Diary, 1668 N.S. Complete | Page 5

are as to call for new
dice, to shift their places, to alter their manner of throwing, arid 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.

2nd. Up, and with Sir J. Minnes by coach to White Hall, and there
attended the King and the Duke of York in the Duke of York's lodgings,
with the rest of the Officers and many of the Commanders of the fleete,
and some of our master shipwrights, to discourse the business of having
the topmasts of ships made to lower abaft of the mainmast; a business I
understand not, and so can give no good account; but I do see that by
how much greater the Council, and the number of Counsellors is, the
more confused the issue is of their councils; so that little was said to the
purpose regularly, and but little use was made of it, they coming to a
very broken conclusion upon it, to make trial in a ship or two. From
this they fell to other talk about the fleete's fighting this late war, and

how the King's ships have been shattered; though the King said that the
world would not have it that about ten or twenty ships in any fight did
do any service, and that this hath been told so to him himself, by
ignorant people. The Prince, who was there, was mightily surprised at it,
and seemed troubled: but the King told him that it was only discourse
of the world. But Mr. Wren whispered me in the eare, and said that the
Duke of Albemarle had put it into his Narrative for the House, that not
above twenty-five ships fought in the engagement wherein he was, but
that he was advised to