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XVII. Observations on the Antiquity of Card-playing in England by the Hon. Daines Barrington. Inscribed to the Rev. Mr. Bowle

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 July 2012

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Extract

Since the last paper which I had the honour to lay before the Society, giving some account of a picture representing lord Burleigh with three others playing at cards, I have found some confirmation that those exhibited in the hand of one of these players, relate to Primero, because the Sydney Papers mention that queen Elizabeth formed a party at this game with the Lord Treasurer, Mr. Secretary, and the Lord North.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Society of Antiquaries of London 1787

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References

page 134 note [a] See the preceding article.

page 134 note [b] This ancient game is sometimes written Primera.

page 134 note [c] Sydney Papers, vol. I. p. 154.

page 134 note [d] Vol. II. p. 307.

page 135 note [e] This entry seems to have been communicated to Mr. Anstis by some other person.

page 135 note [f] “For their pastimes within doors they have cards differing from ours in“ the figures and number of suits.” Pietro della Valle.

Niehbur (in his Travels) also mentions the use of Chinese cards, p. 139, and says, that the Arabians call this amusement Lab-el-kamer. We have chess likewise from the Asiatics.

page 135 note [g] Bibliotheque Instructive et Curieuse.

page 136 note [h] Paper also in the fourteenth century was a modern invention.

page 136 note [i] Our worthy member Mr. Orde hath lately favoured me with the peru of Henry the Seventh's private expences, by which it appears that money was issued at three several times for his losses at cards.

page 137 note [k] Monstrelet in anno—Menestrier is also quoted for a synod held at Langres, by which the clergy are forbid the use of cards so early as 1404.

page 137 note [l] Ludus chartaceus quartarum seu chartarum. Junius in Etymologico.

page 137 note [m] Whilst I am correcting this page for the press, Mr. Nichols (printer to the Society) hath referred me to 4 Edw. IV. Rot. Parl. Membr. VI. where pleyinge cardes are enumerated amongst several other articles, which are not to be imported. In 1540, Henry VIII. grants the office custodis ludorum in Calefiâ, amongst which games cards are enumerated. Rymer in anno.

They are firft forbid in Scotland by an act only of James the Sixth.

page 137 note [n] Appendix to the third volume of Leland's Collectanea, p. 284.

page 137 note [o] Dec. 2. c. 8.

page 138 note [p] This word indeed is most commonly written whist.

page 138 note [q] To these I may add many others—as the being codili'd from codillo—The winning the pool from polla, which signifies the stake—The term of trumps from the Spanish triumso—as also the term of the ace, which pervades most European languages, the Spanish word for this card being as.

page 138 note [r] The Venetians still use the Spanish cards, retaining the Spanish terms, except that of oros, which they render denari, signifying equally pieces of money.

page 138 note [s] Our learned member (Dr. Douglas) hath been so obliging as to refer me to a miscellaneous work of M. Du Four, entitled Longueruana; in which the writer says, he had seen some antient Italian cards seven or eight inches long, in which the pope was represented, and from thence (though a Frenchman) ascribes the invention of cards to the Italians. This is, however, a mere ipsedixit, without any other fact or argument.

Another of our learned members (Dr. Woide) refers me to a German publication by Mr. Breithoff, in which he cites an authority, that cards were used in Germany so early as A. D. 1300, having been brought from Arabia or India.

Our late worthy member (Mr. Tutet) hath also been so obliging as to shew me some antient cards which belonged to Dr. Stukeley, and which were nearly of an equal length to those described by Mr. Du Four. The pack, however, was far from complete, and therefore little could be inferred from them. This was also the case with the pack of Italian cards mentioned by Mr. Du Four.

page 139 note [t] See Du Chat's notes on that chapter of Rabelais, in which Pantagruel is said to have played at so many games.

Saintsoix (in his Essays oil the Antiquities of Paris) informs us, that a dance was performed on the French theatre in 1676, taken from the game of piquet.

page 140 note [u] The old Spanish term for cards is naipe, which Covarruvias suspects to be of Arabic origin: certainly it hath not the most distant affinity to the French carte.

page 140 note [x] In 1584 a book was published at Salamanca, entituled Remedio de Jugadores.

page 140 note [y] When James the Fourth played with his destined consort at Edinburgh.

page 141 note [z] The figured cards, as king, queen, and knave, were sometimes called coat, and not court cards as at present. The knave probably was the prince their son, as Chaucer twice applies the term knave child to the son of a sovereign prince. The same may be observed with regard to valet in French. See De la Roynes noblesse, and Du Fresne, in voce valettus.

page 141 note [a] See however ante, note (l).

page 141 note [b] Philip also introduced the Spanish dress and music, at least there is a sonnet of Sir Philip Sydney's, which is to the air of “Se tu Senora do dueles de mi,” and which therefore must have been a tune in vogue.

page 141 note [c] See a Collection of Proclamations in the library of the Society, vol. III. p. 5. and vol. IV. p. 31.

page 141 note [d] Mr. Malone's Supplemental Observations on Shakspeare, p. 31.

page 144 note [d] Falstaff complains that he never had any luck since he forswore Primero.

page 144 note [e] As for the game at chess in Vida's Latin poems, I never could follow it, after line 220, when several pawns are taken on each side without being particularised. The Latin however cannot be too much admired of this elegant poem, nor the description of many moves.

page 145 note [f] In 1664, a book was published, entituled, The Compleat Gamester, which takes no notice whisk, though it does of ombre and piquet.

page 145 note [g] “The clergyman used to play at whisk and swabbers.” Swift.

page 145 note [h] Swabbers therefore much resemble the taking up part of the stake for the aces at quadrill, and are properly banished from a game of so much skill as whisk, because they are apt to divert the player's attention.

page 145 note [i] I have this information from a gentleman who is now eighty-six years of age. The first lord Folkstone was another of this set.

They laid down the following rules:

To play from the strongest suit, to study your partner's hand as much as your own, never to force your partner unnecessarily, and to attend, to the score.