| Show early french cards abo french are believed to be tho first people in europe to use playing cards and as first made cards were supposed to represent the different classes of persons in the kingdom the hearts the choir men or ecclesiastics and early cards of this suit have a cope which in form somewhat resembles a heart alie anro by ns called a spade was originally a pike head and typified the nobility and soldiery the artisans were represented by a stone tile now known as diamond while the farmers were symbolized by the trefoil or clove leaf by us called a club the four kings were originally david alexander and charlemagne representing the four great monarchies while the queens were argine esther judith and pallas typical of birth piety fortitude and wisdom argine being an anagram for regina the knaves were either knights or servants to knights but which is uncertain though the former conjecture is the more probable from the fact that on cards of an early date appear the names ot famous knights st louis globe demo crat |
