ABSTRACT
The first record we have of a public lottery in Britain dates from 1567:
A Proposal for a very rich Lottery, general without any Blankes, containing a great No. of good prices, as well of redy money as of Plate and certain sorts of Merchandises, having been valued and prised by the Commandment of the Queenes most excellent Majesties order, to the extent that such Commodities as may chance to arise thereof, after the charges borne, may be converted towards the reparations of the Havens and Strengthe of the realm, and towards such other public good workes. The No. of Lotts shall be foure hundred thousand, and no more; and every lott shall be the summe of tenne shillings sterling only, and no more. To be filled by the feast of St. Bartholomew. The shew of Prises are to be seen in Cheapside, at the sign of the Queenes armes, the house of Mr. Dericke, Goldsmith, Servant to the Queen. Some other Orders about it in 1567-8. Printed by Hen. Bynneman.
The writers of the order seem confident that Elizabethans were already sufficiently familiar with lotteries for no further explanations of their nature to be necessary, but emphasised the fact that the number of lots would be limited, and that the odds would be fair, presumably because their readers also suspected that a number of previous lotteries had been unfairly fixed.