e 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
lef