Every person who plays cards knows that the Nine of Diamonds is nicknamed "The Curse of Scotland;" but no one knows why, or how, the nickname originated. Explanations are as varied as political complexions; no less than nine explanations are known (and there may be more) and not one of them is completely authoritative.
The most usual explanation is that "Butcher" Cumberland, on the eve of the Battle of Culloden, wrote across the card the order that no quarter was to be given on the morrow. This explanation appears in several encyclopaedias; yet of all the many explanations it is the most impossible, for the Battle of Culloden was fought in 1746, and in Houston's "Memoirs" (1715—47) one reads that: "Lord Justice Clerk Ormiston became universally hated in Scotland, where they called him the Curse of Scotland; and when the ladies were at cards playing the Nine of Diamonds (commonly called the Curse of Scotland) they called it the Justice Clerk."
One may reject, as being too far-fetched, the explanation that in the game of Cornette, introduced into Scotland by the ill-starred Queen Mary, the Nine of Diamonds is the chief card, and the card received the nickname because Cornette was the ruin of a large number of families. Also Grose's explanation, given in his Classical Dictionary. He writes: "Diamonds, it is said, imply royalty, being ornaments to the imperial crown, and every ninth King of Scotland has been observed, for many ages, to be a tyrant and a curse to that country." This explanation might carry more weight if Grosse had given the names of the kings.
There is only the slightest authority to support the explanation that the nickname originated because the arms of Colonel Parker, who governed Scotland with great cruelty after the execution of Charles I, were lozenges arranged like a Nine of Diamonds, For the same reason we may rule out the explanation that James IV drew up the dispositions for the Battle of Flodden on the back of the card, and that the order for the Massacre of Glencoe was written on a Nine of Diamonds, Corruption of "Cross" to "Curse"
At first sight the most plausible explanation is that the word "curse" is a corruption of "cross," and the pips are so arranged as to form a St Andrew's Cross. This explanation, however, loses much of its force since there is no evidence to show that the St. Andrew's Cross has ever been regarded as a curse in Scotland, and, in any case, any of the other three Nines in the pack would serve equally well. A possible explanation is that in the once popular game of Pope Joan the Nine of Diamonds is called "The Pope," as the bane of Scottish reformers. This explanation, however, cannot bear the weight that some have placed upon it, and it is more probable that the nickname originated from the nine lozenges that formed the arms of the Earl of Stair who was loathed in Scotland, not only for his connection with the Massacre of Glencoe, but also for the part that he played in bringing about the Union with England 1a 1707.
As well as the Nine of Diamonds, many other cards have nicknames. The Ace of Spades is known as "Mossy Face," in Scotland as "The Grey Hen," and in Teviotdale as "Flowerie." The Four of Clubs (supposed to be an unlucky card) is nicknamed "The Devil's Four-poster," also "Wibling's Witch"; in Teviotdale it is known as "Wummilton's Mutch." In the Midlands the Queen of Clubs is known as "Queen Bess," and the Four of Spades as "Ned Stokes."
In Ireland the Queen of Hearts is known as "Sally." and the Ace of Diamonds as "The Earl of Cork." In Kilkenny the Six of Hearts is known as "Grace's Card," because, at the Revolution in 1688, one of the family of Grace, of Courtstown, equipped àt his own expense a regiment of foot and a troop of horses in the service of King James, and when William of Orange promised him high honours if he would join the new party, he replied by sending the message: "I despise your offer," scribe bled on a Six of Hearts, Finally there is a group of nicknames which are used only at particular games, At Ombre, which was introduced into England by Katherine of Braganza in 1662 and superseded Primero as the popular card game, the Ace of Spades is known as "Spadille" and the Ace of Clubs as "Basto." At Cassino the Ten of Dia-mands is known as "Great Cass," and the Two of Spades as "Little Cass." At Spinado the Ace of Diamonds is known as "Spin." At Loo the Knave of Clubs is known as "Pam."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.