A Mirror both for Saints and Sinners, Treatise · Chapter 46
CHAP. XLVI. Gods judgements upon Dicers, and Card-players.
BY the Elibertine, and Constantinopolitan Councils under Justinian Dice-players were punished with Excommunication: And the same Emperour made a Law: That no man should use Dice-play either in private, or publick, no nor approve the same by his presence under paine of punishment. Cod. l. 3. Tit. 43.
Lewis the eighth, King of France made a Law that no Cardes, or Dice should be made, or sold by any, thereby to take away all occasion of gaming: And surely in these dayes of light under the Gospel all Merchants, and Tradesmen should forbear the sale of them, lest ministring fuel to the fire of other mens lusts they make themselves guilty of their sinnes.
In a town of Campania a Jew playing at Dice with a Christian, lost a great summe of money to him, upon which occasion he belched out most bitter curses against Jesus Christ, and his mother the blessed Virgin: whereupon the Lord struck him dead immediately in the place: and his fellow-gamester the Christian was also stricken with madnesse whereof he died shortly after. Blas. l. 1. c. 31.
Anno Christi 1533. neere to Belissi…a in Helvetia three men were playing at Dice on the Lords day; and one of them called Ulrick Schraeterus having lost much money, at last expecting a good cast, brake out into this cursed speech: If fortune deceive me now, I will thrust my dagger into the very body of God, as far as I can: and the cast miscarrying, he drew his dagger, and threw it against heaven with all his might, when behold the dagger vanished, and five drops of blood fell upon the table in the midst of them, and immediately the devil came in, annd carried away the blasphemous wretch with such a noise that the whole City was amazed at it: The other, halfe distracted with fear, strove with all their strength to wipe out the drops of blood: but the more they wiped it, the more clearly it appeared. The rumour hereof flying through the City, multitudes flocked to the place, where they found the Gamesters washing the board, whom by the decree of the Senate they bound with chaines, and carried towards the prison: but as they went by the way, one of them was stricken suddenly dead, with such a number of lice, and wormes creeping out of him, as was wonderful, and loathsome to behold: The third to avert the indignation that seemed to hang over their heads, was by the Citizens immediately put to death. The table was preserved for a monument to shew the accursednesse of Dicing with the inconveniences, and mischiefes attending the same. Fincel. Mandat. 4.
Anno Christi 1550. there lived in Alsatia one Adam Steckman, who got his living by dressing vines: This man having received his wages, lost it all at Dice; whereupon he grew so distempered in minde, wanting wherewithall to maintaine his family, that in his wives absence he cut his three childrens throats, and would have hanged himselfe: but that his wife coming in, and seeing this pittifull tragedie gave a great out-cry, and fell down dead: whereupon the neighbours coming in apprehended the man, who by the Law was adjudged to a cruel death. Fincel. l. 2.
Isabel wife to Ferdinand King of Spaine, was a very vertuous, and magnanimous Princesse: a great enemy to playing at Cards and Dice: which that Nation was much addicted to: yea, she caused such severe Lawes to be made against them, that in her time none durst use them; no, not in corners. Lipsius.
Let him that stole steale no more, but rather let him labour with his hand, the thing that is good, that he may have to give to him that lacketh,
Eph. 4. 28.
The lot is cast into the lap: but the whole disposition thereof is of the Lord,
Prov. 1…. 33.