From which it appears that the art of introducing false dice was not unknown, but practised by the Romans; nor did the passion for gaming cease with the imbecility of age, for when they were passed all manual exercise they constantly indulged themselves with dice, a custom which Dryden has also satyrised in the following lines:
“If gaming does an aged sire entice,
Then my young master swiftly learns the vice,
And shakes in hanging sleeves the little box and dice.”
A variety of authors seem to agree, that the Romans were in habits of play from their infancy at games most adapted to their age, particularly at the game of Par-and-impar or even and odd: indeed such an ungovernable passion for play prevailed, that even the lawgivers themselves practised it without moderation. The Emperors were, many of them, professed admirers of gaming. Claudius had gained so much experience in the chances of the dice, that he composed a book upon the subject; and Augustus himself was equally infatuated. Indeed to such a pitch of extravagance was the passion of Claudius for this vice, that it is related, Seneca, in his sarcastic apotheosis upon that emperor, after bringing him to hell, makes the Infernal Judges condemn him to play continually at dice with a box that had the bottom out.
Nero, among the rest of his prodigalities and profusion, was addicted to gaming; and that he might act like himself, at once made a stake of 400,000 sesterces: nor indeed are we without examples of Englishmen, when abroad, falling in with this frantic rage for excessive gaming; for we are told in Fuller’s Worthies that Henry Chenney, Baron of Teddington, when in France, had the honor of playing with the King of the country, of whom he won a diamond of considerable value; and the monarch asking him how he could have paid if he had lost? His lordship replied, with an air of confidence, “I have as many sheep in Kent, as the tails, and wool being sold, would purchase a much better diamond.”
The state of gaming in England, embraces one feature of mischief we do not read of in other countries, for here the rage has affected women with all the ruinous consequences that attach to the men, notwithstanding the laws prohibit the practice with an almost unparalleled severity;—laws armed with penalties sufficient to deter any reasonable being from encountering their perils; pronouncing degradations, corporal punishment, and retribution in every line.
It is possible, nay, very probable, that thousands in the habit of excessive gaming, and who experience all its concomitant horrors, may be wholly ignorant of those laws so penal in their operation: I will, therefore, state them in regular succession, in a manner so unembarrassed and simplified, as will level them to the comprehension of the most ignorant offender.
To restrain this pernicious vice among the inferior class of people, the Statute of 33 Hen. VIII. c. 9, was made, which prohibits all but gentlemen, the games of tennis, tables, cards, dice, bowls, and other unlawful diversions, under pecuniary pains and imprisonment.
By Stat. 16 Car. II. c. 7, if any person by playing or betting, shall lose more than 100l. at one time, he shall not be compellable to pay the same; and the winner shall forfeit treble the value, one moiety to the King, the other to the informer.
The Stat. 9 Ann, c. 14, enacts that all bonds and other securities given for money won at play, or money lent at the time to play withal, shall be utterly void, that all mortgages and incumbrances of lands made upon the same consideration shall be, and enure to the heir of the mortgager: that, if any person at one time loses 10l. at play, he may sue the winner, and recover it back by action of debt at law, and in case the loser does not, any other person may sue the winner for treble the sum so lost, and the plaintiff in either case, may examine the defendant himself upon oath; and that in any of these suits no privilege of parliament shall be allowed: the Stat, further enacts, that if any person cheats at play, and at one time wins more than 10l. or any valuable thing, he may be indicted thereupon, and shall forfeit five times the value, shall be deemed infamous, and suffer such corporal punishment as in case of wilful perjury.
By several Stats. of George II, all private lotteries by tickets, cards, or dice, (and particularly the games of faro, basset, ace of hearts, hazard, rolly polly, pas dice, and all games with dice, except backgammon) are prohibited under a penalty of 200l. for him that shall erect such lotteries, and 50l. a time for the players. Public lotteries unless by authority of Parliament, and all manner of ingenious devices which in the end are equivalent to lotteries, were before prohibited by a great variety of statutes, under heavy pecuniary penalties.