The Square of Sevens | Page 7

| | | | | | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 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.
Of the Sacrifice.
Next, cast or lay aside in a parcel, all Cards in the Figure that are not contained in the three Columns, leftward (the Master-Column, and two other Columns). If, your Reduction done, any Row offer to sight but two Cards--the Master-Card and its neighbor--so must the Row abide. But this comes rarely. You will best not disturb the Cards hid in the Piles, for it is well to let Sleeping Dogs lie, and moreover needless Fingering and Quiddling of the Parallelogram is not commended. With the cards thus rejected have you no more to do. They are called the Sacrifice.
---- ---- ---- |XXXX| | | |XXXX| | | ---- ---- ---- | | |XXXX| | | |XXXX| ---- ---- ---- | | | | | | | | Master ---- ---- ---- FIG. 13 Column |XXXX| |XXXX| |XXXX| |XXXX| ---- ---- ---- | | | | | | | | ---- ---- ---- | |XXXX| | | |XXXX| | ---- ---- ---- |XXXX| | | |XXXX| | | ---- ---- ----
The Parallelogram made.
Now have you a Parallelogram of One-and-Twenty Cards in sight (Fig. 13), reduced from the Square that formerly held Nine-and-Forty. With these One-and-Twenty now under your eyes I will be your Querist's affair.
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.
A Thing of Great Mystery and Fair Harmony--as Jacobus of Utrecht calleth the Soul.
And the Square itself, the Parent of the Parallelogram, is of great Harmony as a Mystery. Indeed all other Methods of reading fortune in Cards are incomparable to it.
Of