<div1 type="SM_PSpage" id="LMSMPS50753PS507530052"> <xptr type="pageFacsimile" doc="LMSMPS507530052"></xptr>
<p n="580"> <note type="authorial" place="margin"> <rs type="placeName" id="LMSMPS50753_geo337">Middlesex</rs>
<interp inst="LMSMPS50753_geo337" type="placeName" value="Middlesex"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMPS50753_geo337" type="type" value="undefined"></interp>
</note>
<lb></lb>
Rotation Office Litchfield Street <rs type="placeName" id="LMSMPS50753_geo338">Soho</rs>
<interp inst="LMSMPS50753_geo338" type="placeName" value="Soho"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMPS50753_geo338" type="type" value="undefined"></interp>
<lb></lb>
23d April 1782</p>
<p n="581">Minutes of the Committee appointed to Examine into the Laws<lb></lb>
respecting Gaining and Gaming Houses</p>
<p n="582">Present<lb></lb>
<rs type="persName" id="LMSMPS50753_n582-1">Thomas Bishop</rs>
<interp inst="LMSMPS50753_n582-1" type="given" value="Thomas"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMPS50753_n582-1" type="surname" value="Bishop"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMPS50753_n582-1" type="gender" value="male"></interp>
Esqr in the Chair<lb></lb>
<rs type="persName" id="LMSMPS50753_n582-2">James Croft</rs>
<interp inst="LMSMPS50753_n582-2" type="given" value="James"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMPS50753_n582-2" type="surname" value="Croft"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMPS50753_n582-2" type="gender" value="male"></interp>
Esqr<lb></lb>
<rs type="persName" id="LMSMPS50753_n582-3">Sampson Wright</rs>
<interp inst="LMSMPS50753_n582-3" type="given" value="Sampson"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMPS50753_n582-3" type="surname" value="Wright"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMPS50753_n582-3" type="gender" value="male"></interp>
Esqr<lb></lb>
<rs type="persName" id="LMSMPS50753_n582-4">John Lewis</rs>
<interp inst="LMSMPS50753_n582-4" type="given" value="John"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMPS50753_n582-4" type="surname" value="Lewis"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMPS50753_n582-4" type="gender" value="male"></interp>
Esqr<lb></lb>
<rs type="persName" id="LMSMPS50753_n582-5">Thomas Collins</rs>
<interp inst="LMSMPS50753_n582-5" type="given" value="Thomas"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMPS50753_n582-5" type="surname" value="Collins"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMPS50753_n582-5" type="gender" value="male"></interp>
Esqr<lb></lb>
<rs type="persName" id="LMSMPS50753_n582-6">George Mercer</rs>
<interp inst="LMSMPS50753_n582-6" type="given" value="George"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMPS50753_n582-6" type="surname" value="Mercer"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMPS50753_n582-6" type="gender" value="male"></interp>
Esqr<lb></lb>
<rs type="persName" id="LMSMPS50753_n582-7">John Barnfather</rs>
<interp inst="LMSMPS50753_n582-7" type="given" value="John"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMPS50753_n582-7" type="surname" value="Barnfather"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMPS50753_n582-7" type="gender" value="male"></interp>
Esqr</p>
<p n="583">Resolved it appears to this Committee that by the 18th. Geo: 2d.<lb></lb>
Cap. 34 the Laws then in being were found by Experience to be<lb></lb>
ineffectual to stop the pernicious practice of Gaming and that the<lb></lb>
remedy then applied was adding the Game of Roley Poley to the other<lb></lb>
Games prohibited by law and it also appearing to this Committee<lb></lb>
that Sir <rs type="persName" id="LMSMPS50753_n583-2">William Blackstone</rs>
<interp inst="LMSMPS50753_n583-2" type="given" value="William"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMPS50753_n583-2" type="surname" value="Blackstone"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMPS50753_n583-2" type="gender" value="male"></interp>
Commenting upon that and other<lb></lb>
acts respecting Gaming observes that particular descriptions will<lb></lb>
" ever be lame and deficient unless all Games of mere chance are<lb></lb>
" at once prohibited the Invention of Sharpers being surifter than the<lb></lb>
" punishment of the Law which only hants thern from one device<lb></lb>
" to another" Resolved that the following Clauses be submitted to the<lb></lb>
Consideration of Parliament as a remedy for the said Evil Vizt.</p>
<p n="584">Be it therefore enacted by the Kings most Excellent<lb></lb>
Majesty by and with the advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual<lb></lb>
and Temporal and Commons in this present Parliament assembled<lb></lb>
and by the authority of the same that from and immediately after the<lb></lb>
passing of this act all and all manner of games to be determined<lb></lb>
by the Chance of Cards or Dice or of any Letter or Letters figure<lb></lb>
or figures Ball or Balls Number or Numbers Mark or<lb></lb>
Marks or of any Machine Engine or other Invention or Device<lb></lb>
of Chance by whatever Description or Denomination the same may</p>
</div1>

View as Text