Green’s Dictionary of Slang

any form of false or legitimate dice, to be brought into and withdrawn from a game as the cheater desires.

1552		G. Walker Detection of Vyle and Detestable Use of Dice Play in Judges (1926) 43: If ye lack contraries, to crossbite him withal, I shall lend you a pair of the same size that his cheats be.
1612		S. Rid [Rowlands] The art of iugling or legerdemaine n.p.: What should I speak any more of false dice, of fullons, high-men, lowe-men, gourds, and brisled dice, grauiers, demies, and contraries, all which haue his sundry vses.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: The names of false dice: A bale of bard cinque deuces A bale of flat cinque deuces A bale of flat sice aces A bale of bard cater traes A bale of flat cater traes A bale of fulhams A bale of light graniers A bale of langrets contrary to the ventage A bale of gordes, with as many highmen as lowmen, for passage A bale of demies A bale of long dice for even and odd A bale of bristles A bale of direct contraries.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.