The Knave of Clubs.  
Otherwise called, A GAME AT CARDS, And CLUBS Trump.  Do you not see the Knave turned up? Rub and lose Cards. Play fair, and above Board. 
EDWARD FRIAR   depiction of the Knave of Clubs 
Jan. 24. 1642 LONDON, Shuffled, cut, and dealt fair, by Stysichorus, Anno Dom. 1643.   

A Game at Cards. etc.  
Prometheus' having laboured all night to prepare a monument for olympius, being as sad and melancholy as he was poor, and miserable, called to Monopoly, saying, what dost thou think of the advancement we are like to enjoy? Consider now upon a sure ground they go, who seek to recover their own by Law. To whom he answered, Sir, I see how things are carried, for I have been an eyewitness of what hath past, but what remedy is there to be had against the passions and private interests, and force and power of the potent.  
Whilst they were thus in private discourse Curtius Decus came in and interrupted their further proceed, who were challenged by Hephestion, to play at Cards; to play they go, (and taking the first stool that came to hand) Prometheus sat down, and for the space of two hours, or more, he viewed Hephestions hand: The money went to and fro, but little lost; fortune had showed herself so equal; and indeed he that was but a spectator had a shrewder pull for the stakes in his own bosom then the gamesters themselves; they stirred up a greater griping in him, than was in them; they both played to win, and to increase their stock, but he was not able to behold without passion, thinking it less evil to play then to view another's game so eagerly.  
A game at Cards is a battle that is fought between two wits, or more, both being confident of good success: both stake, and both defend themselves the best they can: and after these gamesters had still some few hours, more continued at their sport, the Sea began to swell, the waves grew high, and the money began to swim from one side of the board to the other, their blood waxed hot, and their choler began to kindle, they were now at their close fights, watching but advantage to board each other, they grappled on each side for it hard, the Cards were shuffled, cut, and dealt oft, where they played their parts on both sides, bestirring themselves lustily, at last Clubs being turned up trump, one lost in that fight above an hundred crowns, whose game Prometheus viewing, was as sensible of grief for it, as himself, fearing that his eyes was the instrument of ill fortune to his game.  
When gamesters bend themselves to play for gain, they are like Pirates that put themselves upon the Sea purposely to catch some prize, Capiat qui capere potest catch he, that can catch; let every one arm his own ship as well as he can, and have an eye to the bullets that fly about his ears, and those other warlike weapons which are useful in such fights.  
The Cards themselves point out unto us, to tell us, who are fitly entertained in this play: not every common fellow; for if we shall but consider the Kings, the Queens, and Knaves, or according to the Spaniard, Kings, Knights, and Soldiers, for so they call them, which are pictured and painted forth unto us, from the uppermost of all the other, to the lowest, which is the Ace, we shall find no other portraitures or shapes, giving us to understand thereby that none should play thereat but Kings, Queens, and Knaves, or rather as the Spaniard, Kings, Gentry, and Soldiers, I can assure you, that in all the whole pack of Cards, you meet not with any Merchants, Tradesmen, Lawyers, nor Divines, they befit not such professions. The very Aceses speak as much unto us, for from the knave which is Sota the Soldier down to the Ace, which is the least and last Card, there is nothing, but spots or Aceses too, which tells us that all (except the aforesaid only) that shall offer to play at Cards, are but asses, and such an ass was the young man before spoken of, that played so long till clubs knocked him from off his stool.  
Yet will I not strain this string so hard, that I shall quite debar men of those noble entertainments, for I will not call him a gamester that plays but now and then, for recreation, four, six, ten, a dozen times in a year, or at a Christmas, cannot hurt him much for sport and pastime, out to return to the former discourse.  
The quarrel being ended, to supper these gamesters went, with a fresh challenge to return again. When they had done, the winners went to supper to refresh their hungry stomaches with meat, as they had done with money; the loser to get more coin, to supply his stock, who was more earnest to gather a supply for the fresh onset, than ever he was to pay his debts: but poor man his losses were sunk so low, he could not get it up again; but returns at the hour appointed, though both heartless, and moneyless; who being more vexed at those who would not aid his fresh quarrel with supply, then with them to whom he lost before: He walked in a great rage, up and down the room, puffing and blowing like a Bull, as if the whole chamber had been too little for him: one while he walks athwart it, another while from end to end, then from corner to corner, finiging, and huffing, and chafing, nothing could content him; one while he rails against the City, another while against those traitors that drew him on to play, and those that were the cause of his coming thither; this is a base place (quoth he) a company of thiefs, and cut throats. God dam- me (quoth he) I could run my knife into their guts, what never a friend to furnish me?  
Prometheus' seeing Hephestion in such a chafe, he calls for Monopoly; now quoth he is our time, either to get out of trouble, or to be sent to the Hospital, our estates now are but small; we cannot long sustain with it, let us take our fortune, either to sup well, or to go to bed with a jar of water, all is one, as good to day, as to morrow, for to hold out much longer we cannot possibly expect; will it not do well to put in for a third man after supper, adventuring to run my Lance among the rest? yea said Monopoly, if you hold it fit, and I will martial things in that manner, that both with safety, and subtlety, I will view the field and give you notice of your adversaries forces, how and where their strength lies when it is your best to charge them home, & when it is your best to make retreat still keeping a true account of their Cards and the numbers wherewith they are set upon you.  
When Monopoly had spoken thus unto him, a man might have pulled the skin over his ears, and he would never have felt it for joy, he was ready to leap out of it himself: oh this will I hope quoth he, prove an happy night, wherein we shall recover all our losses. Then they fell to disputing a great while with themselves, what signs would be best, whereby they might clearly understand each other; at last it was resolved, that the best manner, of doing it would be by the buttons of his Jerkin, or the joints of his fingers, according to the art of the Gamuth when we learn first to sing, and having made trial thereof three or four times, they grew so ready, and so perfect therein, that they understood one another as well by their tokens as their tongues.  
Now were the challengers entered the List, whilst Prometheus was walking up and down the room with his Rosario in his hand like an Hermit, Monopoly going out of the room, that he might be the freer from being suspected. They began to talk of falling afresh to play, and Hephestion told them what had happened, and that in truth he could procure no means to stake with them, except they would build upon his promise, which they refused, and parting again he gave the poor young man a coldheart-aking ultimum vale.  
When Prometheus saw this good conversation was dissolving, leaving his beads to keep their own reckoning, he stepped forth, and said unto them, since this Gentleman doth not play, so that you will not venture too great a game only for entertainment, and to pass away some part of the night, that so good a work, may not sleep for want of company, I will put myself upon the Cards; the other two did gladly condescend thereto.  
Then Prometheus, to egg them on the more, unbuttoned his Jerkin, that they might see the gold chain which was about his neck, which he told them he would venture before he would let the cause lie still. Well, to play they went, and Prometheus began to lose, who like a swaggering blade bitten, began to bleed, yet not having the patience to give over, threw the candlestick after the pots, and the helve after the hatchet, till he had lost all that he was able to make.  
Then he called Monopoly, to furnish him with a new supply of money as they had appointed, who drew out an hundred Riyals, which he had for the purpose, gave them him, and departed the room again: But by and by he called for him again, and entreated him to stay and snuff the candles, and help them a little, that they might not hinder their play; which he did very willingly: the other little imagining what a cunning plot was laid against them, Monopoly said never a word, but stood still and held his peace, so that no man living could have suspected him: for he never offered to cast so much as an eye upon him, nor did he remove his hand from his bosom, which gave Prometheus true knowledge how their games went; yet he would sometimes let them win purposely, lest they should not suspect him; but when they desired to seem to give over the battle, and to retreat to leave the field & be gone, than he persuaded them to purpose, and followed the chase hotly; till he thought them safe in the net, to have them in his own hands, to do what he pleased with them, than he set roundly upon them to bring them all under his subjection; in a short space and before many blows were given in the battle, he had gained the field for that time, and appointed the field again next morning.  
The next day they met him again, well charged with double Pistolets, and well prepared for the war, they threw down whole handfuls of that upon the board, some pieces of eight, some of four, and some of two; making no more reckoning of them then if they had been brass, saying as they fling them down, Coraggio coraggio (Senor Soldade) see you what here is to be spent in your service?  
Although I am not so rich (quoth Prometheus) as to be able to do you service with so large a supply of money; yet at least my good will shall not be wanting to tend upon you, as your servant. I was about to tell you, that I did not doubt, but did long to see this fair company of these glittering men at Arms, to come and march under my colours. Then with all the policy that possibly he could imagine, he endeavoured to weary them out by little and little, giving them so much line, as he thought fit, to run themselves out of breath; and when he thought he had an opportunity to strike them both dead at once, he turned up Clubs, and let fly a whole volley of shot at them, and so gained in few hours above five hundred crowns into his own hands, they yielding themselves to his mercy, and gained quarter.  
The main battle being thus overthrown, the two Captains were feign to pass it over as patiently as they could, and try what fresh men they could levy, who were fall'n to raise new forces to encounter him the next day, who promised him new battle again, if he durst abide it. At which he being so well refreshed, made little answer, only he promised a meeting, and they met again accordingly. and he permitted them to gain a little at the first as he did before; but when he thought good, thundered bullets about their ears, so as they did admire. But at last the moving of Monopoly's fingers up and down his breast, was suspected, and Decus desired that he might go forth of the room, and Curtius also: for indeed brother Decus (said he) I must confess I thought to have spoken of it once or twice before. Monopoly hearing this discourse, steps away, and carries part of the money with him, so much as he had; but Prometheus was forced to stay: and wanting his guide to aid him, as he did before, he was so unprovided, and grew so weak, that he was no ways able to withstand them; but perforce stayed whilst they had righted themselves upon him, who took all his weapons and ammunition from him, and sent him away a clean Gentleman.  
Prometheus' fire stole from Heaven,  
To quicken his Idols vain,  
The Arian Prelate Olympius  
For cursing Christ, was slain,  
Monopoly his Country wracks,  
By patents most unjust,  
For which good Curtius freely gave  
His body to the dust.  
Hephestion is a Favourite,  
But Decies three are blest,  
The Father, Son, and Nephew eke,  
For Country do protest.   

TO define the Knave of Clubs, 1. I will tell you what a Knave is: 2. Which of the Knaves this is: 3. what the difference is betwixt him and his three brethren: 4. why he is called the Knave of the Clubs.  
1. Of Knaves there be many sorts, there are cozening Knaves, and wenching Knaves, prating Knaves, and promoting Knaves, etc. But I need not go so far: for the Knave of the Clubs is a Card; to go to the Spaniard, he calls him Sota, a Cavalier: they have no other name for the Knaves in their Cards: we call them Knaves, they Sota. 2. It is not the Knave of the Hearts: for he is a good merry Host; nor the Knave of the Diamonds, he is too gallant a Cutter; neither the Knave of the Spades, that helps the Husbandman to dig: If you will have the truth of it, it is Tom the Fencer, that comes cracking with his Club, as if he would knock down all before him.  
3. Now to tell you the difference between him, his three brethren, and other Knaves, and that briefly; he and his three brethren are dead cozening knaves; all other knaves are not able to cousin us when they are dead. The veriest cunning Knave in the world, cannot possibly doc us any harm when he is dead by knavery; but these dead Knaves cousin many thousands both of their wit and money.  
4. To conclude, he is called the Knave of the Clubs, because he keeps the Court of Guard for that suit: take him away, and there is never another Cavalier of that suit in the whole pack. And I could render another reason too: for though the Clubs of our Cards be made like a three leaved grass, I am sure that the Spaniards Cards are like great Clubs, and he is pictured in his Armour with a complete Club in his hand, and therefore is called the Cavalier, or as we say, the Knave of Clubs.   
FINIS.