who played high stakes, up to six thousand crowns, which was then
deemed exorbitant. This intrepid gamester proposed a bet of
twenty thousand crowns against one of Andrew Doria's war-galleys.

Doria took the bet, but he immediately declared it off, in
apprehension of the ridiculous position in which he would be
placed if he lost, saying,--`I don't wish that this young
adventurer, who has nothing worth naming to lose, should win
my galley to go and triumph in France over my fortune and my
honour.'

Soon, however, high stakes became in vogue, and to such an extent
that the natural son of the Duc de Bellegarde was enabled to pay,
out of his winnings, the large sum of fifty thousand crowns to
get himself legitimated. Curiously enough, it is said that the
greater part of this sum had been won in England.[47]


[47] Amelot de la Houss. _Mem. Hist_. iii.


HENRY IV.--Henry IV. early evinced his passion for gaming. When
very young and stinted in fortune, he contrived the means of
satisfying this growing propensity. When in want of money he
used to send a promissory note, written and signed by himself, to
his friends, requesting them to return the note or cash it--an
expedient which could not but succeed, as every man was only too
glad to have the prince's note of hand.[48]