WITH NOTES. 521 



contrived without fufpicion, that 

 playing at Primero at Cards, one 

 may without clogging his memory 

 keep reckoning of all Sixes, Sev 

 ens and Aces which he hath dif- 

 carded. 9 



9 without foul play. MS. and P. 



[Primero Gloves^] Although we cannot give a clue 

 to this contrivance for registering reckonings in card- 

 playing, it is worth noticing the old game indicated : 



Primero, according to Dr. Johnson, is derived from 

 the Spanish, which Minsheu, coupling with the Italian, 

 thus explains, &quot;primum et primum visum, that is, first, 

 and first seen, because he that can show such an order 

 of cards, wins the game.&quot; He then quotes as ex 

 amples : 



&quot;I left him &\, primero with the Duke of Suffolk.&quot; Henry VIII. 



&quot; The Spaniard is generally given to gaming, and that in excess ; their common 

 game at cards is primera.&quot; HoweWs Letters, i. iii. 32. 



&quot; Give me your honest trick, yet, at primero, or gleek.&quot; Ben Jonsovfs Al 

 chemist. 



Mr. S. W. Singer affords some curious information 

 on Primero, in his excellent u Eesearches into the 

 History of Cards,&quot; quarto, 1816. It appears to be 

 uncertain whether it is of Italian or Spanish origin. 

 Primero, prime, and primavista, are the same game, 

 differently designated. It was very popular in the 

 reign of Queen Elizabeth; and, as we have seen, is 

 mentioned by Shakespeare ; indeed, it is supposed to 

 have been one of the earliest played card games in 

 England. 



90. 



A moft dexterous Dicing Box, 

 with holes tranfparent, after the 



