of virtue, being unskilled in the quibbles and the vices there practised: these they call the Lambs or Culls. Then do the Rooks (more properly called Wolves) strive who shall fasten on him first; following him close, and engaging him in some advantageous bets; and at length worries him, that is, gets all his money; and then the Rooks (Rogues I should have said) laugh and grin, saying, the Lamb is bitten!'

"Some of these Rooks will be very importunate to borrow money of without any

if

you,

in

tention to pay you; or to go with you seven to twelve, half a crown or more, whereby, without a very great chance (ten to one, or more), he is sure to win. If you are sensible thereof, and refuse his proposition, they will take it so ill, that you have not an especial care, they will pick your pocket, nim your gold or silver buttons off your cloak or coat; or, it may be, draw your silver-hilted sword out of your belt without discovery; especially if you are eager upon your cast; which is done thus-the silver buttons are strung, or run upor cat's guts, fastened at the upper and nether end. Now by ripping both ends very ingeniously (as they call it), give it the gentle pull, and so rub off with the buttons; and if your cloak be loose, it is ten to one they have it. But that which will most provoke, in my opinion, any man's rage to a just satisfaction, is their throwing many times at a good sum with a dog

you.

a dog fist (as they call it); that is, if they nick it is theirs; if they lose, they owe you so much; with many other quillets. Some I have known so abominably impudent, that they would snatch up the stakes, and thereupon instantly draw; saving, if you will have your money, you must fight for it; for he is a gentleman, and will not want. However, if you will be patient, he will pay you another time.' If you are so tame as to take this, go no more to the ordinary; for then the whole gang will be ever and anon watching an opportunity to make a mouth of you, in the like nature.

" If you nick them, it is odds if they wait not your coming out at night, and beat you. I could produce you an hundred examples in this kind. But they will rarely adventure on the attempt, unless they are backed with some Bully-huffs and Bully-rocks, with others whose fortunes are as desperate as their own. We need no other testimony, to confirm the danger of associating with these Anthropophagi, or man-eaters, than Lincoln's-inn Fields, whilst Speering's ordinary was kept in Bell-yard; and, that you need not want a pair of witnesses for the proof thereof, take in also Covent Garden.

"Neither is the house itself to be exempted: every night, almost, some one or other, who, either heated with wine, or made choleric with the loss of his money, raises a quarrel; swords

are

are drawn, box and candlesticks thrown at one another's heads, tables overthrown, and all the house in such a garboyl, that it is the perfect type of hell. Happy is the man now that can make the frame of a table, or chimney-corner, his sanctuary; and if any are so fortunate to get to the stair-head, they will rather hazard the breaking of their own necks, than have their souls pushed out of their bodies, in the dark, by they know not whom. I once observed one of the desperadoes of the town (being half drunk) to press a gentleman very much at play to lend him a crown; the gentleman refused him several times; yet still the borrower persisted; and, holding his head somewhat too near the Caster's elbow, it chanced to hit his nose: the other, thinking it to be affront enough to be denied the loan of money (without this slight touch of the nose), drew, and, stepping back unawares to the gentleman, made a full pass at him, intending to have run him through the body; but his drunkenness misguided his hand, so that he run him only through the arm. This put the house into so great a confusion and fright, that some fled, thinking the gentleman slain. This wicked miscreant thought this not sufficient; but, tripping up his heels, pinned him (as he thought) to the floor, and, after this, takes the gentleman's silver sword, leaving his in the wound; and, with a grand jury of damme's (which may hereafter find

him guilty at the Great Tribunal), bid all stand off, if they loved their lives; and so went clear off, with sword and liberty:

"But to proceed on as to play. Late at night, when the company grows thin, and your eyes dim with watching, false dice are frequently put upon the ignorant; or they are otherwise cheated by topping, slurring, stabbing, &c.; and if you be not careful and vigilant, the box-keeper shall score you up double or treble boxes; and, though you have lost your money, dun you as severely for it as if it were the justest debt in the world. The more subtle and genteeler sort of Rooks (as aforesaid) you shall not distinguish, by their outward demeanour, from persons of condition: these will sit by a whole evening, and observe who wins; if the winner be bubbleable, they will insinuate themselves into his company, by applanding his success, advising him to leave off whilst he is well; and lastly, by civilly inviting him to drink a glass of wine; where, having well warmed themselves to make him more than half drunk, they wheedle him in to play; to which if he condescend, he shall quickly have no money left him in his pocket; unless, perchance, a crown the rooking-winner lent him in courtesy to bear his charges homewards. This they do by false dice, as High Fullams, 4, 5, 6; Low Fullams, 1, 2, 3; by bristle dice, which are fitted for their purpose, by sticking a hog's-bristle

so (in the corners, or otherwise), in the dice, that they shall run high or low as they please. This bristle must be strong and short, by which means (the bristle bending) it will not lie on that side, but will be tripped over; and this is the newest way of making a High or Low Fullam. The old ways are by drilling them, and loading them with quick-silver: but that cheat may be easily discovered by their weight, or holding two corners between your fore-finger and thumb; if (holding them so, gently between your fingers) they turn, you may then conclude them false. Or you may try their falsehood otherwise, by breaking or splitting them. Others have made them by filing and rounding. fall short of the art of those

But all these ways who make them:

some whereof are so admirably skilful in making a bale of dice to run what you would have them, that your gamesters think they never give enough for their purchase, if they prove right. They are sold in many places about the town-price current, by the help of a friend, eight shillings; whereas our ordinary bale is sold for sixpence. For my part, I shall tell you plainly, I would have those bales of false dice to be sold at the price of the ears of such destructive knaves that made them.

"Another way the Rook hath to cheat is, first, by palming; that is, he puts one die into the box, and keeps the other in the hollow of his little finger; which, noting what is uppermost, when

he