(42). Item, Monsieur Demarests’[*] Jean Desmarets, for whom see Bayle, x, 236, seqq. ed. Paris, 1820; or Nouv. Biographie Générale. learned and ingenious pack of cards, called Jeu d’ Armoire de l’Europe, composed, as I was told in France, upon this occasion. Cardinal Mazarine being in place of a guardian to the now reigning King of France, in his minority, (Louis XIVth,) and the king being grown up to the age of years in which he took delight to play at cards, he, that the king, at his playing of cards, might also learn something else of worth and knowledge in his very play, put this virtuoso, Monsr Desmarests, to invent a pair of cards that might have that effect; upon which he invented these cards, which, having the ordinary marks of hearts, clubs, spades, and diamonds, he maketh hearts to be France, and the king to be king of hearts; clubs to be Italy, and all its principalities; spades to be the northern parts,—Germany, England, Denmark, Sweden, &c.; and diamonds to be Spain, Portugall, and all their territories. This done, when the king went to play at cards, a fair mapp of Europe was to be laid upon the carpet, and, when the cards were dealt unto the king, he was not to play his game at cards until he was first instructed in blazonry, geography, and history of this or that card he had in his hand,—blazoning the arms as it is upon each card; then, to find out the place in the mapp of Europe that the card signified; and, lastly, to tell some little history of that place; and then, to play the ordinary game. So that the king learned armory, geography, and history, all at playing of cards, there being a little book of Mr. Desmarests, which belong to this pack of cards, to teach his majesty how to use them. It is in French, with my cards.