5ly. Be careful that you lay not your hand on the Table when you strike, nor let your Sleeve drag upon it, if you do it is a Loss; Or if you smoke a Pipe of Spanish or Virginia, being so wedded to that Fume, that were you sure to smother all the rest of the Company you are insensible of the Indecency, be careful that the Ashes fall not on the Table, lest the Cloth be burnt, which many times falls out: In these two Cases, let the Mulcts and Forfeitures of both, but especially the Hinderance the last gives a Man in the Skillful managing his Game, deter you from the lolling slovenly Posture of the first, and the stinking Indecency of the latter; because this Pastime being of a neat and cleanly Composition, will not admit any such Irregularities and Indecorums, without an absolute Violation of its Laws, and a Punishment attending such unhandsome Offences.
6thly. As this cleanly Pastime exacts our diligent Care of keeping a Decorum, in the prosecuting the same, so does it require that we handle our Instruments with a neat and tractable hand, dislikes a Clumsey-Fist, which palms the Stick, as if he were handling a Plough-share: And therefore when you strike a long stroak, hold your stick neatly between your two fore-Fingers and your Thumb, and then strike a smart stroak; and by taking a steady and right Aim, (in this having your Eye and Judgment about you) you may when you list, either fetch back your Adversaries Ball, when he lyes fair for a Pass; or many times, when he lyes behind the King, and you at the other end of the Table, you may by a dextrous management of your stroke, King him backward: Both which ways, I must confess, require a great deal of Care, and good Play, which he that would be, or already is, a Gamester, is never wanting in. But
7thly, If you lye close, then the small end of your Stick, or the flat of the big end, raising up one end over your shoulder, is practicable and useful, and either of them to be used, as Occasion shall require, and as you judge most convenient and proper for the working the Effect you Aim at.
8thly, There is one Fault, which tho its Demerits perhaps may not reach a Forfeiture, yet I must tell you will scarce admit of an Excuse, though this I presume is regulated according to the Agreement first stipulated between the Gamesters, and this Fault is called Raking, i.e. not striking your Ball cleanly, but gliding along, as it were; But in this, if you touch your Ball twice, it is a loss; as indeed repugnant to all Rule and Method.
9thly, There is another Caution you are to take at the Port, viz. When you jobb your Ball with the great end of your stick through the Port, beware that you throw it not down, the doing of it is a loss; and therefore be careful to do it so handsomly, that at one stroke without turning the Port with your stick (which as I have mentioned before is a fault) you accomplish your Intention: But on the contrary observe
10thly, It is good play to turn the Port with your Ball, (not with your stick) and so hinder your Adversary from passing: Nor is it amiss, to make your Adversary a Fornicator if it lyes in your Power: I mean to make him a Fornicator is, having past your self a little way, and your Adversaries ball being hardly through the port, you put him back again, and it may be quite out of pass, and so you may the sooner peradventure gain the end, having the Advantage of passing, by gently thrusting the other back again.
11thly, Let Policy likewise be a guide to you, for obtaining the Conquest, and lying a-loof off, and laying a long Hazard sometimes for your Antagonist, will be an excellent way to entice and entrap him; for that he promising to himself the good fortune of Hazarding you, will be induced rashly to adventure at that distance, and supposing to strike your Ball, which cunningly lyes (to tempt him to that Venture) near the Hazard, is himself caught in that Trap he thought to throw you into, by reason that the distance, deceives his Expectation, and blows up his thoughts with fruitless Suppositions.
12thly, Let Art likewise teach you Cunning, i. e. by lying abscond, or at Bo-peep with your Adversary; this is a subtlety which perhaps may gain the Advantage of a Pass or Hazard. For I must tell you, in this Game, is required much Cunning, and subtle Contrivance, as in any Recreation whatever, and therefore when you are to Play with an Expert Player, you must muster up all the forces of your Ingenuity and Wit, for the vanquishing of your Opponent.
Lastly, Observe the Advantages may be gained, and endeavour to get them, if they fall within the sphere of your Activity. One of which I shall here insert, which is indeed the chief, viz. That if your Adversary hath not past the Port, and lies up by the King, take the Advantage of a Second Pass, endeavour to pass again, which if you dextrously perform, and after touch the King, you gain two; but if your too great Precipitancy and Inadvertency, or sometimes an unlucky Chance hurryes you on to throw down the King, then you loose.
Some instead of a King use a string and Bell, so that after you have passed, you need not doubt the end, as being a thing not so ticklish, or requiring so much Art as the King does, to be toucht finely and gently at a distance, without throwing it down: This alone is to be preferred for ingenious Persons, the other for the use only of Bunglers.