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whilst I am absent on particular business。'
During this reign gamesters were in high favour； as may well be
imagined。 One of them received an honour never conceded even to
princes and dukes。 ‘The latter；' says Amelot de la Houssaie；
‘did not enter the court…yard of the royal mansions in a carriage
before the year 1607； and they are indebted for the privilege to
the first Duc d'Epernon； the favourite of the late king； Henry
III。； who being wont to go every day to play with the queen；
Marie de Medicis； took it into his head to have his carriage
driven into the court…yard of the Louvre； and had himself carried
bodily by his footmen into the very chamber of the queenunder
the pretext of being dreadfully tormented with the gout； so as
not to be able to stand on his legs。'＇52＇
＇52＇ Mem。 Hist。 iii。
It is said； however； that Henry IV。 was finally cured of
gambling。 _Credat Judaeus！_ But the anecdote is as follows。
The king lost an immense sum at play； and requested Sully to let
him have the money to pay it。 The latter demurred； so that the
king had to send to him several times。 At last； however；
Sully took him the money； and spread it out before him on the
table； exclaiming‘There's the sum。' Henry fixed his eyes on
the vast amount。 It is said to have been enough to purchase
Amiens from the Spaniards； who then held it。 The king thereupon
exclaimed：‘I am corrected。 I will never again lose my money at
gaming。'
During this reign Paris swarmed with gamesters。 Then for the
first time were established _Academies de Jeu_； ‘Gaming
Academies；' for thus were termed the gaming houses to which all
classes of society beneath the nobility and gentility； down to
the lowest； rushed in crowds and incessantly。 Not a day passed
without the ruin of somebody。 The son of a merchant； who
possessed twenty thousand crowns； lost sixty thousand。 It
seemed； says a contemporary； that a thousand pistoles at that
time were valued less than a _sou_ in the time of Francis I。
The result of this state of things was incalculable social
affliction。 Usury and law…suits completed the ruin of gamblers。
The profits of the keepers of gaming houses must have been
enormous； to judge from the rents they paid。 A house in the
Faubourg Saint…Germain was secured at the rental of about L70
for a fortnight； for the purpose of gambling during the time of
the fair。 Small rooms and even closets were hired at the rate of
many pistoles or half…sovereigns per hour； to get paid； however；
generally entailed a fight or a law…suit。
All this took place in the very teeth of the most stringent laws
enacted against gaming and gamesters。 The fact was； that among
the magistrates some closed their eyes； and others held out their
hands to receive the bribe of their connivance。
LOUIS XIII。At the commencement of the reign of Louis XIII。 the
laws against gaming were revived； and severer penalties were
enacted。 Forty…seven gaming houses at Paris； which had been
licensed； and from which several magistrates drew a perquisite of
a pistole or half a sovereign a day； were shut up and suppressed。
These stringent measures checked the gambling of the ‘people；'
but not that of ‘the great；' who went on merrily as before。
Of course they ‘kept the thing quiet'gambled in secretbut
more desperately than ever。 The Marechal d'Ancre commonly
staked twenty thousand pistoles （L10；000）。
Louis XIII。 was not a gambler； and so； during this reign； the
court did not set so bad an example。 The king was averse to all
games of chance。 He only liked chess； but perhaps rather too
much； to judge from the fact that； in order to enable him to play
chess on his journeys； a chessboard was fitted in his carriage；
the pieces being furnished with pins at the bottom so as not to
be deranged or knocked down by the motion。 The reader will
remember that； as already stated； a similar gaming accommodation
was provided for the Roman Emperor Claudius。
The cup and ball of Henry III。 and the chessboard of Louis XIII。
are merely ridiculous。 We must excuse well…intentioned monarchs
when they only indulge themselves with frivolous and childish
trifles。 It is something to be thankful for if we have not to
apply to them the adageQuic…quid delirant reges plectuntur
Achivi‘When kings go mad their people get their blows。'
LOUIS XIV。The reign of Louis XIV。 was a great development in
every point of view； gaming included。
The revolutions effected in the government and in public
morals by Cardinal Richelieu； who played a game still more
serious than those we are considering； had very considerably
checked the latter； but these resumed their vigour； with
interest； under another Cardinal； profoundly imbued with the
Italian spiritthe celebrated Mazarin。 This minister；
independently of his particular taste that way； knew how to ally
gaming with his political designs。 By means of gaming he
contrived to protract the minority of the king under whom he
governed the nation。
‘Mazarin；' says St Pierre； ‘introduced gaming at the court of
Louis XIV。 in the year 1648。 He induced the king and the queen
regent to play； and preference was given to games of chance。 The
year 1648 was the era of card…playing at court。 Cardinal Mazarin
played deep and with finesse； and easily drew in the king and
queen to countenance this new entertainment； so that every one
who had any expectation at court learned to play at cards。 Soon
after the humour changed； and games of chance came into vogueto
the ruin of many considerable families： this was likewise very
destructive to health； for besides the various violent
passions it excited； whole nights were spent at this execrable
amusement。 The worst of all was that card…playing； which the
court had taken from the army； soon spread from the court into
the city； and from the city pervaded the country towns。
‘Before this there was something done for improving conversation；
every one was ambitious of qualifying himself for it by reading
ancient and modern books； memory and reflection were much more
exercised。 But on the introduction of gaming men likewise left
of tennis； billiards； and other games of skill； and consequently
became weaker and more sickly； more ignorant； less polished； and
more dissipated。
‘The women； who till then had commanded respect； accustomed men
to treat them familiarly； by spending the whole night with them
at play。 They were often under the necessity of borrowing either
to play； or to pay their losings； and how very ductile and
complying they were to those of whom they had to borrow was well
known。'
From that time gamesters swarmed all over France； they multiplied
rapidly in every profession； even among the magistracy。 The
Cardinal de Retz tells us； in his Memoirs； that in 1650 the
oldest magistrate in the parliament of Bordeaus； and one who
passed for the wisest； was not ashamed to sta