An account of Play, with several remarkable Occurrences.
T_hus 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 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_.