As soon as a game was arranged for the cards, however, they were eagerly adopted by all classes of society as a welcome diversion. From that time on, numerous descriptions are to be found in the archives of European countries, appearing almost simultaneously. Gough (a writer mentioned by the Rev. Edward Taylor in his “History of Playing Cards,” page 187) expressly states that “the Italian game called La Minchiate, which was played with the ancient Tarot pack, was invented at Sienna by Michael Angelo to teach children arithmetic.” It would seem that the writer was slightly confused in his ideas, for the cards invented for teaching arithmetic were not true Tarots. He may be correct, however, in supposing that cards were arranged by the painter for educational purposes, and that they followed closely the number and arrangement of the older pack, for there are such cards still to be found in collections, although hardly of so early a date.

There seems no reason to doubt the record that “Francis Fibbia, of Pisa, invented the game of Tarrochino (or little Tarots), in 1419, receiving as reward the permission to place his own coat-of-arms on the escutcheon of the Queen of Staves, and that of his wife on the Queen of Money,” as stated by Leopold Cicognara, for we are told that there is a picture extant showing this prince with a number of cards scattered before him, on which are these arms, so it may be that he arranged a game for common use from the more ancient one of L’Ombre, since the games closely resemble each other, and the former is popular to-day in parts of Italy, where the ancient Tarots are still used.

Rafael Maffei, who lived at the close of the fourteenth century, has left a description of what he calls “a new invention,” or a game played with Tarots. A Bolognese gentleman named Innocento Renghierri, who lived in 1551, declared that “cards were invented in days of yore, and by an industrious and very learned person.” Unfortunately, neither the name of the inventor nor the date is mentioned, for, if given correctly, it might have saved much trouble and dispute.

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Gambling and Educational Cards

79-80-81 Swedish Cards for old Cucu game. No. 80 is the Joker.

82-83 Korean Cards showing numeral and suit marks with feather design on reversed card.

84-85-86 Japanese Educational Cards with quotations from favorite poets, for game of Hayku-Niu-Isshu.

In the “History of Viterbo,” by Feliceano (1742), there is a statement quoted from Covelluzzo that cards called Naib were introduced into that city in 1279 from a Saracenic source. This name given to the cards in Italy is interesting, since it is the one used to-day in Spain, for which various derivations have been given. It was probably derived from the Hebrew word for prophet, emphasising the original intention of cards for divination purposes. It seems strange that one of the best known and most widely spread cults has received so little recognition or study among those who have interested themselves in the religious progress and civilization of mankind. Even if regarded as toys or gambling instruments, Playing Cards certainly fill a great part in the lives of men, while their origin and the influence they have wielded in the past should surely have created more interest than has been the case.