Amleth
From further reading, I wonder if tarot failed to catch on in England because of primero. It's certain that John Florio knew primero, because he included a dialogue between primero players in his "Second Frutes." Link.....
http://jducoeur.org/game-hist/primero-frutes.html
Anybody know primero? I know virtually nothing about it, only that it existed, and was simpler than tarot, more akin to poker. But apparently primero better suited the taste of the English public, and was the popular card game of the Elizabethan years. I found mention of Elizabeth, herself, playing primero.
A question of whether Shakespeare knew primero would apparently elicit only a yawn. But if it can be granted he knew primero, it's one step closer to tarot, with all its rich symbolism that should have enticed the Bard.
http://jducoeur.org/game-hist/primero-frutes.html
Anybody know primero? I know virtually nothing about it, only that it existed, and was simpler than tarot, more akin to poker. But apparently primero better suited the taste of the English public, and was the popular card game of the Elizabethan years. I found mention of Elizabeth, herself, playing primero.
A question of whether Shakespeare knew primero would apparently elicit only a yawn. But if it can be granted he knew primero, it's one step closer to tarot, with all its rich symbolism that should have enticed the Bard.