halfe way to heaven,
    If in his hand he had but got a sev’n. 
    His father’s death set him so high on flote,
    All rests went up upon a sev’n and coate. 
    But while he drawes from these grey coats and gownes,
    The gamesters from his purse drew all his crownes. 
    And he ne’er ceast to venter all in prime,
    Till of his age, quite was consum’d the prime. 
    Then he more warily his rest regards,
    And sets with certainties upon the cards,
    On sixe and thirtie, or on sev’n and nine,
    If any set his rest, and saith, and mine: 
    But seed with this, he either gaines or saves,
    For either Faustus prime is with three knaves,
    Or Marcus never can encounter right,
    Yet drew two Ases, and for further spight
    Had colour for it with a hopeful draught
    But not encountred, it avail’d him naught. 
    Well, sith encountring, he so faire doth misse,
    He sets not, till he nine and fortie is. 
    And thinking now his rest would sure be doubled,
    He lost it by the hand, with which sore troubled,
    He joynes now all his stocke unto his stake,
    That of his fortune he full proofe may make. 
    At last both eldest hand and five and fifty,
    He thinketh now or never (thrive unthrifty.)
    Now for the greatest rest he hath the push: 
    But Crassus stopt a club, and so was flush: 
    And thus what with the stop, and with the packe,
    Poore Marcus and his rest goes still to wracke. 
    Now must he seek new spoile to rest his rest,
    For here his seeds turne weeds, his rest, unrest. 
    His land, his plate he pawnes, he sels his leases,
    To patch, to borrow, and shift he never ceases. 
    Till at the last two catch-poles him encounter,
    And by arrest, they beare him to the Counter. 
    Now Marcus may set up all rests securely: 
    For now he’s sure to be encountred surely.”

Minsheu thus explains Primero:—­“Primero and Primavista, two games at cards.  Primum et primum visum, that is, first and first seene, because he that can show such an order of cards first, winnes the game.” [See Dyce’s “Shakespeare Glossary,” in v.]

[247] See Note 30 to “The Dumb Knight.”

[248] [See “Popular Antiquities of Great Britain,” ii. 318-19.] So in Dekker’s “Belman’s Nights-walke,” it is alluded to:—­“The set at Maw being plaid out.”

Henslowe in his Diary mentions a play under the title of “The Maw,” which probably had reference to the game at cards so called.  It was acted on the 14th December 1594.  He also names a play entitled “The Macke,” under date of Feb. 21, 1594-5; but it is doubtful if they were not the same.—­Collier.

[249] In the old editions this is given as a part of what is said by Anamnestes.—­Collier.

[250] [See Dyce’s “Middleton,” iii. 106. There’s no ho, there are no bounds or restraints with them.—­Reed.  They are not to be restrained by a call or ho.  The expression is common.—­Dyce.]