' Neither, indeed, do they bear any
remarkable resemblance to our own--the pack consisting of no less
than eight sorts of divers colours, the kings being mounted upon
elephants, and viziers, or second honours, upon horses, tigers,
and bulls. Moreover, there are other marks distinguishing the
respective value of the common cards, which would puzzle our
club-quidnuncs not a little--such as 'a pine-apple in a shallow
cup,' and a something like a parasol without a handle, and with
two broken ribs sticking through the top. The Chinese cards have
the advantage over those of Hindoostan by being oblong instead of
circular.
It was not before the end of the 14th century that cards became
known in Europe; and it is a curious fact that the French clergy
took greatly to card-playing about that time--their favourite
game being the rather ungenteel 'All Fours,' as now reputed; for
they were specially forbidden that pastime by the Synod of
Langres in 1404.
The ancient cards of both Spain and France, particularly the
'court-cards,' exhibit strong marks of the age of chivalry; but
here we may observe that the word is written by some ancient
writers, 'coate-cards,' evidently signifying no more than figures
in particular dresses.
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