazard to get nothing or ½ , which , by prop. 1. is worth ¼ of the stake ; so if they want three honours , you will find due to them 1 / 8 of the stake ; and if they wanted four , 1 / 16 of the stake , leaving to c and d 15 / 16 ; so c and d can wager 15 to 1 , that a and b shall not have all the four honours . it is 11 to 5 that a and b shall not have three of the four honours , which 1 prove thus : it is an even wager , if there were but three honours , that a and b shall have two of these three , since 't is as probable that they will have two of the three , as that c and d shall have them ; consequently , if a and b had laid a wager to have two of three , there is due to them ½ of the stake . now suppose a and b had wager'd to have three of four , they have an equal hazard to get the first of the four , or miss it ; if they get it , then they want two of the three , and consequently there is due to them ½ of the stake ; if they miss it , then they want three of the three , and consequently there is due to them 1 / 8 of the stake ; therefore , by prop. 1. their hazard is worth 5 / 16 , leaving to c and d 11 / 16. a and b playing at whist against c and d ; a and b have eight of ten , and c and d nine , and therefore can't reckon honors ; to find the proportion of their hazards . there is 5 / 16 due to c and d upon their hazard of having three of four honours ; but since a and b want but one game , and c and d two , there is due to c and d but ¼ , or 4 / 16 more upon that account , by prop. 4. this in all makes 9 / 16 , leaving to a and b 7 / 16 ; so the hazard of a and b to that of c and d , is as 9 to 7. in the former calculations i have abstracted from the small difference of having the deal and being seniors . all the former cases can be calculated by the theorems laid down by monsieur hugens ; but cases more compos'd require other principles , for the easie and ready computation of which , i shall add one theorem more , demonstrated after mons. hugens's method . theor. if i have p chances for a , q chances for b , and r chances for c , then my hazard is worth , that is , a multiplied into the number of its chances added to b , multiplied into the number of its chances , added to c multiplied into the number of its chances , and the sum divided by the sum of chances of a , b , c. to investigate as well as demonstrate this theorem , suppose the value of my hazard be x , then x must be such , as having it , i am able to purchase as good a hazard again in a just and equal game . suppose the law of it be this , that playing with so many gamesters as , with my self , make up the number p+q+r , with as many of them as the nnmber p represents ; i make this bargain , that whoever of them wins shall give me a , and that i shall do so to each of them if i win ; with the gamesters represented by the number of q , i bargain to get b , if any of them win , ann to give b to each of them , if i win my self ; and with the rest of the gamesters , whose number is r − 1 , i bargain to give , or to get c after the same manner : now all being in an equal probability to gain , i have p chances to get a , q chances to get b , and r − 1 chances to get c , and one chance , viz. when i win my self , to get px+qx+rx − ap − bq − rc+c , which , if it be suppos'd equal to c , then i have p chances for a , q chances for b , and r chances for c ( for i had just now r − 1 chances for it ) therefore , if px+qx+rx − ap − bq − rc+c = c , then is . by the same way of reasoning you will find , if i have p chances for a , q chances for b , r chances for c , and s chances for d , that my hazard is , &c. in numbers . if i had two chances for 3 shillings , four chances for 5 shillings , and one chance for 9 shillings , then , by this rule , my hazard is worth 5 shillings ; for ; and it is easie to prove , that with 5 shillings i can purchase the like hazard again ; for suppose i play with six others , each of us staking 5 shillings ; with two of them i bargain , that if either of them win , he must give me 3 shillings , and that i shall do so to them ; and with the other four i bargain just so , to give or to get 5 shillings : this is a just game , and all being in an equal probability to win ; by this means i have two chances to get 3 shillings , four chances to get 5 shillings , and one chance to get 9 shillings , viz. when i win my self ; for then out of the stake , which makes 35 shillings , i must give the first two 6 shillings , and the other four 20 shillings , so there remains just 9 to my self . it it easie , by the help of this theorem , to calculate in the game of dice , commonly call'd hazard , what mains are best to sett on , and who has the advantage , the caster or setter . the scheme of the game , as i take it , is thus ,   throws next following for mains . the caster . the setter . v. v. ii. iii. xi . xii . vi. vi. xii . xi . ii. iii. vii . vii . xi . xii . ii. iii. viii . viii . xii . xi . ii. iii. ix . ix . ii. iii. xi . xii . by an easie calculation you will find , if the caster has vi. and the setter vii , there is due to the caster ⅓ of the stake ; if he has v. against vii . 2 / 5 of the stake , vi. against vii . 5 / 11 of the stake , iv. against vi. 3 / 8 of the stake , v. against vi. 4 / 9 of the stake , vi. against v. 3 / 7 of the stake , i need not tell the reader , that iv. is the same with x , v. with ix , and vi. with viii . suppose then vii . be the main : to find the proportion of the hazard of the caster to that of the setter . by the law of the game , the caster , before he throws next , has four chances for nothing , viz. these ii , iii , xii ; eight chances for the whole stake , viz. those of vii , xi ; six chances for ⅓ , viz. those iv , x ; eight chances for 2 / 5 , viz. those of v , ix ; and ten chances for 5 / 11 , viz. these of vi , x ; so his hazard , by the preceding theorem , is now to save the trouble of a tedious reduction , suppose the stake which they play for be 36 , that is , the setter had laid down 18 ; in that case , every one of these fractions are so many parts of an unite , which , being gather'd into one sum , give 1741 / 59 to the caster , leaving 1814 / 55 to the setter ; so the hazard of the caster is to that of the setter 244 , 251. suppose vi. or viii . be the main , then the share of the caster is ii. iii. vi. iv. v. xi . xii . x. ix . viii . vii . 5×0+6×1+6×3 / 8+8×4 / 9+5×½+6×6 / 11 = = 17229 / 396 , leaving to the setter 18167 / 396 , so the hazard of the caster is to that of the setter as 6961 to 7295. suppose v. or ix . be the main , then the share of the caster is ii. iii. xi . iv. vi. xii . v. x. ix . viii . vii . 6×0+4×1+6×●+4×½+10×●+6×● = = 17 229 / 315 , leaving to the setter is 1886 / 315 , so the hazard of the caster is to that of the setter as 1396 to 1493. it is plain , that in every case the caster has the disadvantage , and that v. or ix . are better mains to set on than vii , because , in this last cast the setter has but 18 and 14 / 55 or 84 / 330 ; whereas , when v. or ix . is the main , he has 1886 / 315 ; likewise vi. or viii . are better mains than v. or ix . because 167 / 396 is a greater froction than 86 / 315. all those problems suppose chances , which are in an equal probability to happen , if it should be suppos'd otherwise , there will arise variety of cases of a quite different nature , which , perhaps , 't were not unpleasant to consider , i shall add one problem of that kind , leaving the solution to those who think it merits their pains . in parallelipipedo cujus latera sunt ad invicem in ratione a , b , c : invenire quotâ vice quivis suscipere potest , ut datum quodvis planum , v. g. ab jaciat . finis . errata . preface , page 3. line 1. read in . p. 6. l. 5. r. incur . p. 10. l. 8. for is left to me , r. properly deserves the name of conduct . book , p. 2. l. 7. for 9 r. q. p. 16. l. 5. add and he one . p. 71. l. 5. r. wins . advertisement . the whole duty of man according to the law of nature . by that famous civilian samuel puffendorf , professor of the law of nature and nations , in the university of heidelberg , and in the caroline university , afterwards counsellour and historiographer to the k. of sweden , and to his electoral highness of brandenburg . now made english. printed for c. harper , at the flower-de-luce over-against st. dunstan's church in fleetstreet . funebria floræ the downfall of may-games: wherein is set forth the rudeness, prophaneness, stealing, drinking, fighting, dancing, whoring, mis-rule, mis-spence of precious time, contempt of god, and godly magistrates, ministers and people, which oppose the rascality and rout, in this their open prophanenesse, and heathenish customs. occasioned by the generall complaint of the rudenesse of people in this kind, in this interval of settlement. here you have twenty arguments against these prophane sports, and all the cavills made by the belialists for the time refelled and answered. together with an addition of some verses in the cloze, for the delight of the ingenious reader. by tho. hall, b.d. and pastor of kings-norton. hall, thomas, 1610-1665. 1661 approx. 119 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 29 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2008-09 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a45334 wing h434a estc r177805 99827629 99827629 32052 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a45334) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 32052) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1849:22) funebria floræ the downfall of may-games: wherein is set forth the rudeness, prophaneness, stealing, drinking, fighting, dancing, whoring, mis-rule, mis-spence of precious time, contempt of god, and godly magistrates, ministers and people, which oppose the rascality and rout, in this their open prophanenesse, and heathenish customs. occasioned by the generall complaint of the rudenesse of people in this kind, in this interval of settlement. here you have twenty arguments against these prophane sports, and all the cavills made by the belialists for the time refelled and answered. together with an addition of some verses in the cloze, for the delight of the ingenious reader. by tho. hall, b.d. and pastor of kings-norton. hall, thomas, 1610-1665. the third edition corrected. [4], 42, [6] p. printed for henry mortlock, at the phœnix in st. pauls church-yard, near the little north-door, london : 1661. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng games -early works to 1800. may-pole -england -early works to 1800. england -social life and customs -17th century -early works to 1800. 2007-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-02 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-03 emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread 2007-03 emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion fvnebria florae , the downfall of may-games : wherein is set forth the rudeness , prophaneness , stealing , drinking , fighting , dancing , whoring , mis-rule , mis-spence of precious time , contempt of god , and godly magistrates , ministers and people , which oppose the rascality and rout , in this their open prophanenesse , and heathenish customs . occasioned by the generall complaint of the rudenesse of people in this kind , in this interval of settlement . here you have twenty arguments against these prophane sports , and all the cavills made by the belialists of the time refelled and answered . together with an addition of some verses in the cloze , for the delight of the ingenious reader . by tho. hall , b. d. and pastor of kings-norton . the third edition corrected . yee shall keep mine ordinances , that yee commit not any of those abominable customs , which were committed before you , and that yee defile not your selves therein ; i am the lord , levit. 18. 30. the customs of the people are vain , jer. 10. 3. populi plaudunt non consultoribus utilitatum suarum , sed largitoribus voluptatum , aug. de civit. dei , l. 2. c. 20. bona conscientia prodire vult & conspici , ipsas nequitia tenebras timet , seneca epist . 98. london , printed for henry mortlock , at the phoenix in st. pauls church-yard , near the little north-door . 1661. an unknown friend , to the known , and knowing author , upon his judicial proceedings against the may-pole . now six times two impannell'd are to pass [ alas poor flora ! ] upon one a goddess . flora complains , ' gainst her there 's greater odds , than when one b girl assaulted by two gods , and challengeth your jury ; the whole list , shee sayes , was pack'd by a misogynist . bold c caro pleads her cause , and speaks her fears , because you do not try her by her peers , that y' are unjust , and quotes our old laws for 't , the curtizan excepts against the court : no jurisdiction of pres-ter-john ere reach'd the skirts of this our curtizan . hold then , cries d maechus , e porneius is another , who with f aselges , their lascivious brother , pretend to guard their deity , and do with zeal , as you the schools and pulpit too . whilst g methos marching with the may-pole rout , in rescue of the pris'ner , does not doubt t'protect th'protectrix of their fruit and flowers , by watring weeds , with most intemperate showers . adjourn your court then , lest it prove your fate , to pull the may-pole down upon your pate . a tree once danger'd h horace by its fall , as he scap'd then , so now i wish may hall. nor for these ranters is my option worse , than that they may mount hamans wooden horse ; that who with flora sin under th' green tree , may suffer for her upon that that 's dry . tuus antifloralis . to the ingenious author upon his judicial proceedings against dame flora. instead of directory satues , when i found poles rais'd so high , as if they'd been to entertain the cuckow , or to vye the clouds that in the heavens lowest flye ; i'gan t' thing whither at length i should come , to reform'd london , or to popish rome . aron i found my self in london , and unsatisfi'd as yet , began t' demand th' original of may-poles , where i found their author flora was , and rome their ground . a declaration there was entred by a pert divine , shewing th' idolatry of such erections : h' does a jury call , that his proceedings might bee legal all . it is the speech of those who chose each light a fresh god , whom to worship until night , this thing this day my deity shall bee , to morrow , as 't was yesterday a tree . wee shall invert the words : a tree to day , to morrow wee shall to it worship pay . a bush to day , to morrow will begin to have th' respect of him that dwelt therein . but loe jerubbaal comes in his might , ( with open zeal , not gideon-like , i th' night ) attended , not with ten men of his own , but a full jury of the great'st renown , and fells the grove . go on brave spirit , until idolatrous midian understand thy skill , and all the superstitious crew do feel the mortal fruits of thy enraged steel . this is no frog-fight , but the eunuch's zeal , grapling with proud and painted jezabel . beriah antistorali . the dovvnfall of may-games . the times wee live in of late have been very tropical , and full of turnings , and too many , like weathercocks , have turned with them . lately men were exorbitant , and did run out into extream opinions ; now they are exorbitant , and run out into extream practices : before men were fanatick and wilde in their principles ; now men are fanatick and frantick in practicals ; they rant , they roar , they sing , they swear , they drink , they dance , they whore , they lye , they scoff ; yea , some there are ( i hope they are not many ) that put their own blood into their drink , and then drink a health to the king , and to the confusion of sion and its king ; this is reported to mee by persons of good repute ; if this bee true , as sure as god is just and true , hee will bee avenged on the actors of such horrid blasphemy . lately wee were troubled with white devils , who under pretence of extraordinary sanctity , published open heresie and blasphemy against god , his word , his works , and ordinances ; now wee run madding on the other hand , and are like to be troubled with black devils , viz. blasphemous drunkards , blasphemons health-drinkers , blasphemous persecutors , scorners of piety , sabbath-prophaners , observers of superstitious and heathenish customes , &c. these old beelzebubs begin to put out their horns again ; i doubt not but the lord in his due time will raise up the honourable houses of parliament , as carpenters to saw off these horns , zach. 2. 19 , 20 , 21. else those that have power in their hands to cut off these horns of the wicked , and yet will not , they must wear them . qui non vetat peccare cum potest , jubet . 't was the sin of israel that when the lord by a signal hand of providence had delivered them from their egy●tian bondage , yet they returned in their hearts , and desires into egypt again , act. 7. 39. and longed to bee at their garlick and onions , and flesh-pots there , numb . 11. 4 , 5. and this brought a very great plague upon them , vers . 33. the lord commanded moses to bid the people go forward , exod. 14. 15. hee loves to have his people go on in waies of piety and obedience , but if they once go backward , hee will destroy them , isa . 1. 4. they have forsaken the lord , and are gone away backward . see what follows , vers . 7. their country is desolate , their cities are burnt with fire , and strangers devour their land in their presence . and what can englaud expect , if it go on in apostasie ( as it hath done of late ) both in doctrine and manners , but the sword , pestilence and famine , and all other fearful judgements ; that as wee have been notorious for sin , so now wee should be notorious for suffering ? could wee but once keep the narrow way of life , without turning to the right hand or the left , wee might yet bee an happy people , josh . 1. 8. the way to heaven , is like the way over a narrow bridge , under which is a great gulf , into which a man may fall by going too much on the right hand , or too much on the left hand ; and to say truth , the devil cares not much on which hand men fall into hell , so hee can but get them thither . wee all condemn prophane principles , but a man may go to hell sooner for prophane practices , for these generate prophane principles ; when men lead lewd lives , then they invent lewd and licentious tenents to defend their lewd and loose practices ; as wee see in popery and quakerism , and this brings men at last to love and desire prophane preachers , and such as will sing placentia , and claw their sensual itch , and then they perish without remedy , prov. 29. 18. isa . 30. 9 , 10. the prophet jeremy complains of some in his time , that were mad on idols , jer. 50. 38. and wee have those in our times that are mad on may-poles , morrice-dancing , drinking healths on their knees , yea in their hats ( as in the university by scholars , &c. ) doating on old , superstitious , prophane customes , returning with the dogs of the world to lick up that filth which seemingly they had long since vomited up . and all this acted presumptuously with an high hand , against much light and love , against many wooings and warnings , against many prayers and vows to the contrary , what could the lord do more for england than hee hath done , and what could wee do more against him , than wee have done ? had hee been our deadly enemy , wee could not have acted more vilely & villanously against him , both in our principles , and in our practices , than many of us have done ; and if after all gods cost and care , instead of the grapes of obedience , we bring forth the wilde grapes of disobedience and rebellion , we shall provoke the lord to pull up the hedge , to let in the wilde beasts , and to consume us after hee hath done us good , and to repent of all the mercies which hee hath bestowed upon us . hee will take away his gospel , with all those blessings which accompany it , and then woe unto us when the lord departs from us , hos . 9. 12. when god goes from a people , peace goes , protection goes , comfort goes , health , wealth , and glory goes . i do verily beleeve there hath been a greater flood of open prophaneness in ten weeks past , than in ten years before . do wee thus requite the lord o foolish and unwise ! is this the thanks wee give him for an hundred years preaching of the gospel , and for those signal mercies in bringing down blasphemers , and anarchical ones without blood shed , or almost a blow struck . as king achish said sometimes , have i need of mad-men ? so may i say , shall we have mad-men still ? shall we never come to our wits again , living soberly , righteously and religiously ? when shall wee once be sound in judgement , sincere in affection , and unspotted in our conversations , answering our gospel light with gospel lives ; and our gospel-principles , with gospel-practices , that all our teaching may rise at the last day for our justification , & not for our confusion . this open prophaneness is a great heart-breaking to the faithful ministers of christ , and makes them cry in the bitterness of their spirits , who hath beleeved our report , and to whom is the arm of the lord revealed ? we have laboured in vain , and spent our strength in vain . if moses were angry when he saw the people dance about a golden-calf , well may we be angry to see people dancing the morrice about a post , in honor of a whore , as you shall see anon . the world begins to loathe gods mannah , they are weary of preaching , and sick of sermons ; and therefore 't is just with god to ease them of such burdens , and to lay upon them the heavy yoak of cruel and tyrannical men , that they may know the difference between gods service , and the service of the nations . men begin to cry out . isaiah is too bold , jeremy too harsh , amos is too plain , hee must go further off . 't is these precise lots that will not let the people go quietly to hell , that are the troublers of israel ; if once they could but bee shut of them then they might sing , and swear , and rant and roar , and be as safe as sodom was when lot was gone out of it . let such prophane ones know , that if the lord should in judgement once remove his faithful ministers from an ungrateful world , woes and sorrows would soon surprize them . the glory would soon depart from england , if once the ark of god were taken . 't is liberty , liberty , liberty , that wicked men long for . as many men were lately for liberty , and tolleration of all opinions , so many are now for liberty , for all licentious practices and if these be not restrained by the magistrate , who must not bear the sword in vain , especially towards such sons of belial , god will take the sword into his own hand , and will proclaim a liberty for such libertines , to the sword , to the pestilence , and to the famine , and as hee hath wonderfully brought down those that were for all evil opinions ; so hee will ( in his due time ) bring down those that are for all evil practices , — deus dabit his quoque finem , & funem . it hath cost mee some pains to finde out the original of these prophane revels , when people shall understand the sinful rise and tendency of them ; i beleeve there is no sober man but will abhor them . the lacedaemonians the better to deter their children from drunkenness , would bring forth a drunkard , and lay him before them , that so they seeing his beastly condition , might learn to loathe that sinning sin of drunkenness ; i have presented these ●e●e●●icious practices naked to thy view , that thou mayest be brought to an utter detestation of them ; for the very rehearsal of them is a good part of their confutation , haec recitasse est re●●tasse . it would be a work well beseeming the parliament , to improve the power which providence hath put into their hands , for the stopping of that general prophaneness which hath over-spread the land ; and to encourage religion in the power of it , especially considering that noble and princely expression of the king ( in his letter to the house of commons ) that nothing shall bee proposed by them to manifest his zeal and affection for the advancement of the protestant religion , to which hee will not readily consent . the good lord at last unite the hearts of king , lords , and commons , for the promoting of this work of works , without which wee can never expect to prosper . had this rudeness been acted only in some ignorant and obscure parts of the land , i had been silent ; but when i perceived that the complaints were general from all parts of the land , and that even in cheap side it self , the rude rabble had set up this ensign of prophaneness , and had put the lord mayor to the trouble of seeing it pulled down ▪ i could not out of my dearest respects , and tender compassion to the land of my nativity , and for the prevention of the like disorders ( if possible ) for the future , but put pen to paper , and discover the sinful rise , and vile prophaneness that attends such mis-rule ; that so their madness being made known to all , they might proceed no further ; and the eyes of gods jealousie might see nothing amongst us to displease him , but that wee walking as becomes his people , hee may rejoyce in us , and rejoyce-over us to do us good for ever . my record is on high , that i have no sinister end in this work , but desire to bee found in the number of those that study the real peace and welfare of the land : i have therefore exposed the work to the censure of the learnedst and severest criticks that i could gain . i have added some poetry , and made it as inoffensively pleasant as might be , that it might take with all , and exasperate none . the experience which i have had of gods blessing on my labours against libertines in opinion , hath emboldened mee to go forth in his name against libertines in practice ; these mountains , as well as those , shall become a plain before gods people . i shall not trouble you with a crambe his cocta , for i know not of any one that hath in a set treatise ( not scarcely by the by ) handled this subject , which somewhat encouraged mee to set upon the work . i shall be concise and argumentative , because i would not tire my self nor my reader , with any tedious discourse in this kinde . arguments against may-games . the first argument is this , that , whose rise , root , and original is evil , that thing cannot be good : but the rise , root , and original of may-games is evil , ergo , they cannot be good . the major is clear , and like a mathematical principle , shines so bright with its own light , that it needs no demonstration : for if the fountain be bitter , the streams cannot be sweet ; if the root be naught , so is the fruit . the minor i prove thus , as the revels and disorders of christians sprung from the pagans saturnalia , and from them came to the papists , and so to us ( as is abundantly proved by mr. 〈◊〉 ) so these floralian may-games had their original from the floralian feasts , and enterludes of the pagan-romans which were solemnized about the first of may , then they came to rome antichristian , as a prop to uphold their supersticious and prophane kingdome , and so to us . their rise briefly was thus , one flora a notable harlot , which had got much riches by whoring , at her death bequeathed her substance to the people of rome , about the year of the world , 3760 , and before christ 242. ( saith calvisius ) shee appointed a great sum of mony to lye in stock with the usury of which they should yearly keep certain playes called floralia or may-games , in singing , dancing , drinking , whoring , and all manner of lasciviousness , in remembrance of her . by sound of trumpet all the whores were called to these sports where they danced naked about the streets , with trumpets blown before them . hence that of juvenal speaking of a lewd woman , hee calls her a floralian curtesan . — dignissima prorsus . floralia matrona tuba . juven . sat. 60. after some time the senate of rome being ashamed of the original of these floralia , invented this fig-leaf for a cover . they told the people that flora was a goddess , which had the tuition of flowers ( for pagans and papists have gods and goddesses almost for every thing , as st. loy for their horses , st. anthony for their piggs , st. george for their wars , st. roch for the pestilence , st. apollonia for the teeth , st. john for the day , st. stephen for the night , and st. flora for their flowers ) and therefore shee must bee worshipped ( according to the custome of the heath●●nish and idolatrous festivals ) with lascivious sports and pastimes in may , that shee might the more carefully see to their flowers , fruits , and herbs . these floralian-sports were very antient , for i finde they were practised in cato the censors time , who flourished about the year of the world , 3750. his gravity ( saith the historian ) deterred the people from acting those obscenities in his fight . plutarch in the life of pompey , makes mention of one flora , that was pompey's curtezan , though shee were one ejusdem farinae , flora by name , and flora in deed , yet shee was younger than the former by a hundred years ; for the flora wee speak of , lived about two hundred years before christ , when this lived about one hundred years before him . a second argument is this , all idolatry is unlawful . but this is idolatry . 't is a forsaking of god , who is the fountain of living waters , to go to a broken cistern . 't is a robbing god of his honour , and giving it to a whore . they keep a feast to her , set up a pole adorned with flowry garlands , ribbons , and other ornaments , to the end that shee may preserve their fruits and flowers . like the worshippers of baal , who danced round about the altar in honour of that idol , and to procure the more speedy audience from it . 1 king. 18. 26. neither will this excuse you , to say , that you intend no such thing ; for this is finis operis , though not finis operantis . the action must be judged of by the end of the work , and not by the end of him that worketh ; now the chief end for which this feast was at first ordained , is idolatrous . the israelites had no intent to worship the calf , yet that was finis operis , and therefore god chargeth them with worshipping of it , ps . 106. 6. how unseemly is it then for christians , when they should bee praying to god , and praising him for the fruits of the earth , and for his crowning the year with his goodness , and making his clouds to drop down fatness on us , to bee ranting , and abusing his good creatures to riot and excess , giving the glory which is due to him , unto an harlot ? this is the very way to lose all , hos . 2. 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12. other sins stir up gods anger , but this provokes him to jealousie and rage , and puts him into a flame against us , when wee shall thus give his glory unto creatures . these mens actions do virtually and interpretatively thus speak , o goddess , flora , bee thou our helper , the earth is now adorned with fruits and flowers , o do thou keep them from barrenness , and blasting ; make them fruitful , that wee may bee the fitter for thy service , then will wee sing , and dance , and drink , and set up a pole to thy praise ; hear us therefore , o good goddess flora , for our flowers and fruits , for on thee wee do depend , and thine honour do wee celebrate at this season of the year ; hear us therefore wee beseech thee , and grant these our requests . this and much more is the language of such actions ; i beleeve , there is not one of a thousand that knows or considers this , it will be their wisdome , now their folly is discovered , to say with repenting ephraim , what have i to do any more with idols ? hos . 14. 8. and according to gods commandement , wee must not onely cast away the idols themselves , but also the rellicks and appurtenances of idolatry , saying to them with indignation , get you hence , isa . 30. 22. arg. 2. to fear men more than god is idolatry ( timor tuus , deus tuus . ) but here is a fearing of men more than god ; for divers years past whilst the sword of men was over our heads , here was none of this open prophaneness , but now that is removed , men fall to their old vomit again , not once considering that god beholds all their doings , and will bring them to judgement for all these things , eccles . 11. 9. arg. 3. that which drives gods fear out of mens hearts , may in no wise he tolerated : but these sinful , sensual sports and pastimes drive the sear of god out of mens hearts ; when the taber and the timbrel , the wine and lewd women are in mens feasts , they regard not the works of the lord , but they say unto god , depart , job 21 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15. isa . 5. 12. arg. 4. that which debaseth and debaucheth youth ( which is the flower and best of our daies , and therefore ought in all reason and equity to bee given to god , who is the best of beings ) ought not to bee tolerated : but these sinful , sensual pastimes debase and debauch youth . how many thousands of young persons have by this means got habits of drinking , whoring , prophaneness , contempt of gods waies , &c. so that all their friends , with all their counsel , prayers and tears , have not been able to reform them ? evil customes are not easily broken , jer. 13. 23. young devils usually prove old beelzebubs . arg. 5. all lying , stealing , and fighting must be abandoned : but here is lying , stealing , and fighting . the most of these may-poles are stoln , yet they give out , that the poles are given them , when upon thorow examination 't will be found , that the most of them are stoln . there were two may-poles set up in my parish , the one was stoln , and the other was given by a profest papist . that which was stoln , was said to bee given , when 't was proved to their faces that 't was stoln , and they were made to acknowledge their offence . this pole that was stoln was rated at five shillings ; if all the poles one with another were so rated , which were stoln this may , what a considerable sum would it amount to ? fightings and blood-shed is usual at such meetings , insomuch that 't is a common saying , that 't is no festival unless there bee some fightings . arg. 6. all ungrateful and dis-ingenuous requiting of god for his blessings must be abandoned : but these prophane practices are a most ingrateful and disingenuous requtting of god for his blessings . now in the spring , when hee is loading us with his mercies , for us to load him with our rebellions and provocations ; and as hee renews his blessings with the year , so for us to renew our disobedience against him , and to fight against him with his own favours , is such gross ingratitude , that the lord calls even upon the inanimate creatures to be astonished at it , isa . 1. 2 , 3 , 4. arg. 7. that which brings no profit or comfort to soul or body , may not be practised : but these sensual , prophane sports , bring no profit to soul or body . when the romans were converted to the faith , the apostle asks them , what fruit they had of their former loose , licentious practices , whereof they were now ashamed , for the end of those things is death , rom. 6. 21. the interrogation is a strong negation , q. d. there was no true comfort or benefit to bee found in them ; where hee useth three strong arguments to deter them from such sinful practices . 1. they are unfruitful , there is no true profit comes by them . 2. they are shameful . 3. they are pernicious and deadly , they bring not onely temporal , but eternal death upon men . none are gainers by them but the devil ; god is dishonoured , his ordinances prophaned , his ministers contemned , the land defiled , the modesty , chastity , and reputation of people is blasted , and their souls debauched with idleness , effeminacy , incontinency , and luxury . arg. 8. that prophaneness which is committed against great light , great loves , great patience and forbearance , is abominable : but this prophaneness is such . in the times of ignorance god winked ( as it were ) at such practices , hee took not so much notice of them as hee doth now in these daies of light . this is the condemnation , 't is that damning sin with a witness , that when light is come into the world , yet men will love darkness , and works of darkness more than light . though israel play the harlot , yet judah should not sin , hos . 4. 15. though pagans , papists , and infidels , that know not god , live in such kinde of lewdness and licentiousness , yet england that hath been better taught , should abhor such folly ; for us that have had such famous preaching , praying , printing , signal victories , and deliverances continued to us , even to this day ; for us to rant and roar , drink healths , bee drunk and whore , and with the dog to return to our vomit , which for many years wee had left ; this is such an high aggravation of our sin , that god will not brook it at our hands . when men sin presumptuously against great light , and with an high hand , they must dye for it , exod. 21. 14. numb . 15. 30 , 31. we should think it too much that in the daies of our ignorance wee went astray ; these bodies and souls of ours which sometimes were servants to unrighteousness and fin , should now become servants of righteousness and holiness , being wholly devoted to the service of god. it should bee as natural and delightful to us now to serve god , as ever it hath been to sin against him . arg. 9. all occasions of sin must bee avoided : but at these prophane meetings there are many occasions of sin ; ergo , they must bee avoided . for the major it is clear , wee are oft commanded to shun the appearance of evil . 1 thes . 5. 22. to hate the garment spotted with the flesh , jude 23. and to keep our selves free , not onely from the gross blots , but also from the spots of the world , james 1. 27. wee must not so much as taste of the devils broth , lest at last hee bring us to eat of his beef ; isa , 65. 4. hee that will no evil do , must do nothing that belongs thereto . hee that saith yea to the devil in a little , shall not say nay when hee pleaseth . 't is true in practicals , as well as in polemicals , that one absurdity being granted , makes way for many more to follow . when men once begin to fall in this kinde , they know not where they shall rest . our corrupt nature like tinder or gunpowder , is ready to bee fired with every sinful temptation , and therefore wee should carefully shun them , else wee contradict our prayers , when wee pray that wee bee not led into temptation ; if wee run into them , wee mock god , and ruine our selves ; for hee will not preserve us from the sin , if wee do not carefully shun the occasions of sin . for the minor , that at these prophane meetings there are many occasions of sin , is too apparent . who sees not what drunkenness , swearing , cursing , fighting , stealing , lying , mixt-dancing , morrice-dancing , ribaldry , debauchery , scoffing at piety , opposing of zealous magistrates , ministers and people , prophanation of sabbaths , mis-spence of precious time , complying with heathens and idolaters in their sinful and superstitious customes , perverting of that order which god hath set , turning night into day , and day into night ? god hath ordained the night for man to rest in , and not to ramble and go stealing may-poles in . so that as in one caesar there were many marii , so in this one sin there is a confluence of many sins . physicians say , that morbi complicati sunt periculosissimi , where there is a complication of diseases , there the cure is very difficult and dangerous . how perilous is it then to tolerate those prophane pastimes , which open the flood-gates to so much sin and wickedness , as the sad experience of all ages doth testifie ? so that if i would debauch a people , and draw them from god and his worship to superstition and idolatry , i would take this course ; i would open this gap to them , they should have floralia and saturnalia , they should have feast upon feast ( as 't is in popery ) they should have wakes to prophane the lords day , they should have may-games , and christmas-revels , with dancing , drinking , whoring , potting , piping , gaming , till they were made dissolute , and fit to receive any superstition , and easily drawn to bee of any , or of no religion : and this was the practice of the late prelates , when they were bringing in popery by the head and shoulders ( as is made apparent to the world out of their * own writings ) they first caused the book of sports to bee read in all churches for the prophaning of the sabbath ( a lesson that people can learn too fast * without a book ) that so they might fit the people the better for the swallowing of those superstitious innovations , which shortly after followed . when balaam would draw israel to idolatry , hee first draws them to whoredome , and by this means destroyed them , which all his cursing could not do , numb . 32. 16. so when israel fell to idolatry , then they fell to feasting , singing , dancing , according to the custome of idolatrous festivals , exod. 37. 6. 19. but see what follows such mad mirth , vers . 27. the sword and slaughter follows it at the heels . god is the same to the same sinners , and if wee bee like them in sin , wee shall bee like them in suffering . arg. 10. that which is of evil report amongst the godly , may not bee practised , phil. 4. 8. but these prophane pastimes are of evil report amongst the godly . i never yet knew any godly man , or any that had but a taste of godliness , that ever approved , either by speech , or by his presence of such prophane meetings . sure that must needs bee very bad , which all good men do shun and abhor . arg. 11. that which incourageth the rout and raskality of a people to behave themselves insolently and irreverently toward the antient and the honourable , and all superiours , that may not bee tolerated ( for 't is reckoned as a great judgement , isa . 3. 5. ) but these prophane meetings do encourage the rout in their insolency against the antient and the honourable . this makes the servant contemn his master , the people their pastor , the subject his soveraign , the childe his father , and teacheth young people impudency and rebe●●●on . arg. 12. that which is a m●nifest violation of our baptismal vow , must bee abandoned . but these prophane pastimes are a manifest violation of our baptismal vows . then we promised to forsake the devil and all his works , the pomp and vanities of the world , and that wee would not be led by the lusts of the flesh . now at these prophane meetings there is a sad violation of this sacred vow ; for if the devil himself should come and live in a bodily shape upon earth , he would drink , and dance , and swear , and whore , and fulfil the lusts of the flesh , as these devils incarnate do . arg. 13. if christ hath redeemed us from the sinful customes , paganish pleasures , and vain conversation of the world , then wee may in no wise follow them . but christ hath redeemed us from the sinful customes , paganish pastimes , and vain conversation of the wicked , luk. 1. 74 , 75. gal. 1. 4. tit. 2. 12 , 13 , 14. 1 pet. 2. 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18. & 1. 4. 2 , 3 , 4. arg. 14. all inticements to idolatry must be avoided : but the observation of these heathenish and idolatrous feasts is a great enticement to idolatry . hence it is that papists , and popish persons are so forward to give people may-poles , and the popes holiness with might and main keeps up his superstitious festivals , as a prime prop of his tottering kingdome . by these sensual sports , and carnal-flesh-pleasing-waies of wine , women , dancing , revelling , &c. hee hath gained more souls , than by all the tortures , and cruel persecutions that hee could invent . hence the whore of babylon is said to have her wine of abomination and fornication in a golden cup , rev. 17. 4. the better to intice men to her , as whores were wont to give inchanted potions to work amorous affections ; so doth the whore of rome allure men to her self by the specious baits of riches , liberty , pastimes , and carnal pleasures ; hence the lord , who knows our frame better than wee our selves , hath so oft forbidden us following the customes , feasts , and fashions of idol●●●rs and heathens , for fear lest they should bee drawn thereby to idolatry , levit. 18. 30. deut. 12. 29 , 30. these do insensibly steal away the heart from god and his truth , they are the devils bellows to blow up the fire of lust and uncleanness in the soul . arg. 15. that which is the joy and delight onely of superstitious , popish , prophane persons , must needs bee some vile and prophane thing ; for like will delight in like , wicked men delight in those things which sute with their wicked lusts . but these sinful and rude pastimes are the joy only of wicked men . who are they that delight in the fools filthy speeches , lascivious gestures , and the mans wearing of the womans apparel , contrary to gods express command , deut. 22. 5. but the prophane of the world ? i never knew any good man that ever delighted in them ; yea i have known some good men , that in their youth delighted in those sensual pastimes , which have abhorred themselves for it in their old age ; and make the observation when you please , and you shall finde that they are the idle , effeminate , graceless ones that are the upholders and frequenters of these dissolute meetings . so that as solomon knew the true mother of the childe , by her tender affection to it ; so wee may know , that the popish and prophane sort are the parents and patrons of these abominations , by their pleading for them , and promoting of them . and as it was some signal good thing which nero ( that monster of men ) hated ; so it must needs bee some notorious vile thing which such vile men love and plead for . arg. 16. all mis-spence of precious time must bee avoided : but in these licentious pastimes there is much mis-spence of precious time . what a sad account will these libertines have to make , when the lord shall demand of them , where wast thou such a night ? why my lord , i was with the prophane rabble stealing may-poles ; and where wast thou such a day ? why my lord , i was drinking , dancing , dallying , ranting , whoring , carousing , &c. if for every idle hour men must give an account , what account will men bee able to give for all those sinful dayes , nights , sabbaths , &c. which they have mis-spent in sensuality and luxury . arg. 17. that which deprives us of gods fatherly care and protection , must bee avoyded : but this frequenting of such prophane meetings deprives us of gods fatherly care and protection . hee hath promised to keep us no longer than wee keep his wayes , psal , 91. 11. which are the wayes either of our general calling , as wee are christians , viz. praying , reading , meditation , good conference , &c. or else the wayes of our particular calling , as wee are superiors or inferiors , wee must walk with god in those stations in which hee hath set us . if wee go beyond gods bounds , wee cannot expect either his immediate protection , or the protection of his angels . arg. 18. that which breeds in mens hearts an hatred of the power of godliness , must bee abandoned : but such prophane meetings breed in mens hearts an hatred of the power of godliness . when men do evil , they hate the light of piety in others ; as the theef hates the light that discovers him , and the judge that condemns him ; so do these hate the godly , because their light condemns their darkness , their piety the wicked mans impiety , their strictness condemns the worlds dissoluteness , and their self denying the worlds self pleasing . wicked men love their lusts as their lives , and cannot indure such as hinder them in the pursute of them ; hence 't is that the prophane rout raise so many lyes , slanders , and reproachful nick-names against the godly , and all because they run not with them into the same excess of riot . arg. 19. that which hardens wicked men in their sins , corrupts their minds and manners , and indisposeth them for the service of god , that ought to bee totally abandoned : but these prophane sports do so . they infatuate and besot men , they darken the understanding , and cloze up the eye of the soul , so that it takes no notice of gods judgements ; either imminent or present ; these sensual pleasures stupifie and cauterize the conscience , so that it cannot repent . they expel the fear of god , and all godly sorrow for sin out of the soul . they estrange the heart from god , and his worship , and make it burdensome and wearisome to them , mal. 1. 13. & 3. 14. arg. 20. those prophane practices , which are condemned by scriptures , fathers , councils , and other pious men , ought in no wise to bee tolerated : but these prophane practices are such . the major is undeniable ; the minor i shall prove by its parts ; and because a bare recital of testimonies , would be too flat and frigid , i shall therefore ( to quicken and delight the reader ) indict and arraign this floralian harlot , and impannel a jury against her . this way of clearing things cannot justly bee offensive to any , since 't is but a kinde of dialogue , and dialogues have been ever accounted the most lively and delightful , the most facile and fruitful●est way of teaching . allusions and similies sink deep , and make a better impression upon the spirit : a pleasant allusion may do that which a solid argument sometimes cannot do . as in some cases iron may do that which gold cannot do , — ridiculum acri , fort●us & melius magnas pl●rumque secut res . horat. serm. l. 1. sat. 20. & quintil. instit . l. 6. c. 34. the indictment of flora. flora , hold up thy hand , thou art here indicted by the name of flora , of the city of rome , in the county of babylon , for that thou , contrary to the peace of our soveraign lord , his crown and dignity , hast brought in a pack of practical fanaticks , viz. ignorants , atheists , papists , drunkards , swearers , swash-bucklers , maid-marrions , morrice-dancers , maskers , mummers , may pole-stealers , health-drinkers , together with a rascalian rout of fidlers , fools , fighters , gamesters , whoremasters , lewd-men , light-women , contemners of magistracy , affronters of ministery , rebellious to masters , disobedient to parents , mis-spenders of time , abusers of the creature , &c. judg. what sayest thou , guilty , or not guilty ? prisoner . not guilty , my lord. judg. by whom wilt thou bee tried ? pris . by the popes-holiness , my lord. judg. hee is thy patron and protector , and so unfit to bee a judge in this case . pris . then i appeal to the prelates , and lord-bishops , my lord. judg. this is but a tiffany put off , for though some of that rank did let loose the reigns to such prophaneness , in causing the book of sports , for the prophaning of gods holy-day to bee read in churches ( for which god hath spewed them out ) yet 't is well known that the gravest and most pious of that order , have abhorred such prophaneness and mis-rule , as b. babington , both the abbats , b. king , b. hall , d. davenant , &c. pris . then i appeal to the rout and rabble of the world . judg. these are thy followers , and thy favourites , and so unfit to bee judges in their own case . pris . my lord , if there bee no remedy , i am content to bee tried by a jury . judg. thou hast well said , thou shalt have a full , a fair , and a free hearing . cryer , make an o yes , and call the jury . cryer , o yes , all manner of persons that can give in evidence against the prisoner at the bar , let them come into the court , and they shall bee freely heard . judg. cryer , call in holy-scriptures . holy-scriptures , my lord , i cannot get in . judg. who keeps you out ? holy-scriptures , my lord , here is a company of ignorant , rude , prophane , superstitious , atheistical persons , that will not suffer mee to come in . judg. cryer , knock those prophane persons , and make room for the holy-scriptures to come in . cryer , vouz avez , holy-scriptures . judg. what can you say against the prisoner at the bar ? holy-scriptures , very much , my lord , i have often told them , that the night of ignorance is now past , and the light of the gospel is come , and therefore they must walk as children of the light , denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts , living soberly , righteously , and religiously in this present world . i have often told them , that they must shun all the appearance of evil , and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness , nor conform themselves like to the wicked of the world : but they must think the time past of their lives too much to have lived according to the lusts of men in the dayes of their ignorance , but now they must live according to the will of god , making his glory the ultimate end of all their actions and recreations . i have often told them , that our god is a jealous god , and one that will not indure to have his glory given to idols or harlots . jud. this is full , and to the purpose indeed , but is there no more evidence to come in ? cryer , yes , my lord , here is pliny , an antient writer , who lived about ninety years after christ , and is famous for his natural history . judg. what can you say against the prisoner at the bar ? pliny , my lord , i have long since told them , if they would beleeve mee , that these were not christian , but pagan-feasts ; they were heathens , and such as knew not god , who first instituted these floralia and may-games . i have told them that they were instituted according to the advice of sibylls-books in the 516th . year after the foundation of the city of rome was laid , to prevent the blasting and barrenness of the trees , and fruits of the earth . judg. sir , you have given us good light in this dark case ; for first wee see that the rise of these feasts was from pagans , and that they were ordained by the advice of sibylls-books , and not of gods book ; and for a superstitious and idolatrous end , viz. that hereby flora , not god might bee pleased , and so bless their fruits and flowers . this is clear , but have you no more evidence ? cryer , yes , my lord , here is coelius lactantius firmianus , who lived about three hundred years after christ , who will plainly tell you the rise of these prophane sports . judg. i have heard very well of this celestial , sweet , and firm defender of the faith , and that hee was a second cicero for eloquence in his time . sir , what can you say against the prisoner at the bar ? lactan. my lord , i have long since declared my judgement against this harlot flora in my first book of false religion : where i have told the world , that this flora was a common-whore and one that got much mony by her harlotry ; at her death shee made the people of rome her heir , and left a certain sum of mony for the yearly celebration of these floralian sports . the senate after some time , the better to cover this foul business , make her the goddess of flowers , and tell the people that they ought to celebrate this lascivious feast of this lascivious harlot , with all manner of lasciviousness , that so shee being pleased , might prosper their fruits and vines . judg. this is plain and full , i now see that lactantius is firmianus , not only sweet , but firm and constant against the whore. but have you no more evidence ? cryer , yes , my lord , here is synodus francica , which was called in pope zachary's time , anno dom 742. judg. what can you say against the prisoner at the bar ? counc . my lord , i have long since decreed , that the people of god shall have no pagan-feasts , or enterludes , but that they reject and abominate all the uncleannesses of gentilism , and that they forbear all sacrilegious fires which they call bonefires , and all other observations of the pagans whatsoever . judg. this is clear against all heathenish feasts and customes , of which this is one . but have you no evidence nearer home ? cryer , yes , my lord , here is one that may go for many , 't is one that will conquer them all , and with the sword of justice will suddenly suppress them . judg. who is that i pray you ? let mee see such a man. cryer , why my lord , 't is charls the second , king of great britain , france and ireland , defender of the faith. judg. truly hee deserves that title , if hee shall now appear in defence of the truth , against that prophane rout which lately threatned the extirpation both of sound doctrine , and good life . i hear that the king is a sober and temperate person , and one that hates debauchery , i pray you let us hear what hee saith . cryer , my lord , the king came into london , may 29. and the 30th . of may hee published a proclamation against prophaneness , to the great rejoycing of all the good people of the land. when all was running into prophaneness and confusion , the parliament sate still , and wee poor ministers had nothing left but our prayers and tears ; then , even then it pleased the most high ( in whose hand is the heart of kings ) to put it into the heart of our soveraign lord the king , eminently to appear in the cause of that god , who hath so eminently appeared for him , and hath brought him through so many dangers and difficulties to the throne , and made so many mountains a plain before him , to testifie against the debauchery and gross prophaneness , which like a torrent had suddenly over-spread the land. the sum and substance of the kings proclamation is this , that it is the duty of all to take notice of gods transcendent goodness to us , and to walk with such circumspection , integrity , and reformation in our lives , that wee may not drive away the mercy which is coming to us , by making our selves unworthy of it ; and in order hereto , wee think it high time to shew our dislike of those ( against whom wee have been ever enough offended , though wee could not in this manner declare it ) who under pretence of affection to us and our service , assume to themselves the liberty of reviling , threatning , and reproaching others , and as much as in them lyes , endeavour to stifle and divert their good inclinations to our service , and so to prevent that reconciliation and union of hearts and affections , which can onely with gods blessing make us rejoyce in each other , and keep our enemies from rejoycing . there are likewise another sort of men , of whom wee have heard much , and are sufficiently ashamed , who spend their time in taverns , tipling-houses , and debauches , giving no other evidence of affection to us , but in drinking our health , and inveighing against all others , who are not of their own dissolute temper ; and who in truth have more discredited our cause by the licence of their manners and lives , than they could ever advance it by their affection and courage . wee hope that this extraordinary way of delivering us all , from all wee feared , and almost bringing us to all wee can reasonably hope , hath , and will work upon the hearts even of those men to that degree , that they will cordially renounce all that licentiousness , prophaneness and impiety , with which they have been corrupted , and endeavoured to corrupt others ; and that they will hereafter become examples of sobriety and vertue , and make it appear , that what was past , was rather the vice of the times , than of the persons , and so the fitter to bee forgotten together . and because the fear of punishment , or apprehension of our displeasure , may have influence upon many , who will not bee restrained by the conscience of their duty ; wee do declare , that wee will not exercise just severity against any malefactors sooner , than against men of dissolute , debauched , and prophane lives , with what parts soever they may bee otherwise qualified and endowed , and wee hope that all persons of honour , or in place and authority , will so far assist us in discountenancing such men , that their discretion and shame will perswade them to reform what their conscience would not ; and that the displeasure of good men towards them , may supply what the laws have not , and it may bee cannot well provide against , there being in the licence and corruption of the times , and the depraved nature of men , many enormities , scandals , and impieties in practice , and manners , which laws cannot well describe , and consequently not enough provide against , which may by example and severity of vertuous men bee easily discountenanced , and by degrees suppressed . however , for the more effectual reforming these men , who are a discredit to the nation , and unto any cause they pretend to favour and wish well to ; wee require all mayors , sheriffs , and justices of the peace , to bee very vigilant and strict in the discovery and prosecution of all dissolute and prophane persons , and such as blaspheme the name of god , by prophane swearing and cursing , or revile , or disturb ministers , and despise the publick worship of god ; that being first bound to the good behaviour , they may bee further proceeded against , and exposed to shame , in such a manner , as the laws of the land , and the just and necessary rules of government shall direct or permit . judg. now blessed bee the lord , the king of kings , who hath put such a thing as this into the heart of the king , and blessed bee his anointed , and blessed bee his counsel , the good lord recompence it seven-fold into his bosome ; and let all the sons of belial flye before him , as the dust before the wind , and let the angel of the lord scatter them . prison . my lord , i , and all my retinew are very much deceived in this charls the second , wee all conceited that hee was for us . my drunkards cryed , a health to the king. the swearers swore , a health to the king , so long , till they swore themselves out of health . the papist , the atheist , the roarer and the ranter , they all concluded that now their day was come , but alas how are wee deceived ! judg. i wish that you , and all such as you are may for ever bee deceived in this kinde , and that your eyes may rot in your heads before ever you see idolatry , superstition and prophaneness countenanced in the land. such trulypious-frauds are pleasing to god , delightful to his people , and grievous to none but such as should bee grieved for their villany and licentiousness . judg. but have you no more evidence to produce against these prophane practices ? cry. yes , my lord , here is an ordinance of parliament ready mounted against them . pris . my lord , i except against this witness above all the rest , for it was not made by a full and a free parliament of lords and commons , but by some rump and relick of a parliament , and so is invalid . judg. toto erras coelo , you are quite deceived , for this ordinance was made by lords and commons , when the house was full and free ; and those the best that ever england had , for piety towards god , and loyalty to their soveraign , for they were secluded and imprisoned for their loyaly and fidelity . let us hear what they say . ordinan . of parl. my lord , i have plainly told them , that since the prophanation of the lords day , hath been heretofore greatly occasioned by may-poles ( a heathenish vanity , generally abused to superstition and wickedness ) the lords and commons do therefore ordain , that all and singular may-poles shall bee taken down and removed by the constables , borsholders , tything-men , petty-constables , and church-wardens of the places and parishes where the same bee ; and that no may-pole shall bee hereafter set up , erected , or suffered to bee within this kingdome of england , or the dominion of wales ; and if any of the said officers shall neglect to do their office in the premises , every of them , for such neglect , shall forfeit five shillings , and so from week to week , five shillings weekly , till the said may-pole shall bee taken down . judg. this is to the purpose , and may pass instead of many arguments , for a parliament of lords and commons , so pious , so prudent , so loyal and faithful to god and the king , to condemn these sports as a vanity , a heathenish vanity , abused to superstition and wickedness , and to be supprest under a penalty ; this may clearly convince any sober man of the sinfulness of such practices , and make them to abhor them , for what is forbidden by the laws of men ( especially when those laws are consonant to the laws of god ) may not be practised by any person ; but these prophane sports are forbidden by the laws of men , and are herein consonant to the laws of god , which condemn such sinful pastimes . but have you no more evidence besides this ordinance to batter these babylonish towers ? cry. yes , my lord , here is one that may go for many ; 't is the solemn league and covenant , taken in a solemn manner , by king , lords , and commons , the assembly of divines , the renowned city of london , the kingdome of scotland , and by many thousands of ministers and people throughout this nation . in the second branch of it wee vowed the extirpation of popery , prelacy , superstition , heresie , schism , prophaneness , and whatsoever shall bee found contrary to sound doctrine , and the power of godliness . pris . my lord , these things are out of date , and do not binde now our troubles bee over . judg. the sixth branch of the covenant will tell you , that wee are bound all the daies of our lives to observe these things zealously , and constantly against all opposition ; and i suppose every good man thinks himself bound to preserve the purity of religion , to extirpate popery , and heresie , superstition and prophaneness , not onely in times of trouble , but these are duties to bee practised in our places and callings all our daies . besides , the royalists do plead the covenant at this day , for the preservation of the king ; and if it bee in force as to that particular , as indeed it is , then much more doth it binde us still to the observation of those things which do more immediately appertain to the worship of god. since gods honour is to bee preferred before the honour of any man whatsoever . now if our may-games and mis-rules do favour of superstition and prophaneness ( as 't is apparent they do ) if they bee contrary to sound doctrine , and the power of godliness ( as to all unprejudiced men they are ) then by this solemn league and sacred covenant wee are bound to root them up . this is sufficient , if there were no more ; but because men are loath to leave what they dearly love , let us see whether you have any further evidence . cry. yes , my lord , here is an excellent order from the council of state , made this present may , wherein they take notice of a spirit of prophaneness and impiety that hath over-spread the land , to the dishonour of god , and the grieving of his ministers and people ; they do therefore order , that the justices of the peace , and commissioners for the militia , do use their utmost indeavours to prevent all licentiousness and disorder , all prophanation of the sabbath , all interrupting or discouraging of ministers in the work of their ministery ; that they suppress all ale-houses , and all ungodly meetings ; that they own and protect all such as have adhered to the parliaments cause and interest , and all good men in their sober and pious walking , against all that are turbulent , malignant or disaffected , and upon just cause to secure them . the council doth likewise command them to have a special care to prevent prophaneness , and disorders of people about may-poles , and meetings of that nature , and their rude and disorderly carriages towards people , in molesting them to get monies from them to spend vainly at such meetings . ju. this is full , and to the point indeed , blessed be god , and blessed be their counsel . but have you yet no more evidence ? cry. yes , my lord , here is mr. elton , a man eminent for piety , and of known integrity in his time , hee hath long since told us ( in his exposition of the second commandement ) that such filthy company , where there is such filthy speeches , and lascivious behaviour , with mixt dancing at their merry meetingss , are great provocations to lust , and inducements to uncleanness , and therefore to be abhorred of all sober christians . to him assents that great school-divines dr. ames , who tells us , that those who will shun incontinency , and live chastly , must shun such prophane meetings , and take heed of mixt dancing , stage-playes , and such incentives to lust , where wickedness is presented to the eye and ear , and the man puts on the womans apparel , which is an abomination to the lord , deut. 22. 5. pris . my lord , these were old puritans and precisians , who were more precise than wise . cry. i will produce men of another strain , here are bishops against you . b. babington hath long since told us , that these sinful pastimes are epulum diaboli , the devils festival , the inticements to whoredome , and the occasions of much uncleanness , being condemned by councils , and forbidden by scripture , which commands us to shun all appearance of evil . judg. this is good , but have you no more ? cry. yes , my lord , here is one more , 't is b. andrews , a man of great note for his learning ( who in his exposition on the seventh commandement ) tells us , that wee must not onely refrain from evil , but also from the shew of evil ; and must do things honest not onely before god , but also before men ; to this end wee must shun wanton dancings , stage-playes , &c. because our eyes thereby behold much vanity and a man cannot go on these hot coals , and not bee burnt , nor touch such pitch , and not bee defiled , nor see such wanton actions , and not bee moved ; besides , there is much loss , and mis-spence of precious time , at such prophane meetings . judg. this is pious , and to purpose , here is evidence sufficient , i shall now proceed to sentence . cry. my lord , i desire your patience to hear one witness more , and then i have done . judg. who is that which comes so late into the court ? cry. my lord , 't is acute and accomplisht ovid. pris . my lord , hee is a heathen poet , who lived about twenty years before christ . judg. his testimony will bee the stronger against your heathenish vanities . publius ovidius naso , what can you say against mistress flora ? ovid. my lord , i have long since told the world , that the senatorian fathers at rome did order the celebration of these floralian sports to bee yearly observed about the beginning of may , in honour of flora , that our fruits and flowers might the better prosper . at this feast there was drinking , dancing , and all manner of lasciviousness , by a harlotry company , suitable to the memorial of such an harlot , who was light her self , and therefore delighted in jokes and pleasant comedies , but not in sad and direful tragedies . pris . sir , you wrong the poet , and may , for ought i know , wrong mee , by wrapping up his ingenious narrative in so little room . judg. grata brevitas , i love those whose writings are like jewels , which contain much worth in a little compass , yet since the learned and ingenious reader may desire to hear the author speaking in his own language ( since hee speaks so fully and clearly to this purpose ) you shall for once have your desire . dic dea , responde , ludorum quae sit origo , &c. convenere patres , & si bene floreat annus , numinibus nostris annua festa vovent . mater ades florum , ludis celebranda jocosis , distuleram partes mense priore tuas . incipis aprili , transis in tempora maii , alter te fugiens , cum venit , alter habet . cum tua fint , cedantque tibi confinia mensum , convenit in laudes ille vel ille tuas . circus in hunc exit , clamataque palma theatris , &c. quaerere conabar , quare lascivia major his foret in ludis , liberiorque jocus . sed mihi succurrit numen non esse severum , aptaque deliciis munera ferre deam . ebrius incinctis phylirâ conviva capillis saltat , & imprudens utitur arte meri , ebrius ad durum formosae limen amicae cantat , habens unctae mollia serta comae . nulla coronatâ peraguntur seria fronte , nec liquidae vinctis flore bibuntur aquae . scena lenis decet hanc , non est mihi credite , non est , illa cothurnatas inter habenda deas . turba quidem cur hos celebret meretricia ludos , non ex difficili cognita causa fuit . non est detetricis , non est de magna professis , vult sua plebeio sacra patere choro , &c. cry. now my lord , and please you , wee will call over the jury , that the prisoner may see wee have done her no wrong . judg. do so . cry. answer to your names . holy scriptures one , pliny two , lactantius three , synodus francica four , charls the second five , ordinance of parliament six , solemn league and covenant seven , order of the council of state eight , elton nine , b. babington ten , b. andrews eleven , ovid. twelve . these , with all the godly in the land , do call for justice against this turbulent malefactor . judg. since 't is so , i shall proceed to sentence . flora , thou hast here been indicted by the name of flora , for bringing in abundance of mis-rule and disorder into church and state , thou hast been found guilty , and art condemned both by god and man , by scriptures , fathers , councils , by learned and pious divines , both old and new , and therefore i adjudge thee to perpetual banishment , that thou no more disturb this church and state , lest justice do arrest thee . an answer to all the cavils which are of any weight or worth which are brought in defence of may-games . vice seldome goes bare-faced , it usually , like harlots , paints , or puts on the vizzard of profit , pleasure , frugality , good neighbour-hood , &c. the better to deceive such careless sinners as devour the bait , but forget the hook . the naked discovery of the danger which attends such licentious practices , is half the cure , for no man that is well in his wits , will run on in such paths , when hee plainly sees the mischief and misery that attends them . object . 1. young people must have some recreations . answ . 't is true , modest , moderate , manly recreations are fit for them , but sinful , sensual , sordid recreations , such as drinking , fighting , dancing , whoring , gaming and debauchery , these emasculate mens spirits , and make men deboist , and unfit for the service of god or man , these must bee abolished and abandoned in a christian common-wealth ; such recreations are meer destructions , and such mirth is madness , eccles . 2. 2. 't was a good resolution of a good man , i will chuse such recreations as are of best example , and best use , seeking those by which i may not onely be merrier , but better . what recreations bee unlawful , you may see at large in others . object . 2. these are customes of great antiquity , of above eighteen hundred years standing . answ . antiquity without verity is of no validity . christ is truth , not custome . old customes , if they be evil customes , are better broken than kept , and the older they be , the worse ; the more editions , the more additions . the customes of the people are vain , and to be abhorred , not to be followed by us , levit. 18. 30. jer. 10. 3. the heathenish olympick-games , and the pagans saturnalia , where they invented sports for the honour of their gods , and gave licence to all to be as lewd as they pleased at those seasons , these were antient , it doth not therefore follow that they were good . so episcopacy is antient , but apostolical simplicity is more antient , and the church flourished most without it . object . 3. these may-poles are set up to shew the season of the year , this was the plea lately of a fantastick and real fanatick . answ . i should think that a green and living tree should minde us of the season of the year , better than a dead bush ; and a living man better set forth the excellency of a man , than a dead man. 't is not without cause that the apostle calls wicked men , absurd and unreasonable men , 2 thes . 3. 2. object . 4. our fore-fathers practised such things . answ . our fore-fathers were idolaters , it doth not follow that therefore wee must be so too . they lived in times of ignorance , but wee live in daies of light , and therefore must walk like children of the light , renouncing the works of darkness . wee must live by rule , not by example , and follow our fore-fathers no further than they followed christ , hence the lord so oft forbids us to follow our forefathers , psal . 78. 8. ezek. 20. 18 , 19 , 20. zach. 7. 4. object . 5. if men bee not thus imployed on festivals , they will bee idle , and bee worse imployed , and wee have no ill intentions in what wee do . answ . there is no necessity that people should bee idle on holy-daies , for by the law of our land , if men will keep holy-daies , they must keep them holily , spending them only and wholly ( saith the statute of 5 , and 6. of edw. 6. chap. 4. ) in praising god , and praying to him , hearing his word , and meditating on his works , &c. so that the statute , by those two words , only and wholly , excludes all may-games , revels , dancing , drinking , rioting , and misrule . 2. they cannot likely bee worse imployed , than in such loose , lascivious , licentious practices , amongst rude and deboist company , where they shall hear , see , and learn all manner of vice and villany , to the corrupting both of their minds and manners , and the undoing of themselves , both here and hereafter . 3. whereas you say , you have no ill intentions in so doing , who can beleeve that you will joyn your self with such prophane company out of a good intention ? can a man touch pitch , and not be defiled with it ? 2. admit your intentions were good , yet that will not warrant you to do evil . that which is evil per se , can never bee made good by any good intentions , as i have proved at large else-where . object . 6. i can see no hurt in may-games , they are none but a pack of precise fools , who are enemies to the king , that cry them down . answ . who so blinde as those that will not see ? canst thou see no hurt in drunkenness , fighting , whoring , stealing , prophanation of the sabbaths , contempt of religion ? &c. the devil , who is the god of this world , hath blinded thine eyes , and as blinde men are not fit to judge of colours , so thou art unfit to judge in such cases . the devil deals with thee , as elisha did with his enemies , hee first smit them with blindness , and then brings them into samaria into the midst of their enemies ; but as hee prayed for them , so shall i for thee ; lord open their eyes , that they may see ; and the lord opened their eyes , and behold they were in the midst of samaria , 2 king. 6. 18 , 19 , 20. so say i , lord open the eyes , and awaken the consciences of these blinde , secure sinners , that they may see , and if the lord shall vouchsafe you this mercy , then will you see your selves in the devils camp , on the brink of destruction , and thou wilt abhor thy self for thy vile presumption in this kinde , if thou doubt of the truth of this , ask any gracious , awakened , inlightened soul , that knows the terrours of the lord , and the bitterness of sin , and hee will tell you , that hee durst not practise such prophaneness to win a world . 2. there may be great sin in that which the blinde world counts a small matter . to eat an apple , to bow to an image , to pick a few sticks on the sabbath , &c. these , and many such , to a carnal eye seem small things , and yet wee know god hath sadly punished such as acted them . i have before proved that these practices are sinful ; now there is no sin simply considered in it self , that is small , as appears , 1. in that there is no small god that wee offend by it . 2. no small price was paid for it . 3. no small punishment is prepared for it . this is a complicated sin ( as i have proved before ) and therefore is not to bee so lightly esteemed of . 3. whereas thou sayest that none but a few precise fools oppose this prophaneness , thou art much deceived . was david a foolish precisian , who would have no familiarity with the wicked , but bids them depart from him ? and prayed the lord to turn away his eyes from beholding vanity ; and poured out rivers of tears , because men transgressed gods laws . was paul a foolish precisian , who commands us to walk precisely , and circumspectly , to shun the appearance of evil , to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness , but reprove them rather ; and to live soberly , righteously , and religiously in the world ? were the antient fathers fools , who do unanimously enveigh against such prophane practices ? were perkins , babington , dod , andrews , elton , &c. precise fools , who do condemn these prophane practices in their expositions of the seventh commandement ? sure thou art some singular conceitedfool , that thus censurest all the grave and pious sages of former and latter times for fools , and all because they oppose thy folly , which will bee bitterness in the end . 4. whereas thou accusest them as enemies to the king , which oppose such prophaneness , let mee tell thee , the king hath not better friends in the land , than such as oppose those prophane practices ; nor more deadly foes , than such as do promote them ; these set open the flood-gates to all rudeness , disloyalty , debauchery , and effeminacy , whereby people are made unfit , either for the service of god , or the king. those that are suffered to rebel against god , will not stick ( when a temptation comes ) to rebel against the king. 't is the dark and ignorant places of the earth , which are habitations of cruelty and rebellion . should a man debauch your children and servants , and take them to such prophane meetings , where they should learn to swear and swagger , to rant and roar ; i know no wise parents that would count such for their friends . these licentious exercises are the very nurseries of villany , the bane of piety and peace , and the overthrow of those kingdomes that tolerate them . the romans , when they grew idle and luxurious , became effeminate , and lost all . when people grow exorbitant , and transgress gods law , and change his ordinances , then comes a curse upon a land , isa . 24. 5 , 6. so that this is but an old trick of the devil and his agents , when they would destroy gods people , to put ugly titles on them , and call them troublers of israel , trumpets of rebellion , enemies to caesar , raisers of sedition , the pests of a nation , &c. thus , as the heathen persecutors did put bear-skins on the backs of the christians , and then bait them like bears ; so the limbs of satan , when crost in their lusts , put ugly titles upon gods people , that so they may take occasion thereby to destroy them . thus elijah was called the troubler of israel , when indeed he was the chariots and horse-men , the stay and strength of israel . jeremiah was counted a common barretor , a man compounded of nothing but contention . amos must come no more to bethel , 't is the kings court , and hee that comes there must bring silken , not sharp and plain language . holy daniel is accused for a factious man , and one that would not observe the kings laws , dan. 6. 12. christ himself , in whom was no sin , yet underwent the revilings and contradictions of sinners ; hee was called a mad-man , an enemy to caesar , a glutton , a wine-bibber , and one that had a devil , joh. 10. 20. and troubled the world , john 19. 12. the disciple is not above his master , nor the servant above his lord , and if they have called the master of the house beelzebub , what may the servants look for ? thus paul was counted a pestilent fellow , a troubler of the state , a babler , a mad-man , a seditious , factious fellow , and yet who freer from these crimes than hee ? hee commanded all men to pray for kings , and those in authority , and commands every soul to bee subject to the higher powers , and commanded titus , cap. 3. v. 1. to teach people subjection to principalities and powers . thus they dealt with the primitive christians , if any calamity fell on the land , they presently cried , away with these christians to the lions , 't is they that are the cause of all our misery . when nero had set rome on fire , hee laid it upon the christians . the martyrs in queen maries time were accused as seditious , factious , turbulent persons , that so they might bee made odious both to prince and people . thus cochlaeus the papist gave out , that luther was begotten by an incubus , and strangled by the devil . thus bolsec tells us , that calvin was a branded sodomite , and consumed with lice . putean saies , that beza died a catholick , with a thousand such like . for popery hath three figures which uphold it ; the first is auxesis , the extolling and advancing of her parafites . 2. meiosis , a debasing of her opposites . 3. pseudologia , lying lustily , for lying and murder are the two props of popery , which plainly shews that it is a devilish religion , john 8. 44. there are some that in print do charge gods people as enemies to peace and truth . the church and state ( saith one ) ever since the reformation , hath found the old puritan faction to bee inveterate and irreconcilable enemies to peace and truth . whither will not malice , and hopes of preferment carry men ! the same author yokes presbytery and popery together , popery and presbytery ( saith hee ) both in opinion and practice differ in many things , onely in terms . this is as true as many other things which hee hath published in that invective . doctors in divinity , should defend the discipline of christ , and his people , and not raise slanders on them . but let such know , that it is not piety , but the want of it which breeds tumults and sedition in a nation . 't is not the godly , but the ungodly ; 't is the swearer that makes the land to mourn , 't is the atheist , the papist , the blasphemer , the fornicator , the drunkard , &c. that trouble israel , and bring calamities upon king and kingdome , 1 sam. 12. ult . a * jesuited papist ( standing to his own principles ) cannot bee a good subject . none can bee an absolute papist , but hee must needs bee an absolute traitor , saith a learned * professor . as for the godly , they are of those that are peaceable in israel , they are indued with the wisdome which is from above , which is pure and peaceable . they are peaceable in themselves , and labour to make and preserve peace amongst others . they are the strength and glory of a land. as sampsons strength lay in his hair , so the governours of judah shall one day say , that in the inhabitants of jerusalem lies our strength , zach. 12. 5. they are the blessings of a nation , and by their prayers they keep off many a judgement . by a letter from breda ( may 10. 1660. ) i finde that his majesty hath oft been heard to say , that the prayers of his subjects will most advantage his cause , and that those who do indeavour to express their affection by debauchery , may ruine themselves , or at least stain his reputation , his majesty desiring no such attendants . an excellent saying , and well becoming a prince . religion makes the best subjects , the best servants , and the best relations . where religion comes in the power of it , there men obey , not for fear ( as wicked ones do ) but for conscience sake . there are no better subjects in the world than these , none more faithfull to their trust , none pray more for their governours , none pay their dues more freely to them , these are they that will venture their lives and estates for their good , when such as serve them for their own ends , will leave them and forsake them ; and though for the present the righteous may bee condemned as traitors , and the wicked bee exalted to honour , yet in gods due time hee will clear the innocency of his servants , as the light , when the names of the wicked shall rot . especially at that great day of revelation , then shall we clearly discern betwixt the righteous and the wicked , between him that feareth the lord , & him that feareth him not . this may comfort us who are faln into the last daies , which are called perilous times , wherein hee that refrains from evil , maketh himself a prey . 't is criminous now adaies amongst many men to bee sober and pious . if a man will not drink healths , or give mony to those that will , if hee will not rant and roar , and run with others into all excess of riot , this is enough ( with some men ) to make a man an enemy to the state. i have a little experience in this kinde my self ; this last may opposing some floralians in their prophane practices ( whom i thought after above twenty years preaching should have learnt better things ) they gave out that i was little better than a quaker , a preacher of false doctrine , and an enemy to the king , and should be thrown out of my place ; and why so ? why because i hindered practical fanaticks in their frantick practices , grande nefas ! see how these people who never studied machiavel , yet are natural machiavelists , one of whose principles is , calumniare audacter , saltem aliquid adhaerebit . lye lustily , some filth will stick . i see sying is coming in fashion apace , i shall therefore ( having this opportunity ) clear my self and my brethren in the ministry ( who are or may bee aspersed in this kinde . ) 1. for quakerism , i have preached , prayed , practised , and printed against it , and openly ( as occasion required ) opposed them and their blasphemous principles , and satanical practices ; and thus hath every faithful minister done ( according to the measure of grace received ) and therefore for shame forbear such gross slanders . 2. for my doctrine ; 't is sufficiently known to the world , the summ and substance of it is in great part publisht to the world . 3. that i am an enemy to the king , is as true as all the rest . i preach for him , i pray for him , i print for him , i pay to him , and command men so to do , and am ready to sacrifize my life for him in an honourable way , and when i cannot yeeld active , yet i shall readily yeeld passive obedience , and shall say with bradford the martyr , if the queen will banish mee , i will thank her ; if shee will imprison mee , i will thank her ; if shee will burn mee , i will thank her . or as chrysostome ( before him ) said to the empresse eudoxia , if the queen will , let her banish mee , the earth is the lords , and the fulness thereof ; if shee will , let her saw mee asunder , esay suffered the same . if shee will , let her cast mee into the sea , i will remember jonah . if shee will , let her cast mee into a burning fiery furnace , or amongst wilde beasts , i will remember daniel , and the three children . if shee will , let her stone mee , or cut off my head , i have st. stephen and the baptist my blest companions . if shee will , let her take away all my goods , naked came i out of my mothers womb , & naked shall i return thither again . thus heroickly hee . for my fidelity to the king , in refusing the engagement , i lost two hundred pound , and ran the hazard of my whole livelihood ; for i had no law to recover a penny . at two publick disputations against sectaries , i ran great hazards , at the first 1650. there was a great rabble of sectaries met together , who gave out untoward speeches against mee . in august 1651. about a week before the king came into worcester , i was called to assist in a disputation against some sectaries , this falling out at that juncture of time , i was look'd upon as an enemy to the common-wealth , and therefore the constable was commanded to bring mee in prisoner to worcester , to be there secured amongst the royalists ; and lately have i been threatned ( from another coast ) with an arrest , for opposing the millenarians and fifth-monarchy-men . i mention these things , not for any sinister ends of fear or favour , but to prevent , or at lest to blunt the edge of those vile aspersions , which are cast upon the presbyterians , as if they were enemies to caesar ; when i dare be bold to say , and it were easie to make it good , that god hath not better servants , nor the king better subjects , than those of this judgement . who were it that god made instruments to bring about the great change which is now wrought in the land ? were it not our brethren of scotland ? who were they that petitioned in print for the life of the late king ? were they not the presbyterian ministers of london , one of them losing his head not long after upon a royal account ! who where they that opposed the engagement with invincible arguments in print , were they not the presbyterians of lancashire ? who are those that strenuously opposed debauchery and prophaneness on the one hand , and sects and heresies on the other , when others were dumb , and did tolerate them ? were they not the men of this judgement ? now those that help to keep sin and errour out of a land , those are the best friends to a land , and the kings best subjects . if any shall ob●ect that wee were for king and parliament , i freely confess it , so wee were , and so wee are still ; and so i think is every honest hearted-subject , who understands any thing of the frame of this government . to this wee are bound by the protestation , covenant , and other obligations . i look upon him as an enemy to the land of his nativity , who goes about to separate the king from the parliament , or the parliament from the king. as for the lawfulness of the parliaments war against those that withdrew the king from the parliament ( for there was not the lea●t intent in them to hurt the person of the king , and therefore they were imprisoned by the army ) that case is very learnedly and modestly cleared by dr. austin in his allegiance not impeached , by the parliaments taking up of arms ( though against the kings personal commands ) for the just defence of the kings person the laws of the land , and liberties of the subject ; yea they are bound by the oath of allegiance , so to do , proved from the words of the oath , from principles of law and nature , and other testimonies ; of this judgement is mr. pryn , mr. rutherford in his lex rex , yea b. bilson ( a man far enough from faction or sedition ) concurs with them , yea so doth grotius and barclay . obj. 7. they are many and mighty that approve of such prophane practices , and 't is wisdome to go with the tide of the times , and the current of the world . answ . indeed , if you mean to perish with the world , you may do so , but if you will bee the lords people , you must not fashion your selves like to the world , for the world like a great beast , lies tumbling in its own filth , 1 john 5. 19. the way to hell is a broad way , and hath many passengers , matth. 7. 13. even seneca that wise moralist could say , that 't is one of the worst arguments that a man can use , to say that the multitude doth so and so , and therefore wee 'l do so too . wee are expresly forbidden to follow a multitude in evil , exod. 23. 2. the more joyn together in sin , the nearer to judgement ; generality in sinning brings generality in suffering . when all the old world was corrupted , then came the flood . when all sodom burnt with lust , then came fire from heaven and consumed them . when the mean man boweth down to idols , and the great man humbles himself before them , god will not pardon , isa . 2. 8 , 9. 2 few great men are good men , 1 cor. 1. 26. and therefore follow not any bee hee never so great or good , any further than hee follows christ ; yea should any command you to break the laws of god , yet you must chuse rather to obey god than man. 't is no dishonour to the kings on earth to see the king of kings obeyed before them , and therefore st. peter bids us first fear god , and then honour the king. obj. 8. if god were displeased with such prophane practices , hee would never have born so long with the wicked , nor suffer them to prosper as they do . answ . 1. you are much deceived in thinking they are not punished , for this prospering in wickedness is the sorest punishment , deus tunc magis irascitur , cum non irascitur , god is never more angry , than when hee seems not to bee angry , but lets the wicked prosper in his way , psal . 81. 11 , 12. hos . 4. 14 , 17. 2. though hee bee slow to wrath , yet is hee great in power , and will by no means acquit the wicked , nahum 1. 3. though hee bear long , hee will not alwayes bear , but as men sin against the lord , so first or last let them bee sure their sin will finde them out ; for as piety ▪ hath the promises , and though no man should reward it , yet 't is a reward it self ; so impiety hath the threatnings annexed unto it , and though no man should punish it , yet 't is its own tormentor . gods forbearance is no acquittance , but the longer hee forbears , the heavier will his wrath bee when it comes , and hee will recompence his patience with the fierceness of his fury ( as i have shewed at large elsewhere . ) i shall conclude all with that sweet and seasonable counsel of samuel , 1 sam. 12 ▪ 24 , 25. only fear the lord , and serve him in truth , with all your heart ; for consider how great things hee hath done for you . but if yee shall still do wickedly , yee shall be consumed , both you ▪ and your king. as a mantissa , and little over-weight , i shall give you a coppy of verses , which have lain long by mee , they will give some light ▪ and some delight to ingenious and ingenuous readers . ho passenger ! knowest thou not mee ? where is thy cap , where is thy knee ? thy betters do mee honour give , and swear they 'l do it while they live : both high and low give mee respect , i can command them at my beck : i think thou art some puritan , or censuring precisian , that loves not may-poles , mirth and plaies , but cries , alas , these wretched daies ! that stop their ears ; and shut their eyes , lest they behold our vanities . but goodman-goosecap , let them know , i do disdain their holy show , their peevish humours i do scorn , and hold them wretches all forlorn : their censures all i do shake off , and at their zeal i freely scoff , i will stand here in spight of such , and joy to hear that they do grutch . but prethee fellow learn of mee , my birth , my worth , my pedigree ▪ my name , my fame , my power , and praise , my state my acts , my honoured daies . i am sir may-pole , that 's my name : men , may , and mirth , give mee the same , dame flora once romes famous whore , did give to rome in daies of yore by her last will great legacies , her yearly feasts to solemnize in may-times sportful pleasantness in lust procuring wantonness , in shews and sights of such delight , as mens affections ravisht quite . in bowers of may-sprigs gaily built with flowers and garlands all bedilt , in tuffs of trees , in shady groves , in rounds of sounds , and wanton loves , and thus hath flora , may , and mirth , begun , and cherished my birth , till time and means so favoured mee , that of a twig , i waxt a tree : then all the people less and more , my height and tallness did adore ; romes idol-gods made much of mee , for favouring their idolatry ; when thus inlarged was my fame , then into other lands i came , and found my pomp and bravery increased much by popery ; sith their will-worship i advanc'd , i was most highly countenanc'd : all townships had mee in request , where ere i came , that place was blest , and to say sooth , i 'me near of kin unto that romish man of sin , and why ? ' cause under heavens cope , there 's none i say so near the pope . wherefore the papists give to mee , next papal , second dignity . hath holy father much adoc when hee is chosen : so have i too : doth hee upon mens shoulders ride ? that honour doth to mee betide ; there 's joy at my plantation , as is at his coronation . men women , children , on an heap , do sing and dance , and frisk and leap ; yea drums and drunkards on a rout , before mee make a hideous shout ; whose loud alarms , and bellowing cryes do fright the earth , and pierce the skies . hath holy pope his noble guard ? so have i too , that watch and ward : for where 't is nois'd that i am come , my followers summon'd are by drum . i have a mighty retinue , the scum of all the rascal crew of fidlers , pedlers , jayi-scap't-slaves , of tinkers , turn-coats , tospot-knaves , of theeves , and scape-thrifts many a one , with bouncing besse , and jolly jone , with idle boyes , and journey-men , and vagrants , that their country run : yea , hobby-horse doth hither prance , maid-marrian , and the morrice-dance . my summons fetcheth far and near all that can swagger , roar and swear , all that can dance , and drab , and drink , they run to mee , as to a sink . these , mee for their commander take , and i do them my black-guard make . the pope doth keep his jubilee , a time of mirth , and merry glee : on such as unto rome will go , great benefits hee doth bestow ; for sins past , yea , and sins to come , hee saith hee can free them from doom : hee brings men to transgression , with hope of absolution : and if they will in him beleeve , do what they list , hee 'l them forgive . i dare avouch in doing this , my power is as great as his . my yearly jubilee keep i , which great concourse doth dignifie , and to all such as it frequent , i procure mirth and great content , i do inlarge their conscience , and qualifie each great offence : i take away all fear of evil , of sin and hell , of death and devil : i tell them 't is a time to laugh , to give themselves free leave to quaff , to drink their healths upon their knee , to mix their talk with ribaldry , to reel and spue , to brawl and fight , to scoff and rail with all their might : i bid men cast off gravity , and women eke their modesty : old crones that scarce have tooth or eye , but crooked back , and lamed thigh must have a frisk , and shake their heel , as if no stitch , nor ache they feel . i bid the servant disobey , the childe to say his parents nay . the poorer sort that have no coin , i can command them to purloin : all this , and more , i warrant good , for 't is to maintain neighbour-hood . the pope's a friend to letchery , witness his stews for venery . in this i come not far behinde , i give them leave to take their kinde , i have allurements for the same , as they do know that love the game : first , mirth doth make their passions warm , then liquor strong their lust doth charm , then dancing gestures , looks , and words , more fewel to their fire affords , and ' cause their works do hate the light , wee take th' advantage of the night , which covers with dark canopy , the means producing bastardy . the pope doth challenge power divine , i next to him may say 't is mine . i can command more countenance than can the lords own ordinance : they do to mee their love convert , that from the church withdraw their heart ; i can command from them great cost , who on the poor would think it lost : for mee they will adventure life , they flye the gospels threatned strife ▪ the honour of the sabbath day , my dancing-greens have ta'en away . let preachers prate till they grow wood , where i am , they can do no good . the pope doth every where beat down the haters of his triple crown : bell , book , and candle do defie such as will not on him relye ; and to effect his dear intent , new locusts still from hell are sent , that fill the world with villanies , and act each where their tragedies ; sometimes mens lands , sometimes their state must pay for 't , ' cause they do him hate . and have not i as powerful wrath , to work the world as great a scath ? have not i vassals like the devil , to pay such with all kinde of evil , that ' gainst mee spake , or dare to frown , much more that say , they 'l pull mee down ? these brave my foes unto their face , and glad this office to imbrace . in colour that they plead for mee , they 'l fight against all honesty : to make their foes seem odious , they 'l first proclaim them factious : they 'l term them rebels to the state , and say they seek to innovate , and breed disorder in each thing , yea , that they hate their soveraign king : and if they be not purg'd , the land , nor church , nor commonwealth can stand . then libels foul are cast abroad when filthy slanders lay on load . incarnate devils wee them call , of men most vile , the worst of all . rogues , theeves and drunkards , saith our pen , compar'd with these , are honest men : and as for papists , oh ! they are subjects more true than these by far : yea , puritans wee do them prove , all such as do not may-poles love ; and if some matter there bee found , that wants good proof to make it sound , wee have whole dozens prest to swear , and freely false witness to bear : yea , when my rogues do victuals want , when mony , cloths , and all grow scant , then forth a forraging they go , and fall upon our common foe . no pillage seemeth half so good , as what is stollen from th' brotherhood . thus do wee joy our foes to grieve , and 't is our death that they do live . and lest you think my stately port , maintain'd alone by th' baser sort : i have some of a better note , that jet it in a silken coat ; i cannot boast much of their grace , but this i le say , they 're men of place , whose country-worship hath great praise for may-polizing now adaies ; though cold enough in better things , in this they reign like parish-kings ; though bit to th' bare by usury , yet prodigal to maintain mee : yea , gentiles of the female kinde , to mee devoted have their mind , they keep my festivals with joy , and fence mee from my foes annoy . themselves sometimes will lead the dance ▪ and tomboy-like , will leap and prance : and though they seem ( o fatal hap ) as light as feathers in their cap , yet how much bound to them am i , to grace mee with their levity ! and more than these , some learned men , perhaps divines , what say you then ? that have disputed oft in schools , i hope these are no simple fools : these stifly do maintain my cause , to bee according to gods laws ; they say , i benefit the poor , and help t' increase the churches store , they 'l make them good , were 't not for mee , all love would perish speedily . they champion-like , dare to maintain , that papists to the church i gain , where neither fear of god nor man , can make them come , these say , i can . o leap for joy , yee papists all , sith these do you my converts call , and cleave no more to popish rites : you are sir may-poles proselites . now traveller learn more grace to show ; and see that thou thy betters know . thou hear'st what i say for my self , i am no ape , i am no elf , i am no base ones parasite , i am this great worlds favorite , and sith thou must now part mee fro , let this my blessing with thee go . there 's not a knave in all the town , nor swearing courtier , nor base clown , nor dancing lob , nor mincing quean , nor popist clerk ▪ bee 't priest or dean , nor knight debaucht , nor gentleman , that follows drabs , or cup or can , that will give thee a friendly look , if thou a may-pole canst not brook . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a45334-e210 a an old roman strumpet the goddess of may-games . b una dolo divúm , &c. aeneid . lib. 4. c the flesh . d adultery . e fornication . f lasciviousness . g drunkenness . h carm. lib. 2. ode 13. notes for div a45334-e790 hodie mihi juppiter esto , cras mihi truncus eris , ficulnus inutile lignum . notes for div a45334-e1310 cantants fremunt , perstrepunt , tumultuantur , & fu●entibus similes insanire videntur . nicol. de clemangis , de novis celebritatibus non instituendis . vetus fabula , novi histriones . quid tristes queremoniae , si non supplicio culpa reciditur , quid leges sine moribus vanae proficiunt ? horat . carm. l. 3. ode 24. against healths . see my comment , on 2 tim. 3. 3. p 94. i have this from an eye-witness , and cannot but mourn to think , that those who should bee teachers of others , have learnt no better themselves , surgunt indocti & rapiunt coelum , &c. yea in some places maids drink healths upon their knees ; 't is vile in men , but abominable in women . there were two persons of quality , that some years since drank this kings health upon their knees , and not long after sought to betray him ; this i have from an eye-witness of good quality . omne tempus clod or , non omnes ( atones feret . sen. epist , 98. v. de croy. conformities chap. 19. conform . 1. p. 44. v. hospinian de orig. festorum p. 99. polydor. virgil. lib. 4. cap. 14. & lib. 5. cap. 2. godwin antiq. lib. 1. sect . 2. c. 9. p. 7 , 8. & l. 2. sect . 3. cap. 3. p. 87. floralia in honorem florae ; è meret●ice deae factae , agebantur à meretricibus exutis , omni cum verborum licentia , motu●mque obscaenitate . farnab . in martial . epig lib. 1. p. 2. v. aug. de civit . dei. lib. 4. cap. 8 the heathens had thirty thousand gods . weemse on 2d . command . chap 5. p. 97. vol. 2. hi ludi celebrantur cum omni laseivia , convenientes memoria meretricis . nauclerus chronogra . volat. gener. 24. p. 48. cui calculum adjecit munster in cosmographi . & rosinus de antiquit , rom. lib. 5. cap. 15. val. maximus lib. 2. c. 20. sect . 8. & seneca epist . 98. quid de effoeminata dicam juventute , quae iuxu illis temporibus ac petualantiâ dissoluta , cunctis flagitiorum generibus implicatur ? clemangis de novis celebritat . non instit . p. 144. our latras ? furem video , philip . dixit . * v. the canterburian self-conviction . * ad deteriora faciles sumus , quia nec dux , nec comes deesse potest ; & res ipsa sine duce , sine comite procedit , non pronum est iter tantum ad vitia , sed praceps . seneca epist . 98. non nisi grande aliquod bonum quod à nerone damnatum tertul. advers . gentes , cap. 5. see reasons to move us to redeem time , in mr. ambrose his sermon on eph. 5. 16. see the danger of carnal pleasures , in my comment . on 2 tim. 3. 4. p. 119 , &c. bis dicitur , quod per similitudinem dicitur . plin nat. hist . l. 18 c. 29. lactant. de falsa relig. l. 1. c. 20. fluvius quidam eloquent : â tulliana lactantius . v. ord. of parliament for the lords day , 1644. the king took it at his coronation in scotland , jan. 1. 1651. as appears by an excellent sermon preached by mr. robert douglas , p. 28. v. dr. griffiths serm. on prov. 24. ●● . p. 12. preached at mercers chap. 1660. ames c●s . cons . l. 5. 6. 39. babington on the 7th commandement . floralia cum maxima lascivia , ludis , atque jocis obscaenis , conviviis luxuriosis , coronis , saltationibus , cultu versicolore & luminibus , celebrati fuere , christianorum cujusmodi sunt hodie floralia eodem mense maio , stuckii antiquit. ovid. fastorum lib. 5. ludi florales in circo sive theatro , celebrati . coronâ cinctis . nemo malum odit , nisi qui distincte videt . barlow exercit . metaphys . p. 28. nullum vitium sine patrocinio . quae major voluptas quam fastidium talis voluptatis ? tertul . de spectac . c. 29. ubi plura . b. halls meditations and vows , cent . 3. med . 47. perkins cas . cons . l. 3. s . 4. q. 1. p. 141. boltons directions for walking . p. 154 , &c. v mr. pryn , in several treatises against episcopacy . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , absurd fellows , a compact of meer incongruities , solecising continually in opinion , speech , action , and whole life , dr. slatyr . in my com. on amos 4. 4 , 5. the great danger that is in little sins , you may see in an accurate little tract . of mr. peck , on that subject . gravissima quaeque persecutio semper suit sub praetextu aliquo honestissimo , queque major erat crudelitas , co semper fuit praetextus speciosior . rolloc . in johan . dr. griffith in his samaritan revived , p. 65. and in his sermon on prov. 24. 21. p. 40 , 41 quis tulerit gracchos de seditione querentes ? juven . * v. dr. davenant , determ . quest . 17. p. 81 * dr. prideaux , higgaion selah sect 7 , 8. p. 17 , 18 , 19. v. mr. pryn , the treachery and disloyalty of papists to their soveraigns . ille est publicus inimicus cui haec voluptas displicet . aug. de civit . dei , l. 2. c. 21. bilson . philand . par . 3. p. 179. grotius de jure belli , l. 1. c. 4. argumentum pessimum est turba . sen. see fifteen reasons against following the world . burroughs on mat. 11. 29. chap. 48. p. 204. rectè fecisse praemium est . sen. maxima peccantium poena , est peccasse . nec ullum scelus licèt fortuna illud exornet muneribus suis , licèt tueatur ac vindicet , impunitum est , quoniam sceleris in scelere supplicium est . senec. epist . 98. in my com. on hos . 13. 12. p. 6 , 7. the compleat gamester, or, instructions how to play at billiards, trucks, bowls, and chess together with all manner of usual and most gentile games either on cards or dice : to which is added the arts and mysteries of riding, racing, archery, and cock-fighting. cotton, charles, 1630-1687. 1674 approx. 240 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 125 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2003-03 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a34637 wing c6382 estc r23124 12240145 ocm 12240145 56740 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a34637) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 56740) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 136:12) the compleat gamester, or, instructions how to play at billiards, trucks, bowls, and chess together with all manner of usual and most gentile games either on cards or dice : to which is added the arts and mysteries of riding, racing, archery, and cock-fighting. cotton, charles, 1630-1687. [15], 232 p. printed by a.m. for r. cutler and to be sold by henry brome ..., london : 1674. attributed to c. cotton. cf. bm. reproduction of original in harvard university libraries. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng games -early works to 1800. gambling -early works to 1800. great britain -social life and customs -17th century. 2002-09 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2002-11 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2002-12 rina kor sampled and proofread 2002-12 rina kor text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the explanation of the frontispiece . billiards from spain at first deriv'd its name , both an ingenious , and a cleanly game . one gamester leads ( the table green as grass ) and each like warriers strive to gain the pass . but in the contest , e're the pass be won , hazzards are many into which they run . thus whilst we play on this terrestrial stage , nothing but hazzard doth attend each age . next here are hazzards play'd another way , by box and dice ; 't is hazzard is the play. the bully-rock with mangy fist , and pox , iustles some out , and then takes up the box. he throws the main , and crys , who comes at seven ? thus with a dry fist nicks it with eleven . if out , he raps out oaths i dare not tell , hot , piping out , and newly come from hell. old-nick o're-hearing , by a palming-trick secures the gamester ; thus the nickers nickt . now t' irish , or back-gammoners we come , who wish their money , with their men safe home ; but as in war , so in this subtle play , the stragling men are ta'ne up by the way . by entring then , one reinforceth more , it may be to be lost , as those before . by topping , knapping , and foul play some win ; but those are losers , who so gain by sin . after these three the cock-pit claims a name ; a sport gentile , and call'd a royal game . now see the gallants crowd about the pit , and most are stockt with money more than wit ; else-sure they would not , with so great a stir , lay ten to one on a cocks faithless spur. lastly , observe the women with what grace they sit , and look their partners in the face . who from their eyes shoot cupids fiery darts ; thus make them lose at once their game and hearts . their white soft hands , ( when e're the cards they cut ) make the men wish to change the game to putt . the women knew their thoughts , then cry'd , enough , le ts leave off whist , and go to putt , or ruff. ladies don't trust your secrets in that hand , who can't their own ( to their great grief ) command . for this i will assure you , if you do , in time you 'l lose your ruff and honour too . the compleat gamester : the compleat gamester : or , instructions how to play at billiards , trucks , bowls , and chess . together with all manner of usual and most gentile games either on cards or dice . to which is added , the arts and mysteries of riding , racing , archery , and cock-fighting . london : printed by a. m. for r. cutler , and to be sold by henry brome at the gun at the west-end of st. pauls . 1674. the epistle to the reader . reader , i was once resolv'd to have let this ensuing treatise to have stept naked into the world , without so much as the least rag of an epistle to defend it a little from the cold welcome it may meet with in its travails ; but knowing that not only custom expects but necessity requires it , give me leave to show you the motives inducing to this present publication . it is not ( i 'le assure you ) any private interest of my own that caus'd me to adventure on this subject , but the delight and benefit of every individual person ; delight to such who will pass away their spare minuts in harmless recreation if not abus'd ; and profit to all , who by inspecting all manner of games may observe the cheats and abuses , and so be arm'd against the injuries may accrue thereby . certainly there is no man so severe to deny the lawfulness of recreation ; there was never any stoick found so cruel , either to himself , or nature , but at some time or other he would unbend his mind , and give it liberty to stray into some more pleasant walks , than the miry heavy ways of his own sowr , willful resolutions . you may observe the heathen sages of the first world founded with their laws their feasts , with their labours their olympicks , with their warfare their triumphs . nay ▪ at this day the severest dionysian-pedagogue will give his scholars their play-days , & breakin gs up with a horum miserere laborum ▪ fessum quies plurimum juvat . and the most covetous masters will tye their servants but to certain hours ; every toyl exacting as ex officio , or out of duty some time for recreation . i my self have observed in the course of many men of exceeding strict lives and conversation , to whom although severity of profession , infirmity of body , extremity of age , or such like , have taken away all actual recreation , yet have their minds begot unto themselves some habits or customs of delight , which have in as large measure given them contentment whether they were their own , or borrowed , as if they had been the sole actors of the same . furthermore , recreation is not only lawful but necessary : interpone tuis inter dum ga●dia curis , vt possis animo quemvis sufferre laborem . so intermix your care with joy , you may lighten your labour by a little play . now what recreation this should be i cannot prescribe , nor is it requisite to confine any to one sort of pleasure , since herein nature taketh to her self an especial prerogative , for what to one is most pleasant , to another is most offensive ; some seeking to satisfie the mind , some the body , and others both in a joint motion . to this end i have laid before you what variety of pastimes i could collect for the present , leaving the rest ( as you like these ) to be suppli'd hereafter . mistake me not , it is not my intention to make gamesters by this collection , but to inform all in part how to avoid being cheated by them : if i am imperfect in my discoveries , imp●te it to my being no profest gamester , and the hatred 〈◊〉 bear that hellish society ; by whom i know i shall be ●aught at , and with whom if ● should converse , i might sooner by my study come to ●e nature's secretary , and ●nriddle all her arcana's , ●han collect from them any new unpractised secret , by which they bubble ignorant credulity , and purchase money and good apparel with everlasting shame and infamy . to conclude , let me advise you , if you play ( when your business will permit ) let not a covetous desire of winning another's money engage you to the losing your own ; which will not only disturb your mind , but by the disreputation of being a gamester , if you lose not your estate , you will certainly lose your credit and good name , than which there is nothing more valuable . thus hoping you will be thus advis'd , and will withal excuse my errors , i shall ever study how to serve you , and subscribe my self a well-willer to all men . the contents . of gaming in general ; or an ordinary described . pag. 1. ch. 1. of billiards . p. 23. ch. 3. of trucks . p. 39. ch. 4. of bowling . p. 47. ch. 5. of a game at chess . p. 51. principal games at cards . ch. 6. of picket . p. 81. ch. 7. the game at gleek . p. 90. ch. 8. l'ombre , a spanish game . p. 97. ch. 9. the game at cribbidge . p. 106. ch. 10. a game at all-fours . p. 111. ch. 11. english ruff and honours , and whist . p. 114. ch. 12. french-ruff . p. 121. ch. 13. five-cards . p. 123. ch. 14. of a game called costly-colours . p. 125. ch. 15. bone-ace . p. 129. ch. 16. of put and the high-game . p. 131. ch. 17. wit and reason , a game so called . p. 138. ch. 18. a pastime called , the art of memory . p. 141. ch. 19. a game called plain-dealing . p. 142. ch. 20. a game called queen nazareen . p. 143. ch. 21. lanterloo . p. 144. ch. 22. a game called penneech . p. 148. ch. 23. post and pair . p. 150. ch. 24. bankasalet . p. 152. ch. 25. beast . p. 153. games within the tables . ch. 26. of irish. p. 154. ch. 27. of back-gammon . p. 156. ch. 28. of tick-tack . p. 158. ch. 29. dubblets . p. 161. ch. 30. sice-ace . p. 162. ch. 31. ketch-dolt . p. 163. games without the tables . ch. 32. of inn and inn. p. 164. ch. 33. of passage . p. 167. ch. 34. of hazzard . p. 168. ch. 35. the art and mystery of riding , whether the great horse or any other . p. 174. ch. 36. of racing . p. 194. ch. 37. of archery . p. 203. ch. 38. of cock-fighting . p. 205. of gaming in general , or an ordinary described . gaming is an enchanting witchery , gotten betwixt 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 . it hath this ill property above all other vices , that it renders a man incapable of prosecuting any serious action , and makes him always unsatisfied with his own condition ; he is either lifted up to the top of mad joy with success , or plung'd to the bottom of despair by misfortune , always in extreams , always in a storm ; this minute the gamester's countenance is so serene and calm , that one would think nothing could disturb it , and the next minute so stormy and tempestuous that it threatens destruction to it self and others ; and as he is transported with joy when he wins , so losing he is tost upon the billows of a high swelling passion , till he hath lost sight both of sense and reason . i have seen some dogs bite the stones which boys have thrown at them , not regarding whence they were flung ; so i have seen a losing gamester greedily gnawing the innocent box , and sometimes tearing it to pieces as an accessary to his throwing out ; nor must the dice go unpunished for not running his chance , and therefore in rage are thrown on the ground to be kickt to and fro by every body ; and at last lookt upon no other than the fit companions of every saucy skip-jack . then fresh dice are called for , as thinking they will prove more kind than the former , or as if they believed that some were good natur'd , others bad , and that every bale produced a different disposition . if these run cross too , the box-keeper shall not go without a horrid execration , if for nothing else but that he lookt strictly to the cast , it may be conceiving that his very eyes were capable of making them turn to his disadvantage . this restless man ( the miserable gamester ) is the proper subject of every mans pity . restless i call him , because ( such is the itch of play ) either winning or losing he can never rest satisfied , if he wins he thinks to win more , if he loses he hopes to recover : to this mans condition the saying of hannibal to marcellus may be fitly applied , that nec bonam , nec malam fortunam ferre potest , he could not be quiet either conqueror or conquered . thus have i heard of some who with five pounds have won four hundred pounds in one night , and the next night have lost it to a sum not half so much ; others who have lost their estates and won them again with addition , yet could not be quiet till they lost them irrecoverably . and therefore fitly was that question propounded , whether men in ships at sea were to be accounted among the living or the dead , because there were but few inches betwixt them and drowning . the same quaere may be made of great gamesters , though their estates be never so considerable , whether they are to be esteemed poor or rich , since there are but few casts at dice betwixt a rich man ( in that circumstance ) and a beggar . now since speculation will not be convincing , unless we shew somewhat of the modern practice ; we must therefore lay our scene at an ordinary , and proceed to action : where note , an ordinary is a handsom house , where every day , about the hour of twelve , a good dinner is prepared by way of ordinary , composed of variety of dishes , in season , well-drest , with all other accommodations fit for that purpose , whereby many gentlemen of great estates and good repute , make this place their resort , who after dinner play a while for recreation , both moderately and commonly , without deserving reproof : but here is the mischief , the best wheat will have tares growing amongst it , rooks and daws will sometimes be in the company of pigeons ; nor can r●al gentlemen now adays so seclude themselves from the society of such as are pr●tendedly so , but that they oftentim●s mix company , being much of the same colour and feather , and by the eye undistinguishable . 〈…〉 th●se rooks can do little harm in the day time at an ordin●ry , being forc'd to play upon the s●uare , although now and then they m●ke an advantage , when the box-keeper goes with him , and then the knave and rascal will violate his trust for profit , and lend him ( when he sees good ) a tickler shall do his business ; but if discovered , the box-keeper ought to be soundly kickt for his pains : such practices , and sometimes the box-keepers connivances , are so much us'd of late , that there is nothing near that fair play in an ordinary , as formerly . the day being shut in , you may properly compare this place to those countries which lye far in the north , where it is as clear at midnight as at noon-day : and though it is a house of sin , yet you cannot call it a house of darkness , for the candles never go out till morning , unless the sudden fury of a losing gamester make them extinct . this is the time ( when ravenous beasts usually seek their prey ) wherein comes shoals of huffs , hectors , setters , gilts , pads , biters , divers , lifters , filers , budgies , droppers , crossbyters , &c. and these may all pass under the general and common appellation of rooks. and in this particular , an ordinary serves as a nursery for tyburn ; for if any one will put himself to the trouble of observation , he shall find , that there is seldom a year wherein there are not some of this gang hang as pretious iewels in the ear of tyburn : look back and you will find a great many gone already , god knows how many are to follow . these rooks are in continual motion , walking from one table to another , till they can discover some unexperienc'd young gentleman , casheer or apprentice , that is come to this school of virtue , being unskill'd in the quibbles and devices there practised ; these they call lambs , or colls : then do the rooks ( more properly called wolves ) strive who shall fasten on him first , following him close , and engaging him in some advantageous bets , and at length worries him , that is , gets all his money , and then the rooks ( rogues i should have said ) laugh and grin , saying , the lamb is bitten . some of these rooks will be very importunate to borrow money of you without any intention to pay you ; or to go with you seven to twelve half a crown or more , whereby without a very great chance ( ten to one or more ) he is sure to win : if you are sensible hereof , and refuse his proposition , they will take it so ill , that if you have not an especially care they will pick your pocket , nim your gold or silver buttons off your cloak or coat ; or it may be draw your silver-hilted sword out of your belt without discovery , especially if you are eager upon your cast , which is done thus ; the silver buttons are strung , or run upon cats guts fastned at the upper and nether end ; now by ripping both ends very ingeniously ( as they call it ) give it the gentile pull , and so rub off with the buttons ; and if your cloak be loose 't is ten to one they have it . but that which will most provoke ( in my opinion ) any mans rage to a just satisfaction , is their throwing many times at a good sum with a dry fist ( as they call it , ) that is ; if they nick you , 't is theirs ; if they lose , they owe you so much with many other quillets : some i have known so abominably impudent , that they would snatch up the stakes , and thereupon instantly draw , saying , if you will have your money you must fight for it ; for he is a gentleman and will not want : however , if you will be patient , he will pay you another time ; if you are so tame to take this , go no more to the ordinary ; for then the whole gang will be ever and anon watching an opportunity to make a mouth of you in the like nature . if you nick them , 't is odds , if they wait not your coming out at night and beat you : i could produce you an hundred examples in this kind , but they will ●arely adventure on the attempt unless they are backt with some bully-huffs , and bully-rocks , with others whose for●unes are as desperate as their own . we need no other testimony to confirm the danger of associating with these anthropo-phagi or man-eaters , than lincolns inn-fields whilst speerings ordinary was kept in bell-yard , and that you need not want a pair of witnesses for the proof thereof , take in also covent-garden . neither is the house it self to be exempted , every night almost some one or other , who either heated with wine , or made cholerick with the loss of his money , raises a quarrel , swords are drawn , box and candlesticks thrown at one anothers head , tables overthrown , and all the house in such a garboyl , that it is the perfect type of hell. happy is the man now that can make the frame of a table or chimney-corner his sanctuary ; and if any are so fortunate to get to the stair-head , they will rather hazard the breaking of their own necks than have their souls pusht out of their bodies in the dark by they know not whom . i once observed one of the desperadoes of the town ( being half drunk ) to press a gentleman very much ( at play ) to lend him a crown , the gentleman refus'd him several times , yet still the borrower persisted , and holding his head somewhat too near the casters elbow , it chanced to hit his nose , the other thinking it to be affront enough to be denied the loan of money without this slight touch of the nose , drew , and stepping back ( unawares to the gentleman ) made a full pass at him , intending to have run him through the body ; but his drunkenness ●i●guided his hand , so that he ra● him ●nly through the arm : this put the house into so great a confusion and fright , that some fled thinking the gentleman slain . this wicked miscreant thought not this sufficient , but tripping up his heels , pinn'd him as he thought to the floor ; and after this , takes the gentlemans silver sword , leaving his in the wound , and with a grand-iury of dammees ( which may hereafter find him guilty at the great tribunal ) bid all stand off if they lov'd their lives , and so went clear off with sword and liberty ; but was notwithstanding ( the gentleman recovering ) compel'd to make what satisfaction he was capable of making , besides a long imprisonment ; and was not long abroad hefore he was apprehended for burglary committed , condemned , and justly executed . — fatebere tandem nec surdum , nec tiressam quenquam esse deorum . but to proceed on as to play : late at night when the company grows thin , and your eyes dim with watching , false dice are frequently put upon the ignorant , or they are otherwise cheated by topping , slurring , stabbing , &c. and if you be not careful and vigilant , the box-keeper shall score you up double or treble boxes , and though you have lost your money , dun you as severely for it , as if it were the justest debt in the world. the more subtile and gentiler ●ort of rooks ( as aforesaid ) you shall not distinguish by their outward demeanor from persons of condition ; these will sit by a whole evening , and observe who wins ; if the winner be bubbleable , they will insinuate themselves into his company by applauding his success , advising him to leave off whilst he is well ; and lastly , by civilly inviting him to drink a glass of wine , where having well warm'd themselves to make him more than half drunk they-wheadle him in to play ; to which if he condescend he shall quickly have no money left him in his pocket , unless perchance a crown the rooking-winner lent him in courtesie to bear his charges homewards . this they do by false dice , as high-fullams 4 , 5 , 6. low-fullams 1 , 2 , 3. by bristle-dice , which are fitted for their purpose by sticking a hogs-bristle so in the corners , or otherwise in the dice , that they shall run high or low as they please ; this bristle must be strong and short , by which means the bristle bending , it will not lie on that side , but will be tript over ; and this is the newest way of making a high or low fullam : the old ways are by drilling them and loading them with quicksilver ; but that cheat may be easily discovered by their weight , or holding two corners between your forefinger and thumb , if holding them so gently between your fingers they turn , you may then conclude them false ; or you may try their falshood otherwise by breaking or splitting them : others have made them by filing and rounding ; but all these ways fall short of the art of those who make them : some whereof are so admirably skilful in making a bale of dice to run what you would have them , that your gamesters think they never give enough for their purchase if they prove right . they are sold in many places about the town ; price current ( by the help of a friend ) eight shillings , whereas an ordinary bale is sold for six pence ; for my part i shall tell you plainly , i would hav● those bales of false dice to be sold a●● the price of the ears of such destructiv● knaves that made them . another way the rook hath to cheat , is first by palming , that is , he puts one dye into the box , and keep● the other in the hollow of his little finger , which noting what is uppermost when he takes him up , the same shall be when he throws the other dye , which runs doubtfully any cast . observe this , that the bottom and top of all dice are seven , so that if it be 4 above , it must be a 3 at bottom ; so 5 and 2. 6 and 1. secondly , by topping , and that is when they take up both dice and seem to put them in the box , and shaking the box you would think them both there , by reason of the ratling occasioned with the screwing of the box , whereas one of them is at the top of the box between his two forefingers , or secur'd by thrusting a forefinger into the box. thirdly , by slurring , that is by taking up your dice as you will have them advantageously lie in your hand , placing the one a top the other , not caring if the ●ppermost run a mill-stone ( as they use ●o say ) if the undermost run without ●urning , and therefore a smooth-table is ●ltogether requisite for this purpose ; on a rugged rough board it is a hard ●atter to be done , whereas on a smoothable ( the best are rub'd over with ●ees wax to fill up all chinks and cre●ises ) it is usual for some to slur a dye ●wo yards or more without turning . fourthly , by knapping , that is when you strike a dye dead that it shall not stir , this is best done within the tables ; where note there is no securing but of o●e dye , although there are some who boast of securing both : i have seen some so dexterous at knapping , that they have done it through the handle of a quart pot , or over a candle and candlestick : but that which i most admired , was throwing through the same less than ames ace with two dice upon a groat held in the left hand on the one side of the handle a foot distance , and the dice thrown with the right hand on the other . lastly , by stabbing , that is having a smooth box , and small in the bottom , you drop in both your dice in such manner as you would have them sticking therein by reason of its narrowness , the dice lying one upon another ; so that turning up the box , the dice never tumble ; if a smooth box , if true , but little ; by which means you have bottoms according to the tops you put in ; for example , if you put in your dice so that two fives or two fours lie a top , you have in the bottom turn'd up two two's , or two treys ; so if six and an ace a top , a six and an ace at bottom . now if the gentleman be past that classis of ignoramusses , then they effect their purpose by cross-byting , or some other dexterity , of which they have variety imaginable . a friend of mine wondring at the many slights a noted gamster had to deceive , and how neatly and undiscoverably he managed his tricks , wondring withall he could not do the like himself , since he had the same theory of them all , and knew how they were done ; o young man , replied the gamester , there is nothing to be attain'd without pains ; wherefore had you been as laborious as my self in the practice hereof , and had sweated at it as many cold winter mornings in your shirt as i have done in mine , undoubtedly you would have arrived at the same perfection . here you must observe , that if these rooks think they have met with a sure bubble , they will purposely lose some small sum at first , that they may engage him the more freely to bleed ( as they call it ) which may be at the second , if not beware of the third meeting , which under the notion of being very merry with wine and good cheer , they will make him pay for the roast . consider the further inconveniences of gaming as they are rank'd under these heads . first , if the house find you free to the box and a constant caster , you shall be treated with suppers at night , and a cawdle in the morning , and have the honour to be stiled a lover of the house , whilst your money lasts , which certainly cannot be long ; for here you shall be quickly destroy'd under pretence of kindness as men were by the lamiae of old ; which you may easily gather if from no other consideration than this ; that i have seen three persons sit down at twelve penny in and in , and each draw forty shillings a piece in less than three hours , the box hath had three pound , and all the three gamesters have been losers . secondly , consider how many persons have been ruined by play , i could nominate a great many , some who have had great estates have lost them , others having good imployments have been forced to desert them and hide themselves from their creditors in some foreign plantation by reason of those great debts they had contracted through play. thirdly , this course of life shall make you liable to so many affronts and manifold vexations , as in time may breed destraction . thus a young fellow not many years since , had by strange fortune run up a very small sum to a thousand pounds , and thereupon put himself into a garb accordingly ; but not knowing when he was well fell to play again , fortune turn'd , he lost all , ran mad and so died . fourthly , is it not extreme folly for a man that hath a competent estate to play whether he or another man shall enjoy it ; and if his estate be small , then to hazard even the loss of that , and reduce himself to absolute beggery ; i think is madness in the highest degree . besides , it hath been generally observed that the loss of one hundred pounds shall do you more prejudice in disquieting your mind , than the gain of two hundred pounds shall do you good were you sure to keep it . lastly , consider not only your loss of time which is invaluable , nulla major est jactura quam temporis omissio , but the damage also the very watching brings to your health , and in particular to the eyes , confirmed by this distick . allia , vina , venus , fumus , faba , lumen & ignis , ista nocent oculis , sed vigilare magis . garlick , wine , women , smoak , beans , fire and light do hurt the eyes , but watching more the sight . i shall conclude this character with a penitential sonnet , written by a lord ( a great gamester a little before his death ) which was in the year 1580. by loss in play men oft forget the duty they do owe to him that did bestow the same , and thousand millions moe . i l●ath to hear them swear and stare when they the main have lost ; forgetting all the byes that were with god and holy ghost : by wounds and nails they think to win , but truly 't is not so ; for all their ●rets and fumes in sin they moniless must go . there is no wight that us'd it more than he who wrote this verse , who cries peccavi n●w therefore , his oaths his heart do pierce ; therefore example take by me that curse the luckless time , that ever dice mine eyes did see , which bred in me this crime . lord pardon me for what is past , i will offend no more , in this most vile and sinful cast which i will still abhor . the character of a gamester . some say he was born with cards in his hands , others that he will die so ; but certainly it is all his life , and whether he sleeps or wakes he thinks of nothing else . he speaks the language of the game he ●lays at , better than the language of hi● country ; and can less in●ure a sol●cism in that than this : he knows no judge but the groom-porter , no law but that of the game at which he is so ex●ert all appeal to him , as subordinate judges to the supream ones . he loves winter more than summer , because it affords more gamesters , and christmas more th●n any other time , because there is more gaming then . he gives more willingly to the butler than to the poors-box , and is never more religious than when he prays he may win . he imagines he is at play when he is at church ; he takes his prayer-book for a pack of cards , and thinks he is shuffling when he turns over the leaves . this man will play like nero when the city is on fire , or like archimedes when it is sacking , rather than interrupt his game . if play hath reduced him to poverty , then he is like one a drowning , who fastens upon any thing next at hand . amongst other of his shipwracks , he hath happily lost shame , and this want supplies him . no man puts his brain to more use than he ; for his life is a daily invention , and each meal a new stratagem , and like a flie will boldly sup at every mans cup. he will offer you a quart of sack out of his joy to see you , and in requital of this courtesie you can do no less than pay for it . his borrowings are like subsidies , each man a shilling or two , as he can well dispend , which they lend him not with the hope to be repaid , but that he will come no more . men shun him at length as they do an infection , and having done with the aye as his cloaths to him , hung on as long as he could , at last drops off . chap. i. of billiards . the gentile , cleanly and most ingenious came at billiards had its first original from italy , and for the excellency of the recreation is much approved of and plaid by most nations in europe especially in england there being few towns of note therein which hath not a publick billiard-table , neither are they wanting in many noble and private fam●●●es in the country , for the recreation of the mind and exercise of the body . the form of a billiard-table is oblong , that is something longer than it is broad ; it is rail'd round , which rail or ledge ought to be a little swel'd or stuft with fine flox or cotton : the superficies of the table must be covered with green-cloth , the finer and more freed from knots the better it is : the board must be level'd as exactly as may be , so that a ball may run true upon any part of the table without leaning to any side thereof ; but what by reason of ill-season'd boards which are subject to warp , or the floar on which it stands being uneven , or in time by the weight of the table , and the gamesters yielding and giving way , there are very few billiard-tables which are found true ; and therefore such which are exactly level'd are highly valuable by a good player ; for at a false table it is impossible for him to show the excellency of his art and skill , whereby bunglers many times by knowing the windings and tricks of the table have shamefully beaten a very good gamester , who at a true table would have given him three in five . but to proceed in the description thereof ; at the four corners of the table there are holes , and at each side exactly in the middle one , which are called hazards , and have hanging at the bottoms nets to receive the balls and keep them from falling to the ground when they are hazarded . i have seen at some tables wooden boxes for the hazards , six of them as aforesaid , but they are nothing near so commendable as the former , because a ball struck hard is more apt to fly out of them when struck in . there is to the table belonging an ivory port , which stands at one end of the table , and an ivory king at the other , two small ivory balls and two sticks ; where note if your balls are not compleatly round you can never expect good proof in your play : your sticks ought to be heavy , made of brasile , lignum vitae or some other weighty wood , which at the broad end must be tipt with ivory ; where note , if the heads happen to be loose , you will never strike a smart stroke , you will easily perceive that defect by the hollow deadness of your stroak and faint running of your ball. the game is five by day light , or seven if odds be given , and three by candle-light or more according to odds in houses that make a livelihood thereof ; but in gentlemens houses there is no such restriction ; for the game may justly admit of as many as the gamesters please to make . for the lead you are to stand on the one side of the table opposite to the king , with your ball laid near the cushon , and your adversary on the other in like posture ; and he that with his stick makes his ball come nearest the king leads first . the leader must have a care that at the first stroke his ball touch not the end of the table leading from the king to the port , but after the first stroke he need not fear to do it , and let him so lead that he may either be in a possibility of passing the next stroke , or so cunningly lie that he may be in a very fair probability of hazarding his adversaries ball , that very stroak he plaid after him . the first contest is who shall pass first , and in that strife there are frequent opportunitities of hazarding one another ; and it is very pleasant to observe what policies are used in hindering one another from the pass , as by turng the port with a strong clever stroke ; for if you turn it with your stick it must be set right again ; but indeed more properly he that doth it should lose one ; sometimes it is done ( when you see it is impossible to pass ) by laying your ball in the port , or before your adversaries , and then all he can do is to pass after you ; if he hath past and you dare not adventure to pass after him , for fear he should in the interim touch the king and so win the end , you must wait upon him and watch all opportunities to hazard him , or king him ; that is , when his ball lyeth in such manner that when you strike his ball may hit down the king , and then you win one . here note , that if you should king him , and your ball fly over the table , or else run into a hazard , that then you lose one notwithstanding . the player ought to have a curious eye , and very good judgment when he either intends to king his adversary's ball , or hazard , in taking or quartering out just so much of the ball as will accomplish either ; which observation must be noted in passing on your adversary's ball , or corner of the port. some i have observed so skilful at this recreation , that if they have had less than a fifth part of a ball they would rarely miss king or hazard . as this is a cleanly pastime , ●o there are laws or orders made against lolling slovingly players , that by their forfeitures they may be reduced to regularity and decency ; wherefore be careful you lay not your hand on the table when you strike or let your sleeve drag upon it , if you do it is a loss ; if you smoak and let the ashes of your pipe fall on the table , whereby oftentimes the cloth is burned , it is a forfeiture , but that should not so much deter you from it as the hindrance piping is to your play . when you strike a long stroke , hold your stick neatly between your two fore fingers and your thumb , then strike smartly , and by aiming rightly you may when you please either fetch back your adversary's ball when he lyeth fair for a pass , or many times when he lyeth behind the king , and you at the other end of the table you may king him backward . if you lie close you may use the small end of your stick , or the flat of the big end , raising up one end over your shoulder , which you shall think most convenient for your purpose . have a care of raking , for if it be not a forfeiture it is a fault hardly excusable , but if you touch your ball twice it is a loss . beware when you jobb your ball through the port with the great end of your stick that you throw it not down , if you do it is a loss , but do it so handsomly that at one stroke without turning the port with your stick you effect your purpose ; it is good play to turn the port with your ball , and so hinder your adversary from passing ; neither is it amiss if you can to make your adversary a fornicator , that is having past your self a little way , and the others ball being hardly through the port you put him back again , and it may be quite out of pass . it argueth policy to lay a long hazard sometimes for your antagonist , whereby he is often entrapped for rashly adventuring at that distance , thinking to strike your ball into the hazard , which lieth very near it , he frequently runs in himself by reason of that great distance . there is great art in lying abscond , that is , to lie at bo-peep with your adversary , either subtlely to gain a pass or hazard . here note , if your adversary hath not past and lyeth up by the king , you may endeavour to pass again , which if you do , and touch the king , it is two , but if thrown down you lose : some instead of a king use a string and a bell , and then you need not fear to have the end , if you can pass first ; this is in my judgment bungling play , there being not that curious art of finely touching at a great distance a king that stands very ticklishly . for your better understanding of the game ▪ read the ensuing orders . but there is no better way than practice to make you perfect therein . orders to be observed by such who will play at billiards . 1. if the leader touch the end of the table with his ball at the first stroke he loseth one . 2. if the follower intend to hit his adversaries ball , or pass at one stroke he must string his ball , that is , lay it even with the king , or he loseth one . 3. he that passeth through the port hath the advantage of touching the king which is one if not thrown down . 4. he that passeth twice , his adversary having not past at all , and toucheth the king without throwing him down wins two ends . 5. he that passeth not hath no other advantage than the hazards . 6. he that is a fornicator ( that is , hath past through the back of the port ) he must pass twice through the fore part , or he cannot have the advantage of passing that end . 7. he that hits down the port or king , or hazards his own ball , or strikes either ball over the table loseth one . 8. he that hazards his adversary's ball , or makes it hit down the king winneth the end . 9. if four play , two against two , he that mistakes his stroke loseth one to that side he is of . 10. he that after both balls plaid , removes the port without consent , or strikes his ball twice together , or that his adversaries ball touch his stick-hand , clothes , or playeth his adversaries balls , loseth one . 11. he that sets not one foot upon the ground when he strikes his ball shall lose an end , or if he lay his hand or sleeve on the cloth. 12. a stander by though he betts shall not instruct , direct or speak in in the game without consent , or being first asked ; if after he is advertised hereof he offend in this nature , for every fault he shall instantly forfeit two pence for the good of the company , or not be suffer'd to stay in the room . 13 he that plays a ball , while the other runs , or takes up a ball before it lie still loseth an end . 14. he that removes the port with his stick when he strikes his ball , and thereby prevents his adversaries ball from passing loseth an end . 15. all controversies are to be decided by the standers by , upon asking judgment . here note , that whosoever breaks the king forfeits a shilling , for the port ten shillings , and each stick five shillings . 16. five ends make a game by day-light , and three by candle-light . the orders in verse as i found them fram'd for a very ancient billiard-table . 1. the leading ball the upper end may'nt hit ; for if it doth it loseth one by it . 2. the follower with the king lie even shall if he doth pass or hit the others ball ; or else lose one , the like if either lay their arm or hand on board when they do play . 3. that man wins one who with the others ball so strikes the king that he doth make him fall . 4. if striking at a hazard both run in , the ball struck at thereby an end shal win . 5. he loseth one that down the port doth ●ling ; the like doth he that justles down the king. 6. he that in play the adverse ball shall touch with stick , hand , or cloaths forfeits just as much . 7. and he that twice hath past shall touch the king , the other not past at all shall two ends win . 8. if both the balls over the table flie , the striker of them loseth one thereby . and if but one upon the board attend , the striker still the loser of the end . 9. one foot upon the ground must still be set , or one end 's lost if you do that forget : and if you twice shall touch a ball e're he hath struck between an end for him is free . 10. if any stander by shall chance to bet , and will instruct , he then must pay the set . 11. the port or king being set , who moves the same with hand or stick shall lose that end or game . 12. he that can touch being past , or strike the other into the hazard is allowed another . 13. if any stander by shall stop a ball , the game being lost thereby he pays for all . 14. if any past be stricken back again , his pass before shall be accounted vain . 15. he that breaks any thing with violence , king , port , or stick is to make good th' offence . 16. if any not the game doth fully know may ask another whether it be so , remember also when the game you win , to set it up for fear of wrangling . 17. he that doth make his ball the king light hit , and holes th' other scores two ends for it . there are several other orders which only concern the house which i omit , as impertinent to the rules of playing at billiards . since recreation is a thing lawful in it self if not abused , i cannot but commend this as the most gentile and innocent of any i know , if rightly used ; there being none of those cheats to be plaid at this as at several other games i shall hereafter mention . there is nothing here to be used but pure art ; and therefore i shall only caution you to go to play , that you suffer not your self to be over-matcht , and do not when you meet with a better gamester than your self condemn the table , and do not swear as one did playing at nine-pins , this l. n. hath put false pins upon me . to conclude , i believe this pastime is not so much used of late as formerly , by reason of those spunging caterpillars which swarm where any billiard-tables are set up , who making that single room their shop , kitching and bed-chamber ; their shop , for this is the place where they wait for ignorant cullies to be their customers ; their kitching , for from hence comes the major part of their provision , drinking and smoaking being their common sustenance ; and when they can perswade no more persons to play at the table , they make it their dormitory , and sleep under it ; the floor is their feather-bed , the legs of the table their bed-posts , and the table the tester ; they dream of nothing but hazards , being never out of them , of passing and repassing , which may be fitly applied to their lewd lives , which makes them continually pass from one prison to another till their lives are ended ; and there is an end of the game . chap. iii. of trvcks . trucks is an italian game , and is much used in spain and ireland ; it is not very unlike billiards , but more boisterous , and in my opinion less gentile . it is a pastime less noted in england , wherefore the tables are rarely met withal ; one i have seen at tower-hill , but so bunglingly composed , and so irregularly form●d and fram'd , that it was fit for none to play at but such who never saw or plaid at any other than that . a right truck-table ought to be somewhat larger than a billiard-table , being at least three foot longer than it is broad and covered with green cloth , but it need not be every whit so fine as the former . it hath three holes at each end , besides the corner holes ; the middle-most at one end stands directly against the sprigg which stands for the king at billiards , and the other end , middle-most hole , stands exactly against the argolio , which is in the nature of a port at billiards . of each side there are ten holes , none of these have nets to receive the balls , and therefore it is a sport more troublesome than billiards . the argolio stands as the port at billiards as aforesaid , and is made of a strong hoop of iron fastned to the table , that it cannot stirr , having a wider passage than a port , and in its bending is higher from the board . the sprigg is another piece of iron , about the thickness of a man's little finger , and is taller than the billiard king , and driven into the board , so that it is immovable . the tacks with which they play , are much bigger than billiard sticks , and are headed at each end with iron ; the small end is round from the middle , or farther running taperwise , but the great end is flat beneath , though rounding a top ; good gamesters play for the most part with the small end . the balls are made of ivory , and are in bigness like tennis-balls , and require much art in their rounding , for otherwise they will never run true . you may lead as you do at billiards , but that is lookt upon as bungling play ; the best artist at this game usually bank at the fourth cushon from the end where the argolio stands , and is commonly markt for distinction whith a little chalk . the game because it is sooner up than billiards , is nine , and sometimes fifteen , or indeed as many , or as few as you please . he that leads must have a care he hit not the end , for that is a loss , but he may bank if he please ; if the leader lie in pass , the follower must hit him away if he can , for if he pass it is ten to one but he wins the end , because he may boldly strike at the sprigg . if the leader lies not in pass , he may either strike at him , or lye as well to pass as the former , and then all the strife lyeth in trucking one another , or striving who shall pass first . in passing here is this subtlety to be observed , if your adversary's ball lie strait before the argolio , and yours lies a little behind it , and it is your stroke , you would think it impossible to pass by reason of that obstruction ; whereas it is easily done thus , take the small end of your tack , and set it sloaping behind your ball , but touch it not , for if you do , you lose the end ; then bend your fist , and give your stick a smart cuff , and it will raise you ball over your adversary's through the port with much facility , this is called by artists , falkating ; all that the follower can do to save the end , is ( lying as he doth just against the sprigg ) to pass and touch the sprigg at one stroke , and that is two ; if he touch not the end , is the others ; if in striking the sprigg too hard , he run not out of one hole or other , and then he loseth . for the advantage of striking you may lay one hand on the table , arm , &c. without forfeiture ; but you must not touch your ball with your sleeve or hand without leave first obtained under the loss of the end . as thus , you may not know which is your ball , upon this you cry , by your leave , sir , and then you may take it up and see by the mark whether it be yours or not . if you truck your adversary's ball it is one , but if you do it and run out , or fly over the table , you lose one , so if you strike at your adversary's ball , and one or both fly over the table it is a loss to you . if after you have past you truck your adversary's ball and hit the sprigg it is three ; if you pass at one stroke truck your adversary's ball and hit the sprigg you win four ; this is very rarely done , as you may well imagin , yet i have seen it done , but never done by design , but casually ; there is much art in holding your tack rightly , the best way i can inform you is to hold the great end in your right hand , and level the small end over your fore-finger and thumb , leaning your left arm on the table , for the more steddy and direct guidance of your tack to transmit the ball to what part of the table you shall think most requisite , and when you intend a smart stroke let your shove be brisk . in short i must leave this as all other games to your observation and practice ; only this let me advise you , if any difference arise leave it to the judgment of the table , to decide the controversie , but end it not with your lives , by using two such clubbing arbitrators as you play with , for with one stroke ( they are so strong & heavy ) they are sufficient to dash out a mans brains , and by the several great mischiefs have been done thereby be advised not to fall into the like dangerous rashness . one thing i had almost forgot , and that is , if you fulkate over hand be very careful how you strike your ball , for by carelesness or missing your ball you frequently wound the table . now fulkating over hand , is , when you lie near the cushon for a pass , and your adversary's ball lies directly before yours , to make yours to jump over his through the argolio , you must strike a strong stroke , sloaping downwards , which will make your ball mount aloft . orders for a truck-table . 1. if the leader touch the end , it is the loss of one . 2. if the follower intend to hit his adversary's ball from the pass at the first stroke he must string his ball even with the sprigg , or loseth one . 3. he that passeth and first hits the sprigg wins one . 4. he that passeth twice and hits the sprigg wins two . 5. he that passeth backward ( and is called a fornicator ) he must pass twice through the fore-part , or he cannot have the advantage of passing that end . 6. he that trucks his own ball , or strikes it , or his adversary's over the table , loseth one . 7. he that trucks his adversary's ball wins two . 8. he that toucheth his adversary's ball with hand , stick , or clothes , or strikes it for his own , loseth one . 9. he that passeth and toucheth at a stroke , wins two . 10. he that having past trucks his adversaries ball and hits the sprigg with his own , wins three . 11. lastly , he that passeth , trucketh his adversary's ball and hits with his own the sprigg , wins four . there are other trivial orders which for brevity sake i here omit . chap. iv. of bowling . bowling is a game or recreation , which if moderately used is very healthy for the body , and would be much more commendable than it is were it not for those swarms of rooks which so pester bowling-greens , bares , and bowling-alleys where any such places are to be found , some making so small a spot of gound yield them more annually then fifty acres of land shall do elsewhere about the city , and this done cunning , betting , crafty matching , and basely playing booty . in bowling there is a great art in chusing out his ground , and preventing the windings , hanging , and many turning advantages of the same , whether it be in open wide places , as bares and bowling-greens , or in close bowling-alleys . where note that in bowling the chusing of the bowl is the greatest cunning . flat bowls are best for close alleys ; round byassed bowls for open grounds of advantage , and bowls round as a ball for green swarths that are plain and level . there is no advising by writing how to bowl , practice must be your best tutor , which must advise you the risings , fallings , and all the several advantages that are to be had in divers greens , and bowling-alleys ; all that i shall say , have a care you are not in the first place rookt out of your money , and in the next place you go not to these places of pleasure unseasonably , that is when your more weighty business and concerns require your being at home , or some where else . the character of a bowling-ally , and bowling-green . a bowling-green , or bowling-ally is a place where three things are thrown away besides the bowls , viz. time , money and curses , and the last ten for one . the best sport in it , is the gamesters , and he enjoys it that looks on and betts nothing . it is a school of wrangling , and worse than the schools . ; for here men will wrangle for a hairs bredth , and make a stir where a straw would end the controversie . never did mimmick screw his body into half the forms these men do theirs ; and it is an article of their creed , that the bending back of the body or screwing in of their shoulders is sufficient to hinder the over-speed of the bowl , and that the running after it adds to its speed . though they are skilful in ground , i know not what grounds they have for loud lying , crying sometimes the bowl is gone a mile , a mile , &c. when it comes short of the jack by six yards ; and on the contrary crying short , short , when he hath overbowled as far . how sensless these men appear when they are speaking sense to their bowls , putting considence in their intreaties for a good cast . it is the best discovery of humours , especially in the losers , where you may observe fine variety of impatience , whilst some fret , rail , swear , and cavel at every thing , others rejoyce and laugh , as if that was the sole design of their creation . to give you the moral of it , it is the emblem of the world , or the worlds ambition , where most are short , over , wide or wrong byassed , and some few justle in to the mistress , fortune ! and here it is as in the court , where the nearest are the most spighted , and all bowls aim at the other . chap. v. of a game at chess . chess is a royal game and more difficult to be understood than any other game whatever , and will take up sometimes in the playing so long a time that i have known two play a fortnight at times before the game hath been ended : and indeed i believe the tediousness of the game hath caus'd the practice thereof to be so little used ; however since this pastime is so highly ingenious that there is none can parallel it , i shall here lay down some brief instructions tending to the knowledg thereof . the first and highest is a king , the next in height is a queen , the cloven heads are bishops ; they who have heads cut aslaunt like a feather in a helmet are called knights , the last are called rooks , with a round button'd cap on his head , and these signifie the country and peasantry , the pawns are all alike , and each nobleman hath one of them to wait upon him ▪ the chess-men standing on the board , you must place the white king in the fourth house being black from the corner of the field in the first and lower rank , and the black king in the white house , being the fourth on the other side in your adversaries first rank opposite to the white king ; then place the white queen next to the white king in a white house , which is the fourth on that side of the field ; likewise the black queen in a black house next to a black king in the same rank . then place on the other side of the king in the same rank , first a bishop , because he being a man of counsel is placed before the knight , who is a man of action or execution ; the knight after the bishop , and after the knight place the rook ( who is the peasant or country-man ) in the last place or corner of the field : place also on the queens side and next to her a bishop , next a knight and then a rook ; the pawns take up the last place ; one of which you must place before each nobleman as attendants , so that these great or nobleman fill up the first rank and the pawns the second from one corner of the field to the other , and as many great men and pawns as belong to the king so many hath the queen , viz. three great men and four pawns apiece , that is , one bishop , one knight , and one rook with their pawns . having thus placed and ordered your men , you must in the next place consider their march how they advance and take guard and check . the pawns do commonly begin first the onset , and their march is forward in their own file , one house at once only and never backward ; for the pawns alone never retreat , the manner of his taking men is side-ways in the next house forward of the next file to him on either side , where when he hath captivated his enemy , and placed himself in his seat , he proceeds and removes forward one house at once in that file , until he find an opportunity to take again . the pawn guards a piece of his side which stands in that place , where if it were one of the contrary party he might take it . in like manner the pawn checks the king , viz. as he takes not as he goes , which check if the adverse king cannot shun either by taking up the pawn himself ( if the pawn be unguarded , or occasion his taking by some of his pieces , he must of necessity remove himself out of the pawns check ) or if it lie not in his power it is pawn-mate , and so the game is ended , and lost by him whose king is so mate . the rook goes backward and forward in any file and cross-ways to and fro in any rank as far as he will , so that there stands no piece between him and the place he would go to . thus he doth guard his own and check the king also , which check if the king can neither cover by the interposition of some piece of his between the checking rook and himself , nor take the rook , nor be the cause of his taking , he must remove himself out of that check or it is mate , and the game is up . the knight skips forward , backward and on either side from the place he stands in to the next save one of a different colour , with a sideling march or a sloap , thus he kills his enemies , guards his friends , and checks the king of the adverse party , which because ( like the pawns check ) it cannot be covered , the king must either remove or course the knight to be taken ( for he himself cannot take the knight that checks him ) or its mate , and the game is up . the bishop walks always in the same colour of the field that he is first placed in , forward and backward asloap every way as far as he lists ; provided , that the way be clear between him and the place he intends to go to : thus he rebukes the adversary , guards his consorts , and checks the adverse king , which not being avoided as aforesaid , is mate to him and the game is ended . the queens walk is more universal ; for she goes the draughts of all the aforenamed pieces , ( the knights only excepted , for her march is not from one colour to the other asloap ) so far as she listeth finding the way obstructed by any piece , and thus she disturbs her adversaries , protects her subjects , and mates the king , unless ( as aforesaid ) he removes , covers , takes , or causes her to be taken , otherwise it is his mate and the game is concluded . the kings draught is from his own to the next to him any way , that either is empty of his own subjects or where he may surprise any unguarded enemy , or where he may stand free from the check of any of the adverse party . thus he confounds his foes , defends his friends , but checks not the king his enemy , who never check one another ; for there must ever be one house or place at least between the two kings , though unpossest of any other piece ; and if one king be compel'd to flie for refuge to the king of the adverse party then it is mate or a stale , and so he that gives the first wins the game . let this suffice for the various draughts and several walks of the chess-men ▪ but this is not all , i shall give you some other instructions as brief as i may , and refer the rest to your own observation . kings and queens have seven a piece to attend them . the king whether white or black guards five persons before he goes forth , and being once advanced into the field , though it be but into the second house , he then and afterwards in his march guards eight houses till he come again to one side or other of the field . the five the king guards before his march , are the queen , the bishop , his own , his queens , and his bishops pawn . the queen protects her king , and bishop her kings , her bishops , and her own pawn . thus the queen guards as many as the king before she goes forth , and after till the game be won or lost . the kings bishop guards the kings pawn , and his knights , the queens bishop guards , the queens pawn and her knights guard but three houses apiece before they go forth ; but after they are marched off from the side of the field , they guard as many houses as the king and queen do . those houses which the knights guard ere they go out are the kings . the knight guards the kings pawn , and the third house in the front of the kings bishops pawn , and the third house in the front of the kings rooks pawn . the queens knight guards her pawn , and the third house in the front of her bishops pawn , also the third house in the front of her rooks pawn . the kings rook guards his own pawn , and the kings knight and no more till he be off of the side of the field , and then he guards four houses , and the same does the queens rook. the pawns likewise guard these places before they be advanced into the field , viz. the kings pawn guards the third house before the queen , and the third before the kings bishop , the queens pawn guards the third house before the king , and the third before her bishop . the kings bishop's pawn guards the third house before the king , and the third before the kings knight . the queens bishop's pawn guards the third house before the queen , and the third before the queens knight . the kings knights pawn guards the third house before the kings bishop , and the third before the kings rook. the queens knight's pawn guards the third house before the queens bishop , and the third before the queens rook. the kings rooks pawns , and the queens rooks pawn guard but one house apiece , that is to say , the third houses before the knight , because they stand on the side of the field . next consider the value of the great men . the king exposeth not himself to danger upon every occasion , but the queen is under him as general , and doth more sevice than any two great men besides ; and when it happens that she is lost , her king most certainly loseth the field , unless the adversary knows not how to make use of so great an advantage . wherefore if a king lose two or three of his best men in taking the opponents queen , yet he hath the best of it if he can but manage his game rightly . next to the queen in value is the rook , and is as much in worth above the bishop and knight as the queen is above him ; so that a rook is more worth than two bishops or two knights because he can give a mate by the help of the king , which no other piece can do , unless plaid with excellent skill . bishops are accounted better than knights , because they can give a mate with a king when no other men are left to help them , with more ease than the knights can ; for they seldom or never do it : yet it is more dangerous to lose a knight than a bishop , because the knights check is more dangerous than the bishops ; for the bishop is tyed to one colour of the field out of which he cannot pass , but the knight passeth through all the houses of the field ; the bishops check may be covered , the knights cannot ; besides if it fall out that one of the kings hath no other men left but his bishops , and the other king none but his knights , the knights with their checks can take the bishops one after another , because the bishops cannot guard each other which the knights can do ; so that at the beginning of the game it is better to lose bishops for the adversaries knights than the contrary . the difference of the worth of pawns is not so great as that noblemen , because there is not such variety in thier walks , only thus much , the kings bishop's pawn is the best in the field among the pawns , and therefore the gamester ought to be very careful of him ; for if it should happen that the black king lose his bishop's pawn to gain the white kings pawn , the black kings loss is the greater , because he cannot after this accident make a rank of pawns of three of a rank on that side of the field for his own security , which is a great disadvantage , so that it is better for either of the kings to lose his own pawn than his bishops . but if you should object that the king which loseth his bishops pawn may relieve himself on the other side of the field , turning to his queens rooks quarters , where he shall have pawns to succour him , i answer , 't is true , he may do so , but he will be a longer time in effecting his business , because there are more pieces between him and his queens rooks by one draught than between his own rook and himself ; so that in playing that draught he indangers the whole game if his adversary know how to make use of advantages . the kings pawn is next in worth which oftentimes keeps the king from check by discovery ; then the queens pawn is next , and after that the knights , and last of all the rooks pawns , because they guard but one house apiece in the field . the king and the pawn have certain priviledges granted them , which none of the other chess-men have ; as for instance , the king whose remove ( as hath been already mentioned ) is from the place of his standing at any time to the next house in file or rank of any side ( that is one only step at once , ) yet if at any time his rank be empty of his men , so that no one stands between the king and the rook of either corner , the king may then shift or change with what rook he pleaseth , between whom and himself the way stands clear from other men ; and that for his better security , provided , that neither the king nor the rook he intends to change with , hath not as yet been removed from the place of their first standing ; now the manner of the kings shifting or changing with a rook is thus : the rank cleared as aforesaid , and neither king nor rook having yet stirred , he may go two draughts at once to his own rook , and so towards his queens rook , causing the rook he changeth with to change his place , and come and stand by him on the other side ; that is , his own rook in the bishops place , and the queens rook in the queens place , and either of these changes but for one draught . this is the kings first prerogative . the second is , that whereas any man may be taken by any adversary , if he be brought so near as to come within the compass , the king cannot , but he is only to be saluted by his adversary with the word check , advising him thereby to look about him the more warily , and provide for his own safety : now if that adversary do this unguarded so near the king , he may step thither by his true draught , and the king may stay him with his own hand if he judge it convenient . as for the pawn , the first priviledg he hath , is , that whereas his walk is but to the next house forward in his own file at once when he marcheth , and to the next house side-long forward of the next file of either side , when he takes , i say , his priviledg is , that he may remove to the second house forward , which is the fourth rank in his own file for his first draught , and ever after but one forward at once . the second priviledg is greater , and that is , when any pawn is come so far as to the first rank of the adversary , and seats himself in any of his noble houses , he is dignified for this fact with the name and power of a queen , and so becomes chief of his own kings forces if the first queen were slain before , and if the first queen be yet standing in the field , the pawn coming to the rank aforesaid in any house whatsoever , may there make what piece you please which you have already lost . some are of opinion that chess as well as draughts may be plaid by a certain rule , indeed i am partly inclined to believe it notwithstanding that most are of a contrary opinion . the first remove is an advantage , and therefore you must draw for who shall have the first draught , which may be done with a black and white man distributed in to either hand , and offer'd the opponent which he will chuse ; if he chuse his own man the first draught is his ; but when a game is ended , and a mate given , he is to have the first draught next game who gave the former mate . the first remove is divers according to the judgment of the gamester , as some will first remove their kings knights pawn one single remove , that is to the third house in his own file , others play the kings rooks pawn first a double draught ; but the best way is to play the kings pawn first a double remove , that so if they are not prevented by their adversaries playing the like , they may still move that pawn forward with good guard ; for he will prove very injurious to the adverse king. this pawn i shall advise you to remove first , but not so venturously as a double remove , because if you cannot guard him cunningly , then are you like to lose him with a check to your king , by the queens . coming forth upon him to the great hazard of your kings rook ; therefore play your kings rook one single remove , that there may be way made for the coming forth of queen one way two houses asloap , and to your kings bishop the other way three houses asloap , and so upon the neglect of your adversary he may be put to a scholars check , at least in danger of it : here note it is ill to play the bishops pawn first , and worse to play the queens . he that would be an artist in this noble game , must be so careful to second his pieces , that if any man advanced be taken , the enemy may be likewise taken by that piece that guards or seconds it ; so shall he not clearly lose any man , which should it fall out contrarily might lose the game ; he must also make his passages free for retreat , as occasion shall serve , lest he be worsted . in defending you must also be very careful that you are as able to assault as your enemy ; for you must not only answer your adversaries assault by foreseeing his design by his play , and preventing it , but you must likewise devise plots , how to pester and grieve your assailant , and chiefly how to entrap such pieces as are advanced by him , preventing their retreat , amongst which a pawn is the soonest ensnared , because he cannot go back for succour or relief ; but bishops and rooks are harder to be surprized , because they can march from one side of the field to the other to avoid the ensuing danger , but the knights and queens of all are most difficulty betray'd , because they have so many places of refuge , and the queen more especially ; where note as a gret piece of policie , that if possible you constantly have as many guards upon any one piece of yours as you see your enemy hath when he advanceth to take it , and be sure withall that your guards be of less value than the pieces he encountreth you with ; for then if he fall to taking you will reap advantage thereby ; but if you see you cannot guard yours but must of necessity lose it , then be very circumspect and see whether you can take a far better piece of his in case he takes yours , by advancing some other piece of yours in guard ; for so ( as it often falls out ) that yours which you had given over for lost may be saved , whereas no other way could have done it . when an adverse piece comes in your way , so that by it all may be taken , consider with your self first whether it be equal in worth to yours ; next whether it can do you any damage in the next draught , if not let it alone ; for as it is best to play first , so it is to take last ; unless as was said you might take the piece clear , or get a better than that you lose to take it , or at least disorder him one pawn in his taking your man that took his ; but when you have the advantage be it but of one good piece for a worse , or of a pawn clear , then it is your best way to take man for man as often as you can ; besides you are to note , that whatsoever piece your adversary plays most or best withall , be sure if it lie in your power to deprive him thereof though it be done with loss of the like , or of one somewhat better , as a bishop for a knight ; for by this means you may frustrate your adversaries design and become as cunning as himself . now the chief aim at chess is to give the mate , which is when you so check the king of the adverse party , that he can neither take the checking piece ( because it is guarded ) nor cover the check , nor yet remove out of it . your care ought to be in the interim how to deprive him of some of his best pieces , as his queen or rook ; and the way to entrap a queen is two-fold , first by confining her to her king , so that she may not remove from him for leaving him in check of an adverse piece ; secondly , by bringing her to or espying her in such a place as a knight of yours may check her king , and the next draught take her . in the same manner you may serve a bishop if the adverse queen covers her slope-wise ; but if she stand not in such a posture she may be brought to it ; entice her thither with some unguarded man , which she out of eagerness of taking for nothing , may indiscreetly bring her self into trouble . but if you intend to cath the queen with a knight , imagine that the adverse king stands in his own place unremoved , and that the queen hath brought her self to stand in that place where the kings rooks pawn stood ; first , she standing in this posture bring if you can one of your knights to check her king in the third house before his own bishop ; and if there be no man ready to take up your knight , immediately he will take up the queen at the next draught . the rooks are also to be surprized two ways ; first , by playing your bishop into your knights pawns first place of standing , which bishop shall march aslope towards the adverse rook of the opposite corner , which if you can make uncovered of the knights pawn , your bishop will then undoubtedly take clear for nothing ; the other way is like that of surprizing the queen with a bishop or a knight ; where you must take notice ●●at your adversaries queens rook is so much the easier to be taken with your queens knight , that that knight at his third draught may check the king and take the same rook at his fourth draught . there are several other ways to take a rook , which practice must inform you . there is an ingenious way of taking a great man for a pawn ; when you espy two great men of your adversaries standing in one and the same rank , and but one house between them , then prepare a guard ( if you have it not ready to your hand ) for a pawn , which bring up to the rank next to them in the middle or front of both of them , and without doubt , if he save the one your pawn will take the other ; this way of taking is called a fork or dilemma . the neatest and most prejudicial trick you can put upon your adversary at chess is a check by discovery , which may be thus effected ; observe when you find your adversaries king any way weakly guarded , or perhaps not all , that is , easie to be checked then before you bring that piece that can check him there to provide some other man in that course that checks him not ; afterwards bring that piece of yours which will check him ( your brought-piece being away ) and then with all possible speed remove away for that former piece where it may most annoy him , saying withall , check by discovery of your last brought a piece : which he being compelled to cover or remove , you may do him a greater prejudice with that piece you removed from between the check at the next draught thus demonstrated . suppose you play with the white-men , he removes first his kings pawn a double draught forward , you answer him with the like play ; he then plays out his kings knight in front of his kings bishop's pawn , you do the like with yours : that knight of his takes your kings pawn , and your knight takes his likewise ; he advances the queens pawn , and removes to chase away or to take your knight ; you play up your white queen one remove before your king to frighten his knight also : he thinks it better to save his knight from your queen , than take yours with his queens pa●n ; and therefore conveys him away into a more secure place ; you play your kings knight in front of his queens bishop's pawn , and there withall say , check by discovery of your queen ; now let him cover this check by discovery as well as he can , your knight at the next draught will assuredly take his queen . there are several other ways to make a discovery , and a mate given with it , which is the noblest mate of all . a queen if lost indangers m●ch the game ; but if there be pawns left on either side , there is possibility of making a new queen , and so by consequence the renovation of the game , which ten to one was lost before : there are several ways to mate this queen and estate her in as great power as the former , for brevity sake , two pawns in files next one to the other , and plaid first one forward and the other backward close together is a good way to make a new queen , especially if any one of them be guarded underneath with a rook , for so they will force their way before them , nor can any of them be taken without great difficulty and danger . as to short mates take these observations : having both placed your men and yours the first draught ; suppose you advance your kings pawn forward one single remove , your adversary plays his kings pawn forward a double remove in his own file ; you at your second draught come out with your queen upon that pawn , placing her in the house forward of your kings rooks file , your enemy to guard his kings pawn plays forth his queens knight into the third house of the queens bishops file , you ( hoping that he will not spy the attempt ) bring out for your third draught your kings bishop , which you place in the fourth house of your queens bishops file , he not perceiving your intention judging all secure makes for your queen with his kings knight , playing it in the front of his kings bishops pawn , either to chase her away or take her ; you immediately upon this take up that bishops pawn with your queen , and for your fourth draught give him a mate , which is called a scholars mate ; because any but young beginners may prevent it . you may also give a mate at two draughts if you encounter with a raw gamester , playing after this manner ; first remove his kings bishops pawn a single draught ( which is ill play at first ) you your kings pawn a single remove , he his kings knights pawn advanced a double remove for his second draught , you bringing out your queen into the fifth house of your kings rooks file give him a mate at your second draught . there is another called a blind-mate , and that is when your adversary gives you a check that you cannot avoid by any means , and is indeed a mate absolute ; but he not seeing it to be a mate , says only to you check , and it is therefore called a blind-mate ; this should be both loss of game and stake if you before agree not to the contrary . a stale may be termed a mate and no mate , an end of the play but no end of the game , because it properly should be ended with a check-mate . the stale is thus when his king hath the worst of the game , and brought to such a strait , that he hath but one place to flie unto , and the pursuing king is so unadvised as to bar him of that place or stop it without checking him , the distressed king being no way able to remove but in check , and having no other piece of his own that he can play , then it is a stale and a lost game to him that gives it . therefore he that follows the flying king gives him check as long as he hath any place to fly to ; but when he hath none left to avoid his check , let him then say check-mate , and both game and stake are won . lastly , there is another term used in chess-playing , and that is called a dead-game , which makes ( if i may say improperly ) an endless end of the game , both gamesters saving their stakes : and thus it is , when the assailant falls to take all that comes near , carelesly giving man for man , so that it happens that either king hath but one man apiece left him , the assailant following his eager pursuit takes his adversaries man , not minding that his king can take his also , so that the kings losing all their men and they being so unable to come so near as to grapple the game is ended , but the stakes on both sides are saved . i shall conclude this game with the laws of chess , which are these following . 1. what piece soever of your own you touch or lift from the point whereon it standeth , you must play it for that draught if you can , and into what house you set your man there it must stand for that draught , according to the saying at this game , touch and take , out of hand and stand . 2. if you take up your adversaries man , and after think best to let it stand untaken , before you set your piece in place thereof , you must cry him mercy or lose the game . 3. if your adversary play a false draught , and you see it not till you play your next draught 't will then be too late to challenge him for it . 4. if you play a false draught through mistake , and your adversary take no notice for his advantage , and plays his next draught , you cannot recall it . 5. if you misplace your men , and so play a while , and then discover it , it lies in your adversaries power to continue or begin the game . 6. pawns may be plaid a double remove forward for their first draught , but no pawn hath that priviledg without permission , on whose next file on either side a pawn of your adversaries is already advanced as far as your fourth rank . 7. the standing of the king ought to be certain in his shifting and not as you please to place him as some men play . 8. if your king standing in the check of any adverse piece , and you have plaid one draught or more without avoiding the check , your adversary may say , check to you when he listeth , and for your draught then make you avoid that check you stood in , though it may be to your great peril . 9. if any one condition by wager , that he will give mate or win the game , and the adversary brings it to a dead-game , though he save the first stake yet he loseth the wager . 10. he that gives over the game before it is finished , without the consent of his adversary , loseth his stake . many more observations might be here inserted for the understanding of this noble game , which i am forced to wave to avoid prolixity . principal games on cards . chap. vi. picket . before you begin the game at picket , you must throw out of the pack the deuces , treys , fours and fives , and play with the rest of the cards , which are in number thirty and six . the usual set is an hundred , not but that you may make it more or less ; the last card deals and the worst is the dealers . the cards are all valued according to the number of the spots they bear , the ace only excepted , which wins all other cards , and goes for eleven . the dealer shuffles , and the other cuts , delivering what number he pleaseth at a time , so that he exceed not four nor deal under two , leaving twelve on the table between them . he that is the elder , having lookt over his cards , and finding never a court-card among them , says i have a blanck , and i intend to discard such a number of cards , and that you may see mine , discard you as many as you intend ; this done , the eldest shows his cards and reckons ten for the blanck , then taking up his cards again he discards those which he judgeth most fit : here note he is always bound to that number which he first propounded . this being done , he takes in as many from the stock as he laid out ; and if it should chance to fall out that the other hath a blank too , the youngers blank shall bar the former and hinder his picy and repicy , though the eldest hands blank consists of the biggest cards . it is no small advantage to the eldest to have the benefit of discarding , because he may take in eight of the twelve in the stock discarding as many of his own for them , not but that if he find it more advantageous he may take in a less number ; after this the antagonist may take in what he thinks fit , acquitting his hand of the like number . here note , that let the game be never so good the gamesters are both obliged to discard one card at least . after the discarding you must consider the r●ff , that is how much you can make of one suit ; the eldest speaks first , and if the youngest makes no more the ruff is good , and sets up one for every ten he can produce ; as for example , for thirty reckon three , for forty four , and so onward , withall take notice you are to count as many for thirty five as for forty , and as much for forty five as fifty , and so of the rest ; but from thirty five to thirty nine you must count no more than for thirty five , and so 〈◊〉 thirty to thirty four count no more than for thirty ; and this rule is to be observed in all other higher ●●●bers . as for sequences and their val●● after the ruff is plaid , the elder acquaints you with his sequences ( if he have them ) and they are tie●●es , quarts , quints , sixiesms , sep●●●sms , huictiesms and neu●●esms , as thus ; six , seven , and eight ; nine , ten , and knave ; queen , king , and ace ; which last is calleh a tierce major , because it is the highest . a quart is a sequence of four cards , a quint of five , a sixism of six , &c. these sequences take their denomination from the highest card in the sequence . it is a tierce major or a tierce of an ace when there is queen , king and ace , a tierce of a king when the king is the best card ; a tierce of a queen when there is neither king nor ace , and so till you come to the lowest tierce , which is a tierce of an eight . you must reckon for every tierce three , for a quart four , but for a quint fifteen , for a sixiesm sixteen , and so upward ; now what ever you can make of all you must add to your blank , and count the whole together . here note that the biggest tierce , quart , or other sequence , although there be but one of them makes all the others less sequences useless unto him be they never so many ; and he that hath the biggest sequence by vertue thereof reckons all his less sequences , though his adversaries sequences be greater , and otherwise would have drowned them . farther observe , that a quart drowns a tierce , and a quint a quart , and so of the rest , so that he who hath a sixiesm may reckon his tierces , quarts , or quints , though the other may happen to have tierce , quart , &c. of higher value than the others are that hath the sixiesm ; trace the same method in all the other like sequences . after you have manifested your sequences , you come to reckon your three aces , three kings , three queens , three knaves , or three tens , as for nines , eights , sevens , and sixes , they have no place in this account ; for every ternary you count three , and they are in value as it is in sequences ; aces the highest and best , kings next , after these queens , then knaves , and last of all tens . the higher drowns the lower here as in the sequences . he that hath three aces may reckon his three queens , knaves , or tens , if he have them , though the other hath three kings ; and this is done by reason of his higher ternary . now he that hath four aces , four kings , four queens , four knaves , or four tens , for each reckons fourteen , which is the reason they are called quatorzes . now they b●gin to play the cards , the elder begins and younger follows in suit as at whisk , and for every ace , king , queen , knave , or ten , he reckons one . a card once play'd must not be recalled , unless he have a card of the same suit in his hand , if the elder hand plays an ace , king , queen , or ten , for every such card he is to reckon one , which he adds to the number of his game before ; and if the other be able to play upon it a higher card of the same suit , he wins the trick , and reckons one for his card as well as the other . whosoever wins the last trick reckons two for it , if he win it with a ten , but if with any cards , under , he reckons but one ; then they tell their cards , and he that hath the most is to reckon ten for them . after this , each person sets up his game with counters , and if the set be not up , deal again ; now a set is won after this manner , admit that each party is so forward in his game that he wants but four or five to be up , if it so happens that any of the two have a blank , he wins the set , because the blanks are always first reckoned ; but if no blanks , then comes the ruff , next your sequences , then your aces , kings , queens , knaves , and tens , next what cards are reckoned in play , and last of all the cards you have won . if any of the gamesters can reckon , either in blanks , ruffs , sequences , aces , &c. up to thirty in his own hand , without playing a card , and before the other can reckon any thing , instead of thirty he shall reckon ninety , and as many as he reckons after above his thirty , adding them to his ninety ; this is known by the name of a repicy . moreover , he that can make in like manner , what by blank , ruff , sequences , &c. up to the said number , before the other hath play'd a card , or reckoned any thing , instead of thirty he reckons sixty , and this is called a picy . here note , that if you can but remember to call for your picy , or repicy , before you deal again , you shall lose neither of them , otherwise you must . he that wins more than his own cards reckons ten , but he that wins all the cards reckons forty , and this is called a capet . the rules belonging to this game are these . if the dealer give more cards than his due , whether through mistake or otherwise , it lieth in the choice of the elder hand whether he shall deal again or no , or whether it shall be play'd out . he that forgets to reckon his blank , ruff , sequences , aces , kings , or the like , and hath begun to play his cards cannot recall them . so it is with him that sheweth not his ruff before he play his first card , losing absolutely all the advantage thereof . he that misreckons any thing , and hath play'd one of his cards , and his adversary finds at the beginning , middle , or end of the game , that he had not what he reckoned , for his punishment he shall be debar'd from reckoning any thing he really hath , and his adversary shall reckon all he hath , yet the other shall make all he can in play . he that takes in more cards than he discardeth is liable to the same penalty . he that throws up his cards imagining he hath lost the game , mingling them with other cards on the table though afterward he perceive his mistake , yet he is not allowed to take up his cards and play them out . no man is permitted to discard twice in one dealing . he that hath a blank , his blank shall hinder the other picy and repicy , although he hath nothing to shew but his blank . he that hath four aces , kings , queens , &c. dealt him and after he hath discarded one of the four reckons the other three , and the other say to him it is good ; he is bound to tell the other , if he ask him what ace , king , queen , &c. he wants . if after the cards are cleanly cut , either of the gamesters know the upper card by the backside , notwithstanding this the cards must not be shuffled again . in like manner , if the dealer perceive the other hath cut himself an ace , and would therefore shuffle again , this is not permitted ; and if a card be found faced , it shall be no argument to deal again , but must deal on ; but if two be found faced , then may he shuffle again . lastly , whosoever is found changing or taking back again any of his cards , he shall lose the game , and be accounted a foul player . chap. vii . the game at gleek . deuces and treys must be cast out as useless in this game , then listing for dealing the least card deals : the number of persons playing must be three , neither more nor less , and most frequently they play at farthing , half-penny , or penny-gleek , which in play will amount considerably . the dealer delivers the cards by four till every one hath twelve , and the rest are laid on the table , for the stock , being in number eight , seven whereof are bought and the ace is turned up ; the turn'd up card is the dealers ; and if it be tiddy turn'd up is four apiece from each to the dealer . the ace is called tib , the knave tom , the four of trumps tiddy , tib the ace is fifteen in hand and eighteen in play , because it wins a trick , tom the knave is nine , and tiddy is four , the fifth towser , the sixth tumbler , which if in hand towser is five and tumbler six , and so double if turn'd up , and the king and queen of trumps is three . the eldest hand bids for the stock in hopes of bettering his game , though sometimes it makes it worse : the first penny you bid is twelve , thirteen , and so on ; if at sixteen they say take it , and none will venture more for it , he is bound to take it , that is taking in seven cards , and putting out seven in their stead , and must pay besides eight to one and eight to the other of the gamesters for buying , if any odd money be given , as 15 , 17. or the like , the eldest hand usually claims it , or else it is given to the box ; but if he have mournival , gleek or tiddy in his hand after he hath taken in the stock he bates for them all , and so possibly may gain by it , if he have a good hand and pay for his buying two . here you must note that if tib be turned up it is fifteen to the dealer in reckoning after play , but he must not make use of it in play being the trump-card , for then 't would make him eighteen , because it would win a trick which is three more . next you speak for the ruff , and he that hath most of a suit in his hand wins it , unless some of the gamesters have four aces and then he gains the ruff , though you have never so many of a suit in your hand . if any wins a ruff , and forgets to show it before a card plaid loseth it , and he that shews any for a ruff after shall have it . the first or eldest says , i 'le vye the ruff , the next says , i 'le see it , and the third , i 'le see it and revie it : i 'le see your revie , says the first ; because he hath as many in his hand as another : the middle probably says , i 'le not meddle with it ; then they shew their cards , and he that hath most of a suit wins six pence or farthings according to the game of him that holds out longest , and four of the other that said he would see it , but after refused to meddle with it ; but if any of the three gamesters says he hath nothing to say as to the ruff he pays but a farthing , half-pence , penny , according as the game is aforesaid ; and if the eldest and second hand pass the ruff the youngest hath power to double it , and then it is to be plaid for the next deal , and if any forgets to call for the double ruff , it is to be play'd for the next deal after that . sometimes one of the gamesters having all of a suit in his hand bids high for the ruff , and the other having four aces is resolved to bid higher , so that it sometimes amounts to sixteen and more , then i 'le see it and revie , saith one ; i 'le see it and revie , saith another , that is , eight to the winner , and all above is but two a time , as it may be they will say , i 'le see it and revie it again , and i 'le see that and revie it again , saith another , for which seeing and revying they reckon but two , after that it is once come to eight ; but he that hath the four aces carrieth it clearly , &c. as aforesaid . buying or bidding for the ruff is when you are in likelihood to go in for mournival , gleek , or increase of trumps , that so if you have bad cards , you may save your buyings and your cards too , whereas otherwise ? you may lose all . if you call for either mournival or gleek , and have lay'd them out in the stock , if you be taken in it , for forfeit double what you receive . sometimes out of policy or a vapour they will v●e when they have not above thirty in their hands , and the rest may have forty or fifty , and being afraid to see it , the first many times wins out of a meer bravado , and this is good play though he acquaint you with it hereafter . a mournival of aces is eight , of kings six , of queens four , and a mournival of knaves two a piece . a gleek of aces is four , of kings three , of queens two , and of knaves one a piece from the other two gamesters . a mournival is either all the aces , the four kings , queens , or knaves , and a gleek is three of any of the aforesaid . here note , that twenty two are your cards ; if you win nothing but the cards that were dealt you , you lose ten ; if you have neither tib , tom , tiddy , king , queen , mournival , nor gleek , you lose because you count as many cards as you had in tricks , which must be few by reason of the badness of your hand ; if you have tib , tom , king , and queen of trumps in your hand , you have thirty by honours , that is , eight above your own cards , besides the cards you win by them in play . if you have tom only , which is nine and the king of trumps , which is three , then you reckon from twelve , thirteen , fourteen , fifteen , till you come to two and twenty , and then every card wins so many half-pence , pence , &c. as you play'd for ; if you are under two and twenty you lose as many . here note , that before the cards are dealt , it is requisite to demand , whether the gamesters will play at tiddy , or leave it out , it being a card that is apt to be forgotten ; and know , that it is lookt upon as very foul play to call for a gleek of kings , aces , queens , or knaves , when the person hath but two in his hands . if yo discard wrong , i. e. lay out but 5 or 6 cards , if you call for any gleek or mournivals , you lose them all if it be found out that you so discard . let this suffice for this noble and delightful game or recreation . chap. viii . l'ombre a spanish game . there are several sorts of this game called l'ombre , but that which is the chief is called renegado , at which three only can play , to whom are dealt nine cards apiece , so that by discarding the eights , nines and tens , there will remain thirteen cards in the stock ; there is no trump but what the player pleaseth ; the first hand hath always the liberty . to play or pass , after him the second , &c. there are two sorts of counters for stakes , the greater and the lesser , which last have the same proportion to the other as a penny to a shilling : of the great conters each man stakes one for the game , and one of the lesser for passing , and for the hand when eldest , and for every card taken in one counter . there are two suits , black and red ; of the black there is first the spadillo , or ace of spades ; the mallillio or black deuce , the basto or ace of clubs ; the king , the queen , the knave , the seven , the fix , the five , four , and three . of the red suit there is the spadillo , punto , mallillio , &c. the spadillo or ace of spades , is always the first card , and always trump , and the basto or ace of clubs is always third ; of the black there is 11 trumps , of the red 12. the red ace enters into the fourth place when it is trump and it is called punto then , otherwise only called an ace . the least small cards of the red are always best , and the most of the black ; except the deuce and red seven , which are called the mallillio's and always second when trump . the matadors ( or killing cards ) which are the spadillo , mallillio , and basto are the chief cards , and when they are all in hand the others pay for th●m three of the greater counters apiece ; and with these three for foundation you may count as many matadors as you have cards in an interrupted series of trumps ; for all which the others are to pay you one kounter apiece . he who hath the first hand hath his choice ( as aforesaid ) of playing the game , of naming the trump , and of taking in as many and as few cards as he list , and after him the second , &c. having demanded whether any one will play without taking in , you oblige your self to take in though your game be never so good , wherefore you do well to consider it before . if you name not the trump before you look on the cards which you have taken in , any other may prevent you 〈◊〉 ●ame what trump they please ; if 〈◊〉 know not of two suits which to 〈◊〉 trump first , the black suit is to be preferred before the red , because there are fewer trumps of it . secondly , you were best to chuse that suit of which have not the king , because besides your three trumps you have a king which is as good as a fourth . when you have the choice of going in three matadors , or the two black aees with three o●●our other trumps , if the stakes be great you are to chuse this last , as most like to win most tricks ; if it be but a simple stake you are to chuse the first , because the six counters you are to receive for the three matadors more than countervail the four or five you lose for the game . he that hath the first hand is never to take in nor play , unless he have three sure tricks in his hand at least ; to understand which the better , know the end of the game is to win most tricks , whence he that can win five tricks of the nine hath a sure game ; or if he win four and can so divide the tricks as one may win two , the other three , if not it's either codillio , or repuesto , so the p●●●er loseth and maketh good the stake● ▪ it is called codillio when the p●yer is beasted , and another wins more tricks than he , when this takes up the stakes and the other makes it good . here note , although the other two always combine to make him lose , yet they all do their best ( for the common good ) to hinder any one from winning , only striving to make it repuesto , which is when the player wins no more tricks than another , in which case the player doubles the stake without any ones winning it , and remains so for the advantage of the next player . here note that kings of any suit are accounted as good trumps , mean while all other cards but kings and trumps are to be discarded . the player having taken in , the next is to consider the goodness of the game , and to take in more or less for the best advantage of his game ; neither is any for the saving a counter or two to neglect the taking in , that the other may commodiously make up his game with what cards he hath left , and that no good cards may lie dormant in the stock , except the player playeth without taking in , when they may refuse to take in , if they imagine he hath all the game . when one hath a sure game in his hand , he is to play without taking in , then the others are to give him each one of the great counters as he is to give them , if he play without taking in a game that is not sure and loseth it ; if you win all the tricks in your hand or the voll , they likewise are to give you one counter apiece , but then you are to declare before the fifth trick that you intend to play for the voll , that so they keep their best cards , which else , seeing you win five tricks ( or the game ) they may carelesly cast away . if you renounce you are to double the stake , as also if you have more or fewer cards than nine , to which end you must carefully count your cards in dealing and taking in before you look on them ; besides according to the rigour of the game if you speak any thing tending to the discovery there of , either in your own hand or anothers ( excepting gagno ) or play so , to hinder the making of repuesto or codillio , you are not fit to play . observe , that in playing trumps , if any plays an ordinary one , and you have only the three best cards or matadors singly or jointly in your hands , you may resuse to play them without renouncing , because of the priviledge which these cards have , that none but commanding cards can force them out of your hand . you are to say nothing when you play your card , but i pass or play , or gagno , or gagno del re when you play your queen to hinder them from taking it with the king. now since it is impossible to provide against all accidents in the game , only take notice of these general rules . first , never win more than one trick if you cannot win more than two , because of the advantage you give the player by ●t , in dividing the tricks . secondly , you are to win the trick always from the player if you can , unless you let it pass for mere advantage , where the second is to let pass to the third if he have the likelier game to beast the player , or if he be likelier to win it . there may be diverse advantages in refusing to take the players trick ; but the chief is , if you have the tenaces in your hand , that is two cards , and if you have the leading , you are sure to lose one of them ; if the player lead to you , you are sure to win them both ; for example , if you have spadillio and basto in your hand , and he have the mallillio and another trump , if you lead you lose one of them ; for either you play your spadillio , and he plays the lesser trump upon it and wins your basto the next trick with his mallillio , and so the contrary ; whereas if he leads he loseth ; for if he leads his mallillio you win it with your spadillio , and with your basto win the other trump , &c. if you are not sure to win five tricks , having only three matadors , and kings your auxiliary cards ; if you have the leading , play first a matador or two before you play your kings to fetch out his trumps which might have trumped them , and if you have three matadors with two other trumps , your best way is to play your matadors first to see where the trumps lie ; if both follow , you are sure if the trump be red there remains only one trump in their hands , if black none at all . lastly , if the players have but a weak game , they are to imitate cunning beast-players in dividing the tricks , and consulting to play their cards . to conclude , lay your tri●ks angle-wife , that you may the more facilely compute them . chap. ix . the game at cribbidge . at cribbidge there are no cards to be thrown out , but all are made use of ; and the number of the set is sixty one . it is an advantage to deal , by reason of the crib , and therefore you must lift for it , and he that hath the least card deals . there are but two players at this game , the one shuffles and the other cuts , the dealer delivers out the cards one by one , to his antagonist first and himself last , till five apiece be dealt to one another ; the rest being set down in view on the table , each looketh on his game , and ordereth his cards for the best advantage . he that deals makes out the best cards he can for his crib , and the other the worst , because he will do him as little good as he can , being his crib ; which crib is four cards , two a piece , which they lay out upon the table , not knowing nor seeing one anothers cards , and then they turn up a card from the parcel that was left of dealing , and each of them may make use of that card to help them on in their game in hand , and when they have play'd out their three cards , and set up with counters their games in their hands , the crib is the others the next deal , and so they take it by turns . the value of the cards is thus : any fifteen upon the cards is two , whether nine and six , ten and five , king and five , seven and eight , &c. a pair is two , a pair-royal six , a double pair-royal twelve , sequences of three is two , sequences of four is four , of five five , &c. and so is a flush of three , three ; of four , four , &c. knave noddy is one in hand and two to the dealer ; that is , if you have a knave of that suit which is turned up , it is knave noddy . a pair of aces , kings , queens , knaves , tens , &c. is two ; three aces , kings , queens , &c. is a pair-royal ; a double pair-royal is four aces , four kings , four queens , &c. and is twelve games to him that hath them . having lookt on your cards , you count your game after this manner : suppose you have in your hand a nine and two sixes , after you have laid out two cards for the crib , that makes you six games , because there is two fifteens and a pair , by adding your nine to the two sixes , and if a six chance to be turn'd up , then you have twelve games in your hand ; for though you must not take the turn'd up card into your hand , yet you may make what use you can of it in counting , so that the three sixes makes you six , being a pair-royal , and the nine added to every six makes three fifteens , which six more added to the former , make twelve , which you must set up with counters or otherwise , that your opponent may know what you are , though you must not see his cards , nor he yours ; if you think he plays foul by reckoning too much , you may count them after the hand is play'd . thus you have set up your twelve , your opposite it may be hath four , five , and six in his hand ; that is two , because of sequences of three ; then it is two more because it is four , five , and six ; again , taking in the counting six that is turn'd up , that is in all four , then there is fifteen and fifteen , four and five is nine , and six is fifteen , and then with the six turn'd up 't is fifteen more , which makes eight games , this he likewise sets up , keeping his cards undiscovered . here note , he that deals not sets up three in lieu thereof . having thus done , he that dealt not plays first , suppose it a six , if you have a nine play it , that makes fifteen , for which set up two , the next may play a four which makes nineteen , you a six twenty five , and he a five that is thirty ▪ you being not able to come in , having a six in your hand , he sets up one , ( for it is one and thirty you aim at in playing the cards ) , because he is most , and two for sequences four , five , and six , which were his four after the fifteen , your five and his six ; and that doth not hinder them from being sequences , though the six was play'd between the four and the five ; but if an ace , nine , king , queen , or thelike , had been play'd between , ●hey had been no sequences ; so the two for the sequences , and the one for thirty being most ( as at one and thirty ) makes him three , which he must set up to the rest of his game ▪ and in this playing of the cards you may make pairs , sequences , flush , fifteens , pair-royals , and double pair-royals , if you can , though that is rarely seen . lastly , you look upon you crib , that is the two cards apiece laid out at first , which is the dealers ; if he find no games in them , nor help by the card that was turn'd up , which he takes into his hand , then he is bilkt , and sometimes it so happens that he is both bilkt in hand and crib . thus they play and deal by turns till the game of sixty one be up . here note , if you get the game before your adversary is forty five ( forty four will not do it ) you must then say , i have lurkt you , and that is a double game for whatever you play'd with six shilling , or a greater summ . chap. x. a game at all-fovrs . all-fours is a game very much play'd in kent , and very well it may , since from thence it drew its first original ; and although the game may be lookt upon as trivial and inconsiderable , yet i have known kentish gentlemen and others of very considerable note , who have play'd great sums of money at it , yet that adds not much to the worth of the game , for a man may play away an estate at one and thirty ; as i knew one lose a considerable sum at most at three throws . this game i conceive is called all-fours from highest , lowest , iack , and game , which is the set as some play it , but you may make from seven to fifteen , or more if you please , but commonly eleven . there are but two can play at it at a time , and they must lift for dealing , the highest put-card deals , who delivers to his adversary three cards , and to himself the like , and the like again , and having six apiece , he turns up a card which is trump ; if jack ( and that is any knave ) it is one to the dealer . if he to whom the cards were dealt after perusal of his game like them not , he hath the liberty of beging one ; if the dealer refuse to give him one , then he deals three apiece more , but if he then turns up a card of the same suit , he deals further till he turns up a card of another suit . here note , that an ace is four , a king is three , a queen is two , a knave one , and a ten is ten . now you must play down your cards , but to what advantage i cannot here prescribe , it must be according to the cards you have in your hand managed by your judgment to the best advantage . having play'd your cards you reckon , if you are highest and lowest of what is trumps , you reckon two ; if you are only highest but one , and the like of jack and game ; sometimes you are highest , lowest , jack , and game , and then you must reckon four ; the game is he that tells most after the cards are play'd , and therefore a ten is a very significant card , which crafty gamesters know so well that they will frequently take out of a pack two tens , and hide them contrary to the knowledg of the other , which is a great advantage to this foul player , if he play of the same suit of these tens he hath absconded , for it must of necessity secure him from losing the game . here note , that he that wins jack wins one also ; and furthermore observe that for advantage reneging is allowable if you have trumps in your hand to trump it . there is another sort of all-fours called running-all-fours , at which they play one and thirty up , and in this game the dealer hath a great advantage , for if he turn up an ace it is four , a king three , a queen two , and a knave one , and these are the same also in play . a ten is the best card for making up . chap. xi . english ruff and honours , and whist . ruff and honours ( alias slamm ) and whist , are games so commonly known in england in all parts thereof , that every child almost of eight years old hath a competent knowledg in that recreation , and therefore i am unwilling to speak any thing more of them than this , that there may be a great deal of art used in dealing and playing at these games which differ very little one from the other . in playing your cards you must have recourse altogether to your own judgment or discretion , still making the best of a bad market ; and though you have but mean cards in your own hand , yet you may play them so suitable to those in your partners hand , that he may either trump them , or play the best of that suit on the board . you ought to have a special eye to what cards are play'd out , that you may know by that means either what to play if you lead , or how to trump securely and advantagiously . reneging or renouncing , that is , not following suit when you have it in your hand , is very fowl play , and he that doth it ought to forfeit one , or the game upon a game , and he that loseth dealing loseth one , or a trick as you make it . at ruff and honours , by some called slamm , you have in the pack all the deuces , and the reason is , because four playing having dealt twelve a piece , there are four left for the stock , the uppermost whereof is turn'd up , and that is trumps , he that hath the ace of that , ruffs ; that is , he takes in those four cards , and lays out four others in their lieu ; the four honours are the ace , king , queen , and knave ; he that hath three honours in his own hand , his part not having the fourth sets up eight by cards , that is t●o tricks ; if he hath all four , then sixteen , that is four tricks ; it is all one if the two partners make them three or four between them , as if one had them . if the honours are equally divided among the gamesters of each side , then they say honours are split . if either side are at eight groats he hath the benefit of calling can-ye , if he hath two honours in his hand , and if the other answers one , the game is up , which is nine in all , but if he hath more than two he shows them , and then it is one and the same thing ; but if he forgets to call after playing a trick , he loseth the advantage of can-ye for that deal . all cards are of value as they are superiour one to another , as a ten wins a nine if not trumps , so a queen , a knave in like manner ; but the least trump will win the highest card of any other card ; where note the ace is the highest . whist is a game not much differing from this , only they put out the deuces and take in no stock ; and is called whist from the silence that is to be observed in the play ; they deal as before , playing four , two of a side , ( some play at two handed , or three handed whist ; if three handed , always two strive to suppress and keep down the rising-man ) , i say they deal to each twelve a piece and the trump is the bottom card. the manner of crafty playing ▪ the number of the game nine honours and dignity of other cards are all alike , and he that wins most tricks is most forward to win the set . he that can by craft over-look his adversaries game hath a great advantage , for by that means he may partly know what to play securely ; or if he can have some petty glimpse of his partners hand . there is a way by winking , or the fingers to discover to their partners what honours they have , as by the wink of one eye , or putting one finger on the nose or table , it signifies one honour , shutting both the eyes , two ; placing three fingers or four on the table , three or four honours . they have several ways of securing an honour or more in the bottom when they deal , either to their partners or selves ; if to their partner they place in the second lift next the top , 1 , 2 , 3 , or four aces , or court cards all of a suit , according as they could get them together in the former deal , and place a card of the same suit in the bottom , when the cards are cut they must use their hand so dexterously as not to put the top in the bottom , but nimbly place where it was before . if they would secure honours to themselves when dealing , they then place so many as they can get upon their lap or other place undiscerned , and after the cards are cut , then clap them very neatly under . but the cleanliest rooking way is by the breef , that is take a pack of cards and open them , then take out all the honours , that is as aforesaid , the four aces , the four kings , &c. then take the rest and cut a little from the edges of them all alike , by which means the honours will be broader than the rest , so that when your adversary cuts to you , you are certain of an honour , when you cut to your adversary cut at the ends , and then it is a chance if you cut him an honour , because the cards at the ends are all of a length , thus you may make breefs end-ways as well as side-ways . there are a sort of cunning fellows about this city , who before they go to play will plant half a dozen of these packs ( nay sometimes half a score ) in the hands of a drawer , who to avoid being suspected will call to their confederate drawer for a fresh pack of cards , who brings them as from a shop new , and some of these packs shall be so finely markt , whereby the gamester shall plainly and certainly know every card therein contain'd by the outside , although the best of other eyes shall not discern where any mark was made at all ; and this done with that variety that every ●ard of every suit shall have a different distinguishable mark . some have a way to slick with a slick-stone all the honours very smooth , by which means he will be sure to cut his partner an honour , and so his partner to him again , and that is done by lying a forefinger on the top indifferent hard , and giving a slurring jerk to the rest which will slip off from the slickt card. it is impossible to shew you all the cheats of this game , since your cunning gamester is always studying new inventions to deceive the ignorant . chap. xii . french-rvff . at french-ruff you must lift for deal , most or least carries it according to the agreement of the gamesters . you may play either two , four or six of a side , dealing to each five a piece , either two first at a time , or three , according to pleasure , and he that deals turns up trump ; the king is the highest card at trumps , and so it is highest in all other cards that are not trumps , the queen is next , the knave next , and next to that the ace , and all other cards follow in preheminency according to the number of the pips , but all small trumps win the highest of any other suit . having turn'd up trumps , he that hath the ace must take the ace turn'd up , and all other trumps which immediately follow that , if so agreed among the gamesters , laying out so many cards as he took up in lieu thereof . after this they play , to win two tricks signifies nothing , to win three or four wins but one , but to win five is the winning of five . if you play at forsat ( that is the rigour of the play ) he that deals wrong loseth one and his deal . you are bound to follow suit , and if you renounce or renege you lose the whole game , if you so make it , otherwise but one or two according to agreement . he that plays a card that is trumped by the follower , if the next player hath none of the former suit he must trump it again , although he hath never a trump in his hand that can win the former trump , and so it must pass to the last player . all the players round are bound to win the highest trump play'd if they can . here note , that he who playeth before his turn loseth one , unless it be the last card of all . chap. xiii . five-cards . five-cards is an irish game , and is as much play'd in that kingdom , and that for considerable sums of money , as all-fours is play'd in kent , but there is little analogy between them . there are but two can play at it , and there are dealt five cards a piece . the least of the black , and the most of the red wins . the ace of diamonds is the worst of the whole pack , unless it prove to be trump . the five fingers ( alias , five of trumps ) is the best card in the pack ; the ace of hearts is next to that and the next is the ace of trumps , then the knave , and the rest of cards are best according to their value in pips , or as they are trumps . before you play ask whether he will five it , if he speaks affirmatively turn up the next card of the pack under that first turn'd up , and that must be trumps ; if not play , it out : he that wins most cards wins five , but he that wins all , wins ten . observe , that the ace of hearts wins the ace of trumps , and the five-fingers not only wins the ace of trumps , but also all other cards whatever . chap. xiv . of a game called costly-colours . this game is to be play'd out only by two persons , of which the eldest is to play first as in other games . you must deal off three apiece , and turn up the next card following ; then the eldest is to take his choice whether he will mogg . ( that is change a card or no ) and whosoever refuseth is to give the other one chalk or hole , of which generally threescore and one makes the game . then must the eldest play , and the other if he can must make it up fifteen , for which she shall set up as many holes or chalks as there are cards upon the table ; so likewise for five and twenty , and also as many cards as are play'd to make up thirty , no more nor less , so many chalks may be set up who play'd last , to make up one and thirty , and if one and thirty be not made , then he that play'd last and is nearest one and thirty without making out must set up one , which is called setting up one for the latter . this being done , the eldest must show how many chalks he hath in his hand to set up , and after him the youngest , which they must reckon in this manner , taking notice both of the colour and number of pips upon the card turn'd up as those in their hands still , reckoning as many for all the fifteen and five and twenty as there go cards to make the number ; and if you have it by chance in your hand , and with the card turned up one and thirty , then you must set up four for that : you must also set up if you have them in your hands or can make them so in the card turn'd up as followeth ; two for a pair , be they either coat-cards , or others ; two for a knave , and if a knave of the same colour and suit of the card turn'd up , then you must set up four ; and so for a deuce four , if it be of the same colour turn'd up : if you have three of a sort , either three fours , five sixes , or coat-cards , you must set up nine , and this is called a pair-royal ; now if they are all either hearts , diamonds , or the like , then you must set up six for costlycolours . if you have three of a colour you can reckon but two for colours . whosoever dealt , if he turn'd up either deuce or knave , he must set up four for it ; as for example , imagine you had dealt your adversary three cards , viz. the five of hearts , four of hearts , and eight of hearts ; to your self the deuce of hearts , seven of clubs , and nine of hearts . lastly , you turn up a card , which is the knave of hearts , for which you must set up four ; then because he will not ask you to change one , he gives you one , which you must set up , and then he plays , suppose it be his five of hearts , you then play your seven of clubs , which makes twelve , then he plays his eight of hearts , which makes twenty ● then you play your nine of 〈…〉 makes twenty nine , and because ● cannot come in with his five of hearts , you must play your deuce of hearts , which makes you one and thirty . for your five you must set up five , then he must set up what he hath in his hand , which you will find to be but six , for he hath nothing in his hand but costly-colours . then must you set up your games , which first are two , for your nine of clubs and nine of hearts which make fifteen , then that fifteen and the knave turn'd up makes five and twenty , for which set up three ; then for your deuce of hearts which is the right , set up four , and three for colours , because you have three of a sort in your hand with that turn'd up , now these with the five you got in playing for thirty one makes you this deal with the knave turn'd up and the cards in your hand just twenty . many other examples i might give you , but that it is needless since this one is sufficient to direct you in all others . and thus much for costly-colours . chap. xv. bone-ace . this game you may look on as trivial and very inconsiderable , and so it is by reason of the little variety therein contein'd , but because i have seen ladies and persons of quality have plaid at it for their diversion , i will briefly describe it , and the rather because it is a licking game for money . there are seven , or eight ( or as many as the cards will permit ) play at it at one time . in the lifting for dealing the least deals , which is a great disadvantage ; for that makes the dealer youngest hand . the dealer deals out two to the first hand , and turns up the third , and so goes on to the next , to the third , fourth , fifth , &c. he that hath the biggest card carries the bone , th●t is one half of the stake , the other remaining for the game ; now if there be thre● 〈◊〉 , three queens , three tens , &c. turn'd up , the eldest hand wins it . here note that the ace of diamonds is bone-ace , and wins all other cards whatever : thus much for the bone ; afterwards the nearest to one and thirty wins the game , and he that turns up or draws to one and thirty wins it immediately . chap. xvi . of pvtt and the high-game . pvtt is the ordinary rooking game of every place , and seems by the few cards that are dealt to have no great difficulty in the play , but i am sure there is much craft and cunning in it ; of which i shall show as much as i understand . if you play at two-handed putt ( or if you please you may play at three hands ) the best putt-card deals . having shuffled the cards , the adversary cuts them , then the dealer deals one to his antagonist , and another to himself till they have three apiece : five up or a putt is commonly the game . the eldest if he hath a good game , and thinks it better than his adversaries , puts to him , if the other will not or dare not see him , he then wins one , but if he will see him they play it ●ut , and he that wins two tricks or all three wins the whole set ; but if each win a trick and the third tyed , neither win , because it is trick and tye . sometimes they play without putting , and then the winner is he that wins most tricks . here note that in your playing keep up your cards very close ; for the least discovery of any oue of them is a great advantage to him that sees it . this game consists very much in daring ; for a right gamester will put boldly upon very bad cards sometimes , as upon a five , seven and a nine ; the other thinking he hath good cards in his adversaries hand , having very indifferent ones in his own dares not see him , and so by going to stock loseth one . here note that he that once hath the confidence to put on bad cards cannot recal his putting , by which means he frequently pays for his bravado . the best putt-cards are first the trey , next the deuce , then the ace , the rest follow in preheminence thus ; the king , the queen , the knave , the ten , and so onwards to the four , which is the meanest card at putt . some of the cheats at putt are done after this manner : first , for cutting to be sure of a good putt-card , they use the bent , the slick , and the breef ; the bent is a card bended in play which you cut , the slick is when beforehand the gamester takes a pack of cards , and with a slick-stone smooths all the putt-cards , that when he comes to cut to his adversary with his forefinger above and his thumb about the middle , he slides the rest of the cards off that which was slickt , which is done infallibly with much facility ; but in this there is required neatness and dexterity for fear of discovery , and then your confidence in this contrivance will be vain and of no effect . lastly , the breef in cutting is very advantagious to him that cuts , and it is thus done : the cheat provides beforehand a pack of cards , whereof some are broader than others ; under some of which he plants in play some good putt-cards , which though they shuffle never so much they shall rarely separate them ; by which means he that cuts ( laying his fingers on the broad card ) hath surely dealt him a putt-card . in dealing these rooks have a trick they call the spurr , and that is , as good cards come into their hand that they may know them again by the outside ( and so discover the strength or weakness of their adversaries game ) i say some where on the outside they give them a gentle touch with their nail . now when they intend to bleed a col to some purpose whom they have set before , they always fix half a score packs of cards before ( as i have related in whist ) by slicking them or spurring them , that is , giving them such marks that they shall certainly know every card in the pack , and consequently every card that is in his adversaries hand , an advantage that cannot well be greater . but if they are not furnished with such cards , and cannot accomplish their ends by the former indirect means without palpable discovery , then they have accomplices who standing by the i●nocent col look over his game , and discover what it is to his adversary : and to strengthen their interest by cheating , they frequently carry about them treys , deuces , aces , &c. in their pockets , which they use as need requires , or if not , they will steal them out of the pack whilst they are playing , which is the securest way and freest from discovery . lastly , they have one most egregious piece of roguery more , and that is playing the high-game at putt ; and this is to be done but once at a set-meeting ; and therefore on this depends the absolute overthrow of the col that plays , or the col that is a stander by . this high-game at putt is thus performed : the rook whilst playing singles out the deuces and treys for the last game , and placeth them thus in order , hiding them in his lap or other covert , first a deuce , then a trey , next a deuce , then a trey , then a trey and a trey ; now stooping letting fall a card or some other way as he shall think fit , he claps these cards fa●'d at the bottom , having shuf●led the cards before , and bids his adversary cut , which he nimbly and neatly with both his hands joyns the divided cards , and then the bottom fac'd cards are upwards , and then he deals , and lest there should be a discovery made of the facing , he palms them as much as he can , nimbly passing the last card. now do the gamesters smile at the goodness of each others game , one shows his to one , the other his to another ; and cries who would not put at such cards ? the other in as brisk a tone , says , come if you dare . what will you lay of the game , says the rook ? what you dare , says the col ; then pausing a while the rook seems to consult with his friends , who cry , they know not what to think on 't ; five pound cries a rooking confederate on this gentlemans side , the col encouraged hereby , cries ten pound more : and thus the rook holds him in ●lay till there be a good sum of money ●n the board ; then an●wers the putt of the now ruin'd cully . they now ●lay ; the col begins with a deuce , the rook wins that with a trey ; the rook then plays a deuce , and the col wins it with his trey ; then he plays his deuce which is won with a trey ; thus the rook wins the day . this game may be plaid otherways according to fancy : let these and the former cheats be a sufficient warning . chap. xvii . wit and reason , a game so called . vvit and reason is a game which seems very easie at first to the learner , but in his practice and observation shall find it otherwise . it is a game something like one and thirty , and is plaid after this manner . two playing together , the one hath all the red cards , and the other hath the black : then they turn up cross or pile who shall lead ; for the leader hath a great advantage over the other , as shall be demonstrated . you are not to play a ten first ; for if you do you shall certainly lose ; for one and thirty being the game he that first comes to it wins ; now should the leader play a ten the follower will play another ten , that makes twenty ; let the leader then play any thing next the follower will be sure to make it up one and thirty . he that hath the lead if he play a nine may certainly win the game , if he look about him ; ever remembring to get first to twenty , without spending two of one sort , as two deuces , two treys , two quaters , &c. otherwise you will lose : as for example , you play a nine first , your adversary plays a deuce that makes eleven , you then play a nine again , and that makes twenty ; thus you have plaid out both your nines , wherefore your antagonist plays a deuce , now you can play no card but he wins ; for if you play an eight ( for you cannot come in with your ten ) and you have never a nine , then he hath an ace for one and thirty ; so if you play a seven , which makes nine and twenty , he hath a deuce remaining to make up one and thirty , and so you may observe in the rest of the cards . take this for a general rule , that you have a very great advantage in fetching out by play any two of a number , as aforesaid ; as two fives , two sixes , two sevens , &c. wherefore you must not play rashly , but with due consideration arithmetically grounded to make up a certain game of one and thirty . to conclude , he that hath the art of playing well at one and thirty without cards , that is by naming such a number at first , and prosecuting it by such addition of others , that your adversary cannot think of any number but what shall be your game ; i say such a man is fittest to play at this game called wit and reason . chap. xviii . a pastime called the art of memory . this art of memory is a sport at which men may play for money , but it is most commonly the way to play the drunkard . it is best when many play at it ; for with few it is no sport at all : for example , as many persons as do play so many cards trebled must be thrown down on the table with their faces upwards ; which every one must take notice of and indeavour to register them in his memory . then the dealer must take them all up , and shuffling them after cutting deals to every one three apiece . the first it may be calls for a king , which must be laid on the table with his face downwards by him that hath it in his hands ; the next it may be calls for a ten of the spades , which must be laid down in like manner , and so it goes round ; now if any one calls for what is already laid down , if they play for liquor , he must then drink a glass ; if for mony , he must then pay a farthing , half-penny , or the like . this sport wholly depends on the memory ; for want of which a man may lose at this sport his money or his understanding . chap. xix . a game called plain-dealing . he that deals hath the advantage of this game ; for if he turn up the ace of diamonds he cannot lose : to his adversary he delivers out nine and but three to himself ; then are the cards plaid as at whist , the best of trumps or other cards wins , and but one to be gotten at a deal . i cannot commend this pastime for its ingenuity , and therefore only name it , because we treat of games in general . chap. xx. a game called queen nazareen . there may as many play at it as the cards will allow of , five cards are dealt to every player . the queen of diamonds is queen nazareen , and he that hath it demands three apiece of every player . the knave of clubs is called knave knocher , and he that hath it challengeth two apiece . if women play among men , it is customary for knave knocher to kiss queen nazareen . lastly , he that lays down a king the last card that is plaid challengeth one ; and begins again ; and he that hath first plaid away his cards demands as many counters as there are cards in the hands of the rest . chap. xxi . lanterloo . lanterloo is a game may be plaid several ways , but i shall insist on none but two ; the first way is thus . lift for dealing , and the best put-card carries it ; as many may play as the cards will permit , to whom must be dealt five apiece , and then turn up trump . now if three , four , five or six play , they may lay out the threes , fours , fives , sixes and sevens to the intent they may not be quickly lood ; but if they would have the loos come fast about then play with the whole pack . having dealt set up five scores or chalks ; and then proceed forwards in your game . he that is eldest hand hath the priviledg of passing by the benefit thereof , that is , he h●th the advantage of hearing what every one will say , and at last may play or not play according as he finds his game good or bad . if the eldest faith he passeth , the rest may chuse whether they will play or no. you may play upon every card what you please , from a penny to a pound . trumps as at whist are the best cards , all others in like manner take their precedency from the highest to the lowest . you must not revoke , if you do you pay all on the table . if you play and are loo'd ( that is , win never a trick ) you must lay down to the stock so much for your five cards as you plaid upon every one of them . every deal rub off a score , and for every trick you win set up a score by you till the first scores are out , to remember you how many tricks you have won in the several deals in the game . all the chalks for the game being rub'd out , tell your own scores , and for so many scores or tricks which you have won , so much as they were valued at in the game so much you must take from the stock ; thus must every one do according to the number of tricks he hath won . here note , that he who hath five cards of a suit in his hand loos all the gamesters then playing , be they never so many , and sweeps the board ; if there be two loos he that is eldest hand hath the advantage . as there is cheating ( as they say ) in all trades , so more particularly intolerable in gaming ; as in this for example , if one of the gamesters have four of a suit and he want a fifth , he may for that fifth make an exchange out of his own pocket if he be skil'd in the cleanly art of conveiance ; if that fail , some make use of a friend , who never fails to do him that kind office and favour . there are other cheats to be performed , which i shall omit , since it is not my business to teach you how to cheat , but so to play as not to be cheated . lanterloo another way plaid . lift for dealing as aforesaid , and the best put-card deals five to every one apiece . the dealer for his five cards must lay down so many sixpences , shillings , and so forth , as they conclude upon and agree for every card , or so many counters being valued at either six-pence or twelve-pence , more or less . after this all must play ; if any be lood he must lay down so much for his loo as his five cards amount to . if any next dealing be lood he must lay down as much for his dealing , and as much more for his loo . if after this the eldest hand pass , the rest may refuse to play , or play if they think they can win a card. here note , if there be never a loo the money may be divided by the gamesters according to the number of their tricks , if there be a loo the winners must take up the money , and he that is loo'd must lay down as much money on the board as every one had laid down before , be it never so great a summ , besides the like quantity for dealing , if he that was loo'd dealt . chap. xxii . a game called penneech . having dealt seven cards apiece , turn up a card , and that is trumps . the ace and coat-cards of trumps are thus reckoned , the ace is five , the king four , the queen three , and the knave two . having play'd , he that wins the first trick turns up another card , and that is trumps ; and so every trick produceth a fresh trump , till all the seve● be play'd . now if it so happen , that what is turn'd up proves an ace or coat-card , that is a great advantage to him who won the last trick ; for if it be an ace turn'd up then he reckons five , if a king four , if a queen three , as aforesaid . after all the seven cards be play'd , ( which at first are dealt one by one ) he that won the last trick turns up a card , and if it prove ace , king , queen , or knave , he reckons for it accordingly as aforesaid . if the seven of diamonds be turn'd up , that is penneech , and is reckon'd fourteen turn'd up , but it is but seven in hand , and not that neither unless diamonds be trumps ; if it be trump it is the highest card and wins all others ; if it be not trump it wins all diamonds . lastly , having play'd out all the fourteen cards betwixt ye , count how many cards you have more than your own seven at first dealt you , and for every card reckon one , and so you must reckon on with the value of your coat-card trumps , with penneech turn'd up or in hand , till you come to sixty one , which is the game . here note , if you have neither ace nor face , you may throw up your game and deal again . chap. xxiii . post and pair . post and pair is a game on the cards very much play'd in the west of england , as all-fours is play'd in kent , and fives in ireland . this play depends much upon daring ; so that some may win very considerably , who have the boldness to adventure much upon the vye , although their cards are very indifferent . you must first stake at post then at pair ; after this deal two cards apiece , then stake at the seat , and then deal the third card about . the eldest hand may pass and come in again , if any of the gamesters vye it ; if not , the dealer may play it out , or double it . the ace of trumps , as at ruff and honours , is the best card of all , and so of the rest in order . at post the best cards are one and twenty , viz. two tens and an ace , but a pair-royal wins all , both post , pair , and seat. here note , that he who hath the best pair or the best post is the winner . a pair is a pair of any two , as two kings , two queens , &c. a pair-royal is of three , as three kings , three queens , &c. the vye is what you please to adventure upon the goodness of your own hand ; or if it be bad , and you imagine your adversaries is so likewise , then bid high couragiously , by which means you daunt your antagonist , and so bring him to submission . if all the gamesters keep in till all have done , and by consent shew their cards , the best cards carry the game . now according to agreement those that keep in till last , may divide the stakes , or shew the best card for it . observe , where the cards fall in several hands of the same sort , as a pair or pair-royal , and so forth , the eldest hand carries it . chap. xxiv . bankafalet , a game on the cards so called . the cards must be cut into as many heaps as there are players , or more if you please , and every man lays as much money on his own card as he thinks fit , or on the supernumerary heaps . so many as the dealers card is inferior to , so many he pays ; so many as his card is superior to , so many he wins from . the best card is the ace of diamonds , the next to that the ace of hearts , thirdly the ace of clubs , and lastly the ace of spades , and so the rest of these suits in order , according to their degree . the cheat lies in securing an ace or any other good sure winning card ; and if you mark the cards aforehand , so as to know them by the backside , you know how to make your advantage . chap. xxv . beast . it is called by the french , la bett , and is play'd by them after this manner . the best cards are king , queen , and so forwards . they make three heaps , the king , the play , and the triolet . to every one is dealt five cards , ( there may play three , four , five , or more ) as at french ruff , with the same rigour ; before the cards are dealt , every one stakes to the three heaps . he that wins most tricks takes up the heap that is called the play ; he that hath the king takes up the heap so called ; and he that hath three of any sort , that is , three fours , three fives , three sixes , and so forth takes up the triolet . games within the tables . chap. xxvi . of irish. irish is an ingenious game , and requires a great deal of skill to play it well , especially the after-game . it is not to be learn'd otherwise than by observation and practice , however i shall lightly touch hereon . the men which are thirty in number are equally divided between you and your adversary , and are thus places , two on the ace point , and five on the sice of your left hand table , and three on the cinque , and five on the ace point of your right hand table , answer'd on the like points by your adversaries men with the same number ; or thus , two of your men on the ace point , five on the double sice , or sice cinque point , three on the cinque point in your own tables , and five on the sice point at home , and all these pointed alike by your adversary . in your play have a care of being too forwards , and be not too rash in hitting every blot , but with discretion and consideration move slowly but securely ; by which means though your adversary have fill'd his tables , but withal blots , and you by hitting him enter , you may win the game ; nay sometimes though he hath born his men all to a very few . 't is the part of a prudent commander as he leads out his men to bring them home as safe as he may ; so must you have a care of your men as you are bringing them home that they are not pickt up by the way . have a special care that your adversary double not the trey , ace-point with his men , and so make what convenient haste you can to fill up your own tables , and beware of blotting ; that done , bear as fast as you can . for an after-game i know not what instructions to give you , you must herein trust to your own judgment and the chance of the dice , and if they run low for some time it will be so much the better . chap. xxvii . of back-gammon . your men are placed as at irish , and back-gammon differs but very little from it , but in doublets which at this game is plaid fourfold , which makes a quicker dispatch of the game than irish. be sure to make good your trey , ace-points , hit boldly and come away as fast as you can , to which end if your dice run high , you will make the quicker dispatch . when you come to bearing have a care of making when you need not , and doublets now will stand you most in stead . if both bear together he that is first off without doublets wins one . if both bear and one goes off with doublets he wins two . if your tables be clear before your adversaries men be come in , that 's a back-gammon , which is three ; but if you thus go off with doublets it is four . false dice are much used at irish and back-gammon for the benefit of entring , wherefore have a special care that you have not cinque-deuces , and quater-treys put upon you , you may quickly perceive it by the running of the dice . the person that is cunning at play has great advantage of a novice or innocent man ; which is commonly by toping or knaping , which by its often practice may be suspected by his adversary ; then he has recourse to dice , which runs particular chances for his purpose , which the other being ignorant of , is almost an equal advantage with the former . for example , he provides dice that runs 6 , 5 , 4 , 't is his business to secure those points , so that if he happens to surprize any of your men coming home , as 't is two to one but he does , he does without a kind of miracle win the set . 't is possible sometimes they may make use of 3 , 2 , which are the low chances ; but that they seldom do for this reason , the high or forward points being supplied , you must enter if at all upon the low points which keeps you backwards and gives him advantage . the advantage of this game is to be forward if possible upon safe terms , and to point his men , at that rate that it shall not be possible for you to pass , though you have entred your men , till he gives you liberty , having two to one the advantage of the game . chap. xxviii . of tick-tack . all your men must stand on the ace-point , and from thence play forward , but have a care of being too forward , or so at leastwise that doublets reach you not . secure your sice and cinque-point whatever you do , and break them not unless it be when you have the advantage of going in , which is the greatest advantage you can have next to a hit ; for your adversaries eleventh point standing open you have it may be the opportunity of going in with two of your men , and then you win a double game . a hit is but one , and that is , when you throw such a cast that some one of your men will reach your adversaries unbound , but sometimes though it hits it will not pass by reason of a stop in the way , and then it is nothing . sometimes it is good going over into your adversaries tables , but it is best for an after-game . playing close at home is the securest way , playing at length is both rash and unsafe , and be careful of binding your men when you lie in danger of the enemy . moreover , if you see you are in danger of losing a double game give your adversary one ; if you can it is better doing so than losing two . here note , if you fill up all the points of your second table with your own men you win two , and that you may prevent your adversary from doing so ( if you are in danger thereof ) if you can , make a vacant point in his tables , and it is impossible for him to do it . this is the plain game of tick-tack , which is called so from touch , and take , for if you touch a man you must play him though to your loss ; and if you hit your adversary and neglect the advantage , you are taken with a why not , which is the loss of one : likewise if you are in , and your cast is such that you may also go into your adversaries eleventh point by two other men , and you see it not , either by carelesness or eager prosecution of a hit which is apparent before your eyes , you lose two irrecoverably . besides , it is a very great oversight as your men may stand not to take a point when you may do it . now some play this game with toots , boveries , and flyers ; toots is , when you fill up your table at home and then there is required small throws ; for if you get over with a sice you have no benefit of toots . boveries is when you have a man in t●e eleventh point of your own tables , and another in the same point of your adversaries directly answering . flyers is , when you bring a man round the tables before your adversary hath got over his first table , to the effecting of which there is required very high throwing of your side , and very low throwing of his . much more might be said as to the craft of the play , which cannot be so well discovered as from observation in your own or others playing . there are several foolish pastims to be plaid in the tables which are ridiculous to treat of , wherefore i shall only mention these three . viz. chap. xxix . dvbblets . at dubblets the fifteen men are thus placed ; upon sice , cinque and quater there are three men apiece , upon trey , deuce , ace , but two apiece . he that throws most hath the benefit of throwing first , and what he throws he lays down ; and so doth the other what the one throws and hath not the other lays down for him to his own advantage ; and thus they do till all the men are down , and then they bear , but not till they are down ; he that is down first bears first , and will doubtlesly win the game if the other throws not dubblets to overtake him ; now he that throws dubblets apace is certain to win , for as many as the dubblets are , so many he lays down , or bears ; for example , if two fours , he lays down , or bears eight , and so for the other dubblets ; and therefore he that can either nap , top , or hath high runners about him hath a great advantage herein . chap. xxx . sice-ace . five may play at sice-ace with six men apiece , they one load another with aces , sixes bears only , and dubbl●●s drinks and throws again , so often some i have seen that for the lucre of a little money have resolved rather to lose themselves than a penny . it is commonly agreed the last two , or the last out shall lose , and the rest go free . chap. xxxi . ketch-dolt . at ketch-dolt the first throws and lays down from the heap of men without the tables , what is thrown at it may be sice deuce , if the other throw either sice or deuce , and draw them not from his adversaries tables to the same point in his own , but takes them from the heap , and lays the ace down , he is dolted & loseth the game , or if he but touch a man of the heap and then recall himself , the loss is the same . some by frequent practice will never be dolted , and then they strive who shall fill up their tables first ; which done , he that bears them off first hath won the game . and so much for play within the tables . games without the tables . chap. xxxii . of inn and inn. inn and inn is a game very much used in an ordinary , and may be play'd by two or three , each having a box in his hand . it is play'd with four dice . you may drop what you will , six-pences , shillings ▪ or guinneys ; every inn you drop , and every inn and inn you sweep all ; but if you throw out , if but two plays , your adversary wins all ; if three play , that out is a bye between the two other gamesters , which they may either divide or throw out for it . here you are to observe that out is when you have thrown no dubbl●ts on the four dice ; inn is when you have thrown 〈◊〉 dubblets of any sort , as two aces , two deuces , two kings ▪ &c. inn and inn is , when you throw all d●bb●●●s , wh●ther all of a sort or otherwise , viz. four aces , four deuces , or four cinques , or two aces , two deuces , two treys , two quaters , or two cinques , two sixes , and so forth . your battail may be as much and as little as you will , from twenty shillings to twenty pounds , and so onward to a thousand , which battail is not ended till every penny of that money agreed upon for the battail be won ; and it is but requisite , for it is frequently seen that in a battail of ten pound 〈◊〉 gentleman hath been reduced to five shillings , and yet hath won at last the battail . for a gamester that would win without hazarding much his money , dice that will run very seldom otherwise but sixes , cinques , quaters , &c. are very necessary ; if those instruments are not to be had , a taper-box will not be amiss , that as the dice are thrown in may stick by the way , and so thrown in may stick by the way , and so thrown to advantage . i have heard of one , who having spent the major part of his patrimony in good fellowship , a●d such pastims as the heat of blood with vigorous youth most prosecute ; at length consider'd how he should live hereafter , and finding but small encouragements at home , and lesser abroad , thought if he could contrive a way to win a considerable sum at play ( having been a great loser himself ) that should be the basis of his future settlement ; after various consultations within himself he at length contrived this stratagem ; he caused a box to be made , not as they are usual screwed within , but smooth , and procured it to be so well painted and shadowed within that it lookt like a screw'd box ; now this box was but half board wide at top , and narrow at bottom , that the dice as aforesaid might stick , and the box being smooth would come out without tumbling . with this box he went and play'd at inn and inn , by vertue whereof and his art of taking up and throwing in his dice into the box , he got the first night a thousand pound , and the next night two hundred a year , with a coach and six horses , which coach and horses ( being very valuable ) he sold , but the estate he lives on to this day with great improvements , and never would handle a dye since , well knowing how many worthy families it hath ruin'd . chap. xxxiii . of passage . passage is a game at dice to be play'd at but by two , and it is performed with three dice . the caster throws continually till he hath thrown doublets under ten , and then he is out and loseth , or doublets above ten , and then he passeth and wins ; high runners are most requisite for this game , such as will rarely run any other chance than four , five , or six , by which means if the caster throws doublets he scarcely can throw out . there is the same advantage of the smooth-taper-box aforesaid in this game , as at inn and inn ; with the like benefit of the d●ce , whether by palming , topping , slurring , or knapping . chap. xxx . of hazzard . hazzard is a proper name for this game ; for it speedily makes a man or undoes him ; in the twinkling of an eye either a man or a mouse . this game is play'd but with two dice , but there may play at it as many as can stand round the largest round table . there are two things chiefly to be observed , that is , main and chance ; the chance is the casters , and the main theirs who are concerned in play with him . there can be no main thrown above nine and under five ; so that five , six , seven , eight and nine are the only mains and no more which are flung at hazzard ; chances and nicks are from four to ten , thus four is a chance to nine , five to eight , six to seven , seven to six , eight to five ; and nine and ten a chance to five , six , seven and eight : in short , four , five , six , seven , eight , nine and ten are chances to any main , if any of these nick it not : now nicks are either when the chance is the same with the main , as five and five , six and six , seven and seven , and so on , or six and twelve , seven and eleven , eight and twelve ; where note , that twelve is out to nine , seven , and five ; and eleven is out to nine , eight , six , and five ; ames-ace , and deuce-ace , are out to all mains what ever . that i may the better illustrate this game , it will not be amiss to give one example for your better information ; seven's the main , the caster throws five , and that 's his chance , and so hath five to seven ; if the caster throw his own chance he wins all the money-was set him , but if he throw seven which was the main , he must pay as much money as is on the board ; if again seven be the main , and the caster throws eleven , that is a nick , and sweeps away all the money on the table ; but if he throw a chance , he must wait which will come first ; lastly , if seven be the main , and the caster throws ames-ace , deuce-ace or twelve , he is out , but if he throw from four to ten he hath a chance , though they are accounted the worst chances on the dice , as seven is reputed the best and easiest main to be flung ; thus it is in eight or six , if either of them be the main , and the caster throw either four , five , seven , nine , or ten , this is his chance , which if he throw first , he wins , otherwise loseth ; if he throw twelve to eight , or six or the same cast with the main , he wins ; but if ames-ace or deuce-ace to all he loseth ; or if twelve when the main is either five or nine . here note , that nothing nicks five but five , nor nothing nine but nine . four and five to seven is judged to have the worst on 't , because four ( called by the tribe of nickers little dick-fisher ) and five have but two chances , trey ace and two deuces , or trey deuce and quater ace , whereas seven hath three chances , cinque deuce , six ace , and quater trey ; in like condition is nine and ten , having but two chances , six trey , cinque and quater , or six quater and two cinques . now six and eight one would think should admit of no difference in advantage with seven , but if you will rightly consider the case , and be so vain to make trial thereof , you will find a great advantage in seven over six and eight . how can that be you will say , hath not six , seven and eight eight equal chances ? for example , in six , quater deuce , cinque ace , and two treys ; in eight , six deuce , cinque trey , and two quaters , and hath not seven three as aforesaid ? it is confest ; but pray consider the disadvantage in the doublets , two treys and two quaters , and you will find that six deuce is sooner thrown than two quaters , and so consequently cinque ace or quater deuce sooner than two treys : i saw an old rook once take up a young fellow in a tavern , upon this very score : the bargain was made that the rook should have seven always and the young gentleman six , and throw continually ; agreed to play they went , the rook got the first day ten pound , the next day the like sum ; and so for six days together losing in all threescore pounds ; notwithstanding the gentleman , i am confident , had square dice , and threw them always himself . and farther to confirm what i alledg'd before , not only this rook , but many more have told me that they desir'd no greater advantage than to have seven always and the caster to have six . here note , it is the opinion of most that at the first throw the gaster hath the worst on 't . certainly hazzard is the most bewitching game that is plaid on the dice ; for when a man begins to play he knows not when to leave off ; and having once accustom'd himself to play at hazzard he hardly ever after minds any thing else . i have seen an old man about the age of seventy play at an ordinary when his own eyes were so defective , that he was forced to help them with a pair of spectacles ; and having an opportunity one day to speak to him , how a man of his years could be so vain and boyish still to mind play ; insisting withall upon the folly of that action to hazzard his money when he had not sight enough remaining to discern whether he had won or lost ; besides sir , said i , you cannot but hear how you are derided every time you come to the ordinary ; one says , here comes he that cannot rest quiet , but will cry without the rattle of the dice ; another cries , certainly such a one plays by the ear ; for he cannot see to play . let them talk what they will , said the gentleman , i cannot help it , i have been for above forty years so us'd to play , that should i leave it off now , i were as good stop those issues about me , which have been instrumental in the preservation of my life to this length of time . to conclude , happy is he that having been much inclined to this time-spending money-wasting game , hath took up in time , and resolved for the future never to be concerned with it more ; but more happy is he that hath never heard the name therof . chap. xxxii . the art and mystery of riding , whether the great-horse or any other . as an introduction to the art of riding , i think it requisite to treat of the taming of a young colt : in order thereunto , observe , that after your colt hath been eight or ten days at home , and is reduced to that familiarity that he will indure currying without showing aversion thereunto , and will suffer his keeper to handle and stroke him in what part of the body he thinketh best , then it is time to offer him the saddle ; first laying it in the manger that he may smell to it , and thereby grow acquainted with it , using all other means that he may not be afraid either at the sight thereof or at the noise of the stirrops . having gently put on the saddle , take a sweet watring trench washt and anointed with honey and salt , and so place it in his mouth , that it may hang directly about his tush , somewhat leaning thereon : having so done , which must be in a morning after dressing , then lead him out in your hand and water him abroad , then bring him in , and after he hath stood rein'd a little upon his trench an hour or thereabout , then unbridle and unsaddle him , and give him liberty to feed till evening , and then do as before ; having cherished him , dress and cloath him for the night . the next day do as you did before , and after that put on him a strong musrole , or sharp cavezan and martingal , which you must buckle at that length , that he may only feel it when he jerketh up his head ; then lead him forth into some new plow'd land or soft ground , and there having made him trot a good while about in your hand to take him off from wantonness and wild tricks , offer to mount , which if he refuse , then trot him again in your hand , then put your foot in the stirrup , and mount half way and dismount again ; if he seem distasted at it , about with him again , and let him not want correction ; but if he take it patiently , cherish him , and place your self in the saddle , but stay there a very little while , then cherish him again and give him bread or grass to feed on ; then having seen all things fit and strong without offence to your self and horse , remount him , placing your self even in the saddle , carrying your rod inoffensively to his eye , then let some person having in his hand the chaff-halter , lead him a little way , then make him stand , and having cherisht him , let him forward again , do this seven or eight times , or so often till you have brought him of his own accord to go forward , then must you stay and cherish him , and having brought him home , alight gently , then dress and feed him well . observe this course every day till you have brought him to trot , which will be but three at the most , if you observe to make him follow some other horsman , stopping him now and then gently , and then making him go forward , remembring his seasonable cherishings , and not forgetting his due corrections as often as you find him froward and rebellious ; and when you ride him abroad , return not the same way home , that you may make him take all ways indifferently : and by these observations you will bring him to understand your will and purpose in less than a fortnights time . having brought your horse to receive you to his back , trot foreright , stop and tetire with patience and obedience , be never unmindful of your helps , corrections and cherishings , which consist in the voice , bridle , rod , calves of the legs , and spurs ; the last of which is chief for correction , which must not be done faintly but sharply when occasion shall require it . cherishings may be comprehended within three heads , the voice delivered smoothly and lovingly , as so , so boy , so ; then the hand by clapping him gently on the neck or buttock : lastly the rod by rubbing him therewith upon the withers or the main , in which he very much delights . the next that you are to regard , is the musrole or cavezan and martingale ; this is an excellent guide to a well-disposed horse for setting of his head in due place , forming of his rein , and making him appear lovely to the eye of the spectator ; and withall this is a sharp correction when a horse yerketh out his nose , disorders his head , or endeavours to run away with his rider . the manner of placing it , is thus : let it hang somewhat low , and rest upon the tender grissel of the horses nose , that he may be the more sensible of correction ; and let it not be strait , but loose , whereby the horse may feel , upon the yeelding in of his head , how the offence goeth ; from and by that means be made sensible , that his own disorder was his only punishment . you must carefully observe how you win your horses head , and by those degrees bring his martingale straighter and straighter , so as the horse may ever have a gentle feeling of the same , and no more , till his head be brought to its true perfection , and there stay . when you have brought your horse to some certainty of rein , and will trot forth-right , then bring him to the treading forth of the large rings . if your horses nature be sloathful and dull , yet strong-trot him first in some new plow'd field ; but if agil , and of a fiery spirit , then trot him in some sandy ground , and there mark out a spacious large ring , about a hundred paces in circumference . having walkt him about it on the right seven or eight times , you must then by a little straitning of your right rein , and laying the calf of your left leg to his side , making a half circle within your ring , upon your right hand down to the center thereof , and then by straitning a little your left rein , and laying the calf of your right leg to his side , making another semi-circle to your left hand from the center to the outmost verge ; which two semicircles contrary turned , will make a perfect roman s within the ring ; then keeping your first large circumference , walk your horse about in your left hand , as oft as you did on your right ; and then change within your ring as you did before , to your right hand again ; and then trot him first on the right hand , then on the left , as long as you shall think convenient , either one , two , or three hours , to perfect him in this lesson ; and this must be done every morning and evening too , if you ●nd your horse sloathful and dull ; other●ise you need not take so much pains with him . having taught him to trot the large rings perfectly , which will not require above four or five days ; then in the same manner and changes make him gallop the same rings , making him take up his feet so truly and loftily , that no falshood may be perceived in his stroke , but that his inward feet play before his outward , and each of a side follow the other so exactly , that his gallop may appear the best grace of all his motions . here note : you must not enter him all at once to gallop this great ring , but by degrees ; first a quarter , then a half quarter , &c. ever remembring , not to force him into it with the spur , but by the lightness and cheerfulness of your body let him pass of his own accord into a gallop . helps , corrections , and cherishings in the ring-turn , are as aforesaid , the elevation of the voice , and the threatning of the rod , and straitning of the bridle , are good helps , which you must use as you must the spur , rod and leg , for timely due corrections : neither must you ever cherish without desert . having made your horse gallop as well as trot the large ring , then teach him to stop fair , comely , and without danger , after this manner : first , having cherisht him , bring him into a swift trot forward about fifty paces ▪ then draw in your bridle-hand straightly and suddenly , which will make him gather up his hinder and fore-legs together , and thereby stand still : then ease your hand a little , that he may give backward : which if he doth , give him more liberty , and cherish him : having given a little respit , draw in your bridle-hand , and make him go back three or four paces , at which if he strike , instantly ease your hand , and draw it up again , letting him come and go till he yeeld and go backward : but if he refuse it , let some person standing by , put him back , and then cherish him , that he may know your intention . thus every time you stop , make him retire , till you have perfected him in these two lessons at one time . have a care that the ground be not slippery where you stop ▪ but firm and hard , lest the horse apprehensive of the danger of falling , refuse to stop as you would have him . when your horse can stop well , and retire , you must then teach him to advance before , when he stoppeth ; a lesson that carrieth much grace and comeliness therein ; it is performed in this manner : after you have stopped your horse without giving your hand any ease , lay the calves of both your legs hard to his sides , shaking your rod , and crying , vp , up ; which though he understand not at first , yet by frequent practice , with helps , cherishings , and corrections as aforesaid , he will come to understand your meaning . but be sure you look narrowly to the comeliness of the advancing , which consists in taking up his legs both even together , bending them inward to his body ; next , his advance must not be too high , for fear of his coming over upon you ; but let him couch his hinder-loins close to the ground , but by no means suffer him to sprawl or paw with his feet forward . lastly , he must not advance for his own pleasure ( for that is a great fault ) but for yours , according to your will and command . if in advancing he rise too high , ready to come over , or sprawl , or paw ; give him not only your spurrs both together , but lash him twice or thrice with your rod between his ears , and if he advanceth of his own accord , then jerk him over the knees , doing so as often as he commits those faults . now the use of advancing is this ; it not only graceth all his other lessons , but makes his body agil and nimble , and fits him for ready turning ; it is most used at stopping , and then very gracefully . in the next place you must teach your horse to yerk out behind , after this manner : as soon as you have made him stop , ●presently give him a good jerk under his belly , near his flank , which will make him understand you in time , though not presently . at first doing , cherish him much , and having let him pawse , make him do it again , till he will do it as often as you will have him : but withall , look to the comeliness of his yerking , for it is not graceful for him to yerk out his hinder-legs till his fore-legs be above the ground ; and see that he yerk not one leg farther out than the other , but both even together , and not too high , or one leg out whilst the other is on the ground . helps in yerking , are the constant staying of his mouth on the bridle , the stroke of the rod under his belly , or a gentle touch thereof on his rump . if he refuse to yerk , or doth it disorderly , then a single spur on that side that is faulty ; and lastly , continual diseasing him till he hath done it . now to teach him to turn readily on both hands , is first to bring his large rings into a narrower compass , that is about four yards in circumference , walking your horse therein with all gentleness , and at his own pleasure , till he is acquainted therewith : after this , carry your bridle-hand constant , and somewhat straight , the outmost rein straighter than the inmost , making the horse rather look from the ring , than into it ; and thus trot him about , first on the one side , than on the other , making your changes as aforesaid . thus exercise him an hour and half , then stop and make him advance three or four times together , then retire in an even line , afterwards stand still and cherish him : having pawsed a while to recover breath , exercise him as aforesaid , still endeavouring to bring his trot to all the swiftness and loftiness possible , making him do his changes roundly and readily , and causing him to lap his outmost leg so much over his inmost leg , that he may cover it more than a foot over : and thus exercise him seven or eight days , every morning at least three hours , and suffer him only to practice his former lessons once in a morning ; in this manner you teach your horse three lessons together , the terra a terra , the incavalere , and the chambletta . the turn terra a terra in the outmost circle of the straight ring , and the incavalere and chambletta in the changes , wherein he is forced to lap one leg over another , or else to lift up the inmost leg from the ground , whilst he brings the outmost over it : this lesson is so difficult , that a compleat horseman should think his horse hath never perfectly learn'd it ; and therefore he must continually practice his horse in trading , trotting , and galloping these narrow rings ; and from thence to pass them about in ground-salts , as from taking up his fore-legs from the ground both together , and bringing his hinder feet in their place , and so passing the ring as often as the strength of your horse and your own reason will allow of . thus you see the perfecting your horse in the large ring will easily introduce him into the knowledg of the straight ring , and that brings him to turn perfectly , and stopping begets retiring , and retiring advancing . having brought your horse to this perfection , take off his musrole and trench , and in their stead put on his head a gentle cavezan , in such manner that it lye on the tender grissel of his nose somewhat near the upper part of his nostrils ; put in his mouth a sweet smooth cannon-bit , with a plain watering chain , the cheek being of a large size , let the kirble be thick , round and large , hanging loosly upon his neather lip , so that it may entice him to play therewith . having so done , mount , casting the left rein of your cavezan over the horses right shoulder , and bear it with your thumb with the reins of the bit in your left hand ; let the right reins of the cavezan be cast over his left shoulder , and bear it with your rod in your hand , and so trot him forth the first morning about two miles in the high-way , making him now and then stop and retire , and gather up his head in its due place ; the next day bring him to his former large rings , and perfect him therein with the bit as you did with the sanffle in all the foregoing lessons , which is more easily done by reason the bit is of better command and of sharper correction . the next thing we shall speak of ( to avoid every thing that is not very pertinent to our purpose ) is the turning-post , which must be smooth and strong , and very well fixt in the center of the straight ring , then causing some person to stand at the post , give him the right rein of your cavezan to hold about the post , and so walk or trot your horse about the same as oft as you think fit on your right hand ; then change your right rein for your left , and do as before ; continue thus doing till your horse be perfect in every turn . having so done , teach him to manage ( the proper posture for a sword ) which is thus performed : cause two rods to be prickt in the earth , at what distance as you shall think fit from one another ; then walk your horse in a straight ring about the first on your right hand , passing him in an even furrow down to the other rod , and walk about that also in a narrow ring on your left hand , then thrust him into a gentle gallop down the even furrow , till you come to the first rod , and there make him stop ( as it were ) and advance without pawse or intermission of time ; thrust him forward again , beat the turn terra a terra about on your right hand ; then gallop forth right to the other rod , and in the same manner beat the turn about on the left hand ; do this as often as you shall think convenient : though there are many sorts of manages , yet i hold but two necessary and useful , and that is this already described , called terra a terra , and incavalere or chambletta , discoursed afore-going . as for the career , i need not speak much thereof ; only this , when you run him forth-right at full speed , stop him quickly , suddenly , firm and close on his buttock , and mark that you make not your career too long , nor too short ; the one weakens , and the other hinders the discovery of his true wind and courage ; therefore let not the length of your career extend above six-score yards ; and be sure you give him some little warning by your bridle-hand , before you start him , and then stop him firmly and strongly . thus much for the war-horse or great saddle . of the horse of pleasure . if you will make your horse to bound aloft , you must first trot him about sixteen yards , then stop him , and when he hath advanced twice , streigthen a little your bridle-hand , and then give him the even stroke of both your spurs together hard , which at first will only amaze him , but if he have good mettle and courage , he will at length rise from the ground by often doing it ; if he doth it , though but little , cherish him very much , then let him pause and give him your spurs again , and if he acts according to your desire , cherish him again , make him do thus three or four times a day , till he is so perfect that he will do it at any time at your spurs command . next , teach him to corvet thus ; hollow the ground a horse's length , where two walls join together , then place a strong smooth post by the side of the hollowness of a horse's length likewise from the wall , then over against the post fasten an iron ring at the wall ; this done , ride your horse into the hollow place , and fasten one of the reins of the cavezan to the ring , and the other about the post ; then having first cherished your horse ) make him advance by the help of the calves of your legs , twice or thrice together , then let him pause ; after this ( cherisning him again ) advance him half a score times together , and daily encrease his advancings , till you perceive he hath got such a habit therein , that he will by no means go forward , but keeping his ground certain , advance both before and behind of an equal height , and keep just and certian time with the motions of your legs ; and if he raise his hinder legs not high enough , you must have some body behind , who having a rod , must gently jerk him on the fillets , to make him raise his hinder parts . by taking this course , in a few days you will so teach your horse to corvet , that without any helps at any time and place , you may make him corvet at your pleasure . i need not speak of the capriole , since it is the same manner of motion as the corvet , only it is done forward , gaining ground in the salt , raising his hinder parts as high or higher then the foremost . if you would have your horse go side-long on any hand , you must draw up your bridle-hand straight , and if you would have him go on the right hand , lay your left rein close to his neck , and the calf of your leg close to his side , making him put his left leg over his right , then turning your rod back ward , gently jerking him on the left hinder thigh , make him bring his hinder parts to the right side also , and stand in an even line as at the first , then make him remove his fore-parts more than before , so that he may as it were cross over the even line , aud then make him bring his hinder part after , and ●tand in an even line again , and this do till by practice he will move his fore-parts an● hinder parts both together , and go ●idelong as far as you please ; and if you would have him go on the left hand , do as before . to conclude , these are the most material lessons requisite to be taught any horse whatever , either for service or pleasure , which if taught your horse with care and patience , you may conclude your horse perfect and compleat . but be sure you observe this , that whatsoever lesson your horse is most imperfect in , with that lesson ever when you ride begin and end with it ; repeating every one over , more or less , lest want of use breed forgetfulness , and forgetfulness absolute ignorance . chap. xxxvi . of racing . for the compleating a gentlemans delight in the art of racing , he is to take special cognizance of these subsequent rules and orders . first , he is to consider what is the most convenient time to take his horse from grass , which is about bartholomew-tide , the day being dry , fair , and pleasant ; as soon as he is taken up , let him let him stand all that night in some convenient dry place to empty his body ; the next day put him into a stable , and feed him with wheat-straw , but no longer ; for though the rule be good in taking up horses bellies after this manner , yet if you exceed your time in so doing , this straw will straigthen his guts , heat his liver , and hurt his blood ; therefore what you want in straw let it be supplied by riding him forth to water morning and evening , airings , and other moderate exercise . and for his food , let it be good old sweet hay , and clothe him according to the weather and temper of his body ; for as the year grows colder , and thereby you find his hair rise and stare about his neck , flanks , or other parts , then add a woollen cloth , or more if need require , till his hair fall smooth . where note , that a rough coat shews want of cloth , and a smooth coat cloth enough . a race-horse ought to be drest in his resting days twice a day , before his morning and evening waterings ; and must be done after this manner : curry him from the tips of his ears to the setting on of his tail , all his body entirely over with an iron-comb , his legs under the knees and gambrels excepted ; then dust him and curry him high again all over with a round brush of bristles , then dust him the second time , and rub all the loose hair off with your hands dipt in fair water , and continue rubbing till he is as dry as at first , then rub every part of him with a hair-cloth , and lastly rub him all over with a white iinnen cloth ; then pick his eyes , nostrils , sheath , cods , tuel , and feet very clean , then cloa●h him and stop him round with wisps . there is no better water for a race-horse , then a running river or clear spring , about a mile and half from the stable , near some level ground , where you may gallop him afterwards , having scop'd him a little , bring him to the water again , then scope him and bring him again , so often till he refuse to drink more for that time ; after this , walk him home , clothe and stop him up round with great so●t wisps , and having stood an hour upon the bridle , feed him with sweet sound oats , either dryed by age or art : if your horse be low of flesh , or hath a bad stomach , add one third of 〈◊〉 to two parts of oats , and that will recover both . the next food you shall give him shall be better and stronger , and it is bread , which you must make after this manner : take two bushels of beans , and one of wheat , and grind them together , then boult through a fine range the quantity of half a bushel of pure meal , and bake it in three loaves , and the rest sift through a meal-sieve , and knead it with water and good store of barm , and bake it in great loaves ; with the courser bread feed your runner in his resting days , and with the finer against the days of his exercise and greatest labour . the times of his feeding , upon the days of his rest , must be after his comming from water in the morning , an hour after mid-day , after his evening watering , and at ten a clock at night ; but upon his labouring days , two hours after he is throughly cold , outwardly and inwardly , afterwards as aforesaid . let his hay be dry and short ; if it be sweet no matter how course it is , for if it be rough it will scowre his teeth . as for the proportion of his food , i need not prescribe a quantity , since you must allow him according to the goodness and badness of his stomach . his exercise ought to be thrice a week , and it must be more or less according to the condition of his body ; for if it be foul , exercise him moderately to break his grease ; if clean , you may do as you think fit , having a care that you discourage him not , nor abate his mettle ; and after every exercise give him that night , or the next morning , a scouring ; the best i know to purge a horse from all grease , glut , or filth whatever , is this , take three ounces of anniseeds , six drams of cumminseeds , a dram and half of cathamus , two drams of fen-greek-seed , and of brimstone an ounce and half ; beat all these to a fine powder , and searse them , then take of sallet-oyl somewhat more than a pint , a pound an● half of honey , and a pottle of white wine , then with fine white meal knead it well into a strong paste , and keep it by you , it will last a long time ; when you use it , dissolve a ball thereof in a pail of fair water , and give it him to drink after exercise , in the dark , lest discolouring the water , the horse refuse to drink . this is an excellent scouring , and a remedy for all internal distempers . now after exercise , cool him a little abroad before you bring him home , then house him and litter him well , rubbing him with dry clothes till there be never a wet hair about him , then clothe and wisp him round . here note , before you air your horse , it will be requisite , to break a raw egg into his mouth , for it will add to his wind . if he be fat , air him before sun-rise and after sun-set ; but if lean , let him have as much comfort of the sun as you can , coursing in his clothes sometimes to make him sweat is not irrequisite , so it be moderately done ; but when without his clothes , let it be sharp and swift . let his body be empty before he course ; and to wash his tongue and nostrils with vinegar , or to piss in his mouth e're you back him , is wholesom ; having courst him , clothe him , after he hath taken breath , and ride him home gently . to be short , what is here defective in the right ordering of a race-horse , your own judgments may easily supply . all that you have to do , is to be careful when to take him up , how to clothe him and dress him , when and how to feed and water , what and how much exercise is requisite either by airing or by coursing , and his ordering after exercise , and what scowrings are most requisite ; and that i may add a little more to your knowledg , and conclude this subject , take these general rules and instructions . 1. course not your horse hard at least four or five days before you run your match , lest the soarness of his li●bs abate his speed . 2. except your horse be a foul feeder muzzle him not above two or three 〈◊〉 before his match , and the night 〈◊〉 his bloody courses . 3. as you give your horse gentle courses , give him sharp ones too , that h● may as well find comfort as displesure thereon . 4. upon the ▪ match-day let your horse be empty , and that he take his rest undisturbed till you lead him out . 5. shoo your horse ever a day before you run him , then the pain of the hammers knocks may be out of his feet . 6. saddle your horse on the race-day in the stable before you lead him forth , and fix both the pannel and the girths to his back and sides with shoo-makers wax , to prevent all dangers . 7. lead your horse to his course with all gentleness , and give him leave to smell to other horses dung , that thereby he may be enticed to stole and empty his body as he goes . 8. lastly , when you come to the place where you must start , first rub his limbs well , then uncloath him , then take his back , and the word given , start him with all gentleness and quietness that may , lest doing any thing rashly , you choak him in his own wind . a race-horse ought to have all the finest shapes that may be , but above all things he must be nimble , quick , and fiery , apt to fly with the least motion . long shapes are tolerably good , for though they shew weakness , yet they assure sudden speed . the best horse for this use is the arabian barbary , or his bastard ; not but gennets are good , but the turks much better . having laid you down all these advantages for ordering your racer , from his taking up , to the day of his running , i hope you will make such good use of them , that if upon an equal match you should lay your money on the heels of your horse thus ordered , he shall be so far from kicking away his masters stake , that the nimbleness of his feet shall make it double . i might here insert the many subtilties and tricks there are used in making a match , the craft of the betters , with the knavery of the riders , but that they are now too generally known by the woful experience of too many racing-losers . chap. xxxvii . of archery . archery , as it is a recreation , so it hath been heretofore , and is still in some parts of the world very useful in military affairs , but now quite laid aside by english men for fighting , there being found out more dextrous and speedy ways to kill and destroy one another . yet it is not so laid aside , but that it is used by some for pastime , either at buts or rovers , and should not be forgotten by citizens , as appears by the continuance of that ancient custom for every lord mayor to see the prize performed by shooting annually with the pound arrow . certainly this shooting in the long bow is very healthful for the body , by extending the limbs , and making them pliant ; and it hath been necessary for a commonwealth , in the defence and preservation of the conntry ; but since it is so little used now adays , i shall abreviate my discourse . there are these rules to be observed for shooting in the long-bow . first , he must have a good eye to behold and discern his mark ; and knowing-judgment to understand the distance of ground , to take the true advantage of a side-wind , and to know in what compass his arrow must fly ; and a quick dexterity , to give his shaft a strong , sharp , and sudden loose . secondly , he must in the action it self stand fair and upright with his body ; his left foot a convenient stride before his right , both his hams stiff , his left arm holding his bow in the midst , stretcht strait out , and his right arm with his first three fingers and his thumb drawing the string to his right ear , the notch of his arrow resting between his fore-finger and middle-finger of his right hand , and the steel of his arrow below the feathers upon the middle knuckle of his fore-finger on his left hand ; he shall draw his arrow close up to the head , and deliver on the instant , without hanging on the string . the best bow is either spanish or english yew ; the best shaft is of burch , suger-chest , or brazel , and the best feathers gray or white . there are three marks to shoot at , buts , pricks , or rovers . the first is a level mark , and therefore you must have strong arrow with a broad feather . the second is a mark of some compass , yet most certain in the distance , therefore you must have nimble strong arrows , with a middle feather , all of one weight and flying . the last , which is the rover , is uncertain , sometimes longer , sometimes sharper , and therefore requires arrows lighter or heavier , according to the distance of shooting . if you want strength , by debilitation in the arm or back , you may reap the same pleasure by using the cross-bow , with which you may shoot at buts , pricks , or rovers . chap. xxxviii . of cock-fighting . cocking is a sport or pastime so full of delight and pleasure , that i know not any game in that respect is to be preferred before it , and since the fighting-cock hath gain'd so great an estimation among the gentry , in respect to this noble recreation i shall here propose it before all the other games of which i have afore succinctly discoursed ; that therefore i may methodically give instructions to such as are unexperienced , and add more knowledg to such who have already gain'd a competent proficiency in this pleasing art , i shall as briefly as i can give you information how you shall chuse , breed , and diet the fighting-cock , with what choice secrets are thereunto belonging , in order thus . of the choice of the fighting-cock . in the election of a fighting-cock there are four things principally to be considered , and they are shape , colour , courage , and sharp-heel . first , as to his shape , you must not chuse him neither too small , nor too large ; the first is weak and tedious in his fighting , and the other unweildy and not active , and both very difficult to be matched ; wherefore the middle-siz'd cock is the proper choice for your purpose , being easily matcht , and is both strong and nimble . his head ought to be small , with a quick large eye , and a strong back , and ( as mr. markham observes ) must be crookt and big at the setting on , and in colour suitable to the plume of his feathers , whether black , yellow or reddish , &c. the beam of his leg must be very strong , and according to his plume , blew , gray , or yellow , his spurs rough , long , and sharp , a little bending and looking inward . secondly , his colour ought to be either gray , yellow , or red , with a black breast ; not but that there are many other colour'd pyles very excellent good , which you must find out by practice and observation , but the three former by the experience of most found ever the best , the pide pyle may pass indifferently , but the white and dun are rarely found good for any thing . here note , that if your cocks neck be invested with a scarlet complexion it is a sign he is strong , lusty and couragious ; but on the contrary , if pale and wan , it denotes the cock to be faint , and in health defective . thirdly , you may know his courage by his proud upright standing , and stately tread in walking , and if he croweth very frequently in the pen , it is a couragious demonstration . fourthly and lastly , his narrow-heel or sharpness of heel is known no otherways than by observation in fighting , and that is , when upon every rising he so hits that he extracts blood from his opponent , gilding his spurs continually and every blow threatning immediate death to his adversary . here note , that it is the opinion of the best cock-masters , that a sharp-heel'd cock though he be somewhat false , is better than a true cock with a dull heel ; and the reason is this , the one fights long but seldom wounds , the other carrieth a heel so fatal that every moment produceth an expectation of the battails conclusion ; and though he is not so hardy as to endure the utmost hewing , so commonly there is little occasion for it , being a quick dispatcher of his business ; now should your cock prove both hardy and narrow-heel'd , he is then the best cock you can make choice of . to conclude , make your choice of such a one that is of shape strong , of colour good , of valour true , and of heel sharp and ready . how to breed a cock of the game . vvhatever you do , let your hen be of a good complexion , that is to say , rightly plumed , as black , brown , speckt , gray , grissel , or yellowish ; these are the right and proper colours for a hen of the game ; and if she be tufted on the crown it is so much the better , for that argues courage and resolution , and if she have the addition of weapons they conduce very much to her excellency . let her body be large and well poked behind for the production of large eggs ; you will do well to observe how she behaveth her self to her chickens , whether friendly or frowardly , and take especial notice of her carriage and deportment among other hens , if she will receive abuses from them without revenge , or show any thing of cowardice , value her not , for you may assure your self her chickens will be good for nothing . by the way take this observation , confirmed by the opinions of the best cock-masters both ancient and modern , that a right hen of the game from a dunghill-cock will bring forth very good chickens , but the best cock from a dunghill-hen will never get a bird that 's fit for the game , where if you intend to have a good breed get perfect cocks for your perfect hens . the best season for breeding is from the encrease of the moon in february , to the encrease of the same in march. let her nest be so placed that she may not be disturbed by the sight of any other fowl , which frequently so raiseth her choler that the eggs are in greater danger ; let the composure of her nest be made of soft sweet straw , and let it stand in some warm place , for she is a bird that is very tender . the next thing that you are to observe is , whether she turn her eggs often or not , if she is remiss therein , you must supply her duty , but if she save you the labour , prize her more than ordinary . and that she may not straggle too far from her eggs being necessitated to seek abroad for food , and so cool her eggs , it will be altogether necessary for you to set by her such necessary food as you shall think fit with some fair water ; and that she may bathe and trim her self at her pleasure : in the place where she siteth let there be sand , gravel and ashes finely sifted . the hen hatcheth her chickens commonly after one and twenty days ; observe in the hatching to take those newly hatched , and wrapping them in wool keep them warm by a fire side till the rest are disclosed ; being all hatcht put them under the hen , and be sure to keep her warm , and suffer not your hen and chickens to straggle abroad till they are above three weeks old ; and let the room wherein they walk be boarded , for all other flours are either too moist or too cold . let their walk be in some grass-court or green-place , after they are a month old , that they may have the benefit of feeding on worms , and now and then to scowre themselves with grass and chick-weed , but be careful they come not near puddles or filthy places , for they engender in birds of this nature venemous distempers , which commonly prove fatal ; for the prevention of such maladies by way of antidote give them every morning before they range abroad , the blades of leeks chopt or minced small and mingled among their usual diet ; also it will be requisite to perfume their room with burnt penyroyal or rosemary . observe to take this course till their sexes are distinguishable ; as soon as the comb or wattels are discernable , or plainly visible to the eye , cut them away , and anoint the sore place with sweet butter , till it be whole . the reasons why their combs or wattles should be cut so soon , are these , first if you let them grow till they arrive to their full bigness , and then cut them , there will follow a great flux of blood , and the least loss of blood in feather'd fowl is very dangerous ; if much , frequently mortal ; moreover to let them grow thus causeth gouty thick heads , with great lumps ; whereas if you take them off betime as aforesaid , they will have heads finely small , smooth and slender . the time of the separation of the cock-chickens is when they begin to fight with and peck one another , till which time you may let them walk with the hen promiscuously together , but afterwards let their walks be apart , and that walk is best where he may securely and privately enjoy his hens without the disturbance and annoyance of other cocks , for which purpose walks at wind-mills , water-mills , grange-houses , lodges in parks , and coney-warrens , are very good walks , but that the later is somewhat dangerous , being too frequently haunted with polecats , and other vermin . let the place of feeding be as near as you can on soft dry ground , or on boards if the place be harder , as on paved earth , or floors plaister'd , it will so weaken and blunt their beaks , that they will be unable to hold fast . here note , that any white corn is good for a cock in his walk , and so are white-bread tosts steeped in drink , or man's urine , which will both scowre and cool them inwardly . let not above three hens walk with your cock , for should you suffer more they will tread too much by reason of the heat of their nature , and by often treading they will cons●me their strength , and become so debilitated , that though they have courage enough , yet they have not strength to perform their parts as they ought to do in a battel . observe the crowing of your chickens ; if you find them crow too soon , that is before six months old , or unseasonably , and that their crowing is clear and loud , fit them as soon as you can for the pot or spit , for they are infallible signs of cowardise and falshood ; on the contrary the true and perfect cock is long before he obtains his voice , and when he hath got it observes his hours with the best judgment . suffer not your cock to fight a battel till he is compleat and perfect in every member , and that is when he is two years old ; for to fight him when his spurs are but warts comparatively , is no sign of discretion , for you may then probably know his valour and courage , but you cannot know his worth and goodness . in especial manner take care that your cocks roosting-perch be not too small in the gripe , or so ill placed that he cannot sit without stradling , or if it be crooked it is bad , for by these means , a cock will be uneven heel'd , and consequently no good striker ; and know that a perch either maketh or marreth a cock ; to remedy or prevent such faults , is to have in your roost a row of little perches about eight inches in length , and ten inches from the ground , that the cock may with more facility ascend , and being up , is forced to keep his legs near together ; and here take notice of this maxim amongst the best cock-breeders , that the cock which is a close sitter , is ever a narrow striker . let the footstool of the perch be round and smooth about the thickness of a mans arm , or if you will have the best form for a perch , go visit the houses of the most skilful cock-masters , and from them all gather what is most necessary for your purpose by making inspection into their feeding-pens and other places ; and let the ground underneath the perch be soft , for otherwise when he leaps down , he will be apt on a rough and hard ground to hurt his feet , insomuch that they will grow knotty and gouty . of dieting and ordering a cock for battel . in the dieting and ordering of a cock for battail confisteth all the substance of profit and pleasure ; and therefore your cunning cock-merchants are very cautious of divulging the secrets ( as they call them ) of dieting , for on that depends the winning or losing of the battel , they knowing very well that the best cock undieted is unable to encounter the worst that is dyeted ; let others be as niggardly as they please of their experience and observations , for my part i shall be free and scorn to conceal any thing that may tend to the propagation of the art and mystery of cock-fighting ; wherefore as to the dyeting and ordering of fighting cocks take these instructions following . the time of taking up your cocks is about the latter end of august , for from that time till the latter end of may cocking is seasonable and in request , the summer season being improper by reason of its great heat . having taken them up , view them well , and see that they are sound , hard feather'd , and full summ'd , that is having all their feathers compleat , then put them into several pens , having a moving perch therein , to set it at which corner of the perch you think most convenient ; the fashion and form of these pens you may have at the house of any cocker , and therefore i shall give you no directions how to make them ; only be advised to keep your pens clean , and let not your cocks want either meat or water . for the first four days after your cock is pend feed him with the crumb of old manchet cut into square bits about a handful at a time , and feed him thrice a day therewith , that is at sun-rising , when the sun is in his meridian , and at sun-setting , and let his water be from the coldest spring you can get it . having fed your cock thus four days , or so long till you think he hath purg'd himself of his corn , worms , gravel , and other coarse feeding , then in the morning take him out of the pen aud let him sparr a while with another cock. sparring is after this manner : cover each of your cocks heels with a pair of hots made of bombasted rolls of leather , so covering the spurs that they cannot bruise or wound one another , and so setting them down on straw in a room , or green-grass abroad , let them fight a good while , but by no means suffer them to draw blood of one another ; the benefit that accrues hereby is this , it heateth and chafeth their bodies , and it breaketh the fat and the glut that is within them , and adapts it for purgation . having sparred as much as is sufficient , which you may know when you see them pant and grow weary , then take them up , and taking off their hots give them a diaphoretick or sweating after this manner : you must put them in deep straw-baskets made for the purpose , or for want of them take a couple of cocking-bags and fill these with straw half ways , then put in your cokcs severally , and cover them over with straw to the top , then shut down the lids and let them sweat ; but do not forget to give them first some white suger-candy , chopt rosemary , and butter mingled and incorporated together , let the quantity be about the bigness of a walnut , by so doing you will cleanse him of his grease , increase his strength , and prolong his breath . towards four or five a clock in the evening take them out of their stoves , and having lickt their eyes and head with your tongue , put them into their pens , and having filled their troughs with square-cut-manchet , piss therein , and let them feed whilst the urine is hot ; for this will cause their scouring to work , and will wonderfully cleanse both head and body . after this , diet your cocks with a bread made after this manner : of wheat-meal , and oat-meal flower , take of each a gallon , and knead them into a stiff paste , with ale , the whites of half a score eggs , and some butter ; having wrought the dow very well , make it into broad thick cakes , and when they are four days old , cut them into square pieces ; i will not advise you to use ( as some imprudently do ) liquorish , anniseeds , or rather hot spices among your foresaid ingredients ; for they will make a cork so hot at the heart , that upon the concluding of the battel , he will be suffocated and overcome with his own heat . in short , that food is best which is most consentaneous to his own natural feeding . the second day after his sparring , take your cock into a fair green close , and having a dunghil-cock in your arms , show it him , and then run from him , that thereby you may intice him to follow , you permitting him to have now and then a blow , and thus chace him up and down abont half an honr ; when he begins to pant , being well heated , take him up and carry him home , and give him this scouring ; take half a pound of fresh butter , and beat it in a mortar with the leaves of herb of grace , hysop and rosemary , till they all look like a green salve , give him thereof a piece as big as a walnut , and then stove him as aforesaid till evening , and then feed him according to former prescription . the next day let him feed and rest , and spar him the next day after ; thus do every other day for the first fortnight , either sparring or chasing , and after every heat a scowring , which will keep him from being faint and pursie . feed him the second fortnight as you did the first , but you must not spar him or chase him above twice a week , observing still , that if you heat him much , you must stove him long and give him a greater quantity of scowring . when well in breath , slight heats , small scowrings , and little stoving will serve the turn . the third fortnight ( which is a time sufficient for ordering a cock for the battel ) you must feed him as aforesaid , but you must not spar him at all for fear of making his head sore , but you may moderately chase him twice or thrice in that time as aforesaid , then give him his scowring rolled well in brown sugar-candy which will prevent the scowring from making the cock sick ; now may you let him fight , having first let him rest four days , observing that he come empty into the pit. the right way of cock-matching . of all things have a special care how you match your cock ; for should you feed your cock with ever so much circumspect care and prudence , it will avail nothing if your cock be over-matcht . in matching , take notice of these two things ; first , the length of cocks , secondly , the strength of cocks ; for the length , if your adversaries cock be too long , yours shall hardly catch his head , and so be incapable of indangering eye or life ; and if he be the stronger , he will overbear your cock , and not suffer him to rise or strike with any advantage . the length you may judg of by the eye , when you gripe the cock by the waste , and make him shoot out his legs , in which posture you shall see the utmost of his height , and so compare them together , being herein governed by your judgment , his strength is known by the thickness of his body . take this for a rule , that a cock is ever held the strongest , which is the largest in the garth . you shall know the dimension of the garth by the measure of your hands , griping the cock about from the points of your great finger to the joynts of your thumbs , and either of these advantages by no means give your adversary ; if you doubt loss in the one , be sure to gain in the other : for the week long cock will rise at more ease , and the short strong cock will give the surer blow . how to prepare cocks for fight . since all cocks are not cast in one mould , the advantages on either side must be reconciled by matching ; and having made an equal match as near as you can , you must thus prepare him to fight : first , with a pair of fine cock-shears cut all his main off close unto his neck , from the head to the setting on of the shoulders ; secondly , clip off all the feathers from the tail close to his rump , the redder it appears the better is the cock in condition . thirdly , take his wings and spread them forth by the length of the first rising feather , and clip the rest slope-wise with sharp points , that in his rising he may therewith endanger an eye of his adversary . fourthly , scrape , smooth , and sharpen his spurs with a pen-knife . fifthly and lastly , see that there be no feathers on the crown of his head for his adversary to take hold of ; then with your spittle , moistning his head all over , turn him into the pit to move his fortune . how to order cocks after battel , and how to cure wounds . the battel being ended , immediately search your cocks wounds , as many as you can find , suck the blood out of them , then wash them well with warm urine , and that will keep them from ranckling ; after this give him a roll or two of your best scowring , and so stove him up as hot as you can for that night ; in the morning , if you find his head swell'd , you must suck his wounds again , and bathe them again with warm urine , then take the powder of herb robert , and put it into a fine bag , and pounce his wounds therewith ; after this give him a good handful of bread to eat out of warm urine , and so put him into the stove again , and let him not feel the air till the swelling be fallen . if he hath received any hurt in his eye , then take a leaf or two of right ground ivy , that which grows in little tufts in the bottom of hedges , and hath a little rough leaf ; i say , take this ivy and chew it in your mouth , and spit the juice into the eye of the cock , and this will not only cure the present malady , but prevent the growth of films , haws , warts , or the like , destructive to the eye-sight . if after you have put out your wounded cocks to their walks , and visiting them a month or two after , if you find about their head any swollen bunches hard and blackish at one end , you may then conclude in such bunches there are unsound cores , which must be opened and crusht out with your thumbs ; and after this , you must suck out the corruption , and filling the holes full of fresh butter , you need not doubt a cure. cures for some distempers in a cock , chick , or hen o' th' game . the pip is a white thin scale growing on the tip of the tongue , by which means poultry in general cannot feed , it is very visible to the eye , and proceedeth from foul feeding or want of water ; it is cured by pulling off the scales with your nail , and rubbing the tongue with salt . the roup is a filthy byle or swelling on the rump of the cock , hen , &c. and will corrupt the whole body . it is known by the staring and turning back of the feathers . for the cure , you must pull away the feathers , and open the sore to thrust out the core , then wash the place with water and salt , the cure is effected . if your cock or hen have the flux which hapneth by eating too much moist meat , you may cure them by giving them scalded pease-bran ; but if they cannot mute , anoint their vents , and give them corn steept in mans urine . lice is a common infirmity among them , proceeding from corrupt food , or for wanting of hathing in sand-ashes or the like ; this malady you must cure by taking pepper beaten to powder , & mixing it with warm water , wash them therewith . if they are troubled with sore eyes , take a leaf or two of ground-ivy , and chawing it well in your mouth , spit the juice thereof into their eyes , and it will presently heal . what other infirmities are incident to these birds of game i shall leave , and their cures , to your own practice and observation . an excellent and elegant copy of verses upon two cock's-fighting , by dr. r. wild. go you tame gallants , you that have a name , and would be accounted cocks of the game ; that have brave spurs to shew for 't , and can crow , and count all dunghill breed , that cannot show such painted plumes as yours , which think on 't vice with cock-like lust to tread your cockatrice ; though peacocks , woodcocks ▪ weathercocks you be if y' are not fighting-cocks , y' are not for me . i of two feather combatants will write , and he that means to th' life to express their fight , must make his ink the blood which they did spill . and from their dying wings must take his quill , no sooner were the doubtful people set , the match made up , and all that would had bet , but straight the skilful iudges of the play brought forth their sharp heel ' d warriors ; and they were both in linnen bags , as if 't were meet , before they dy'd to have their winding-sh●et . into the pit th●y're brought , and being there vpon the st●ge , the norfolk chanticleer looks stoutly at his ne're before seen foe , and like a challenger began to crew , and clap his wings as if he would display his warlike colours , which were black and gray . mean time the wary wisbich walks and breathes his active body , and in f●ry wreathes his comely crest ; and often looking down , he beats his angry beak upon the ground . this done , they meet , not like that coward-breed , of aesop's ; these can better fight than feed . they scorn the dunghil ; 't is their only prize , to dig for pearls within each others eyes . they fought so nimbly that 't was hard to know to th' skilful whether they did fight or no , if that the blood which dy'd the fatal floar had not born witness of 't . yet fought they more , as if each wound were but a spur to prick their fury forward . lightning's not more quick or red , than were their eyes ; 't was hard to know whether 't was blood or anger made them so . i 'm sure they had been out , had they not stood more safe , being wall'd in each others blood thus they vy'd blows ; but yet , alas at length , although their courage were full try'd , their strength and blood began to ebb . you that have seen a watery combat on the sea , between two angry roaring boiling billows , how they ●arch and meet , and dash their curled brow , swelling like graves , as though they did intend t' intomb each other , ere the quarrel end ; but when the wind is down , and blustring weather , they are made friends , and sweetly run together , may think these champions such ; their blood grows low , and they which l●apt but now , now scarce can go , for having left th' advantage of the heel , drunk with each others blood , they only reel ; and yet they would fain fight ; they came so near methought they meant into each others ear to whisper wounds ; and when they could not rise , they lay and lookt blows in t ' each others eyes . but now the tragick part ! after this fit when norfolk cock had got the best of it , and wisbich lay a dying , so that none , though sober , but might venture seven to one ▪ contracting , like a dying taper , all his strength , intending with the blow to fall , he struggles up , and having taken wind , ventures a blow , and strikes the other blind . and now poor norfolk having lost his eyes , fights , guided only by antipathies . with him , alas , the proverb is not true , the blows his eyes ne're saw , his heart must rue . at last by chance he stumbling on his foe , not having any strength to give a blow , he falls upon him with his wounded head , and makes his conquerors wings his feather-bed . his friends ran in , and being very chary , sent in all haste to call a pothecary ; but all in vain , his body did so blister , that 't was not capable of any clister . physick's in vain , and 't will not him restore . alas poor cock he was let blood before . then finding himself weak , op'ning his bill ▪ he calls a scrivener , and thus makes his will : imp. first of all , let never be forgot . my body freely i bequeath to the pot . decently to be boil'd , and for its tomb let it be buried in some hungry womb. item , for executors i'●e have none , but he that on my side laid seven to one , and , like a gentleman that he may live , to him and to his heirs , my comb i give , 〈◊〉 with my brains , that all may know , 〈◊〉 oftentim●s his br●ins did use to crow . item . for comfort of those weaker ones , whose wives complain of let them have my stones . fo● ladies that are ●ight , it is my will , my feathers make a fa● . and for my bill i 'le give a taylor : 〈◊〉 faith 't is so short i am afraid he 'l rather curse me for 't . and for that worthy doctors sake , who meant to give me a clister , le● my rump ●e sent . lastly , because i find my self decay , i yeild and give to wisbich cock the day . finis . 