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RECREATIONS 613
(Bruges 1476?) was his translation of the thirteentlvcentury
treatise by the Italian Cessolis, The Game and Playe oftbe Cbesse,
and he printed it again at Westminster a few years later. But the
book was already almost out of date, for a significant change
in the last years of the fifteenth century revolutionized the
game. This change is marked by the freedom of movement
given to the queen and the bishop: now, as in the modern
game, the former could move in any direction, and the latter in
a diagonal direction as far as the way was clear; it enormously
enhanced their
strength, and the queen became the dominating
piece on the board. The new game, more scientific and elabor^
ate, originated in southern Europe, spread rapidly, and quickly
superseded the old game ofwhich we hear no more in England
after 1529. But by this time it had lost its unrivalled supremacy
among the indoor recreations ofthe aristocracy. Other forms of
gambling, and especially cardxplaying which came into vogue
in the fifteenth
century, were introduced to relieve the boredom
of the leisured classes during the long winter evenings.
The game of cards, which probably originated in Asia, is
not known to have reached Europe till the fourteenth century.
In 1393 an artist was paid for painting *in gold and diverse
colours ornamented with many devices* packs for King
Charles VI of France; seventeen of these cards are still pre^
served in the Bibliotheque Nationale. The earliest clear referx
ence to the game in England is in 1461 when it was prohibited
the Christmas festivities. The next notice of it
except during
comes in a statute two years later
(3 Edw. IV, c. 4) forbidding
the
importation ofcaries
ajuer; the object here, however, was not
to
stop this form ofamusement, but to reduce unemployment
by encouraging the home manufacture ofthis and other comx
modities. Henceforward it was a popular pastime. Though no
have smv
English cards earlier than the seventeenth century
vived, the traditional costumes ofthe court cards appear to be
of the
early Tudor period. The first two Tudor kings were
evidently much addicted to this form ofamusement; and it has
been reckoned that Henry VIII lost ,3,243. $$. iod. in three
years at cards and other forms of gambling.