_Of Lotteries._
Men that accept Titles may foresee, that they may be taxed by them
as aforesaid, (although it be unlikely (one House of Parliament
being all Tituladoes, and the greatest part of the other being such
also) that any such way of Leavy should pass) and therefore they do
as it were _à priori_ consent unto the Tax in their own Individuals.
2. Now in the way of Lottery men do also tax themselves in the
general, though out of hopes of Advantage in particular: A Lottery
therefore is properly a Tax upon unfortunate self-conceited fools;
men that have good opinion of their own luckiness, or that have
believed some Fortune-teller or Astrologer, who had promised them
great success about the time and place of the Lottery, lying
Southwest perhaps from the place where the destiny was read.
3. Now because the world abounds with this kinde of fools, it is
not fit that every man that will, may cheat every man that would be
cheated; but it is rather ordained, that the Sovereign should have
the Guardianship of these fools, or that some Favourite should beg
the Sovereigns right of taking advantage of such mens folly, even
as in the case of Lunaticks and Idiots.
4. Wherefore a Lottery is not tollerated without authority,
assigning the proportion in which the people shall pay for their
errours, and taking care that they be not so much and so often
couzened, as they themselves would be.
5. This way of Lottery is used but for small Leavies, and rather
upon privato-publick accompts, (then for maintaining Armies or
Equipping Fleets,) such as are Aque-Ducts, Bridges, and perhaps
Highwayes, &c. Wherefore we shall say no more of it upon this
occasion.