These things I know seeme very strange to the simple, and as yet cannot sinke into their braine, how a man may carry so many dice in one hand, and chop and change them so often, and neuer be espied: so as before I tolde you, Iuglers conueyance seemeth to exceede the compas of reason till you know the feat: but what is it that vse and labour ouercometh not. To foyst finely and readily and with the same hand to tell mony to and fro, is a thing hardly learned, and asketh a bold spirit and long experience, though it be one of the first the Cheater learneth.
What should I speak any more of false dice, of fullons, high-men, lowe-men, gourds, and brisled dice, grauiers, demies, and contraries, all which haue his sundry vses: but it is not my meaning to stand on this subiect: I would rather vse my pen, and spend my time, to disswade and perswade all gamesters, to beware not onely with what dice, but with what company and where they exercise gaming: and be well assured Gentlemen that all the friendly entertainement you shall finde amongst them is for no other end, but to perswade you to play, and therby by to breede your great losse, if not altogether your vndoing.
Therefore vtterly forbeare to hazard any thing at dice, and liue in doubt and suspition of cheating, wheresoeuer you play (vnles you know your company very well) for the contagion of cheating, is now growne so vniuersall, that they swarme in euery quarter: and therefore ye cannot be in safety, vnles you shunne the company of such altogether.
To leaue Dice and returne to Cardes, wherein is as much falsehood and cosening as in Dice: I will therefore disclose as much in one as in the other, for I would not giue a point to choose, which of them is the better, or rather the worse, for there is such a slight in shuffling and sorting of the Cardes, that play at what game you will, all is lost before hand, but if there be a confederate: either of the players or standers bie, the mischiefe can not be auoided.
Beware therefore when you play among strangers of him that seemes simple or drunken, for vnder their habit the most speciall cosoners are presented, and while you thinke by their simplicitie and imperfections to beguile them, (and thereof perchance are perswaded by their confederates) your very friends as you thinke, you your selfe will be most of all ouertaken.
Beware also of betters by, and lookers on: and namely on them that bet on your side: for whilst they looke on your game without suspition, they discouer it by signes to your aduersaries, with whome they bet, and yet are they confederates, whereof me thinkes this one aboue the rest proceedeth from a fine inuention.
A tricke by confederacy at Cardes.
A Gamester, after he had bene often times bitten by Cheators, and after much losse, grew very suspitious in his play, so that he would not suffer any of the sitters by to be priuy to his game, for this the Cheators deuised a new shift, that a woman should sit close by him, and by the swift and slowe drawing of her needle, giue a token to the Cheator what was the Cosens game.
Other helpes there be, as to set ye Cosen vpon the bench, with a great Looking glasse behinde him on the wall, wherein the Cheator may alwaies see what Cardes hee hath in his hand, So that a few ensamples in stead of many that might be rehearsed, this one conclusion may be gathered, that whosoeuer is giuen to play, and once sitteth amongst them, it is great ods but that he shall rise a looser.