cards, playing. Of ancient and uncertain origin, but known in Europe by the 1370s, playing cards were probably introduced into England by soldiers returning from the French wars. The early suit signs of coins, clubs, swords, and cups soon gave way to cœurs (hearts, possibly representing the church), carreaux (arrowheads or diamonds, symbolic of vassals/archers), trèfles (clover or clubs, for husbandmen), and piques (lance-points or spades, for knights), which French pattern has since become international; fortune-telling preferred the larger tarot packs, but games of chance generally utilized those with just court and numerical cards. Whilst reflecting changing tastes and outstanding events, colours and characteristics have remained remarkably constant, though now more formalized and sophisticated. An established part of upper-class Christmas festivities by 1484, but castigated by puritans as inventions of the devil, playing cards were so popular by 1628 that the London card-makers formed a company and received a royal charter. Repeated petitions against foreign imports eventually resulted in imposition of duties and establishment of an office for sealing all those of English manufacture and regulating prices; since 1712, the duty mark has decorated the ace of spades, thereby providing date approximation. Political designs have included the Rump Parliament, Popish plot, Marlborough's victories, reign of Queen Anne (with her touching for the evil), South Sea bubble, and caricatures of 1880s figures. Social designs have reflected costume, especially on court cards, and included London cries, lyrics and music for The Beggar's Opera, and educational themes.

A. S. Hargreaves