whence this Recreation took its Birth and Original; and indeed 'tis no
wonder that she who is called the _Queen_ or _Empress of the World_, the
_Mistress of the Nations_, nay _the Paradise of the World_, should yield
such Art and Ingenuity, and gentile Cunning, as her proper Product:
A Country whose Inhabitants for their _Gravity_, _Respectiveness_, and
_Ingenuity_ will ever stand Chronicled in the Books of Fame. A People
that are _obedient_ to their _Superiors_, _Courteous_ to their
Inferiors, full of all _Civility_ to their Equals, _Affable_ to
Strangers, and most desirous by all fair and friendly Offices to win
their Love. In their _Apparel_ fine and modest, in their _Furniture_ of
their Houses sumptuous, and at their _Tables_ neat, sober in _Speech_,
Enemies of all _ill Reports_ of others, and so tender of their own
_Reputation_, that whosoever Slanders any one, and it reach the Parties
Ear, the Slanderer certainly dies for it: _Thrifty_ they are generally
of their Money and Expence, and love no more Cost, than what they are
sure to Save by, or have great Thanks for; but otherwise for civil
Behaviour and Deportment, surpassing all the Gentry of the World
besides. But one thing I dare not omit in this Character of them, _viz._
That they are extream _Jealous of their Wives_; and indeed not without
some reason, if what is spoken proverbially of their Women, be true,
That they are as _Magpies_ at the door, _Saints_ in the Church, _Goats_
in the Garden, _Devils_ in the House, _Angels_ in the Streets, and
_Syrens_ at the Windows; if Nature does not make them appear Beautiful,
Art shall, as Paintings and other sophistical Helps; whence comes this
Proverb among them, If _God make them tall and Fat_ (a _goodly_ Woman
being a Title of great Value among them) _they will make themselves
fair_. In fine, The Gentry are very Rich, live of all Men the most
careless and contented Lives, keeping the Poor as Drudges and Slaves for
them; and as it is said of the Tyrant _Polycrates_, _Have nothing to
trouble them, but that they are troubled with nothing_.
Thus I have given you a brief Character of the Inventors of this
Recreation we are coming to treat of, and hence we may presume, how
_fit_ such a People as this is, to give Birth to such a Recreation, so
Gentile, so Cleanly, and so Ingenious, that as their Persons and Manners
are emulously esteemed, so are their Pastimes ambitiously pursued, by
most Nations in _Europe_; and this Sport is hugely valued by all in
general, few Noblemen's or private Gentlemen's Families, nor few noted
Towns in _England_, but have _Billiard Tables_, and admire the
Excellency of it, both for the Exercise of the Body, and the Recreation
of the Mind. But to the Matter in hand.
_First_ then, He that would rightly understand this excellent Pastime,
must be very careful of the _Form_ and _Make of the Table_, and the
right ordering, framing, and fitting it for the Game, which is known by
these ensuing Marks.
1. The _Form_ of a _Billiard Table_ ought to be _Oblong_, that is to
say, somewhat longer than it is broad; Both the length and breadth being
left to your Discretion to make; proportionable to the Room you design
it for; It ought to be _railed_ round, and this Rail or Ledge a little
swelled or stufft with fine Flox or Cotton, that may yield to the Ball
when struck against it, and expedites rather than deads the Flight of
the Ball; though that happens according to the Violence of the Stroke or
Push: The _Superficies_ of the Table ought to be covered with Green fine
Cloath, clean and free from Knots: The Board must be levelled as exactly
as is possible for the Eye and Hand of the most curious Joyner to Level,
to the end your Ball may run true upon any part of the Table, without
leaning or declining to any side of it: I must confess I do believe
there are few have been so careful in this last thing, as they ought,
because they have not timely foreseen, if the Boards, whereof the Table
is made, be _well-seasoned_, and not subject to _Warp_, and that the
_Floor_ whereon it stands be even and level; so that through the
Ill-seasonedness of the one, or Unevennes of the other, as likewise in
time by the weight of the Table, and the Gamesters yielding and giving
way, there are very few found true. And indeed without a Table be
exactly true, a good Gamester can never shew the Excellency of his Skill
and Art, but a very Bungler sometimes, by being well acquainted with the
Turnings and Windings of a false Table, may beat a good Gamester with
great vexation and shame, who otherwise would have given him any odds
whatsoever. Therefore let me tell you, it will conduce as much to the
Interest of the Master of the House, where a _Billiard Table_ is kept,
to see that it be well and truly levelled and kept, as it does to the
Pleasure and satisfaction of a good Gamester, whose Skill is best seen
and exhibited on such Tables, and never comes unattended with Company
and Profit to the House, by his Recommendation he gives abroad of it.
And now let us proceed to the rest of its parts, and fit it for our
Play; and then let's to't as you list.
2. The four Corners of the Table must be furnished with _four Holes_,
and exactly in the middle of each side _one Hole_, and these Holes must
be hung at the bottoms with _Nets_, Which Holes are named _Hazards_,
because if either by Skill or Chance one Gamester strikes anothers Ball
into these Holes, or Hazards, as we will now call them, he wins One; the
_Nets_ are made to receive the Ball, and keep them from falling to the
Ground when hazarded; and indeed is a very commendable way, far better
than _Wooden_ Boxes which some use, these being apt to let a Ball to fly
out again, when they are struck in by a stiff stroke, whereas the Nets
keep them safe, and makes it impossible for them to rebound.
_3dly._ The other _Utensils_ and _Instruments_ belonging to this first
part of our Observations of the _Billiard Table_, are 1. An _Ivory
Port_, this must be placed at one end of the Table. 2. An _Ivory King_,
which must stand at the other end. 3. Two _Ivory Balls_, which must be
compleatly round, or no good proof of your Play can be expected. 4. and
Lastly, _Two Sticks_ made of _Brasile_, _Lignum-Vitae_, or some other
weighty Wood, to make them heavy, and at the broad end tipt with Ivory:
And be sure to observe narrowly, if the _Heads_ be tight and fast, for
if they should be loose you will never strike a smart stroke; and
therefore if you fear this Defect, see if your stroke be hollow and
dead, and your Ball run faintly, these are infallible Tokens that your
Play will come to nothing without a fresh supply of other Sticks, or the
heads of these fixt.
Thus much for the Table, and all the other Implements belonging to it,
which are necessary for our first Enquiry for the right understanding of
this Game, I come next to those _Rules_ and _Measures_ which are to be
observed for the rendring one a Gamester at this gentile Game.
_Secondly_, This Game in its _Number_ is, according to the _Place_ and
_Time_, when and where it is play'd; for in Gentlemens Houses they do
not oblige themselves to a certain Number, but make as many as they
please to admit up without any Restriction: But in Houses where part of
their Subsistence has a Dependance upon a _Billiard Table_, the Game is
_Five_ by Day-light or _Seven_, if odds be given, and _Three_ by
Candle-light, or more, as the Rule of the House is. Now then having
agreed upon what number we play, let us learn next how to manage our
Game skillfully and with Art, and this we may understand by these
following Rules.
1. Let us know who must lead, which thus is resolved: You must stand on
the one side of the Table opposite to the (so called) King, with your
Ball laid near the Cushion, and your Adversary on the other placed in
the like posture; and thus He of the two, that comes nearest the King,
leads first.
_2ly._ Having gotten the Lead, have a Care how you strike your Ball,
that at the first stroke you touch not with your Ball the end of the
Table, leading from the King to the Port, for if you touch it you lose
One, as you shall observe hereafter in the Orders. But after the first
Stroke you need not fear doing it: And you Leader be sure to lead so,
that you may be in a possibility of passing the Port the next Stroke; or
else to lye so cunningly, that you may probably hazard your Adversaries
Ball the very Stroke you play after him.
_3ly._ Generally the first Contest is who shall _pass first the Port_,
and herein much Pains is taken, and all the Art and Cunning possible
used to do it, and sometimes, nay frequently, an Opportunity of a
_Hazard_ ends the Controversy: Sundry and various, as well as very
pleasant, are the Policies and Tricks which are here used to obstruct
each others Pass, as; _By turning the Port by a strong clever stroke_
(the Sticks turning it, it is nothing, but to set aright again is the
amends, though some would have the severity of the Orders inflicted on
such an Offence by the Loss of One:) Next by _laying your Ball_ (when
you see it impossible to pass) _in the Port_, or _before your
Adversaries Ball_, for then let him do his utmost, he must Pass after
you; if he has Past first, and you dare not venture to follow him, as
fearing he should in the mean time touch the King, and so carry away the
End; then you must wait upon him, and watch every Opportunity how you
may hazard, or king him: Kinging of him is, when his Ball lyes in so
advantageous a manner, as that if you strike his Ball, he must
inevitably strike down the King, then you win, and prevent the Loss of
that End: But with this Caution however, That you be careful how you
strike, for if you do king him, and your Ball happens to fly over the
Table, or into a Hazard, you shall lose One notwithstanding you have
King'd him; and therefore a skillful Precaution must ever be had in
this, and he that would prevent any such Chance, must
_4ly._ Have a _curious Eye_, and a _good Judgment_, to take and quarter
just so much of the Ball, that when he intends either to King or Hazard
his Adversaries Ball, he may with Facility & Dexterity effect either.
Which Observation must be noted, in passing on your Antagonists Ball, or
corner of the Port: And indeed some are curious Effectors of this part
of the Recreation, who with less than a fifth part of a Ball, will
rarely miss a King or Hazard; which I must confess is an excellent part
of a compleat Gamester in this Sport.
_5ly._ Be careful that you _lay not your hand on the Table_ when you
strike, nor let your Sleeve drag upon it, if you do it is a Loss; Or if
you _smoke a Pipe of Spanish or Virginia_, being so wedded to that Fume,
that were you sure to smother all the rest of the Company you are
insensible of the Indecency, be careful that the Ashes fall not on the
Table, lest the Cloth be burnt, which many times falls out: In these two
Cases, let the Mulcts and Forfeitures of both, but especially the
Hinderance the last gives a Man in the Skillful managing his Game, deter
you from the lolling slovenly Posture of the first, and the stinking
Indecency of the latter; because this Pastime being of a neat and
cleanly Composition, will not admit any such Irregularities and
Indecorums, without an absolute Violation of its Laws, and a Punishment
attending such unhandsome Offences.
_6thly._ As this cleanly Pastime exacts our diligent Care of keeping a
_Decorum_, in the prosecuting the same, so does it require that we
handle our Instruments with a neat and tractable hand, dislikes a
Clumsey-Fist, which palms the Stick, as if he were handling a
_Plough-share_: And therefore when you strike a long stroak, hold your
stick neatly between your two fore-Fingers and your Thumb, and then
strike a smart stroak; and by taking a steady and right Aim, (in this
having your Eye and Judgment about you) you may when you list, either
fetch back your Adversaries Ball, when he lyes fair for a Pass; or many
times, when he lyes behind the _King_, and you at the other end of the
Table, you may by a dextrous management of your stroke, _King_ him
backward: Both which ways, I must confess, require a great deal of Care,
and good Play, which he that would be, or already is, a Gamester, is
never wanting in. But
_7thly_, If you lye close, then the small end of your Stick, or the flat
of the big end, raising up one end over your shoulder, is practicable
and useful, and either of them to be used, as Occasion shall require,
and as you judge most convenient and proper for the working the Effect
you Aim at.
_8thly_, There is one Fault, which tho its Demerits perhaps may not
reach a Forfeiture, yet I must tell you will scarce admit of an Excuse,
though this I presume is regulated according to the Agreement first
stipulated between the Gamesters, and this Fault is called _Raking_,
_i. e._ not striking your Ball cleanly, but gliding along, as it were;
But in this, if you touch your Ball twice, it is a loss; as indeed
repugnant to all _Rule_ and _Method_.
_9thly_, There is another Caution you are to take at the Port, _viz._
When you jobb your Ball with the great end of your stick through the
Port, beware that you throw it not down, the doing of it is a loss; and
therefore be careful to do it so handsomly, that at one stroke without
turning the Port with your stick (which as I have mentioned before is a
fault) you accomplish your Intention: But on the contrary observe
_10thly_, It is good play to turn the Port with your _Ball_, (not with
your stick) and so hinder your Adversary from passing: Nor is it amiss,
to make your Adversary a _Fornicator_ if it lyes in your Power: I mean
to make him a _Fornicator_ is, having past your self a little way, and
your Adversaries ball being hardly through the port, you put him back
again, and it may be quite out of pass, and so you may the sooner
peradventure gain the end, having the Advantage of passing, by gently
thrusting the other back again.
_11thly_, Let Policy likewise be a guide to you, for obtaining the
Conquest, and lying a-loof off, and laying a long Hazard sometimes for
your Antagonist, will be an excellent way to entice and entrap him; for
that he promising to himself the good fortune of Hazarding you, will be
induced rashly to adventure at that distance, and supposing to strike
your Ball, which cunningly lyes (to tempt him to that Venture) near the
Hazard, is himself caught in that Trap he thought to throw you into, by
reason that the distance, deceives his Expectation, and blows up his
thoughts with fruitless Suppositions.
_12thly_, Let Art likewise teach you Cunning, _i. e._ by lying abscond,
or at Bo-peep with your Adversary; this is a subtlety which perhaps may
gain the Advantage of a Pass or Hazard. For I must tell you, in this
Game, is required much Cunning, and subtle Contrivance, as in any
Recreation whatever, and therefore when you are to Play with an Expert
Player, you must muster up all the forces of your Ingenuity and Wit, for
the vanquishing of your Opponent.
_Lastly_, Observe the Advantages may be gained, and endeavour to get
them, if they fall within the sphere of your Activity. One of which I
shall here insert, which is indeed the chief, _viz._ That if your
Adversary hath not past the Port, and lies up by the King, take the
Advantage of a Second Pass, endeavour to pass again, which if you
dextrously perform, and after touch the King, you gain two; but if your
too great Precipitancy and Inadvertency, or sometimes an unlucky Chance
hurryes you on to throw down the King, then you loose.
Some instead of a King use a string and Bell, so that after you have
passed, you need not doubt the end, as being a thing not so ticklish, or
requiring so much Art as the King does, to be toucht finely and gently
at a distance, without throwing it down: This alone is to be preferred
for ingenious Persons, the other for the use only of Bunglers.
Thus much shall suffice for Rules for the right Playing at _Billiards_,
which being a Recreation not Admitting of any further Observations and
Methods to be made and shewn on it; Let Practice, and the Dictates of
the ensuing Orders compleat your Perfection in this gentile Game.
_ORDERS for Players at the Gentile Game of _Billiards_ to Observe._
I.
If the Leader touch the end of the Table with his Ball, at the first
stroke, he loseth One.
II.
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.
III.
He that Passeth through the Port hath the Advantage of touching the
King, which is One, if not thrown down.
IV.
He that passeth twice, his Adversary not having passed at all, and
toucheth the King, without throwing him down, wins two Ends.
V.
He that passeth not hath no other Advantage than the Hazards.
VI.
He that is a Fornicator (that is hath past through the Back of the Port)
he must pass twice thro the fore-part, or he cannot have the Advantage
of passing that end.
VII.
He that hits down the Port, or King, Hazards his own Ball, or strikes
either Ball over the Table, loseth One.
VIII.
He that Hazards his Adversaries Ball, or makes it hit down the King,
winneth the end.
IX.
If four Play, two against two, he that mistakes his stroke loseth one to
that side he is of.
X.
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, or Clothes, or playeth his Adversaries Balls, loseth One.
XI.
He that sets not one foot upon the Ground, when he strikes his Ball
shall lose an end, or if he layes his hand or Sleeve on the Cloth.
XII.
A stander-by, tho he betts shall not instruct, or speak 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 suffered to stay in the
Room.
XIII.
He that Playes a Ball, while the other runs, or takes up a Ball before
it lies still, loseth an End.
XIV.
He that removes the Port with his stick, when he strikes his Ball, and
thereby prevents his Adversaries Ball from passing, loseth an end.
XV.
All Controversies are to be decided by the standers-by, upon asking
Judgment.
XVI.
Whosoever breaks the King forfeits a Shilling, for the Port ten
Shillings, and each stick Five Shillings.
XVII.
Five ends make a Game by Day-light, and Three by Candle-light.
Many other Orders there are which concern the House, and thither I refer
you for further Infomation; and here take leave to conclude this my
_School of Recreation_.
Utrum horum Mavis accipe, _&c._
_FINIS._
* * * * *
* * * *
Some Books Printed for _Henry Rhodes_, near _Bride-Lane_ in
_Fleet-Street_.
The Strange Religions, Customes and Manners of sundry Nations, in
_Twelves_, price bound _One Shilling_.
The History of the Life and Glorious Reign of Queen _Elizabeth_, the 2d.
Edition with Additions, by _S. Clark_ in _Twelves_ bound _One Shilling_.
The History of King _Henry_ the eighth and _Edward_ the sixth,
_Twelves_, Price bound _One Shilling_.
_Coffee-House-Jests_, the third Edition, with Additions, in _Twelves_,
Price bound _One Shilling_.
The present State of _Turky_, _Twelves_, Price bound _One Shilling_.
The _London Jilt_: Or, The _Politick Whore_, in two parts.
_Witts Cabinet_, Twelves, Price bound _One Shilling_.
Sundery Conversations, _Twelves_.
The great Point of Succession, in _Folio_.
* * * * *
* * * *
* * * * *
Errors Noted by Transcriber:
In several places the first line of a change-ringing chart was damaged
or missing; since these lines always read "123456" they are not
separately noted. Brackets in the body of the text are in the original.
_Infirmity_, _Age_, _Station_, _Degree_, may render
[_"may" printed in emphatic type like preceding words_]
Give him sharp, as well as gentle, Courses ["as as well as"]
a bag of Chaff, and thresh'd Ears ["aud"]
a-cross these Paths, hollow, ["Paths ,ollow,"]
your Rods about twelve Inches long [_"a-/about" at line break_]
To sharpen your _Hook_, carry a little _Whetstone_.
[_"a / a" at line-break]
curiously Flourishing their several Orient and bright Colours
["Flourishng"]
without breaking or circling the Water
[_"the / the" at line-break]
Oyl of _Aspray_, _Coculus India_, and _Assa Foetida_ ["Faetida"]
and skilfully argue and dispute its Excellency, _&c. [, for .]
Warm and well lined [_"and / and" at line-break]
whose _Lord Mayor_ annually appears ["annnally"]
This will go a 120 _Changes_, and by making _Bobs_, 240, 360, 720.
[_text has "270" for 720_]
for the Use _Bells_ in Sacred Offices
[_text unchanged: "the Use of Bells"?_]
_Colledge Triples_ ... 2415367 [2415357]
and 4, 8 for the _Fourth_ ["for for"]
Thus much shall suffice for my treating of Ringing ["Riging"]
_i. e._ not striking your Ball cleanly ["i,e,"]
The great Point of Succession, in _Folio_. [, for .]
Invisible letters:
"Invisible" means that the letter does not appear, but there is an
appropriately sized blank space.
_Names_, _Degrees_, _Ages_, and _Seasons_ [_a of "Seasons"_]
and the _Lim'd_ straws, lapping under their Wings [_d of "Lim'd"_]
seek _where to find_ that he prepared for [_w of "where"_]
The _greatest Eels_ lurk under Stones [_g of "greatest"_]
At the opening of _Mill-dams_ or _Sluces_ [_l of "Sluces"_]
lest you make his Limbs sore [_e of "lest"_]
the general Method of the whole Peal [_second e of "general"_]
Period (full stop) missing or invisible:
_Madness._ Lastly, If your Hound be Mad
Rub him with a _Brush_ of _Bristles_ over again.
Chaffinches_, _Goldfinches_, _Yellow-Hammers_, &c.
with _Gray_, or _White Feathers_.
render a Practitioner _Excellent_.
_Secondly_, Learn to apprehend the Places of the _Notes_.
Missing words or letters supplied from 1696 edition, with supplements
shown in {braces}; full lines as printed:
Thus much for their Names, Degrees{,}
and Ages: Now let us next obser{ve}
their _proper Seasons_ for Hunting.
The _Hart_ or _Buck_, beginneth _fift{een}_
Days after _Mid-Summer-Day_, and l{ast-}
eth till _Holy-Rood-Day_.
The _Fox_, from _Christmass_, and l{ast-}
eth till the _Annunciation of the bless{ed}
Virgin Mary_.
self all over, but his Nose, keeping the
middle, least by touching any Boughe{s}
he leave a Scent for the Hounds; And {by}
his Crossings and Doublings he will e{n-}
deavour to baffle his Pursuers: In th{ese}
Cases have regard to your _Old Hou{nds_,}
as I said before. When he is _Imbost_ {or}
weary, may be known thus: By {his}
Creeping into holes, and often lying
{N}ow for the _Place_ where to find her,
{you} must examine and observe the Sea-
{sons} of the Year; for in Summer or
{Spring} time, you shall find them in
{Corn-}fields and open places, not sitting
{in Bushes}, for fear of Snakes, Adders,
{_&c._} In _Winter_ they love Tuffs of
{Tho}rns and Brambles, near Houses:
{In} these places you must regard the _Old-
ness_ or _Newness_ of her _Forme_ or Seat,
rected: In any _Cross-Peal_ {the _Whole}
Hunt_ may move either up or down at
_Peal{e}s_, as indeed needless; {and my}
And thus with little Variatio{n, there}
Missing letters stuck to following page:
them together to inge{n}der in _January_,
_February_, or _March_, as {the} properest