by Marcus Katz
The Knave
As Master-Card, Relationship with a well-meaning, but over-rash and hasty or sanguine Man; not necessarily but likely quite youthful, and selfish in inclination, or too easily influenced by others of greater art: an Associate, partner, friend, or Employee in some matter of worth. Not to be relied on as one would gladly do. Influenced by his like suit, Circumstances assist him or make of less or more account his weakness or strength. By a Heart, he is inclined to be led by tastes and passions and by skilled flattery, or to overtrust. By a Diamond, he is in love with externals, fond of dress, or notice, or pleasure; ambitious. By a Spade, he meets with Losses to himself and the Querist, or he makes some particular Error or False Step.
Ten
As Master-Card, Success in a matter long pursued. Influenced by its suit, one of troublesome Conflict of conduct or advices. By a Heart, in an affair of love; or calling for courage; or for another, as well as oneself. By a Diamond, an Opinion or Prejudice overcome in others, through our persistency, or argument. By a Spade, an Inheritance; or a Matter needing much watchfulness and care, when known.
Nine
As Master-Card, the need of much Decision in our own judgments in an affair of importance; a need of disregarding counsels of Others. Influenced by the like suit, several persons or circumstances Oppose, perhaps slyly. By a Heart, there is a wounding of tenderer feelings or relationship in it. By a Diamond, the affair is of Estate, Position, Money, Comfort, or Purchase. By a Spade, beware lest so is assumed no greater Responsibility than can be easily carried; or acknowledged.
Eight
An absent Friend reflects on you in a particular matter. This as Master-Card. Influenced by like suit, a Conviction or responsibility of much weight laid on one. By a Diamond, a Choice of a wife, or precious article. By a Heart, Cause of Concern for a friend. By a Spade, you shall give Counsel not followed, and spend Thought thrown aside.
Seven
As Master-Card, a troublesome Situation dissolved. Influenced by like suit, a Secret imparted of interest and length. By a Heart, undo something very newly done. By a Diamond, beware of an Indiscretion or Error. By a Spade, a Neglect or piece of forgetfulness will be of cost to mend or replace: perhaps, if a high Spade, not to be mended at all.
Six
As Master-Card, cancel at once an Agreement, a Purpose, or wholly change a Decision. Influenced by the like suit, a card of fortunate aspect. By a Heart, the call to assist Another, near to one. By a Diamond, a Hazard, successful. By a Spade, a sudden Opposition.
Five
As Master-Card, a Guest, a Visit, a Letter, each needing exercising of prudence or self-restraint; but acceptable. Influenced by the like suit, a Proposal urged. By a Heart, a Wound or Bruise. By a Diamond, a strong Temptation, or a Journey. By a Spade, an Argument or Dispute on a matter.
Four
An important Request of the Querist, if read as Master-Card. If influenced by like suit, one not overmuch to your wish. By a Heart, you Sacrifice somewhat to grant it. By a Diamond, it involves anon a Change. By a Spade, the cost will not be valued for its worth.
Three
As Master-Card, a sad or serious Duty or Care. As influenced by its like suit, a Choice of two things; both desired much, but one to be dismissed. By a Diamond, Luck, or a forthcoming Pleasure. By a handsome Man or Woman to be met and attracted toward one. By a Spade, a Matter to make one angry, or heart-sick.
Two
A card of doubtful omen when a Master, figuring a grave Confidence, of interest to learn, but burdensome rather than easily to be passed by. By its like suit, some News. By a Heart, a Sentiment not wise though keen. By a Diamond, an awkward Meeting. By a Spade, a Piece of News acted on, and then found untruly reported: or Advice seemingly good, but not so.
Spades
(The Suit of Evil Omen and of Unwelcome Influences.)
The Ace
As Master-Card, the Ace figures a special Misfortune, Unhappiness, or Hurt to one’s life, by no means avoidable, and perhaps not discernible at once. Influenced by the King of its like suit, sudden: by the Queen, long continuing ere complete; by the Knave, Fortune through Persons; by the ten, through concurrence of sundry events. By any other spade, sudden. By a Heart, Ill-Fortune in the Affection. By the Diamond, in the eye of Others, in society, money or art. By a Club, to our fear.
The King
As Master-Card is figured a particular Man, our enemy, resolute and powerful. Influenced by its suit, it signifies News of a Death: or of misfortune to others. By a Heart, it involves abuse of Trust or Affection. By a Diamond, is figured a Man of social station and wealth or talents. By a Club, a Man cautious and reserved, and hence perhaps unsuspected for his real Malevolency.
The Queen
As Master-Card, a Female Enemy, evil wishing or evil-working. Influenced by the like suit, known or soon to be shown as such to you, and the work. By a Diamond, comely and clever or gifted. By a Club, intellectual and audacious. By a Heart, her enmity arises in jealousy or vanity or in revengefulness or natural malice.
The Knave
As Master-Card, a Man having no love for you and inclined to wrong and hurt you; but happily limited in Opportunity. Influenced by like suit, often seen of you. By a Heart, abusing your Trust, smaller or greater. By a Diamond, adroit rather than bold. By a Club, cruel and slanderous.
Ten
As Master-Card, an Event or Project to your disadvantage and regret. Influenced by the like suit, a Disgrace. By a Heart, a Quarrel. By a Diamond, a Cheat. By a Club, a Hindrance.
Nine
As Master-Card, a Lie, or an unwelcome Meeting or Visit. Influenced by like suit, if a high card a Lie; if a low, a piece of undesired News or Letter. By a Heart, a sudden Alarm or Anxiety. By a Club, a Broken Promise: or a Secret told.
Eight
As Master-Card, an Illness. By a high influencing card of the suit, a long Illness: by a lower, a shorter one. By a Heart, an illness to Another dear to one. By a Diamond, a Misfortune in an affair. By a Club, an Accident.
Seven
As Master-Card, a tempting Proposal that must be declined. By the like suit, a Sharp Quarrel. By a Diamond, a Risk not welcome. By a Club, a Disappointment in a person or thing or event. By a Club, one arrives just too late for a certain Pleasure or Good.
Six
As Master-Card, a Disappointment. Influenced by its own suit, a Journey not of pleasure, or else unpleasant. By a Diamond, a fall. By a Heart, a mistake of inconvenience. By a Club, must be read an unfavorable Sign.
Five
As Master-Card, an Expense. Influenced by its own suit, a Neglect. By a Heart, a Worriment or Grief. By a Diamond, a doubtful Success. By a Club, a Death heard of.
Four
An unfavorable Master-Card, affecting some near Concern to the Querist; belike it shall end less well than was hoped. Influenced by like suit, a Separation not welcome. By a Heart, a capricious Change of inclination. By a Diamond, a Perplexity. By a Club, a Loss.
Three
As Master-Card, a suddenly changed Plan, a Discomfiture. Influenced by its like suit, a loss. By a Heart, a sudden Failure, a Doubt or Fear. By a Diamond, a Breach or Quarrel. By a Club, a sheer Folly, not to be warned away by a friend.
Two
As Master-Card, you must say “NO,” when you would say “YES.” Influenced by its like suit, a Displeasure. By a Heart, an Evil Habit to burden. By a Club, a Strong Effort of no use. By a Diamond, a Folly, or a Mare’s Nest.
In this evil suit of Spades there be many other special Significancies; but they are not pertinent to this method.
Having now given all the card meanings according to this method, we will next provide the way in which the “parallelogram” is constructed. We will then give an example reading to show how this rather elaborate method can provide very specific divination.
Square of Seve
n
For this method, we use the standard deck of fifty-two playing cards, Ace to 10 in four suits (hearts, clubs, diamonds, spades) and twelve court cards of jack, queen, and king in each suit.
Shuffle the cards well, at least seven times in all; this adds to the mystery and magic of the occasion and helps to summon up the spirit of the cards as seven is a mystical number.
Making a Wish
Keep the cards face down so the identity of the cards is not revealed. Pass the deck to the person for whom you are conducting the reading, in old cartomantic speak we would call them “querists.” Ask them to cut the cards three times and take the bottom card from each cut, and as they do so they may make a wish. Ask them not to look at these three “wish cards” and place them to one side until after the full layout has been interpreted.
Dealing of the First Seven Cards
You now have forty-nine cards remaining in the deck. Shuffle them well, face down, and then proceed to lay out the first seven cards face up. Lay them out one through seven in a stepped diagonal line, card one at the top to card seven at the bottom. Keep focused throughout, allowing no distractions as you go. 88
15. Square of Seven Step 1.
The Next Six Cards
Shuffle the remaining cards again and lay out another six cards from the bottom of the pack, alongside the cards already laid out. As in Step 2, place the first of these six cards (the eighth card so far) squarely above the last card dealt, card seven on the base of our diagonal stepped line, and then repeat with the other five cards to the top of the stepped cards, card 13.
16. Square of Seven Step 2.
A Further Six Cards
Shuffle the remaining cards again because we are now ready to lay out a further six cards from the top of the pack. Lay the next card at the top of the step of cards, across one to the left and down one (diagonal) so it sits beneath card one. Then continue laying the next five cards out under each other in the same stepped manner. The last card is card 19.
17. Square of Seven Step 3.
Another Five Cards
Shuffle the remaining cards again and draw another five cards from the bottom of the deck. Place card 20 over to the right of card 19 and two places up, then continue upwards in steps until card 24 is placed at the very top next to card 13.
18. Square of Seven Step 4.
A Further Five Cards
Now shuffle yet again and lay out five cards from the top of the pack to make a left border, downwards as cards 25 to 29.
19. Square of Seven Step 5.
Now Four Cards
Shuffle and lay out four cards from the bottom of the pack, in positions 30 to 33. The original instructions suggest that it should now look like a tiled floor or ceiling pattern.
20. Square of Seven Step 6.
Another Four Cards
After shuffling the now-decreased deck, with thirty-three cards laid out on the table, from the top of the deck, now add four more cards: 34 through 37.
21. Square of Seven Step 7.
Prime-Stevenson suggests that the figure now contains a “fair cross,” a good sign made of the four cards at the two borders and the seven cards across the middle and running through the middle of the diagonal. He says too that the “Square” is nearing its complete shape as the cards “equalise.”
Now Just Three Cards
Shuffle what remains of the deck and lay out from the top, three cards in positions thirty-eight through forty.
22. Square of Seven Step 8.
And Three Cards
We now shuffle and from the bottom of the few remaining cards, lay out three cards, almost completing our final shape, in positions forty-one through forty-three.
23. Square of Seven Step 9.
Two More
Mixing what is left of the deck, deal from the top two cards into positions 44 and 45.
24. Square of Seven Step 10.
And the Penultimate Two
With the final four cards, after mixing with each other for a moment, lay two from the top into positions 46 and 47 to complete the imperfect square.
25. Square of Seven Step 11.
The Final Two Cards
The final two cards are placed into positions 48 and 49 to complete the square.
26. Square of Seven Step 12.
We might think that the perfect square of sevens is the final spread we could read from, like the method of the Grand Tableau in Lenormand reading and other cartomantic matrix layouts. However, Prime-Stevenson has a further process for us to follow which is similar to a card game called Patience and which he calls “formal reduction.” This involves the master card of each row (across) and the “sacrifice.”
He reasons this additional process as such:
You may indeed ask why so much Labour is made of building the Square only to reduce it, to despoil it, and to force it to hide or to part with so many of its Sevens—as by a sudden Slaughter or a Panic or a Plague. But it is held that by such prior Shufflings, Dealings, and Placings are much cherished the accidentall Declarings of Fates intelligence; and that by the other Processes, embracing The Sacrifice, there remain for Reading just the Cards decreed; free from disposition by light-fingered Craft, or from ticklish Arrangements by Skill.
The Master Cards
Throughout this reduction process the left column of cards is neither moved, nor any other cards laid upon them, and these seven cards are referred to as the master cards.
The Formal Reduction & Sacrifice
Step 1
Starting with the uppermost row, take the first card on the right and lay it on the nearest card of the same suit to its left. If there is no card of the same suit in the row (not counting the master card), leave the card where it is.
A suit is the hearts, spades, clubs, or diamonds.
Step 2
If there is another card of the same suit to the left of the piled two cards, take those two cards to the left and lay them on that card.
Step 3
Take the next suit in the row and reduce it to the left again if possible.
Step 4
Repeat steps 1 through 3 for each suit in the row. This may leave gaps between the piles.
Step 5
Repeat steps 1 through 4 for the other six rows.
Step 6
We now have the “reduction,” so we close the rows together by moving the piles or single cards to the left removing any gaps. This should leave seven rows with the master card to the left in each row followed by up to four cards or stacks to the right. We are now only concerned with the cards we can see face up, not the cards underneath.
Step 7
Next remove all cards other than the master column and the first two columns; imagine that we are sacrificing all the cards to the right of the first three columns. You will now have seven rows of up to three cards face up, and this is our reduced and sacrificed layout that matches the querists situation perfectly.
We can now go about the interpretation of the cards we can see.
The Interpretation
Stage 1
Review the spread to see if there is a dominance of one color over another, red or black. Our example reading has a healthy balance of red and black, neither good or bad. Red cards are generally seen as the favorable color and if they are present as hearts this is very positive, whereas black is not so, particularly with a lot of spade cards dominant.
Stage 2
We next look at the suits and the following table gives the meanings of each suit majority:
Hearts: Affections, love, passions, attraction.
Diamonds: Social issues, standing and recognition, wealth, and security.
Clubs: Judgment, ideas, innovation, dynamic behaviour.
Spades: Disruptions and challenges
S
tage 3
We read the card on the right column being influenced by the card on its left. In the example, we have the King of Hearts influenced by the Ace of Diamonds. If the Tavola does not describe a specific influence or combination, we can read the card alone, use our intuition, or apply keywords from our chosen cartomantic system. In this case, we have a specific mention in the Tavola of a diamond suit influencing the King of Hearts. This gives us: “a man of wealth or artistic nature.” We can also derive this from the cartomantic core for the King of Hearts as an emotional man in the context of the Ace of Diamonds as social standing or riches.
Stage 4
We now read the middle column card as being influenced in turn by the master card to its left. So, the influence in the example is of the 9 of Spades upon the Ace of Diamonds. The glittery diamond is likely to be negatively influenced by the spade card; we can see this in the Tavola where we read “a cost or expense, perhaps a loss, before a satisfactory and favorable event, or in [The] course of it.”
So, an emotional man will bring social standing but there will be a cost to this, it will not be a straight-forward relationship.
We then go down each row, interpreting in the same manner.
In our example, the second row gives us the Queen of Clubs influenced from the left by the 2 of Diamonds; this gives us a woman of authority who is influenced by the card meaning “a woman who is not married; and of wealth or social esteem; talented.”
So, this is possibly a single woman who will be in the client’s life, but as yet we do not have any indication of what they bring, until we look at how the 2 of Diamonds is influenced by the master card.
We then see that we have the 2 of Diamonds being influenced in turn by the master card, the 9 of Hearts and this will result in “an offer—in love, friendship, trade, travel, profession, or pleasure.”