L100 is won or
lost: to see two or three gentlemen come in there drunk, and putting
their stock of gold together, one 22 pieces, the second 4, and the third
5 pieces; and these to play one with another, and forget how much each
of them brought, but he that brought the 22 thinks that he brought no
more than the rest: to see the different humours of gamesters to change
their luck, when it is bad, how ceremonious they are as to call for new
dice, to shift their places, to alter their manner of throwing, and that
with great industry, as if there was anything in it: to see how some old
gamesters, that have no money now to spend as formerly, do come and sit
and look on, as among others, Sir Lewis Dives, who was here, and hath
been a great gamester in his time: to hear their cursing and damning to
no purpose, as one man being to throw a seven if he could, and, failing
to do it after a great many throws, cried he would be damned if ever
he flung seven more while he lived, his despair of throwing it being so
great, while others did it as their luck served almost every throw:
to see how persons of the best quality do here sit down, and play with
people of any, though meaner; and to see how people in ordinary clothes
shall come hither, and play away 100, or 2 or 300 guinnys, without
any kind of difficulty: and lastly, to see the formality of the
groome-porter, who is their judge of all disputes in play and all
quarrels that may arise therein, and how his under-officers are there
to observe true play at each table, and to give new dice, is a
consideration I never could have thought had been in the world, had I
not now seen it. And mighty glad I am that I did see it, and it may be
will find another evening, before Christmas be over, to see it again,
when I may stay later, for their heat of play begins not till about
eleven or twelve o'clock; which did give me another pretty observation
of a man, that did win mighty fast when I was there. I think he won L100
at single pieces in a little time. While all the rest envied him his
good fortune, he cursed it, saying, "A pox on it, that it should come so
early upon me, for this fortune two hours hence would be worth something
to me, but then, God damn me, I shall have no such luck." This kind
of prophane, mad entertainment they give themselves. And so I, having
enough for once, refusing to venture, though Brisband pressed me hard,
and tempted me with saying that no man was ever known to lose