¶ A manifest detection of the most vile and detestable use of Diceplay, and other practices like the same, a Mirror very necessary for all young Gentlemen & others suddenly enabled by worldly abundace, to look in. Newly set forth for their behoove.  
¶ Democritus.  

Si ie ris vous estes plus folz que ne ries de me veoir rire  
De vous et de voz acts sout plus que mon rire plut dire  
Tant ilya a vous redire et aulx plus sages de vous tous.  
Qui est pleine fol quine rit de vous.   
¶ Fortune vient a point.   

GEntle Reader, when you shall read this book, devised as a mean too show and set forth such naughty practices as hath vene, and be peradventure yet used in houses of Deceplaye, think it not too be written in dispraise of offence of the honest, but. for. that under collar and clo●e of friend ship many young Gentilemen be drawn to their undoing. And to the intent that such as have not y●t fe●de of that sour sweet or hungry bait, (wherewith they at length unwares be choke●,) shall larue, not only to avoid the danger thereof by knowing their mischievous and most subtle practice, in getting a pray too spoil the same: But shall also by mean thereof see (as it were in a glass,) the miserable ends that a sort of handsome Gentlemen hath by this crafty and subtle de●yse come ●oo, imputing, (for want of knowledge,) their cause of misery too ill fortune. Thus having in few words showed the effect of that which the book shall declare with some more circumstance, I bid you far well.   

¶ The names of Dyce.  

A Bale of bard sink deuxis  
A bale of flat sink deu●is  
A bale of flat six eaces  
A bale of bard sire ●acis  
A bale of bard cater trees  
A bale of flat cater trees  
A bale of fullans of the best making  
A bale of light graviers  
A bale of Langretes' contrary to the vantage  
A bale of Gordes with as many high men as low men for passage  
A bale of deinies  
A bale of long dice for even and odd  
A bale of drystelles  
A bale of ●t contrarnes.    


¶ Interlocutars  
R. and.  
M.   R. speaketh. 
Happily as I romyd me in the church of Paul's now. xx. days a go, looking for certain my companions, that hither might have stalled a meeting, there walked up & down by me in the body of the Church a gentleman, fair dressed in Silks, gold, & jewels, with three or iiii. servants in gay liveries, all broidered with sundry colours attending upon him I advised him well as one that pleased me much, for his proper parsonage and more for the wearing of his gear, and he again at each check made in our walking cast earnest looks upon me, not such as by his hollow frowninges, and piercing aspect might pretend any malice or disoayne: but rather should signify by his cheerful countenannce that he noted in me something that liked him well, and could be content to take some occasion, to embrace mine acquaintance.  
Anon whiles I devised with myself what means I might make too understand his behaviour, & what sort he was of for man's nature (as ye know) is in those things curious, specially in such as profess courting, he humbled himself far beneath my expectation. & began to speak first after this manner. Sir it seemeth to me that we have both one errand hither for I have marked you well now more than half an hour, stalking up & down alone without any company sometime with such heavy and unchearful countenance as if ye had some hammers working in your head, and that breach of company had moved your patience, and I for my part, what face soever I set on the matter, am not all in quiet: for had all promises been kept, I should or this hour have seen a good piece of money told here upon the font. And as many indentures obligations & other writings sealed as cost me twice. xl. s. for the drawing & cunsayle, but as to me: let them that be a cold blow the coals, for I am already on the sure side and if I miss of my hold this way, I doubt not to pinch them as near by an other shift, though in deed I must confess, the unkindness & breach of promise is so much against my nature that nothing can offend me more. And you on the other side, if your grief & tarrying be the same that I take it, ye cannot do better, then to make little of the matter, for ye seem to be a man that wadeth not so unadvisedly in the deep but that always ye be sure of an anchor hold: and therefore let us by mine advise forget such idle griefs and whiles noon tide draweth on, talk of other matters that may quicken our spirits to make a merry dinner. Perchance this occasion may confirm a joyful acquaintance between us. Sir (quoth I) as touching the cause of my long abiding here, it is not very great, neither is it tied to any such thrift as ye speak of, but lack of company will soon lead a man into a brown study. Well then (quoth he) if your head be fraught with no mightier burden it is an easy matter to lighten your ●ode, for a little grief is soon forgotten. But I pray you sir, long ye not to the court, me thinks I have seen you ere now and cannot call it home where it should be.  M. 
A good workman by saint Mary: now do I easily foresee without any instruction further whereto this matter tendeth: but yet tell what further talk had ye.  R. 
I told him I was yet but a raw Courtier, as one the came from school not many months afore, and was now become servant to my Lord Chancellor of Eng land, partly to see experience of things, the better to govern myself here after, & chiefly too have a staff to lean unto to defend mine own. And he again commended me much therein, declaring, how divarse notable persons, rashly by ignorance misguiding themselves, were sudden lie shaken a sunder, and fallen on the rocks of extreme penury. And how some other even goodly wits circumspectly working in all their doings, have by want of such a leaning stock, been overthrown with tirans' power. For which cause (qd he) like as I cannot but praise your wary working in this your first courting: so for my Lord your master's sake, you shall not lack the best that I may do for you. For albeit that I am much beholding to all the Lords of the counsel (as whom they stick not at all times to take to their board, and use sometime for a companion at play) yet is he my singular good Lord above all the rest, & if I shall confess the truth, a great part of my living hath risen by his friendly preferment, & though I say it myself, I am to old a courtier, and have seen to much to bear nothing away, and in case our acquaintance hold, & by daily company gather deep root: I shall now and then show you a lesson worth the learning, and to th'end hereafter each of us may be the bolder of the other, I pray you (if ye be not otherwise be spoken) take a capon with me at dinner. Though your fare be but homely, and scant, yet a cup of good wine I ●ā promis you, & all other lacks shallbe supplied with a friendly welcome. I thank you sir (qd I) ye offer me more gentleness than I can deserve, but sins I have tarried all this while, I will abide the last hour, too prove how well my companions will hold their appointment, and for that cause I will forbear too trouble you till an other time, nay not so (quoth he) yet had I rather spend xx. ●. then that my Lord your Master should know but that the worst groom of his stable is as dear to me as any kinsman I have, and therefore lay all excusis aside, and shape yourself to keep me company for one dinner, while your man and mine shall walk here together till. xii. of the clock, and if your friends happen too come hither he shall bring them home to us. I love too see gentle men swarm, and cleave together like Burrs.  M. 
How then, went ye home together?  R. 
What else, wonlde ye have me forsake so gentle a friend, & so necessary acquaintance.  M. 
Go to, say on. Lo how gentle lambs are led to the slaughter man's fold, how soon rechylesse youth falleth in suare o● crafty dealing,  R. 
soon after we came home to his house: the table was fair spread with Diaper clothes, the Cupboard garnished with much goodly plate, and last of all came forth the gentle woman his wife clothed in Silks and embroidered works, the attire of her head broidered with gold and Pearl, a Carcanet about her neck agreeable thereto, with a flower of Diamonds pendente thereat, and many fair rings on her finger. Bess (qd. he) bid this gentleman welcome, and with that she courteously kissed me and after moved communication of my▪ name, my natural country, what time my father died, and whether I were Married yet or not, always powdering our talk with such pretty devices, that I saw not a woman in all my life, whose fashions and entertainment I liked better.  
The good man in the mean season had been in the Kitchen, and suddenly returning and breaking our talk, somewhat sharply blamed his wife that the dinner was no further forward, and whiles she withdrew her from us, by like to put all things in a good readiness, come on (qd he) you shall go see my house the while, it is not like your large country houses, rooms ye wot in London be strait, but yet the furniture of them is costly enough, and victayles be here at such high prizes, that much money is soon consumed, specially with them that maintain an idle household, nevertheless assure yourself, that no man is welcomer than you to such cheer as ye find. And consequently bringing me through divers well trimmed chambers, the worst of them apparelled with verdures, some with rich cloth of Arras, all with beds, Chairs, and Cusshins of Silk, and Gold, of sundry colours suitably wrought. Lo here quoth he a poor man's lodging, which if ye think it may do you any pleasure (for the Inns of London be the worst of England) take your choice and heartily welcome, reserving but one for my Lord my voyfes Cousin, whom I dare not disappoint least happily he should lower and make the house to hot for us. I gave him thanks as meet it was I should, neither yet refusing his gentle offer, for in deed mine own lodging is somewhat loathsome, and pestered with come pany: nor yet embracing it, because hitherto I had not by any means, deserved so great a pleasure.  
So down we came again into the parlour, and found there diverse gentlemen, all strangers to me, & what should I say more, but to dinner we went.  M. 
Let me here them what matters were moved at dinner time, and how ye passed the after none, till the company broke up, and sundered themselves.  R, 
That can I readily tell you, I have not yet forgotten it sins, done it was so late, as touching our fare, though pertrych, and quail, were no daintyes, and wives of sundry grapes flowed abunbantly, yet spare I to speak thereof, because ye have demanded a contrary question. So soon as we had well viteled ourselves, I wots not how, but easily it came to pass that we talked of ne was, namely of Bullin, how hardly it was won, what policy then was practised too get it, and what case the Soldiers had in the sendge of it, in so much that the least progress the King maketh into the inlend parts of the Realm, dislodgeth more of his train, and leaveth them too their own provision, with less relief of vyttels, than had the worst, unwaged adventurer ther.  
From this the goodman lead us to talk of home pleasures, enlarging the beaulties of peace, & London pastimes, & made so ●oly a discourse thereof y● to my judgement he seemed skilful in all things. My thinks (qd he) such simple fare as this taken in peace, without fear & danger of gun-shot, is better than a prince's puruciance in war, where each morsel he eateth shall bring with it a present fear of sudden mischance or violent hostility: & though that in the open camie none might have more familiar access to the nobility then here at home, yet for my part (I thank God) I have no cause to complain, either because of their gentleness, no usher keeps the door between me and them when I come to visit them, or y● the greatest princes refuse not sometimes to hollow my poor table & house with their person. Which (be it, spoken without boast or imbraiding) doth sometime cost me. xx. li a day. I am sure that some of this company do remember what a brave company of Lords supped with me the last term, and I think how ye have hard, how some of them got an. C. ●i. or. two. by their coming, with this and that like talk consumed was our dinner, and after the table was removed, in came one of the waiters with a fair silver bowl full of Dice and Cards, now masters (quoth the goodman) who is so disposed, fall to: here is my. xx. li. win it & wear it. Then each man chose his game, some kept the good man company at the hazard, some matched themselves at a new game called Primero.  M. 
And what did you the while?  R. 
They egged me to have made one at Dice, and told me it was a shame for agentleman not to keep gentlemen company for his xx. or xl. crowns nevertheless because I alleged igorance, the gentlewoman said I should not sit idle all the rest being occupied, and so we two. fell to saunt five games a Crown.  M. 
And how sped you in the end?  R. 
In good faith, I passed not for the loss of. xx. or xl. s, for acquaintance, and so much I think it cost me, and then I left of, marry the dice-players stack well by it and made very fresh play, saving one or two that were clean shriven, & had no more money to lose. In the end when I should take my leave to departed, I could not by any means be suffered so to break company, unless I would deliver the gentlewoman a Ring, for a gage of my return to supper, & so I did, and to tell you all in few words, I have haunted none other since I got that acquaintance, my meat and drink and lodging is every way so delicate, that I make no haste to change it.  M. 
And what pay you, nothing for it? have ye not an ordinary charge for your meals?  R. 
None at all, but this device we have, that every Player at the first hand he draweth, payeth a Crown to the box, by way of a relief towards the house charges.  M. 
Ye may far well of that price at the stark staring stews.  R. 
In good faith and me thinketh it an easy burden, for him that will put his xl. l. in adventure to pay the tribute of a crown▪ and far well for it, whose chance is to lose a. C. crowns or. two. would never have spared one to make a new stock with al. And whose hap is to wine, were a very churl to be a niggard of so little,  M. 
Is every man a player there or do some go scotfre:  R. 
Who so listeth not to put much in hazard playeth at mumchaunce for his crowme with some one or other. So some goeth free & some be at double charged, for always we have res pecte that the house be relieved, and it standeth so much the more with good reason, because that besides the great charges of victuals, and great attendance of the servants, and great spoil of nappery and household stuff the good man also loseth his. xx. or. xl li. to keep us company.  M. 
And what do you the whiles▪ I am sure ye be not yet so cunuinge as too keep such workmen company.  R. 
And why not I pray you is it so hard a thing to tell. xx. or to remember. two. or. three channces: but yet in deed I play little myself, unless it be at the Cards, otherwise I am the goodman's half ●or the most part, and join both our lucks together.  M 
How spe● ye there for the most part?  R. 
Not always so well as I would wish I will be plain with you as with my friend, it hath cost me. xl. ●. within this sevyght. But I vouchsafe my l●sse the better, I had such fair play for it, and who would not hazard. xx. pound among such quiet company, where no man gives a soul word, at one good hand, a man may chance as I have often seen to make his forty pound a hundred. And I have seen again a man begin to play with v. c. mark lands and once yet ere the year went about would have old land if he had had it.  M. 
Perchance so to.  R. 
But his lock was too bad, the like falleth scarcely once in a hundred years  M. 
That is but one doctor's opinion. I see it beetyde every day, though not in this so large a proportion and because I see you so raw in these things, that ye account that for most unfeigned friendship where most deceit is meant, and being already given to play, may in few days come further behind then all your travail of your latter years can over take again. I can neither for bear thee for the zeal I bear unto you, or the hatred I bear too the occupation too make you understand some parts of the sleights and falshoddes that are commonly pracised at Dice and Cards. Opening and overturning the things, not so that I would learn you to put the same in use, but o●ē their wicked snares.  R. 
I thank you for your gentle offer, I would be glad to know the worst, least happily I should fall in such crafty company, but youder at my lodging cometh none but men of woors●pe, some mounted upon mules fair trayped, some upon fine hackeneyes with foot clothes, all such as I dare say would not practise a point of legyerdymeyne for an hundred pound.  M. 
Well, as to that, there lay a straw till anon, that the matter lead us to speak more of it. And in the mean season, let this be sufficient. That so soon as ye begun your decbaration of the first acquaintance in Paul's, I felt afore hand the hooks were laid too pick your purse with all.  R. 
wist I that, I would from henceforth stand in doubt of mine own hands, the matter hath such appearance of honesty.  M 
Well hearken to me a while. There is no man I am sure that hath experience of the world, and by reading of histories conferreth our time to the days of our elders, but will easily grant that as time hath grown and gathered increase by running, so wit ●irst planted in a few, hath in time taken so many roots, that in every corner ye may find new branches budding and issewinge from the same. For proof whereof to speak of one thing among many that at this time may serve our purpose. Although the greek and latin histories be full of notable examples of good princes, that utterly exiled Dicinge, out of their seygn ories & countries, or at the least held them as infamed persons. yet find I not that in those our forefathers days, any the like slight and crafty deceit was practised in play, as now is common in every corner. Yea and he namely Hodge setter whose surname witnesseth what opinion men had of him, though xl. years agone was thought peerless in crafty play, and had as they say neither mate nor fellow, yet now towards his death was so far behind some younger men in that knowledge, that I myself have known more than. x● that could make him a fool: and cannot suffer him to hame the nave of a workman in that faculty.  
And it is not yet. xx. years agone sins all that sought their living that way, as then were few in number, scarcely so many as were able too maintain a good ●ray so were they much of Hodge setters estate, the next door too a beggar, now such is the misery of our time, or such is the licentious outrage of idle misgoverned persons, that of only dycerse a man might have half an army, the greatest number so gaily be seen, and so full of money that they bash not to infinuat themselves into the company of the highest, & look for a good hour to creep into a gentleman's room of the privy chamber.  
And here of you may right well assure yourself that if their cost were not exceeding great, it were not possible by the on lie help thereof, to lead so sumptuous a life as they do always, shining like blazing stars in their apparel.  
By night, taverning with Trumpetes, by day spoiling Gentlemen of their inheritance, and to speak all at once, like as all good and liberal sciences had a rude beginning, and by the industry of good men, being augmented by little and by little at last grew to a just perfection: so this detestable privy robbery from a few and deceitful rules is in few years grown to the body of an art, and hath his perculiar terms, and thereof as great a multitude applied to it, as hath Grammar or Lodgicke, or any other of the approved sciensis, neither let this seem strange unto you▪ because the thing is not commonly known, for this faculty hath one condition of juggling, that if the sleght be once discovered marred is all the market. The first precept thereof is to be as secret in working, as he that keepeth a man company from London too Maidenhead. & makes good cheer by the way, to the end in the thicket to turn his prick upward, and cast a weavers knot on both his thumbs behind him, & they to th'intent that ever in all companies they may talk familiarly in all appearance & yet so covertly in deed, that their purpose may not be espied: They call their worthy art by a new found name, calling themselves Chetors, and the di●e chet●rs, borrowing the term from among our layers, with whom all such casuals as fall unto the Lord at the holding his lets, as waifs, strays & such like be called chetes, & are accustomably said to be escheated to the lords use.  R. 
Trow ye them that they have any affinity with our men of Law  M. 
Never with those that he honest, marry with such as be ambydexters & use to play on both the hands they have a great League, so have they also with all kind of People, that from a good order of civility, are fallen and resolved as it were from the hardness of virtuous living: to the delycasy and softness of uncareful idleness, and gainful deceit.  
For gain and ●ase be the only pricks that they shoot at. But what right or honest means they might acquire it, that part never cometh in question among them.  
And hereof it riseth that like as law When the term is truly considered, signifieth an ordinance of good men, established ●or the common wealth, to repress all vic●us living: so these Chetors turned the cat in the pan, giving to diverse vile patching shifts, an honest, and godly title, calling it by the name of a law. because by a multitude of hateful rules a multitude of dregs and draff, as it were all good learning, govern and rule their idle bodies, to the destruction of the good labouring people. And this is the cause that dyu●se crafty sleights devised only for guile, hold up the name of a Law, ordained ye wot to maintain plain dealing. Thus give they their own con ver auce the name of cheating law, so do they other terms, as sacking law: high law, Fygging law, and such like.  R. 
what mean ye hereby, have ●e spoken broad English all this while, & now begin to choke me with mysteries, and queiut terms?  M 
No not for that but always ye must consider, that a carpenter hath many terms familiar enough to his pretensis that other folk understand, not at all, & so have the chetors not without great need (for a falsehood once detected) can never compass the desired effect: neither is it possible to make you grope the bottom of their art, unless I acquaint you with some of their terms. Therefore note this at the first: that S●ckynge Law signifieth whoredom, High law, robbery. Figginge law, pick purse craft.  R. 
But what is this to the purpose, or what have chetors a do with hores or thieves.  M. 
As much as with their very enter friend, that hold all of one corporation. For the first & original ground of Chetinge is, a coūterfea●e countenance in all things: a study to seem to be, & not to be in deed. And because no great deceit can be wrought but where special trust goeth before, therefore the cheater when he pitcheth his hay to purchase his profit enforceth all his wits to win credit & opinion of honesty, and uprightness. Who hath a great outward show of sim plicity than the pickpurse: or what woman will seem so servant in love as will the con mon h●rlot: so as I told you before the foundation of all those sorts of people is nothing else but mere simulation, & b●g in hand. And like as they spring all from one rote, so tend, they all to one end, idly to live by rape, and ravine, devouring the fruit of othermen's labours, all the odds be between them be in the mean actions, the lead towards the end & final purpose  R. 
I am almost weary of my trade already to hear y● out gay gainsters are so strongly allied with thieves, and pickpurses But I pray you proceed & let me hear what sundry shifts of deceit they have to meet all well together at the close?  M. 
That is more than I promised you at the beginning, & more than I intended to perform at this time, for every of them keepeth as great schools in their own faculty, as the chetors' do. And if I should make an open discourse of every wrynkel they have to cover and work deceit with all, I should speak of more sundry quaint conveyances, then be rocks in Milfourd haven, to defend the ships from the boisterus rage of weather. But I will first go forward with that I have in hand, & by the way as occasion shall serve, so touch the rest that ye may see their workmanship, as it were a far of, more than half a kenning. The cheater for the most part never receiveth his scholar to whom he will discover the secrets of his art, but such one as before he had from some wealth and plenty of things, made so bare, and brought to such misery, that he will re●use no labour▪ nor lean no stone unturned, to pick up a penny underneath. And this he doth not, but upon a great skill. For like as it is an old Proverb and a true, that he must n●edes go, whom the devil driveth, so is there not such a devil to force a man to an extreme refuge, as is necessity and want, specially where it hath proceeded of abundance.  
Therefore the cheater using necessity for & great part of persuasion, when he hath sucked this needy companion so dry that there remaineth no hope too press any drop of further gain from him, taketh some occasion to show him a glinse of his faculty, and if happily he find him eagle eyed, & diligent to mark, avone shapith him in such a fashion, as that he will raise a new gain by him, and with all somewhat relieve his urgent poverty. Then walking aside into some solitary place he maketh the first way to his purpose after this or the like manner. I am sure it is not yet out of your remembrance how late it is since ye first fell into my company, how great loss ye had at play before we entered in any acquaintance, & how little profit redounded unto me, sins ye first haunted my house, neither can ye forget on the other side, how friendly I have entertained you in every condition making my house, my Servants, my Horses, mine apparel, and other things whatsoever I had, rather common to us both than private to myself. And now I perceive that of a youthful want ones & as it were a childish oversight, ye have so denly brought yourself (unwares to me) so far under the hatches, and are shaken with lavish dispense that ye cannot find the way to rise again, and bear any sail among men as heretofore you have done, Which thing whiles I deeply consider with myself, I can not but lament much your negligence, and more the harm that is like to ensu upon it: For first your friends being as I have hard many in number, and all of worship, shall conceive such inward grief of your unthriftiness, that not one will vouchsafe a gentle plaster to quench the malice of this srettinge corosie, that penury hath applied. And I again because my hap was to have you in my house, and too gain a little of other men's leavings, shall be counted the cause of your undoing, & slandered ●or taking a few feathers out of the nest when other had stolen the birds alredi, for which causes, & specially to help you to maintain yourself like a gentleman as hitherto of yourself ye have been able. I can be content to put you in a good way so as treading the stepns that I shall appoint you, neither shall ye need to run to your friends for succour, & all men shall be glad to use you for a companion. But wi● I that I should find you crafting with me in any point & void of the fidelity, & secretness (some spar ks whereof I have noted in your nature) assure yourself, that I would never make you privy to the matter, but give you over to your own provision, perchance to end your life with infamy & wretchedness. The young man that lately flowed in plenty & pleasures, & now was pinched to the quick with lack of all things, humbled himself anon to be wholly at his deuocio●, & gave him a thousand thanks for his great kindness. Then forth goeth the cheater, and further says: though your experience in the world be not so great as mine, yet am I sure ye see that no man is able to live an honest man, unless he have some privy way to help himself with all, more than the world is witness of. Think you that noble men could do as they do if in this hard world they should maintain so great a port only upon their rent? Think you that laweiers could be such purchassers if their pleas were short, & all their judgements, justice, & conscience. Suppose ye the offices would be so dearly bought, & y● buyers so soon enriched if they counted not pillage an honest point of purchase Can merchants with out lies false making their wares, & selling them by a crooked light to deceive the chapman in the thread or colour grow so soon rich, & to a barons possessions, & make all their posterity gentlem●n? What will ye more who so hath not some ankerward way to help himself, but followeth h● nos● (as they say always strait forward) may well hold up the head for a year or two. but y● iii. he must needs sink & gather the wind into beggars haven. Therefore mine advise shall be y●●e beat all your wits, & spare not to break your brains always, to save and help one Your acquaintance I know is great, amongs your country men, such as be rich and full of money, nevertheless more simple then that they know what good mai be done in play, and better it is that each man of them, smart a little, than you to live in lack. Therefore seek them out busily at their lodgings: but always bear them in hand that ye met them by chance, then will it not be hard to call them hither to take part of a supper, and having them once within the house doors doubt ye not but they shall have a blow at one pastime or other, that shall lighten their pursis homeward, myself will lend you money to keep them company, & nevertheless make you partaker of the gain, & to the end ye shall not be ignorant by what means I will compass the matter, come on go we unto my closet, & I shall give you a lesson worth the learning, Then bringeth he forth a great box with dice, & first teacheth him to know a 〈◊〉.  R. 
a gods name what stuf is it▪ I have often hard men talk of false dice, but I never yet heard so dainty a name given them.  M 
so much the sooner may ye be deceived, but suffer me a while & break not my talk, & I shall paint you anon a pro per kind of pouling, ●o here saith the cheater to this young Novisse, a well favoured die that seemeth good & square: yet is the forehead longer on the cater and tray, than any other way, and therefore holdeth the name of a langret, such be also called bar cater tres, because commonly the longer end will of his own sway draw downwards, and turn up to the eye since sink, devis or ace, the principal use of them is at Novem quinque. So long as a payer of bard quater tres be walking on the board so long can ye cast neither v. nor. ix. unless it be by a great mischance that the roughness of the board, or some other stay, force them to stay and run against their kind. For without quater trey, ye wots that, unor. x. can never fall.  R. 
By this reason he that hath the first dice is like always to strip, & rob all the table about?  M. 
True it is, were there not another help, & for the purpose an odd man is at hand, called a flat cater tre, & none other numbered. The granting that tre or quater be always one upon the one die, if there is no chance upon the other die but may serve to make v, or ix. ● so cast forth & lose all, therefore (saith the master) mark well your flat & learn to know him surely when he runneth on the board, the whiles he is abroad, ye for bear to cast at much, & keeping this rule to avoid suspection, because I am known for a player, ye shall see me bring all the gain into your hands  R. 
But what shift have they to bring the flat in & out:  M. 
A jolly fine shift that properly is called foisting, & it is nothing else but a sleight to carry ease lie within the hand, as often as the foister list. So that when either he or his partner shall cast the dice, the flat comes not abroad, till he have made a great hand, and won as much as him list. Otherwise the flat is ever on unless at few times that of purpose he suffer the s●ly souls to cast in a hand or it. to give them courage too continue their play and live in hope of winning.  R. 
This gear seemeth very strange unto me, & it sinketh not yet into my brain, how a man might carry so many dice in one hand & chop them & change them so often & the thing not espied:  M. 
so jugglers conveyance seemeth to exceed the compass o● reason till ye know the feat. But what is it that labour overcometh not? And true it is, to ●oyst finely, & readily, & with the same hand to tell money, to & fro is a thing hardly learned, & asketh a bold spirit, & long experience though it be one of the first be learned. But to return to the purpose, if happily this young scholar have not so ready and so skilful an eye, to deserve the flat at every time that he is foisted in (for use maketh mastery, aswell in this as in other things) then partly too help this ignorance withal, and partly too teach the young Cock to crow, all after the chetors' kind, the old col● instructeth the young in the terms of his art after this manner. Y● know that this outrageous swearing and quarreling that some use in play, giveth occasion to many to forbear, that else would adventure much money at it, for this we have a devise among us that rather we relent & give place to a wrong, than we would cause the play, by strife to cause any company to break, neither have we any oaths in use but lightly these: of honesty, of truth, by salt, Martin, which when we use them affirmatively, we mean always directly the contrary. As for example, it haply I say unto you when the dice cometh to your hands of hone sty cast at all, my meaning is that ye shall cast at the board or else at very little. If when a thing is offered in gage I swear by saint Martin I think it fine gold, then mean I the contrary, that it is but copper. And like as it is a gentle and old proverb, Let losers have their words: so by the way take forth this lesson, ever ●o show gentleness to the silly fools, & creep ●f ye can into their very bosoms. For harder it is to hold them when ye have them, them for the first time to take them up. For this young wits be so light, & so wavering, that it requireth great travel, to make them always dance after one pipe. But too follow that we have in hand be they young be they old, that falleth into our laps, & be ignorant of our art, we call them all by the name of a cousin, as men that we make as much of, as if they were of our kin in deed the greatest wisdom of our faculty resteth in this point, dy●yg ently to foresee to make the cousin sweat, that is to have a will to keep play, & company, and all ways to beware that we cause him not smoke, lest that having any feel or savour of guile intented against him, he slip the colour as it were a hound, & shake us of for ever. And whensoever ye take up a cousin, be sure as near as ye can to know a forehand what store of bit he hath in his buy, that is what money he hath in his purse, & whether it be in great clogs or in small, that is gold or silver, and at what game he will soonest stoop that we may feed him with his own humour & have cowls ready for him. For thousands therbee, that will not play a groat at noven & yet will lose a hundred pound at the hazard, & he that will not stoop a dodkin at the dice, per chance at cards will spend God's cope, therefore they must be provided for every way. Generally your fine chets though they be good, made both in the king's bench & in the marshalsea, yet Bird in Holburn is the finest workman, acquaint yourself with him, and let him make you a ba●e or two. of squarters of sundry sisis, some less, some more, to throw into the first play, till ye per ceive what your company is. Then have in a readiness to be roisted in when time shallbe, your fine chetes of all sorts, be sure to have in store of such as these be. A bale of bard sink deusis & flat sink deusis, a bale of bard ●i. easis, & flat vi. easis: a bale of bard quater tres, & flat quater tres. The advantage whereof is all on y● one side, & consists in the forging. Provide also a bale or. two. of Fullans for they have great use at the hazard, and though they be square outward. Yet being within at the corner with lead, or other pondorus matter stopped, minister as great an advantage as any of the rest. ye must also be furnished with high men, & low men for a munchance, & for passage. Yea & a long die for even and odd, is good to strike a small stroke with all for a crown or two. or the price of a dinner As for Gords and bristle dice be now to gross a pracise to be put in use, light graviers there be, demies, contraries & of all sorts, forged clean against the apparent vantage. Which have special, and sundry uses. But it is enough at this time to put you in a remembrance what toll ye must prepare too make you a workman. Hereafter at more leisure▪ I shall in structe you of the several uses of them all, and in the mean season take with you also this lesson, that▪ when fine squariers only be stirring, there rests a great help in cogging, that is when the undermost die standeth dead by the weighty fall of his fellow, so that if v●. be my chance, and x. yours, grant that upon the die I cog and keep always an ace, deuce, or trey, I may perhaps soon cast vi. but never x. and there be divers kinds of cogging, but of all other the spanish cog bears the bell, & seldom raiseth any smoke. Gramercy sayeth the scholar, and now thinketh he himself so ripely instructed, that though he be not yet able to beguile others, yet he supposeth himself sufficiently armed against all falsehood that might be wrought to bring him to an afterdeale, and little seeth he the while how many other ends remain, how many points there be in slippery chetors' science, that he shall not yet be skilful enough to tag in their kind, perchance in iiii. or. v. years practise.  R. 
Why have they any deeper reaches to lift a man out of his saddle, and rid him of his money, than ye have opened already?  M. 
Alas this is but a warning, and as it were the shaking of a rod to a young boy, too fear him from places of peril. All that I have told you yet or that I have minded to tell you, greeth not too the purpose, too make you skilful in chetors' occupation. For as soon would I teach you the next way to Tyburn, as to learn you the practice of it: only my meaning is to make you see as far into it, as should a cobbler into a tanner's faculty, to know whether his leather be well lyquored, and well & workmanly dressed or not. And like as I would not wish a cobbler a currier, lest two sundry occupations running together into one, might perhaps make a lewd London medley in our shoes, the one using falsehood in working, the other facing and lying in uttering.▪ So seek I to avoid, that ye should no ●oth be a courtier (in whom a little honest moderate play is tolerable) and withal a Cheater, that with all honesty hath made an undefensable dormant defiance. For even this new nurtured nouns (notwithstanding he is received into the College of these double dealers, & is become so good a scholar that he knoweth readily his flats and barris, and hath been snapper with the old coal. at. two. or. iii. deep strokes, yea and though he have learned to verse, and lay in ●he reason well favouredly to make the cousin stoop, all the cogs in his buy) yet if he once wax slow in seeking out cousins, and be proud of his new thrift, & so good lie a passage to recover his old losses, the knap of the case, the goodman of the house, calleth secretly unto him the third person for the most part a man that might be warden of his company, & talketh with him after this manner. Here is a young man in my house, if ye know him, that hath been one of the sweetest cousins alive, so long as he was able to make a groat, now at the last I wot not how he came by it, but he hath gotten some knowledge and talks of a great deal more than he can in deed. Marry a langret he knoweth meetly well and that is all his skill. I made much of him all this month because he hath great acquaintance of men of the country, and specially the cloth men of the west parts, and at the beginning would every day fill the case with jolly fat cousins, and albeit he had no knowledge too work any feat himself, yet did I use him always honestly, and gave him his whole snap, too the end he should be painful and diligent too take the cousins up, and bring them to the blow. Now waxed is he so proud of his gain because he hath gotten ● new chain fyet new, apparel, and some store of by te, that I can not get him once out of the door, to go about any thing. Take some pains yourself (saith he) & bring some of your own Cousin's home or else jet all alone for me. Thus if ye see that nothing mars him, but that he is to fat, & might we make him once lean again as he was within this month, them should we see the hungry whoreson trudge.  
There should not be stirring a cousin in any quarter but he would wind him strait. Therefore come you in anon like a straūger & he shall see him take you up roundly. If ye lack contraries to crossebite him with all, I shall ●end you a pair of the same size that his chetes be.  R. 
Is there no more fydelity among them can they not be content one false knave to be true to his fellow, though they conspire to rob all other men?  M. 
Nothing less did not I warn you in the beginning that the end of the sci●ce is mere deceit, & would ye have themselves against their kind, to work contrary to their profession. Nay they be ever so like themselves, that when all other deceits fail, look which of them in play gett●s any store of money into his hands, he will every foot as he draweth a hand, be fygging more or les and rather than fail cram it & hide it in his hose, to make his gain greatest. Then when they fall to the division of the gain, & the money that the cousin hath lost is not forth coming, nor willbe confessed among them, it is a world to here what rule they make, & how the one imbradeth the other with disshonesty, as if there were some honesty to be found among them. What should I then speak of swearing & staring were they always as liberal of 〈◊〉, as they be of oaths, I had rather ●ring a b●gger to have the reward of a cheter, them to the best alms knight's room y● the king gives at Wyndser. But these storms never fall but in secret counsels within themselves & then peradventure the sironger part will strip the weaker out of his clothes rather than he should flock away with the stuff, & make them lou●s to labour for his lucre.  R. 
Then is it but folly to recover my lossis in yonder company, & if there can not be one faithful couple found in the hole band how might I hope that am but a stranger to win an unfeigned friend amongs them  M. 
As for in that case never speak more of the matter, & be as sure as ye are of your Creade, that all the friendly entertainment ye have at your lodging is for no other end but for to persuade you to play, & bring you to loss, neither was it any better than falsehood in fellowship when the goodman got yonv to be half, and seemed unwilling lie to lose both your moneys.  R 
By these means other must I utterly for bear to hazard any thing a the dice, or live in doubt & suspection of my friend, whensoever I fall to play.  M. 
No question thereof, for the contagion of chetinge is vow so univesall the they swarm in every quarter, & therefore ye cannot be in safety from deceit, unless ye shun the company of hasarders, as a man would fly a scorpion.  R. 
Then am I sufficiently lessoned for the purpose, but because at the first our talk matched Dice and cards together like a couple of friends that draw both in a yoke, I pra● you is there as much craft at cards as ye have rehearsed at the dice?  M. 
Altoogether, I would not give a point to choose, they have such a sleight in sorting, and shuffling of the Cards, that play at what game ye will all is lost afore hand. If. two. be confederated to beguile the third, the thing is compassed with the more ease, than i● one be but alone, yet are there many ways to deceive. Primero now as it hath most use in court, so is there most deceit in it, some play upon the prick, some pinch the cards privily with their nails, some turn up the corners, some mark them with fine spots of ink One fine trick brought in a spaniard, a finer than this innented an Italian, & won much money with it by our doctors, & yet at the last they were both overreched by new sleights devised here at home. At trump, saint, & such other like, cutting at the neck is a great van tage, so is cutting by a bum card (finely) under & over, stealing the stock of the discarded cards if there broad laws be forced aforehand. At decoy, they draw easily. xx. hands together, & play all upon assurance when to win or lose. Other helps I have hard of besides, as to set the cousin upon the bench with a great looking glass behind him on the wall, wherein the cheater might always see what cards were in his hand. Sometimes they work by signs made by some of the lookers on. Wherefore me thinks this among the rest proceeded of a fine in●encion. A gamester after he had been oftentunes bitten among the chetors', & after much loss, grew very suspicious in his play, that he could not suffer any of the sitters by to be privy to his game: for this the chetors devised a new shift. A woman should sit sowing besides him, & by the shift or slow drawing her needell, give a token to the cheater what was the cousin's game, so that a few examples in stead of infinite that might be rehearsed, this one universal conclusion may be gathered, that give you to play, & yield yourself to loss.  R. 
I feel well that if a man happen to put his money in hazard, the odds is great that he shall rise a loser, but many men are so continent of their hands that nothing can cause them to put aught in adventure: & some again unskilful, the lack of running forceth them to forbear.  M. 
I grant you well both. But nevertheless I never yet saw man so hard to be vanquished but they would make him stoop, at one law or other.  
And for that purpose their first travel is after that they have taken up the cousin & made him somewhat sweat, to seek by all means they can to understand his nature, and whereunto he is inclined. If they find that he taketh pleasure in the company of females, then seek they to strike him at the sacking law. And take this always for a maxim that all the bawds in a country be of the chetors' familiar acquaintance. Therefore it shall not be hard at all times to provid for this amorous knight, a lewd lecherous lady, to keep him loving company. Then fall they to banqueting, to minstrels, masking, and much is the cost that the silly cousin shallbe at in jewels, apparel and otherwise: he shall not once get a grant to have scarcely a lick at this dainty ladiys laps. And ever among she layeth in this reason. For her sake to put his xx. or. xl. crowsau in adventure ye wots not (saith she) what may be a woman's luck. If he refuse it, lord how unkindly she taketh the matter & cannot be reconciled with less than a gown or a k●rtyl of silk, which commonly is a reward unto her by knap of the case, and the cut throats his complites, to whom the matter is put in daying. Ye and the more is if haply they perceive that he esteemed not brou●id ware, but is enamoured with virginity, they have a fine cast within an hours warning, too make john sylu●rpin as good a maid, as if she had nenuer come at stews nor opened to any man her quiver. The mystery thereof ye s●all understand by this my tale which I myself saw put in experience. A young roisterly gentleman desiring a maiden make to content his wanton lust, resorted to a bawd, and promised her good wages to provide him a maid against the next day he declared unto her that he took more pleasure in virginity, than beauty, but if both came together the pleasure was much the more thankful, & her reward should be the better. This mother bawd undertook to serve his turn according to his desire, & having at home a well painted, mannerly harlot as good a maid as fletchers mare that bore three great fools, went in the morning to the Apothecaries for half a pint of sweet water that commonly is called Surfuling water, or Clynkerdevice, & on the way homeward turned into a noble man's house to visit his coke, an old acquaintance of hers: uneath had she set her ●ete within the kitchen, & set down her glass the more handsomely to warm her afore the range, but anon the Coke had taken her in his arms, and whiles they wrestled more for manners sake of the light, then for any squeamish business, had she been behind the door. Down fell the glass & spilled was the water, out alas ꝙ the woman quiet yourself qd the coke, let us go into the buttery to breakfast, & I will by the a new glass, & pay for the filling. Away they went out of the kitchen, & the boy that turned a couple of spits delighting with the savour of the water, let first one spite stand & after another always with one hand taking up the water as it dropped from the board by him, & washed his eyes, his mouth, & all his face withal. soon after that this likor was with the heat of ye●ier dried, & soaked up in the boys face, down came the coke again into the kitchen, & finding the breast of the capon all burnt, for lack of turning, caught up a great basting stick to beat the turnspytte, & haply casting a sour look upon him, espied the boy's mouth & eyes drawn so together & closed that nether had he left an eye to look withal, & scarcely might ye turn your little finger in his mouth. The cook abashed with the sudden chance, ●anne about the house half out of his wit, and cried the kitchen boy is taken, he can neither see nor speak, & so the poor boy with his starched face continued more than half an hour a wodering stock to all the house, till a man of experience, bad bath his face with hot fat be● broth, whereby forth with he was resto red to as wide a mouth, & as open eyes as he had before▪  R. 
A good miracle & soon wrought. If maids be so easy to make no marvel it is we have such store in London. But forth I pray you with your purpose, when whoredom hath no place what other shifts have they to raise their thrift upon▪  M. 
a. C. more than I can rehearse, but most commonly one of these that follow. If it be winter season when masking is most in vs●, then missing of their chept helps, they spare not for cost of the dearer. Therefore first do they higher in one place or other, a suit of right masking apparel, and after invites divers gests to a supper all such as be there of estimation to give them credit by their acquaintance or such as they think, will be liberal to hazard some thing in a mumchance: by which means they assure themselves at the least to have the supper schot free. Perchance to win. xx. li. about. And how soever the comen people esteem the thing I am clean out of doubt that the more half of your gay masks in London are grounded upon such cheating crafts, and tend on lie the pouling, & robbing of the kings subjects. another jolly shift & for the subtile inuenc●ō and fineness of wit exceedeth far all the rest, is the barnardes' law.  
Which to be exactly practised asketh iiii. people at the least, each of them to play a long several part by himself. The first is the taker up, of a skilful man in all things, who hath by long travill cunnid with out the book a. C. reasons to insimate himself into a man's acquaintance. Talk of matters in law, and he hath plenty of casis at his finger's ends that he hath seen tried & rewlid in every of the kings courts. Speke of grazing and husbandry no man knoweth more shires than he, no man knoweth better where to raise a gain: & how the abusis & overture of pricis might be redressed. Finally enter into what discorse of things they li●t, were it into a browm man's faculty, he knoweth what gain they have for old boots & shoes, & whence their gain cometh, yea & it shall escape him hard, but that ere your talk break of he willbe your country man at least, & peradventure either of kin, or aly, or some soul si● unto you, if your reach surmount not his too far. In case he bring to pass that ye be glad of his acquaintance, and content with his company, played is the chief of his part, and he giveth place to the principal player the barnard, nevertheless he lightly hath in his company a man of more worship than himself, that hath the countenance of a possessioner of land and he is called the verser. And though it be a very hard thing to be a perfit taker up, and as it were a man universally practised in all accidents of a man's life, yet doth the Barnard go so far beyond him in cunning, as doth the sun's summer brightness exceed the glimmering light of the winter stars. This bodies most common practice is, to come stumbling into your company, like some rich farmor of the country, a stranger to you all, that had been at some market town there abouts, buying and selling, & there tippled so much Malmsy, that he had never a ready word in his mouth, & is so careless for his money that out he throweth an hundredth or. two. of old angels upon the boards end, and standing some what a loof calleth for a pot of ale and sayeth: masters I am some what bold with you, I pray you be not agrevid that I drink my drink by you: and minister such idle drunken talk, that the verset who counterfeatith the gentleman cometh stoutly, and sits at your elbow, praying you to call him near, too laugh at his folly, between them. two. the matter shallbe so workmanly conveyed & so sinely arguid, y● out conith a pair of old cards whereat the barnard teacheth the verser a new game, that he supposeth cost him. two. pots of ale for the learning not past Turrian hour, or. two. before. The first wager is drink, the next. two. pence, or a groat, & lastli to make the tale short they use the matter so that he that hath. lxxx. years of his back, and never played for a groat in his life, cannot refuse to be the verseres half, & consequently at one cutting of the Cards to louse all they play for, be it an. C. li. and if perhaps pes when the money is lost, the cousin gins to smoke and swear that the drunken knave shall not get his money so then standeth the rubber at the door, and draweth his sword, and picketh a quarrel to his own shadow: if he lack an osteler, or a tapester, or some other to fall out with al. That whiles the street & company ga' there to the fray, as the manner is, the barnard steals away with all the stuff, & picks him to one blind tavern or other, such as before is appointed among them, & there abidith the coming of his companions to make an equal portion of the gain, & whensoever these shifts may not take place, them lead they the cousin to the gaze of an interlude, or the bear baiting at paris garden, or some other place of throng where by fine fingered Fegge boy, a grounded disciple of james Elis, picked shallbe his purse, and his money lost in a moment, or else they run to the last refuge of all, and by a knot of lusty companions of the h●gh law, not only shake the harm less body out of all his clothes, but bind him, or bob him to boat, that less had been his harm to have stooped low at the first, and so to have stopped their greedy mouths, then to save himself so long, and in the end to be fleeced as bare as a new shorn sheep, and perchance so far from his friends, that he shallbe forced to trip on his ten to●s homeward for lack of a hackney to ride on, and beg for his charges by the way.  R. 
Now speak ye indeed of a ready way to thrift but it hath an ill favoured success many times.  M. 
I wots what you mean, you think they come home by Tyburn, or S. Thomas of waterings, and so they do in deed, but nothing ●o soon as a man would suppose, they be but petty figgers, and unlessoned lads that have such ready passage to the gallows. The old thieves go thorough with their usies well. xx. or thirty. years together & be seldom taken, or tainted, specially the fig bodies, that have a goodly corporation for the relief. Their craft of all others requireth most slyght, and hath a meruelus plenty of terms & strange language, and therefore no man can attain to be a workman thereat, till he have had a good time of scoling, and by that means they do not only know each other well, but they be subject to an order, such as the elders shall prescribe. No man so sturdy to practise his feat but in the place appointed, nor for any cause once to put his foot in an others walk. Some. two. or. iii. hath Paul's church in charge, other hath west minister howl in term tyme. diverse cheapside with the flesh and fish shambles, some the borough & 〈◊〉, some the court, & part follow marketts & fairs in the country with peddlers footepackes, and generally to all places of assembly. Some of them are certainly pointed as it were by their wardens to keep the haunt with commission but a short while, and too interchange their places as order shallbe made to avoid suspicion. By occasion whereof when soever any stroke is workmanly stricken though it were at new castle the rest of the Fig boys that keapes resident in London, come forth with pronosticate by whom the worthy feat was wrought, & one great provision they have: that is a sovereign salve at all times of need a treasurer they choose in some blind corner. a trusty secret friend. That whensoever there cometh any jewels plate, or such gear to their share, the present sale thereof might chance to discover the matter, the same else committed in●o his hands in pledge as it were of money lent, & he taketh a bill of sale in default of repayment as if all things were done by good faith, and plain dealing. So that whensoever he shall seek to make money of this gauges, at the end of two. or three months, if any question arise how he came by them he showeth anon a fair bill of sale for his discharge, from john a knock or john a stile, a man that never was, ne ver shallbe found. And such theft by this occasion is ever mannerly covered.  
another help they have that of every purse that is cleanly conveyed, a rateable portion is duly delivered into the tresu rers hands. to the use that when soever by some misadventure any of them happen to be taken, & laid in prison, this come mon stock may serve to satisfy the party grieved and to make friends to save them from hanging. Now have ye a calendar as it were to put you in remembrance of the che●e points & practices of cheating, enough I suppose to serve for a warning that ye withdraw yourself from yonder costly company, wherein if my experience may serve to give you occasion to eschew such evils, I shallbe glad of this our happy meeting.  R. 
Yes doubt ye not thereof but that this talk hath wrought already such effects in me that though I live a. c. ●eres. I shall not lightly fall into the chetors' snares ●ut because ye spoke of the principal points, whereby I conceive that yet some small sparks remain untouched, I pray you put me out of doubt thereof, and then on gods name ye shall gladly depart, with as many thanks as if ye had disbursed a large sum of money for redemption of my land, & saved it from selling. For had not forewarning come, the merchant and I must with in few days have coped together, as did my bedfellow but now the last week, whose lossis I pity so much the more, as that now I understand by what chetory it was won.  M. 
The feat of losing is easily learned, & as I told you in the beginning that the chetors' beat & busy their brayves, only about fraud & subtlety, so can it not be chosen but give them selves over all to that purpose, & must every day forge out one new point of knavety or other, to deceive the simple withal: as of late I knew a young gentliman so wary in his doings that neither by dice or cards nor by damosels of dalliance, nor of the ways afore rehearsed, could be made stoup one penny out of his purse. For this the cheater consulted with the lewd lady in this case devised. That she should dally with the gentleman, & playing with his chain should find the mean to ●epe it a while, till they might fyg a ly●ke or i●, to make a like by. Done it w● anon, & within few days after another made of copper equal in length to that. At the gentleman's next returning to the house, the Damoselles dallied so long with the chain, sometime putting it about her neck, and sometimes about his, that in the end she foisted the copper chain in the othe●s place, and thereby rob him of better than xl ●. This and the like shifts I forbear to remember. Sooner because the deceit resteth not in any slyght practise at dice, and cards, nevertheless because chetors were the first inventors as well of this as of all other falsehood in fellowship that now daily is put in use at all manner of games, as when one man lost not many years agone an C. li. land ●t shooting, by occasion that some that shot with him on his side, were boty fellows against him, another was rid of ●i. C. li. at the tennis in a week, by the ●raud of his stopper. Me think they cannot be better rewarded then sent home to the place they came fro.  
And since chetors were the first authors thereof, let them also bear the blame. And having disclosed unto you as briefefly as I can the principal practices of the chetors crafty faculty, & other workmen of their alliance, I will bid you farewell, for this tyme.   

¶ Imprinted at London, in Paul's church yard at the sign of the Lamb, by Abraham Uele.