Part 3

Of the sudden appearing of the Fair Cross.

Observe that each side of your Figure thereby has Four Cards, and its midmost Rows, horizontal and perpendicular contain, like the first Row laid, Seven cards apiece; and offer thereby a Fair Cross, the Goodliest Sign.

The first Figure needed, the Square, is now nearing Shape; its Rows, diagonal or horizontal or perpendicular, equalizing. Shuffle, and deal from the Bottom of the Pack, a Rightward Border of Three Cards, upward laid. (Fig. 8.) You have now four rows of sevens, in your figure: a Cross, withal still to be found in its middle--reckoned up and down and right and left.

You must now Shuffle--so well as your lessened cards will allow, yet with but one Shuffle--and deal, from your Pack's Top, a downward Left-Hand Border of Three Cards. (Fig.9.) Note that you now have in your Figure three Rows of Sevens; which you may well

---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | | | | | 40 | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | | | | | | 39 | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | | | | | | | 38 | | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | | | | | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | | | | | FIG. 8 | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ----

wish were Guineas for your Purse.

Again Shuffle, as best you can, and from your Bottom Cards in the Pack deal Two Cards, laid at the right, upward, as in Fig. 10, nearly finishing

---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | | | | | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | 41 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | 42 | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | 43 | | | | | FIG. 9 | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ----

your Square, now holding four rows of Sevens.

Again mix your cards; and deal from their Top, Two Cards, leftward laid in descent, as in Fig. 11. How much, O, Friend, in Human Life is nearly

---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | | | | | | 45 | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | | | | | | | 44 | | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | | | | | | FIG. 10 | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ----

perfect, yet not quite perfect!

Truly no Man shall reckon this Life a Perfect Matter with him! R.A.

Confuse now, as best and honestest you may (for you can hardly essay a shuffle), at least Once your two last Cards: and so complete your Square

---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | 46 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | 47 | | | | | | FIG. 11 | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----

of Sevens, out of which will presently rise the Parallelogram; by laying its Forty-eighth and Forty-ninth cards in Opposition Comers, as in Fig. 12.

The Square is completed.

Consider this Figure attentively.

---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | | | | | | | 48 | | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- | 49 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- FIG. 12

For now have you before you the very Square of Sevens: being a magicall Square Figure of Forty-nine Cards, whose Rows include ever Seven Cards, taken anyways. And that same mysticall Square now must be made ready for use in Reading your Querist's Fortune (or Experiences) by making it into a Parallelogram of smaller compass, through what is called its formal Reduction.

Of the Square Formally Reduced to The Parallelogram; and of The Master-Cards & The Sacrifice.

Having thus built your Square, chuse the extreme right-hand card in its Uppermost Row. Lay it on such card of the same Suit as lieth nearest it, in the same Row, if there be such; save on the last Card on the Left of the Row.

Of the Master-Card and Master-Column.

This Leftward Card in each Row is called the Row's Master-Card, and it cannot be covered by any other card, nor be moved. It must open and alone abide as it is; and the Seven Master-Cards, counted downward on the Square's left Edge, make what is called the Master-Column.

If you have no other card of the same Suit as your right-ward card --or none save those of the Master-Column--let it lie. But if you can lay it on another, not a Master-Card, of any degree in the Suit--for observe the degree here matters not--so do. And then mark if, leftward and toward the Master-Card of the Row, lies another of the same Suit. If so, take up the two cards you laid together; and lay them on this third one. Look again and carefully; and, if another of the Suit be found, carry to it the former ones. So do until you have no more of its Suit toward its left, to join unto, and until all the cards of one Suit in the Row lie piled together; save the Master-Card, which even if it be of the Suit lieth alone, leftward, as it was first dealt out and down, in the last Square.

Of the Reduction.

Proceed then with the next Suit in the Row: and so with each Row, until you have thus sorted all the cards save the Master-Cards. This is the Reduction.

Close now and straiten-up together each of the Rows thus broken into Piles; pushing ever toward the Master-Row. Thus have you a new Figure, smaller than the last Square of Sevens, and somewhat irregular: there be in some Rows five cards, in others less; even so few, though rarely, as three or two. Note that a Pile of Cards is reckoned only as one card. Note, too, that with cards that have become hid beneath others you have no concern.