Juego de Naypes

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Transcript of Juego de Naypes

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The Playing-Card Volume 39, Number 1

Ross s. CaldwellEl Juego de naypes of Fernando de la TorreA Fifteenth-Century Spanish Card Game

IntroductionThe 15th century Spanish Juego de naypes, written around 1450 by the burgalés

(a native of Burgos, 240 km north of Madrid) Fernando de la Torre (c.1416-1475), is hardly known outside of the circle of Spanish medievalists. It certainly deserves to be much more widely known, especially by playing-card historians and those interested in the role of games in culture.

For historians of playing cards, it shows that the Spanish suits already had their current common names by the 1450s; it gives proof that the 10s had been dropped from the standard Spanish pack already in the 1450s; it mentions two card games by name, trintin and perseguera, about which nothing else is otherwise known; it gives explicit instructions to the painter of the cards as to what he should depict and how he should depict it; and by his inclusion of a trump card, the Emperor, Fernando indicates that he has either invented the concept of trumps independently of Karnöffel, Marziano da Tortona’s “Sixteen Heroes” game, and Tarot, or, more likely, encountered such an idea during his studies in Florence in the early 1430s.

For the culture of games, Fernando’s text is the earliest explicit example of a standard pack of cards being adapted for a new purpose in a narrow social milieu: the other 15th century example, Matteo Maria Boiardo’s Cinque Capitoli, completely transforms the suits and trumps of a Tarot pack into a new set of symbols, creating a “fantasy” pack, but Fernando de la Torre is content to use the common suit designations, adding only a solitary trump above the suits, and creating different pictures – and thereby stories – for the court cards (while retaining their normal suit signs). But the real pleasure of the poem for cultural historians is the manner in which Fernando weaves his personal biography, contemporary historical allusions, and legends, into a poem that is simultaneously designed to be a game of cards for the amusement – and not exactly the edification – of Spanish noble ladies.

Fernando de la Torre’s biography can be outlined by references in his numerous letters, as well as external documentation. He was born in the important northern provincial town of Burgos, around 1416. Although nothing is known of his parents, they had enough means to have him well-educated, which he formally completed in Florence, Italy, probably between 1432 and 1434, where he would have been exposed to humanism. From there, at the

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age of 18, he attended the Council of Basel in the delegation of the Bishop of Burgos, Alfonso de Cartagena, who was representing Castile. It seems he stayed there for around 5 years, since he did not return to Spain until 1439 (when the Council was in full schism from Pope Eugene IV). Upon his return he entered service as a courtier of King Juan II of Castile, performing diplomatic work in France in that monarch’s last years, 1452-1454. He continued to serve, with more independence, under Juan’s successor Enrique IV, particularly in the latter’s relations with the Kingdom of Navarre. Probably by the mid-1460s, he was an alderman of Burgos, where he died, in late December, 1475. It is only in the notices of his testament that we find out he had a wife, Juana de Lerma, and brother, Juan de la Torre (summarized from Garretas 1983b, pp. 25-33).

The date of El Juego de naypes must be before the late 1450s, when Fernando sent El libro de las veinte cartas e quistiones, a collection of poetry and prose texts, to Princess (perhaps regent by that time) Eleanor of Navarre and Foix (1426-1479), daughter of Juan II of Navarre and Aragon (not to be confused with Juan II of Castile). For the terminus post quem of the poem, Nancy Marino, in her unique and essential study of the poem (see bibliography) noted that the story of the Knight of Cups refers to Don Fernán Alonso: “In 1448 King Juan II of Castile pardoned Don Fernán Alonso, one of the Veinticuatro de Córdoba, for the killing in his home of his adulterous wife, two of her servants, and two comendadores of the Order of Calatrava. The occurrence became an inspiration to authors over the next 150 years” (Marino, p. 230). El Juego de naypes is itself dedicated to another princess, Mencía Enríquez de Mendoza, Countess of Castañeda. Therefore we must date the poem to after 1448 up to sometime in the 1450s; most scholars are content with “circa 1450”.

Description Of The Pack The pack Fernando de la Torre uses is the Spanish 48 card pack, with the

addition of a single trump card, the Emperor. He ascribes each of the suits of Swords, Clubs, Cups and Coins to the “love” of a certain category of woman, with allusions to history, literature or mythology, and associates each with a colour, in which the verses were to be written.

This scheme is as following:

Espadas - Nuns – Red letters Bastones - Widows – Black letters Copas - Wives – Blue letters Oros - Maidens – Green letters

Swords (Espadas): King – Abbess of the Monastery of Santa Maria la Real de las Huelgas Knight – King of Castile Knave – a procession of gentlemen and ladies in pairs

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Clubs (Bastones): King – Pantasilea, Queen of the Amazons Knight – Judith Knave – Dido

Cups (Copas):King – LucretiaKnight – Don Fernán Alonso

(infamous for killing his adulterous wife and four others in 1448)Knave – Paris abducting Helen

Coins (Oros): King – The Lady of the Lake Knight – Ghismonda Knave – Leander and Hero

Most of these references, whether classical or medieval, are easily recognized. Marino has cleared up the more obscure, contemporary references:

Swords – the abbess of the monastery of Santa Maria la Real de las Huelgas would have been recognized as Doña María de Guzmán, who ran the convent from 1436 until 1458. Marino shows that she was probably a relative of the Countess of Castañeda (Marino, pp. 217-218).

The Knight is either Juan II or Enrique IV – Marino notes the realism of the scene at the convent (the sepulchre and elm trees, for instance) suggests a reference to an actual royal visit; she notes that Juan II is recorded to have made such a visit, but Enrique IV is not noted to have done so. If this has any weight, it helps to date the poem before 1454, when Juan II died (Marino, p. 218 and note 12).

The Knight of Cups reference to Don Fernán Alonso has already been noted.

The Knave of Coins in the Spanish text is given to the story of Vidus and Merus, whose names are evidently corruptions of those of Leander and Hero.

Etienvre has noted that the colour scheme reflects perfectly the contemporary heraldic symbolism given in the Blason des couleurs of Sicile (Jacques d’Enghien), herald of Alfonso V of Aragon, written in 1435. The association of black to widowhood and green to youth is evident; blue is the colour of faithfulness (ironic in the context in which Fernando uses it), while red is that of passion (the proverbial state of convents until fairly recent times, populated by an inordinate number of young women). As for the attribution of the suit signs to classes of women, Etienvre admits he does not understand the logic (Figures du jeu, pp. 327-328).

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The verses were to be written out on the cards, and each verse contains the number of lines of the card’s numerical value, i.e. Kings have 12 lines, Knights 11, Jacks 10, 9s 9, 8s 8 lines, etc. The Emperor’s poem has 20 lines. The Emperor card’s verses are to be written in “letras moradas” - purple letters.

The text exists in two complete and two shortened versions, the short version omitting only the directions for the painter at the end. The complete version was included in Fernando’s El libro de las veinte cartas e quistiones (completed circa 1455), ms Res. 35 of the Biblioteca nacional de Madrid (15th century), edited by Paz y Melia in 1907 (see bibliography); and in one manuscript collection of poetry, Biblioteca Universitaria de Salamanca, ms. 2763 (copied circa 1500). The shorter versions are in the collections Cancionero de Stúñiga (or Estúñiga) (B.N. de Madrid, Vitrina 17-7), 1460-1463 (edited by M. de Fuensanta del Valle and José Sancho Rayon in 1872 (see bibliography); and Cancionero de Roma (or de la Casanatense) (Rome, Biblioteca Casanatense 1089), 1465. The present edition is based on the editions of Fuesanta del Valle and Rayon for the prologue and poems, and that of Paz y Melia for the directions to the artist.

Although it was first edited in 1872 (with further editions in 1907 (Paz y Melia) and 1983 (Garretas 1983a)), it was not until 2006 that the content of the poem was seriously studied, by Nancy F. Marino, professor of Spanish literature at Michigan State University, in an article that every interested person should seek out. My purpose in this introduction is not to try to present a thorough study of the poem, which Marino has already done. Rather, it is to introduce this very neglected text to the IPCS audience, with the original Spanish and first English translation ever to appear. The translator is Enrique Enriquez, a native Spanish speaker living in New York City, who has a great facility in both languages, along with an interest in early playing card history. I have only had to improve the English in a few places. Any remaining obscurities should be blamed on me. The Spanish text is included in the hope that IPCS members who know Spanish may be inspired to clear up difficult senses in the poetry, and to study the text further.

BibliographyEtienvre, Jean-Pierre :- “Le symbolisme de la carte à jouer dans l’Espagne des XVIe et XVIIe siècles”, in Philippe Ariès and Jean-Claude Margolin, eds., Les jeux à la Renaissance (Paris, Vrin, 1982), pp. 421-444 (see esp. pp. 427-428). - Figures du jeu. Etudes lexico-sémantiques sur le jeu de cartes en Espagne (XVIe et XVIIe siècle) (Madrid, Casa de Velázquez, 1987), pp. 89-90, 327-328, and passim.- Márgenes literarios del juego. Una poética del naipe siglos XVI-XVIII (London, Tamesis, 1990), pp. 16-17, 317 and passim.

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Fuensanta del Valle (Feliciano Ramírez de Arellano, Marqués de) and José Sancho Rayon, eds., Cancionero de Lope de Stúñiga, códice del siglo XV (Madrid, 1872), pp. 273-293.

Garretas, Maria Jesús Díez, - 1983a, La obra literaria de Fernando de la Torre (Valladolid, U de Valladolid, 1983).- 1983b, “Fernando de la Torre y su Obra Literaria. Contribución a la Literatura Castellana cuatrocentista”, Castilla. Estudios de literatura, núm. 5 (1983), pp. 23-40.

López Casas, Maria Mercè, and Antonia Viñez Sánchez, “Un arcano del Tarot en el Juego de naipes de Fernando de la Torre”, in A mi dizen quantos amigos ey: Homenaxe ao profesor Xosé Luis Couceiro (Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 2008), pp. 241-253.

Marino, Nancy F., “Fernando de la Torre’s “Juego de naipes” a Game of Love”, La Corónica: A Journal of Medieval Spanish Language and Literature, vol. 35, no. 1, 2006, pp. 209-247.

Paz y Melia, Antonio, Cancionero y obras en prosa de Fernando de la Torre (Dresden, gedruckt für die Gesellschaft für romanische Literatur, 1907), pp. 128-136.

Sicile or Sicille (Jacques d’Enghien), Le Blason des couleurs en armes, livrées et devises (1435), edited by Hippolyte Cocheris (Paris, Auguste Aubry, 1860), pp. 77-89 and 101-125.

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JUEGO DE NAYPES

QUE COMPUSO FERNANDO DE LA TORRE EL DE BÚRGOS, DIRIGIDO Á LA MUY NOBLE SENNORA CONDESA DE

CASTANNEDA.

El emboltorio de los naypes ha de ser en esta manera. Una piel de pargamino del grandor

de un pliego de papel en el qual uaya escripto lo seguiente, é las espaldas del

dicho emboltorio de la color de las espaldas de los dichos naypes.

MAGNIFICENCIA Y VIRTUD.

Non creo nuevo será á vuestra sennoría haberme mandado que con alguna lectura vos syrviesse: y como vuestro mandado non podiese negar, pensélo poner por obra; mas como la escriptura non fuese breve nin tiempos asy quietos como quisiera, la conclusion ó medio de aquélla está por faser. Asy que para esperar la tal cena magnificencia y virtud, acordé de enbiar á vuestra noblesa una colaciónó passatiempo de la manera que baxa se fará relacion. Non dubde vuestra sennoría yo non entienda ser el presente baxo y non conviniente para tan gran excellencia, como la vuestra segund la calidat. Mas como quiera que esto de la una parte me físiesse temer, de la otra lo seguiente me dió osadía. Ca á las grandes mares tan bien los arroyos , como los gruesos rios occorren y caben, non se me olvidando vuestra noble et palenciana condicion, la qual allende de comportar las mis faltas et osadía, favorescerá lo bueno de la obra, et lo defectuoso dissimulará ó emendará con singular et verdadera discrecion, como aquella que prinçesa de las Espannas se puede ó debe llamar. Et yo temiendo la reprehension de la obra, bien quisiera que fuera callado nombre del actor, salvo que por la obra se conosce el maestro, la cual lieva la marca de mi simplesa, et va firmada de la firma de mi poco saber, et cerrada et sellada con las armas de mi grossero sentido, et pendiente en filos de grand osadía, lo qual todo ha ciegado la afection et mysterio de las cosas ya dichas. — El humile et devoto siervo de vuestra merçed, Ferrando de la Torre.

LA FORMA DE LOS NAYPES.

Primeramente un Emperador que gane á todas las otras cartas , et éste tiene dos coplas et un fin de letras moradas en esta guisa. Han de ser quatro iuegos apropiados á quatro estados de amores en esta manera. El primero de religiosas á las espadas, apropiado por las coplas segund la calidat de la casa. E han de ser doce naypes en este iuego, et en cada uno una copla, et ha de haber tres figuras, la primera del rey, copla de dose piés; la segunda del caballero de onse; la sota de diez, et dende ayuso diminuyendo fasta llegar á un pié, y por conseguiente todos los otros estados, assí como el de biudas apropiado

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JUEGO DE NAYPES

COMPOSED BY FERNANDO DE LA TORRE OF BURGOS FOR THE VERY NOBLE LADY COUNTESS OF

CASTAÑEDA

The cards must be wrapped up as follows. A whole sheet of parchment

in which the following must have been written, and the back of

such package must be of the same colour as the back of the deck

MAGNIFICENCE AND VIRTUE

It is not the first time your honor asks me for reading material, and since I couldn’t deny you of your wishes, I thought to start writing, but lacking the time and peace to do so, I am still about to finish my work. In the meantime, while you wait for the magnificence and virtue scene I promised, I have agreed to send you the pastime described below. Forgive me, My Lady, if this material is too low and inconvenient for someone of such excellence as yours. Just as part of me hesitated in sending you this, another part of me felt encouraged to do so. For as there are huge seas and there are small streams or even broad rivers, and they all have their place, I haven’t forgotten your noble condition, which will take you beyond my faults and boldness to favor what is good in this work, while dissimulating or improving its defects with true and singular discretion, as it is worthy or someone who has been, or should be, called a princess from Spain. And since I fear for this work to be reprehensible I wish for the name of its author to be concealed, except for the fact that we ought to know the master from its work, since it carries the mark of my simpleness, and it has my little knowledge for signature, and it is sealed with the coat of arms of my coarse sense, and it hangs from the thread of my boldness, which has been blinded by the affection and mystery of the things I have told before. — The humble and devoted servant of Your Highness, Fernando de la Torre.

THE CONFIGURATION OF THE CARDS

First of all an Emperor who can win all the other cards, and this one will have two poems written in purple letters. There must be four suits, each one appropriate to four states of love, in this manner. The first one will be of religious women, represented by swords, with poems appropriate to the quality of the house. And there must be twelve cards in this game, and there must be one poem written in each card, and there must be three figures, first a King, with a twelve verse poem; second the Knight, with eleven verses; a Page with ten verses, and each successive card must have one verse less than the previous one until we arrive

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á bastones y de casadas á copas y el de donçellas á oros, por tal que sean quarenta et ocho cartas et coplas syn las del prólogo ó Emperador. E pueden iugar con ellos perseguera ó tríntin assy como en otros naypes, y de más pueden se conosçer quáles son meiores amores sin haber respecto á lo que puede contesçer. Porque á las veces es meior el carnero que la gallina, et pueden conosçer su calidat, y puédense echar suertes en ellos á quién más ama cada uno, e á quién quiere más, et por otras muchas et diversas maneras.

El Emperador de letras moradas ha de ser en esta guisa un naype en que se contengan estas coplas seguientes:

Magnificencia y virtud, Gratia, beldat y nobleça, Perla de la ioventud. Seso de la senectud , Caudillo de la destreça, Reyna de la castidat. Princesa de corteledat. Duquesa de honestidat. Marquesa de la verdat. Condesa de Castanneda. Á vos á quien recorrer Deben las obras ayna, Por lindo reprehender Como fuente de saber, Ó por saber y doctrina , Á vos mucho humilmente Como de syervo menor. Se presenta tal presente. Manifiesto ynsuficiente. Pediendo enmienda y favor.

at one verse alone, and this must be done to all the other suits, such as the one of widows which is appropriate to clubs, and married ones to cups, and maids to coins, so that there should be forty eight cards and verses without counting the ones in the prologue and the ones on the Emperor card. And both perseguera and tríntin can be played just as with any other kind of cards, but we may also know who our best lover would be, disregarding the consequences. Because sometimes the ram is better than the hen, and we can known about the qualities of our conquests, and we could tell fortunes about who loves who and also about who they love the most, and about many other things.

The Emperor in purple letters must be a card containing the following verses:

Magnificence and Virtue. Grace, nobility and beauty. Pearl of youth, With sage’s wisdom. Dexterous in war and duty, Queen of chastity, Princess of courtesy, Duchess of honesty, Marchioness of truth, Countess of Castanneda. To you to whom praise Is due in many works, To reprove for beauty As a source of wisdom, Or by knowledge and doctrine, To you, in all my humility As the lesser of your servants. This present I offer here, Although clearly insufficient, Asking amendment and favor.

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Fyn.

Es de la obra el grandor, Con metros desordenados. De quatro estados de amor. Unos naypes desdonados Para desechar cuydados.

JUEGO DE ESPADAS, apropiado á los amores de religiosas, todo de letras coloradas.

EL REY, DOSE PIÉS, UNA CARTA.

Al tiempo del pelear, Si se caen las espadas De manos mal apretadas. He visto quistionear Disiendo, segund oy, Por achaque ó por glosa, Amores de religiosa Andouieron por aquí, Mas yo les respondo asy, Por sententia y conclusion, Ques una grande abusion Que en los cobardes sentí.

EL CAVALLERO, XI PUNCTOS.

Nin por esto non se entienda Que yo apruebo tal cosa, Sólo por desir esposa De quien non quiero contienda, Es verdat, si fuese bella Y noble de condicion, Yo siempre sería della Syn temer la perdicion, Mas tengo por opinion, Quien amare lo contrario, Que será del adversario.

The End

Be the greatness of this work, With disorganized meter. On four states of love. A pack of disgraced cards That we use with disregard.

GAME OF SWORDS, Appropriate to the love of religious women, all in red letters.

THE KING, TWELVE FEET (VERSES), ONE CARD.

When the time comes to fight If the swords fall to the ground Because of a lose hand. I have seen such inquiries Saying, as for today, Either for blame or rejoice, Lovers of religious women Were seen around these parts, But I answer that by saying, Both by sentence and conclusion, This is such a great abuse That only in cowards I have seen.

THE KNIGHT, XI POINTS.

I don’t want it to be understoodThat I approve of such things,Only because I say ‘wife’Of Him who I wouldn’t like to

quarrel with.It is truth, were she a beautyAnd of Noble conditionI would be forever hersWithout fearing damnation,But I am of the opinionhomever’s love is illicitSurrenders to the adversary.

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LA SOTA, X PUNCTOS.

La serví en tal lugar Syn rescebir galardon, Y puedo muy bien iurar Con verdat, y con rason, Que iamas un tal proçesso Tan dulce non fué fallado. Por donde qualquier excesso Deviera ser perdonado, Asy que tengo afirmado. Este ser gracioso estado.

IX ESPADAS.

Pero hay diversidat En este estado que digo, Que segund la calidat De personas acata,. Tal debe ser el castigo, Mas en todas fallo un danno, El qual callar non me dexa, Que un grado muy extranno, Memoria dellas se quexa.

VIII ESPADAS.

Pues do non fasen memoria La fírmeça no es presente, Nin ménos do quitan gloria La pena non queda absente, Absente fui de plaser, Presente de grand pesar, Ninguno al favoresçer, Mal alguno al desdennar.

VII ESPADAS.

Aquí se puede arguyr Que por mí no es de iusgar, Ca unos van con reyr É otros van con llorar, Mas segund comuna regla, Aunque viven por antoio Á muchos quitan enoio.

THE PAGE, X POINTS.

I served her in such a place Without being given reward, And I can very well swear With truth and also with reason, That never a process as such Was found to be so sweet. Wherever any such excess Should promptly be forgiven. So I can very well affirm This to be a gracious state.

IX SWORDS.

But there is diversity In this state I suggest That according to the quality Of every person obeys. Such has to be the punishment, But in all I find some fault And I am unable to shut up, Since in a strange degree, My memory only complains.

VIII SWORDS.

Since our memory fails Our firmness is now long gone, Neither will we lose our glory Nor will our agony be absent, I felt the absence of pleasure, The presence of a great sorrow, Nothing to be favored, All to be disdained.

VII SWORDS.

Here we can argue That I am not to judge, Since some will laugh And others will cry, But the common rule says, Living a whimsical life Takes the anger of many away.

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VI ESPADAS.

Porque su trato es fermoso, Honesto, muy entendido, Non quieren al mal gracioso Nin aman al mal sentido, Y con grand desden y gesto Al tal despiden con esto.

V ESPADAS.

Pues que son á tantas partes Vestras rasones comunes, Usando grosseras artes, Yd allá tener el mártes, Donde tovistes el lúnes.

IIII ESPADAS.

Á esto suelen desir, Con gesto muy sosegado, Nin por más me despedir, Porfía mata venado.

III ESPADAS.

Vos, que tanto porfiays Y de seso me sacays, Veamos por qué faseys.

II ESPADAS.

Porque mientras viviré Non de vos renunciaré.

I ESPADA.

Y á mi rey qué desis.

JUEGO DE BASTONES, apropiado al amor de las viudas, todo de letras negras.

EL REY, XII PUNCTOS.

Renunciar de los bastones Ha contescido al iugar, Mas de viuda renunciar Non lo sufren las rasones, Quanto más si es fermosa

VI SWORDS.

Because of his pretty conduct, So honest and understanding, No one likes false joy Nor would love false sentiments, And with the greatest contempt Would dismiss such with a gesture.

V SWORDS.

Since there are so many places For your ordinary reasons, Using your grotesque arts, To end up being on Tuesday, Where you were on Monday.

IIII SWORDS.

To this they used to say In a very calm manner Nothing less than saying goodbye Stubbornness kills the deer.

III SWORDS.

You, stubborn as you are Always making me mad Let’s see why that is.

II SWORDS.

Because as long as I live You I will never leave.

I SWORD.

What do you say to me, my king?

GAME OF CLUBS appropriate for the love of widows, all in black letters.

THE KING, XII POINTS

To give up to the clubs Has happened while playing; But to turn away from a widow Goes against our better judgement; Even more if she is beautiful

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Y rica con moçedad, Quien dexáre la tal cosa Usaría de nesçedad, Amores son en verdat, Aunque non mucho pomposos, De mucha seguridat Y muy poco peligrosos.

CAVALLERO, XI PUNCTOS.

Debaxo de negro manto Ya blancuras se fallaron, Donde fisieron grand llanto Otras vegadas cantaron Entended bien la rason, Amadores de notar, Que si mueren con sason Amores son de caçar, Ca segund es el lugar De campinna, ó de labrada, Es la caça saçonada.

SOTA, X PUNCTOS.

Es verdat ques grand enoio Una rason que se pone Por refran, ó por antoio, Fulano, que Dios perdone, Por cierto sería excusada Si olvidar se podiese Que tal materia cantada Nin reçada se dixesse, Mas, ¿cómo puede excusar El sochantre de cantar?

IX BASTONES.

Como yo non he passado En mi vida por tal regla, Non es grand yerro lo trovado Sy demás de mal rimado El efecto va sin regla, Ca segund la presuncion, Aunque non digo de quién, Á este caso fas bien Esta copla de cancion.

And ripe in her youthful charm. Renouncing such a thing Would be a dumb act after all Since this love is, in truth, Albeit discrete, Very safe And not dangerous at all.

KNIGHT, XI POINTS

Underneath the blackest veil You will find the white flesh Where the crying is now deep There used to be joyful singing Understand then the reason, Lovers, notice this at once, That when Death’s time has to come Love is a hunting pursuit, And depending on the place Either the woods or the field, So the hunter plays the game.

PAGE, X POINTS

Being greatly upset is, in truth A valid reason to oppose By either saying or craving, So and So, God forgive him, By the way, it would be excusable If forgetting were allowed That such matters worthy of singing Weren’t even told in prayer But, how can ever been excused The charm of singing aloud?

IX CLUBS

Since I never have endured In my lifetime this conundrum No grave mistake has been made If by messing up the rhyme I slip an effect without rules, For based on the presumption Of someone I will not name, This cause will be well served By this poetical scheme.

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VIII BASTONES.

El clamor ques en tal grado, Ciertamente deve ser De dama de grand estado Ó de gentil paresçer, Que lo al non se requier Nin se debe aprobar, Salvo sy fuere en lugar Que la falta lo fisier.

VII BASTONES.

Muchas veses acaesçe Contra voluntat tratar, Porquel tiempo lo ofresce, El qual lo fase dexar, Así que debe mirar La que fuere requestada, Cómo non quede burlada.

VI BASTONES.

Porque se suele faser Al tiempo que las reclaman, Quando se dan á creer, Que muy de véras las aman, Mas despues de bien burladas Disen estas palabras.

V BASTONES.

En nuestra vida un remedio Sólo fallo que habemos, Que segund Dios puso medio, Que lloredes, et lloremos, Que farto con que tenemos.

IIII BASTONES.

Mas disen en mi escuela Desta tal lection ó thema, Que con esto se consuela Quien las sus madexas quema.

VIII CLUBS

Clamor of such a degree Should most certainly belong To a lady of pedigree Or of a gentle air and behavior Which is not required Nor should it be approved Unless it can be excluded By a compulsory need.

VII CLUBS

Many times has this happened While going against all will, Because time makes it all easier And lets him do as he pleases, Quite careful should be The lady that has been fancied Not to end up being fooled.

VI CLUBS

Because is usually done While claiming them at once When they trust what is being said About this love being for real, But after fooling them well They say to them things as such.

V CLUBS

There is one remedy alone Only one that I can find Since God gave us the means For you, I and all to cry, Since we have plenty of tears.

IIII CLUBS

But I was told at my school About this lesson and theme That this can bring consolation To whom sees her yearn in flames.

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III BASTONES.

Es plaser lo que proponen, Que mal fabla les disen, Tal coraçon les ponen.

II BASTONES.

Y despues de bien pensado Disen á su signo y fado.

I BASTÓN.

Nin por más cuytas me dar.

JUEGO DE COPAS, apropiado á los amores de las casadas, todo de letras asules,

EL REY, XII PUNCTOS.

Sabe el vino á las vegadas, En copa muy desygual, Mas amar á las casadas Á las veses sabe mal, Y bien por este tal iuego Do se paga grand portadgo Renuncien todos de luégo, Que yo non ménos lo fago, Mas disen los de Cartago, Segund pone la escriptura, Que nunca pesca en gran lago Quien iamas se aventura.

CAVALLERO, XI PUNCTOS.

Renegad vos de posada Donde mora hombre varon, Donde cortan con espada É fieren con el bullon, Por ende, quien me creyere, Mire bien tales baratos, É sy en Córdoba se viere Sobresuele sus çapatos, Asy que los tales tractos, El que los quiere seguir, Bien se debe aperçebir.

III CLUBS

Is pleasure what they propose, In all their treacherous words, Spoken from all their hearts.

II CLUBS

And after careful thought They say to their sign and fate.

I CLUBS

I will be concerned no more.

GAME OF CUPS Appropriate to the love of married women, and in blue letters,

THE KING, XII POINTS

Taste this wine now and then, In such an unequal cup, But loving a married woman Often can taste bitter too, And here for such a grand game There is a high price to pay So, renounce before it is too late That I will be the last at playing But those from Carthage are saying As I have seen in writing, That no big lake will be granted For a fish that feels too small.

KNIGHT, XI POINTS

Avoid to be given shelter Under another man’s roof, Where a sharp sword still is cutting And even the kettle hurts, For this reason, if you trust me, Watch yourself on such dilemma If you find yourself in Cordoba Put a double sole in your shoes, Therefore in such conundrums If you want to play the game You’d better be well aware.

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SOTA, X PUNCTOS.

Lo que tiene otro sobrado Á mí poco me aprovecha, Manto de otro sudado Mi voluntat lo desecha, Con todo, tal puede ser En color y en fechura, Que vieio puede valer Más que nuevo syn costura, Y por tal desenvultura Muchas veses vi folgura.

IX COPAS.

Mas aquesta tal iornada De contino non se pruebe Cabeça descobiiada, En sameiante enbaiada Muchas vegadas se llueve, De tal querer me despido. Perdóneme toda sennora, Yo quiero ser su vençido Y que quede vençedora.

VIII COPAS.

Y que quede á su placer Por guerrera conoscida, Aunque non es mucho vençer La cosa que está vençida, Esto, porque combatido Yo me fallo toda hora, Asy que quedo vençido, Ella que grand vençedora.

VII COPAS.

Mas sy ama y es amado En qualque grand perfecion, Non tema la perdicion, Afirmando ser osado, Porque el hombre es obligado Ántes por una morir, Que non por otra vivir.

PAGE, X POINTS

What another man can spare I find of little allure, Another’s man sweaty stole I won’t be pleased to wear, But even so, it could be indeed Of such a fanciful shape That the old one’s appeal Makes the new one’s pale, And since this is the case Often my will would deter.

IX CUPS

But such gamble you should not Try very often again, For going out without a hat In such a treacherous weather Can only get your head wet, To love I say farewell Forgive me, my good lady, I would rather plead defeat And let you win without brawl.

VIII CUPS

To remain at your good will Being such a warrior yourself There is no real war to win Over the already defeated, This because in all my battles I fail myself at all times, And so I always feel defeated Calling her the greatest winner.

VII CUPS

But if he loves and is loved In such grandeur and perfection, Quit your great fear of damnation, And attempting to be brave For a man should feel compelled To rather die for a grand love Than to end his days alone.

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VI COPAS.

Pues amar es cosa humana, Non se debe de iusgar, Que lo tal es cosa vana, De desir nin de pensar, Sy non ved lo que yo fundo, Sy es passado por el mundo.

V COPAS.

Lo que syempre fué y es Es fuerça que syempre sea, Mas de fas que tiene enves, Nin de ropa del reves Ningund hombre se provea.

IIII COPAS.

Que quando quise non quiso, Agora ménos yo quiero, En pensar lo postrimero Non quiero morir de riso.

III COPAS.

Esto digo, non afirmando Lo que se debe faser, Cada qual sepa escoger.

II COPAS.

Que yo syn más difinir Non quiero más escrebir.

I COPA.

De mi secreto y firmesa.

JUEGO DE OROS, apropiado á los amores de donçellas, de letras verdes.

EL REY, XII PUNCTOS.

Non ménos que fino oro Es rason de desear Una donsella que adoro, Para la querer et amar,

VI CUPS

Since love is so very human, No lover deserves our judgement,For such a thing would be

a vain thing,Either spoken or thought, If you ignore what I have seen, While traveling the world.

V CUPS

What is and will always be Should be preserved by force, But doing the right thing instead, Wearing your clothes inside out No man should ever attempt.

IIII CUPS

When I wanted, she did not, And now I don’t want her either, Envisioning myself after I don’t want to die of laughter.

III CUPS

I say, but I don’t affirm What anybody must do, Anyone must decide.

II CUPS

Since I, without further word Don’t want to write anymore.

I CUPS

Of my secret and resolution.

GAME OF COINS appropriate to the love of maidens, in green letters.

THE KING, XII POINTS

Nothing less than lovely gold That’s how high my heart regards The Maiden that I adore, To want her and to love her,

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Porque si todos colores Este buen metal excede, Non ménos estos amores Á todos otros precede, Á quien en tales antecede Habiendo qualque victoria, Para siempre le subcede Rica corona de gloría.

CAVALLERO, XI PUNTOS.

Éstos son á quien yguales Todo hombre debe servir, Y por quien bienes y males Todo se debe sofrir, Éstos son por quien la vida Se meresce de poner, Éstos son por quien non olvida La gala de se exercer, Éstos que fasen faser Lindas iustas et invenciones, Éstos doblan coraçones.

SOTA, X PUNTOS.

Éstos son los palancianos, Éstos son los más polidos, Éstos de quien los humanos Se deben fallar guarnidos, Éstos son limpios y bellos Syn algund impedimento, Éstos quien há parte en ellos Vive alegre et muy contento, Éstos son por quien absentó, Mis trabaios son por ellos.

IX OROS.

Éstos en extremo grado Por su gran valer me plasen, Éstos me tienen ganado Y con ellos soy pagado Aunque non me satisfasen, Dígolo porquen verdat En gracias de como quiero,

For if all of different colours This noble metal exceeds, Nonetheless this grand love Trumps all those it precedes, In which he comes before it, Having victory anyhow Forever will be succeed Rich crown of grace and glory.

THE KNIGHT, XI POINTS

Those are the ones in equal terms All men should equally serve, And all kind of good and evil In their name they should suffer, Those are the ones for whom life Deserves to be lived, For those you won’t forget To show all your glory at will, Those who make you do such things That are beautiful inventions; Those will melt your heart indeed.

PAGE, X POINTS

Those are the knightly ones Those are the most polished ones, Those of whom all good men Should always be forewarned, Those are beautiful and clean Free from any kind of ties, Those which, he who enjoys them Lives happily and content, Those are worth saving yourself, To them my work I surrender.

IX COINS

Those are which in great measure Please me due to their great value, Those certainly won me over Making me feel well rewarded Even if not satisfied I say this, truth be told Due to my own way of loving

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Asy siento exquividat Como se fuese extranjero.

VIII OROS.

Mas esta tamanna quexa, Que desta dama yo siento, Nin la dexo nin se dexa De buscar mi perdimiento, Asy que en tal mansilla Non sé cuál deba seguir, Sy me vaya de Castilla Ó muera por la servir.

VII OROS.

Mas al fin fago esta cuenta Por sumas syn cantador, Que quiero más su tormenta Que de otra grand favor, Sy tengo rason ó non, Segund uso de firmesa, Alegre con ello soy.

VI OROS.

Aquesta en verdat nasció Con extrema fermosura. Tal, que persona non vió Ygualdad en su fechura, Á la qual falta non vi. Salvo ser cruel á mí.

V OROS.

Es cruel á mí vivir. Mucho más á mi servicio, Mas io syn me despedir, Nunca dexo de dexir Este sancto sacreficio.

IIII OROS.

Aunque en vos iamas non siento. Nin sentí punto de amor, Partirme non lo consiento De ser vuestro servidor.

That way I feel fairly treated As any other beloved foreigner.

VIII COINS

But such a heavy complaint, Which I make about this lady, Neither leaves me nor leaves her From seeking my own damnation, Therefore in such discredit I don’t know what should I do, To leave Castilla for good Or, dying, serving her here.

VII COINS

Finally I got to understand By intuiting without being told, That I rather bear her cross Than anyone else’s love, If I am right or if I am wrong, Making use of my strong will, Fulfilled and happy I become.

VI COINS

Such woman was indeed born With such an extreme beauty. That I have seen no other, Who can match her sterling features, In whom I can find no fault, Other than being cruel to me.

V COINS

It is cruel for me to live. Even more to be at my service, But without saying goodbye, I won’t stop of giving word Of this saintly sacrifice.

IIII COINS

Although I can feel no fire. Nor even the sting of love, I can’t bring myself to stop From serving at your lovely feet.

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III OROS.

Ca espero en su bondat, Que usará de piedat Syn querer syempre mi danno.

II OROS.

Donsella, vuestra beldad Cativó mi libertad.

I ORO.

Servir á vos es reynar.

(Transcription of Fernando de la Torre, Iuego de naypes, (c. 1449), first published in Cancionero de Lope de Stúñiga, códice del siglo XV (Madrid, 1872), pp. 273-293.)

III COINS

I do hope in her good will, That she would have mercy on me And not only seek my damnation.

II COINS

Maiden, it was your beauty Which captivated my freedom.

I COINS

To serve you is to reign.

Those are all forty eight cards, without the Emperor, which serves as a prologue, and without a description of both The Emperor and the court cards figures and stories, as it appears in the game’s wrapping and account.

For the painter: here are the uggested forms for the figures and stories.

Firstly, he must place all the figures and stories right above the couplets. The couplets must be placed at the center of the card, taking into account its size. Below the couplet, the respective symbol: a cup, a sword, a coin or a club, must be placed. Around all the couplets, foliage must be included in order to fill the cards up. On the cards’ backs such foliage must be blue, or green, but never white.

The story, or figure, of The Emperor on top of the couplets must be depicted like the Lady of Castañeda: richly dressed and kneeling down, listening to mass. A little woman will be depicted,

Aqui se acaban todos quarenta y ocho naypes, sin el enperador, que es el prologo, e sin la forma de las figuras o ystorias, asi del enperador como de las figuras, segund esta en el enboltorio e memorial.

La forma de las figuras e ystorias para el pintor es esta. Primera mente.

Que ha de poner todas las ystorias e figuras encima de las coplas, las quales coplas han de estar en medio del nay-pe, conpasado segund el grandor de la copla, e debaxo de la copla vna se-nal de copa o espada o oro o baston, segund fuere el naype, e al torno de todas las coplas e naypes follajes para fenchir el naype. E todas las espaldas dellos de azul o verde, que non sean blancos.

La ystoria o figura del emperador en-cima de las coplas ha de ser como la señora de Castañeda esta, rica mente vestida, e de rodillas oyendo missa, e una enana que le da un libro, e a sus

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espaldas un escudo de sus armas que son dos castillos e un leon de los En-rriques. E con ella una donzella rezando en un libro, e en sus espaldas otro escudo menor de las mesmas armas, saluo que tenga una barra atrauesada, e con ella otra dueña rezando en unas cuentas.

Ha de ser la figura del rey de espadas una abadessa de la orden de sant ber-nardo e de las huelgas, con mitra e baculo, como ella e sus religiosas estan al torno de una sepultura real, faziendo una memoria, e en medio de la sepultura un escudo de armas reales de castillos e leones.

Ha de ser la figura del cauallero como el Señor rey viene en un cavallo al di-cho monesterio, e descavalga al corral de los olmos, donde le resciben la dicha abadessa e conuento en procesion, sin mitra e baculo, saluo llana mente con una cruz delante.

Ha de ser la figura de la sota como todos los gentiles onbres e monjas e donzel-las se pasean por la calaustra de dos en dos.

Ha de ser la figura del rey de copas la ystoria de Lucrecia, coronada, e como de noche la entra forçar un cauallero, e despues como lo matan por ello, e despues ella se mata con una espada.

Ha de ser la figura del cauallero como un cauallero de Cordoua viene a su pos-ada en un cauallo, e entra en ella a pie, e falla con su muger e en su camara dos Comendadores, el uno de Aleantara con cruz verde, e el otro de Calatraua con cruz colorada, e los mata con una espada e a su muger e otras dos donzellas.

La sota ha de tener por figura como Paris rouo a Elena del templo de Diana en la ysla Citarea.

Ha de ser la figura del rey de bastones la ystoria de la reyna Pantasilea, con corona, e con ella algunas amazonas que vienen a socorrer a Ector en habito de guerra.

Ha de ser la figura del cauallero la ystoria de Judic como mata al principe Olif-ernes que esta en un cauallo.

Ha de ser la figura de la sota la ystoria de la reyna Dido como se echa en un grand fuego.

Ha de ser la figura de rey do oros la ystoria de la donzella encantada, como esta en el lago criando a Lançarote, coronada.

Ha de ser la figura del cauallero la ystoria de Gismunda, como le enbia su pa-dre un gentil onbre en un cauallo, e le trae el coraçon de su amigo Riscardo, el qual con ciertas yeruas toma en una copa de oro e muere.

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giving her a book. Behind her, her coat of arms must be seen. This is composed by two castles and the Enriquez’s lion. Beside her, a maid will be shown praying on a book, with the same coat of arms but showing a diagonal bar crossing it, in a minor size, on her back. Another lady must be shown, this one praying on a rosary.

The King of Swords must be depicted as an abbess from the order of St. Bernard and de las Huelgas, with a miter and a staff, surrounded by her nuns, all of them standing around a royal tomb, as if in remembrance. At the center of the tomb, a royal coat of arms with castles and lions.

The Knight must look alike the King, arriving to the monastery on a horse and getting off at the elms yard, where he is greeted by the Abbess and the whole convent in procession. The Abbess must be depicted without miter or staff, only with a cross on her chest.

The figure of the Page must look alike all those genteel men and women who walk around the cloister in pairs.

The King of Cups must be depicted as it is told in the story of Lucretia, crowned, raped by a knight who is killed because if it, and she takes her own life with a sword because of it.

The Knight must be depicted as a knight from Cordova who arrives at an inn to find his wife with two men, one from Alcantara, with a green cross, the other one from Calatrava, with a red cross, and kills them both with his sword, along with his wife and her two maids.

The Page must shown how Paris stole Helen from Diana’s temple on the island of Cythera.

The King of Clubs must depict the story of queen Pantasilea, with her crown, surrounded by some amazons dressed for battle, coming to help Hector.

The Knight must show the story of how Judith killed prince Holofernes while riding a horse.

The Page must depict the story of how queen Dido threw herself on a big fire.

The King of Coins must depict the story of the enchanted damsel, crowned and raising Lancelot by the lake.

The Knight must show the tale of Gismunda, and how her father sent her a gentleman on a horse, who brought the heart of her friend Ricardo, upon which she took some herbs as a potion in a golden cup and died.

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The figure of the Page must depict the story of how Vidus swam through the sea to see his friend Merus, who was captive in a tower on an island, but he was killed in a sea storm. Dead, he is thrown at the feet of that tower, and when she looks at him, she kills herself with a sword.

Around all the figures and couplets, some foliage must be added to fill the card.

In similar fashion, some foliage must be added to all the cards that aren’t figures, to fill them up.

Ha de ser la figura de la sota la ysto-ria de Vidus como venia por la mar a nado a ver a su amiga Merus, que esta en una torre de vna ysla, e como lo mata la tormenta, e asi muerto, lo lieua al pie de la dicha torre, e como ella lo vee, se mata con un espada.

E al torno de todas estas figuras e cop-las follajes para finchimiento.

E asi mismo al torno de todos los otros naypes que non son figuras, follajes para finchimiento.

(Transcription of Fernando de la Torre, Libro de las veinte cartas e ques-tiones (B.N. de Madrid, ms. Res. 35 ; XV century) in Antonio Paz y Melia, Cancionero y obras en prosa de Fernando de la Torre (Dresden, gedruckt für die Gesellschaft für Romanische literatur, 1907), pp. 134-136).