Hark, a Trade of Mirth at thy Tables commences, where each Vassal or Villein is a Hoard-guard of some Ware, and it stepwise brings forth to the Unveiling of thy Masterpiece; giving to the House, at each trenden, thy Tithe that to him belongs. The Ware that cometh seconde to Market suffreth the Discomfiture.
By my troth, 'tis a cunning contest, testing both honour and wits.
Tis by the origin of Cribbage, crafted upon the wit of Sir John Suckling, Cavalier;
thy rules remain unaltered.
By my troth, the points of this noble game be won by the showing of certain jacks, the playing of the final card, and by the tallying of card combinations that sum to fifteen or one-and-thirty. Likewise, honour is gained for pairs, triples, and quadruples — that is, cards of like rank — and for runs, which be sequences of consecutive numbers regardless of suit, and for flushes, which be sets of cards all of the same suit. Upon mine honour, such is the code of the contest.
This box is call'd, in the vulgar tongue, the crib. At Court it bears its proper name: the Tithe — the compulsory contribution owed, sanctified by custom and thereby collected by turns end. It hath sat in the rules of this game since the year of our Lord 1630. We merely convey its meaning upon you and upon mine honour.
And mark this well: the deal alternates, as it hath ever done. When the deal is thine, the Tithe is thine, forsooth.
Each card of the court hath value of ten, 'tis a truth most certain. The court, in its decrees, doth speak with gravity, whilst the house, in its petitions, doth ascend with humility.
"Harken, our devises shall reckon thy stature."
The engine tallies thy fifteens, thy pairs, thy runs, and thy nobs, faithfully and without appeal. Thou dost trust it. This is call'd, at Court, a reckening of thy accomplishments and stunts wher'in thou didst excell.
Ye andweared ledgered deck is for daily ascendence. But therein is kept, locked in a box by the Vanguard of Mirth, exists another deck, drawn in illuminated drolleries, brought forth on a days of great import and solemnity; the day thou cease the ascendence of the pegs and when thou comest for the throne.