An account of Play, with several remarkable Occurrences.

Thus I have told you what you must expect, and now I shall inform you what to do; but if e’re you think to be complete in this occult Art, you must by frequent trials reduce my Theory into your Practice.

In the first place, take this as a Maxim, never Play, but when you are sure to win and that you might not fail thereof, have you Dice about you continually of all sorts, which you may buy in London at several places ready made to your hand, but very dear: It may be when you are in the Countrey, you cannot be supplied from thence so speedily as your urgent affairs require, and therefore I would have you make them your self.

There are Fullams of two sorts, which you may make run high or low, that is, 6, 5, 4, or 3, 2, 1. either by drilling holes in the black spots, and load them with Quick-Silver, stopping up again the said holes with Pitch, or filling the Corners of the Dice. You may procure also, (which you must have Implements as necessary in your intended Profession, as Tools are for any working occupation) I say, there are Dice which you may get, which will run nothing but a Sise, another a Cinque, another a Quatre, &c. which are very useful at Tables: for if you want a Cinque, or so to enter at Back gammon or Irish, hitting that Blot at an after-game, you recover again, and ten to one but you win the Game; besides, it is useful for a single Hit at Ticktack, or for taking points, by joyning two together of a different sort.

In case of necessity if you have none of these artificial helps about you, then your hand must supply your wants, by Palming the Die; that is, having your Box in your hand, you take up both the Dice as they are thrown nimbly within the hollow of your hand, and put but one into the Box, reserving the other in your Palm, observing with a quick eye what side was upward, and so accordingly conform the next throw to your purpose, by delivering that in the Box, and the other in your hand smoothly together. You must sometimes use Topping; that is, by pretending to put both Dice into the Box, whereas you have dropt but one, holding the other between your fore-fingers, which you turn to your advantage. Knapping, is when you strike one Die dead, either at Tables or Hazzard let the other run a Milstone, as we use to say. Slurring, is when you throw your Dice so smoothly on the Table that they turn not, for which purpose you must endeavour to choose your Table or the smoothest part thereof. There are very few that can secure more than one Die, but I have known some so excellent at it, that they would slurr a Sise without turning above a yard in length; others I have known, who could secure two Dice in three at Passage, but that is seldom seen. I have heard of some so dextrous in casting the Dice, that they would throw when they pleased less than Ames Ace, through the handle of a Quart Pot.

Hazzard, In and In, and Passage are the principal Games in an Ordinary, you may find Professors enough thereof every where else, wherefore it is requisite to pass through these several Clashes for fear of being Cross-bitten or bubbled by some other dexterity, of which they have variety unimaginable. Hazzard, is a Game that maketh a quick riddance on one side or other, and therefore it hath not its name given improperly: for it ruinateth speedily, in Setting or Buttring (a term of art is used among us,) one or other is blown up immediately.

A Main at Hazzard, is that cast of the Die which is thrown first, but then it must be above Four, and less than Ten, otherwise it is no Main; so that hence you may understand there are five Mains, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, to these Mains there are seven Chances, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. Ames AceAmes Ace, and Duce Ace, are general outs or losses to them all; Eleven is out to 5, 6, 8, or 9; Twelve is out to 5, 7, or 9; but it nicks 6, or 8, as 11, doth 7, and so doth 5, nick 5, and so on to 9; after the second throw, the cast that comes first wins. At Hazzard the cunning Gamester will pray it may be Quatre Ace against Cinque Duce, or Tray Ace against Cinq Tray; you had need be well verst before you meddle with this, it being very hazzardous. Though twenty at a Table set you, you may knock with your Box but at one, and then all the rest draw their Money; as many as you knock to you must pay if you loose; if you throw at all, winning, you sweep all; O the sweet that is in that throw, when a man upon the success of that nick shall boldly cry more Money Gentlemen, although the Table is covered with Half-Crowns. If you sett, and the Caster refuse you, if another cover you, and you accept theereof, it is one and the same thing.

At In and In you play with four Dice, you may drop from one shilling to a pound; In, is when any two Doublets appear: Out, when none; In and In, when three Aces, three Duces, &c. or four of one sort.

At Passage you are to play with three Dice; you cannot Pass unless you throw Doublets above Nine, less than nine you are out; all other throws signifying nothing, you must thrown on. What other criticismes and crotchets there are in these Games, you cannot understand, otherwise than by observation in your practice; but as I told you at first, it is best not to meddle with it at all.

Hereupon my Gentleman took several Dice out of his Pocket, and throwing them, I saw he could make them run as he listed; my fingers itched to be at the sport, so that I spent the most part of every day in consulting what advantages I could find out in Play: nay, in the very night I was never at rest for dreaming of these confounded Devils bones: the indefatigable pains I took (to find out the ready way to my destruction,) made me speedily an accomplisht Gamester; and to show my Master how I had improv’d my self from his dictations, I engaged with him at single hand, he entring the List with me, found himself equally, if not overmatcht.

Hereupon he perswaded me to study how I might contrive an opportunity to Play, when at one bout we might both sow and reap a plentiful crop, that might help to a future maintenance. The Plott I laid at a Gentlemans House five miles distance from Salisbury, where I was invited to be merry, with orders to bring what friends I pleased with me; you may be sure I carried none but what had Money enough, otherwise no company for me. Being met together, we were very jovial, and amidst our cups, I propounded to throw with Dice, who should drink a Glass; it was agreed on; being all half boozie, I made another proposition to play at Hazzard round for a Crown and no farther; this motion took as well as the former, and to work we went.

To be short, I won all their Moneys, hardly leaving our Entertainer a penny in the House; and fearing he should recruit the next day, and so farther engage me, my new Comrade perswaded me to trip off, and share, for it was reasonable he should go snips with me; I therefore caused my Horse to be brought forth, and notwithstanding the many thousand perswasions to the contrary, (rewarding the Servants) I took my leave of them, promising to give what Revenge they pleased the next day, but that was none of our intent, for early the next morning, we with our booty rode for London.