Page:A History of Domestic Manners and Sentiments in England During the Middle Ages.djvu/242

 222 Uijlory of Domejiic Manners called jiaipes, which is laid to be derived from the Arabic : but they were certainly known in the well of Europe before the date given by Cavelluzzo. Our cut No. 156 is taken from a very fine manufcript of the romance of "Meliadus," in the Britilli Mufeum (MS. Addit. 12,228, fol. 313, v°), which was written apparently in the fouth of France between the years 1330 and 13^0; it reprefents a royal party playing at cards, which was therefore confidered at that time as the amufement of the higheft claiTes of fociety. They are, however, firft diftin£lly alluded to in 56. Cards in the Fourteenth Century. hiftory in the year 1393. In that year Charles VI, of France was labouring under a vifitation of infanity ; and we find in the accounts of his treafurer, Charles Poupart, an entry to the following efFe6t : — " Given to Jacquemin Gringonneur, painter, for three packs of cards, gilt and diverfly coloured, and ornamented with feveral devices, to deliver to the lord the king for his amufement, fifty-fix fols of Paris." It is clear from this entry that the game of cards was then tolerably well known in France,