luck at all: to see how easily here, where they
play nothing but guinnys, a L100 is won or lost:
to see two or three gentlemen come in there drunk,
and putting their stock of gold together, one 22 pieces,
the second 4, and the third 5 pieces; and these to
play one with another, and forget how much each of
them brought, but he that brought the 22 thinks that
he brought no more than the rest: to see the different
humours of gamesters to change their luck, when it
is bad, how ceremonious they are as to call for new
dice, to shift their places, to alter their manner
of throwing, and that with great industry, as if there
was anything in it: to see how some old gamesters,
that have no money now to spend as formerly, do come
and sit and look on, as among others, Sir Lewis Dives,
who was here, and hath been a great gamester in his
time: to hear their cursing and damning to no
purpose, as one man being to throw a seven if he could,
and, failing to do it after a great many throws, cried
he would be damned if ever he flung seven more while
he lived, his despair of throwing it being so great,
while others did it as their luck served almost every
throw: to see how persons of the best quality
do here sit down, and play with people of any, though
meaner; and to see how people in ordinary clothes
shall come hither, and play away 100, or 2 or 300 guinnys,
without any kind of difficulty: and lastly, to
see the formality of the groome-porter, who is their
judge of all disputes in play and all quarrels that
may arise therein, and how his under-officers are there
to observe true play at each table, and to give new
dice, is a consideration I never could have thought
had been in the world, had I not now seen it.
And mighty glad I am that I did see it, and it may
be will find another evening, before Christmas be
over, to see it again, when I may stay later, for
their heat of play begins not till about eleven or
twelve o’clock; which did give me another pretty
observation of a man, that did win mighty fast when
I was there. I think he won L100 at single pieces
in a little time. While all the rest envied
him his good fortune, he cursed it, saying, “A
pox on it, that it should come so early upon me, for
this fortune two hours hence would be worth something
to me, but then, God damn me, I shall have no such
luck.” This kind of prophane, mad entertainment
they give themselves. And so I, having enough
for once, refusing to venture, though Brisband pressed
me hard, and tempted me with saying that no man was
ever known to lose the first time, the devil being
too cunning to discourage a gamester; and he offered
me also to lend me ten pieces to venture; but I did
refuse, and so went away, and took coach and home about
9 or to at night, where not finding my wife come home,
I took the same coach again, and leaving my watch
behind me for fear of robbing, I did go back and to
Mrs. Pierces, thinking they might not have broken up
yet, but there I find my wife newly gone, and not
going out of my coach spoke only to Mr. Pierce in
his nightgown in the street, and so away back again
home, and there to supper with my wife and to talk
about their dancing and doings at Mrs. Pierces to-day,
and so to bed.