Engraved game, The Royal Pastime of Cupid, published in England by R H Laurie about 1850

Design: engraving, uncoloured; designed as a coiled snake; numbered in a clockwise direction from the top right hand corner by the head of the snake.
No. of squares: 63
Squares illustrated: cupids and hazards
Square numbering: 1 to 63
Squares titled: some
Subject of starting square: castle
Subject of ending square: oval, Garden of Cupid

An edition of the Game of the Snake (an adaptation of the Game of the Goose) is known to have been issued by Robert Sayer about 1750. Robert Laurie and James Whittle succeeded Sayer at his premises at 53 Fleet Street in 1794 and were in turn succeeded by R H Laurie in 1813; it would appear that the above is an impression from the original plate with altered lettering.
R H Laurie, 53 Fleet Street, 1813-59

Rewards: receipt of counters, forward movement and extra turns
Forfeits: payment of counters, backward movement, missing turns
No. of Players: any
Equipment required: dice, markers, counters

Rules:
Directions, how to play

1. Having a pair of dice, it must be first agreed upon what to play for, which is to be lay'd down and then you must throw who shall play first.
2. He that throws first of all seven must take notice of what he hath thrown for if it be 1 and 6 he goes forward to 16, if it be 2 and 5 to 25, if it be 4 and 3 he goes to 43.
3. He that throws upon Cupid, must not rest there but go as many forward as he hath thrown.
4. He that throws upon 5 where the Bridge is, must pay passage, that is, lay down as much as he staked at first, and so he must go forward to rest on the chair at 12, till all the rest have played once more.
5. He that throws upon 18, must pay Beverage to Cupid and stay with him till the rest have play'd twice about or some body release him.
6. He that throws upon 30, must wash himself so long in the Fountain, till he be displac'd by some other, in whose place he must go back again.
7. He that throws upon 38, must feast with Cupid paying his share, that is as much as he stak'd down at first, and must remain there till his companions have played once about.
8. He that throws in the Labyrinth at 46 must go back to 23 and then play again in his turn.
9. He that comes in the Wood upon 54, is catcht in the net, till he be delivered by some other in whose place he must go back paying his ransom.
10. He that throws upon 59, where the coffin stands must give way to the corpse, pay for the grave and begin the game again in his turn.
11. If some person throws were any body else stands, then the first must give way to the last going back into the other's place and paying his fine.
12. He that comes first into the delightful Garden of Cupid where 63 is, he hath won the Game and is to begin the new game again, but if he throws above the Number 63, then he must go so far backward, as he hath exceeded the number.

The ancient Egyptian game of the snake, also a spiral pattern, may have inspired many race games, but the rules of this game are not knwon and they are unlikely to have been the same, although the aim of the game was to the same-to win. The reissuing of existing and popular games was, often by different publishers, common practice. Often the only changes made were to the names and dates, but occasionally extra compartments were added, such as the updating of an historical game from King George III's period to include Queen Victoria.

Rules placement: engraved each side of the snake

The Game of the Snake is an adaptation of the Game of the Goose. It is known to have been first published in about 1750. It is likely that this particular version is an impression from the original engraving plate with some of the lettering altered. The game begins near the head of the snake and finishes at its tail. Instead of having a separate rule booklet, the instructions for playing the game are printed on either side of the snake.

E.1747-1954