Page:London spy, or, The frauds of London described (3).pdf/8

 The shame of being thought bubble, and exposed to the town., [sic] frequently prevents gentlemen from making use of the statute provided in such causes, rather than their reputation should suffer, they tamely submit to be plundered as aforesaid.

At Horse races the countryman may be assured of meeting with gamblers, who make a practice of going from one race to another all over the kingdom; and, notwithstanding the country farmer, and breeder of horses, may in reality, be a better judge of these cattle then the gamester, yet I would caution him against wagering with these gentry, as they, becoming parties in many matches, get information from different bands which horse is, and which is not to win, and that means generally take you in, as they call it, and laugh at your folly—They often make bets among themselves, merely to deceive you, and give a preference to the horse they know must lose, in order to draw you in to lay money upon it.—If it happens (which is seldom the case) that an honest match is to be run, of which they are unacquainted, then they make use of the following or like stratagem, to insure their pockets; that is, they lay you a bet, and put the money into