¶ acts made by dyvers our most noble progenitors kings of this realm against unlawful games.  
WHere as in the statute made at Caturbery the xii year of the reign of king richard, amongst other things it was accorded & assented, that the seru●●… es & labourers of husbandry & labourers & servants of artificers, and of vytaylers should haue bows & arrows, and use the same the sundays and other festival days, and utterly leave playing at the ●ailes, as well handball as foteball, and other games called coytes, dice, bowling, & kailes, and other such ●othryfty games, and that the sheryffes, mayres, bailiffs, and constables, shal haue power to arrest al that doth contrary, as in the said statute is more fully contained: It is ordained the .xi. year of king Henry the iiii. that the said statute be firmly holden and kept: joining to the same, that every such labourer or seruant, that doth contrary to the same statute, shal haue imprisonment by .vi. dayes. And the mayres and sheryffes, or the mayres and bailiffs of cities and boroughs, and the constables in other towns shall haue power to put this statute 〈◇〉 execution from time to time: and if they do not therof execution, the same mayres and sheryffes, or mayres and bailiffs aforesaid shall pay to the king for every default .xx. s. and the constables or constable of every town, that doth not like execution of this statute, shall pay for every their or his default .vi. s. iiii. d. And that the Iustices of assizes shall haue power to inquire in this case in their sessions from time to time of them that do contrary to this statute, and therof to certify in the chancery.  
¶ Item it is ordained the .xvii. year of king Edwarde the .iiii. that after the feast of Easter next coming, no person governor nor occupier of any house, tenement, garden or other place within this realm, shal willingly suffer any person to occupy or play any of the said games called closhe, kayles, halfbowle, handin and handout, or quekbord, or any of them, within any of their said houses, tenements, gardeins, or any other place, vpon pain to haue the imprisonment of three yeres, and to forfeit and lose for every offence xx. li. The one half therof to our sovereign lord the king, to be applied to the use of his house, in all such places where such forfeiture shall happen to fall, other than where any person ought to haue the forfeiture of the goods of felons and fugitives, by any lawful grant, authority of parliament, or otherwise. And it is ordained by the said authority that al such persons their heirs and successors, which ought to haue any such forfaytures in such places, shall haue all such half as shall be hereafter forfeit by any of the premisses: And the other half therof to him or them that in this behalf will pursue by action of debt at the common lawe. In which action like process, trial, iudgement, costs, damages, & execution shall be had as is used in other actions there pursued. And that no person from the said feast of Easter, shall use any of the said games, called closhe, halfbowle, kayles, handin and handout, or queckborde, vpon pain of two yeres imprisonment, & to forfeit for every default .x. li. The one half therof to our sovereign lord the king, to be applied to the use of his house, in al such places where such forfeiture shal happen to fall, other than where any person ought to haue the forfeiture of the goods of felons & fugityues by any lawful grant, authority of parliament, or otherwise. And it is ordained by the said authority, that al such persons their heirs & successors, which ought to haue any such forfaytures in such places shal haue al such half that shal be hereafter forfeit by any of the premises: And the other half therof to him or them that in this behalf will sue by action of debt in like maner and form to be had, tried, ruled, and ordered as is aforesaid.  
¶ Item it is ordained and enacted the .xi. year of the reign of the most noble king of famous memory Henry the .vii. that none apprentyse ne seruant of husbondry, labourer ne seruant artificer play at the tables from the tenth day of January next coming, but only for meate and drink, ne at the tenys, clashe, dice, cards, bowls, nor any other vnlaufulle game in no wise out of Christmas, and in Christmas to play onely in the dwelling house of his master, or where the master or any of the said servants is present, vpon pain of imprysonement by the space of a day in the stocks openly. And that the householder where dycynge, cardynge, tenys playing, bowls, clashe, or any other unlawful game afore rehearsed shall be used, otherwise than is afore rehearsed, and that lawfully be presented before the iustices of peace, the mayor, sheriff in his turn, or steward in his let, or by examination had afore the said Iustices of peace, that process be made vpon the same as vpon inditement of trespass against the kings peace. And that the said mysdoer be admitted to no fine under the somme of .vi. shillings .viii. d.  
¶ Item it is ordained & enacted the .xix. year of the said most noble king Henry the .vii. that none apprentyse ne seruant at husbandry, labourer ne servant artificer, play at the tables from the feast of easter next coming, ne at tennys, closhe, dice, cards, bowls, nor any other unlawful games in no wise, out of the .xii. days at Christmas, and than to play only in dwelling houses of his master, or where the master or any of the said servants is present, vpon pain of imprisonment by the space of a day in the stocks openly. And that the householder, where dysynge, cardynge, tennys playing, bowls, closhe, or any other vnlaufulle game afore rehearsed, shall be used, otherwise than is afore rehearsed, and that lawfully ben presented before iustices of the peace, mayor, sheriff in his turn, or steward in his let, or by examination had before the said iustice of peace, that process be made vpon the same as vpon indytement of trespass against the kings peace, and that the said mysdoer be admitted to no fine under the somme of .vi. s. viii. d.  
GOD SAVE THE king. Tho. Berthelet regius impressor excude●●●… cum PRIVILEGIO. Proclamation by Henry Vll. against unlawful games at Christmas, A. D. 1500.