June 1, 2024 - autograph note of Paul Minucci

This translation is of a second manuscript version of Minucci's Note, this one by Minucci himself, apparently a first draft of the printed version. On naibi.net, Franco puts the two side by side for comparison purposes. This forum does not have the software for such presentation, that I am aware of, so instead I put them after each other, paragraph by paragraph, with the manuscript paragraph in italics and the printed version in normal Roman. This printed version should be exactly the same as the printed version transcribed in the note immediately before this one in this thread.

Franco's original is "Minchiate – Nota autografa di Paolo Minucci," posted on June 1, 2024, at https://www.naibi.net/A/MINUCCI.pdf. As usual, comments in square brackets are mine in consultation with Franco (often simply transcribing his suggestions, or translating them into English) for clarification purposes. The numbers by themselves in the left margin are the page numbers of his Italian pdf, and his footnotes are at the botttoms of these pages.

Minchiate – Autograph note by Paolo Minucci

Franco Pratesi

1. Introduction

In a recent study I presented a manuscript copy of Paolo Minucci's Note included in Lorenzo Lippi's Malmantile racquistato. [note 1] That copy had minimal differences from the printed one, and ultimately both the copyist and the purpose of the copy itself remained unknown. This time I present another manuscript version of the same Note, which, however, has a very particular merit: it was inserted by Paolo Minucci himself into his manuscript copy of the Malmantile, in two volumes, in which his own handwritten annotations are present. The work is preserved in the Central National Library of Florence, in the Magliabechiana collection. [note 2]

So I can use the printed text from 1688 again [note 3] (the second edition after that of 1676, but the first with Minucci's Note), comparing it this time with its original manuscript version. I can immediately anticipate the result: the comparison was rather disappointing, because the manuscript does not bring us additional information, and indeed appears to be a significantly reduced version.

Despite this, I considered it useful to copy and transcribe the handwritten note, also because it documents an initial variant of it. The additions to the manuscript version can thus indicate clarifications deemed necessary at a later time and inserted, most likely with the assistance of other game experts who were friends of Minucci himself, starting with Filippo Baldinucci. [note 4]

2. Copy of the handwritten note compared with the printed version [In what follows, the paragraphs of the handwritten note are in italics and the paragraphs of the printed version, following the others, in normal Roman type]

 Florence, BNCF, Magliabechi, Cl VII 207, f. 71r.
(Reproduction prohibited)

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1. https://www.naibi.net/A/UGHI.pdf
2. BNCF, Magliabechi, Cl VII 207.
3. Malmantile racquistato. Poema di Perlone Zipoli con le note di Puccio Lamoni. Florence, 1688, pp. 408-411.
4. https://www.google.it/books/edition/Poe ... frontcover, p. 247.


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Minchiate.

It is a very well-known card game, also called Tarocchi, Ganellini, and Germini. But for the sake of understanding the present Octaves, I consider it necessary to know that this game of minchiate is played with 97 cards in the manner shown below.

MINCHIATE.

It is a very well-known game, also called Tarocchi, Ganellini, or Germini. But because it is little used outside our Tuscany, or at least differently from what we use, for the sake of understanding the present Octaves I consider it necessary to know that the game of Minchiate is played in the manner shown below. This game is made up of ninety-seven cards, of which 56 are called Cartacce [suit cards, but also a term in other contexts meaning “waste paper”; so here, worthless cards, except the kings], and 40 are called Tarocchi and one that is called the fool.

This deck of cards is made up of 14 cards of coins, 14 of cups, 14 of swords, and 14 of batons, and in each card of these suits starting from one to ten, then the jack, the knight, the queen, and the Kings, and such cards are called suits, that is, suit of cups, suit of swords, etc.; and they make the number 56.

The 56 Cards are divided into four species, which are called suits, which in fourteen are depicted with Coins (which Galeotto Marzio said were ancient peasant loaves of bread), in 14 [with] Cups, in 14 [with] Swords; and in 14 [with] Batons; and in each card of these suits it begins from one, which is called an ace, up to ten and in the eleventh a Jack is depicted, in the 12th a Knight, in the 13th a Queen, and in the 14th a King, and all these suit cards outside the Kings are called cartacce.

The other 40 cards are called germini, or Tarocchi, and this term Tarocchi, in which various hieroglyphs and celestial signs are expressed, and each has its number from one to 40, and in addition to these there is one inside of which the figure of a fool is imprinted, and this is not numbered, because it fits with all the cards and every number.

The 40 are called Germini or Tarocchi, and this term Tarocchi, according to Monosino, comes from the Greek Etarochi: which word, he says with Alciato, denotantur sodale illi, qui cibi causa ad lusum conveniunt. But I don't know what that word is; I know well, that Heteroi and Hetaroi means sodales; and from this word diminished by the Latin custom, they can be called Hetaroculi, that is, Companions. Germini perhaps from Gemini, a celestial sign, which among the Tarocchi with num. is the highest. In these cards of Tarocchi are depicted various Hieroglyphs and celestial Signs: and each has its number, from one to 35, and the last five up to 40, have no number, but their superiority is distinguished by the figure impressed upon them, which is in this order Star, Moon, Sun, World, and Trumpets, which is the highest and would be number 40.

The allegory is that since the stars are overcome in light by the Moon, and the Moon by the Sun, so the World [Mondo, also = Cosmos] is greater than the Sun, and Fame, represented by the Trumpets, is worth more than the World; so much so that even when a man has left it, he lives in it by fame, when he has done glorious deeds. Petrarch similarly makes in the Triumphs like a

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game, because Love is surpassed by Chastity, Chastity by Death, Death by Fame, and Fame by Divinity, which eternally reigns.

Card 41 is not numbered, but the figure of a Fool is imprinted on it, and this fits with every card, and with every number, and it is passed, from each card, but it never dies, that is, it never passes into the opponent's pile [of cards won], who in exchange for said Fool receives another cartaccia from the one who gave the Fool, and, if at the end of the game, this one who gave the Fool has never taken cards from his opponent, it is appropriate that he give [up] the Fool to him, having no other card to give in its place, and this is the case in which the Fool is lost.

Of such cards, others are called noble because they count; that is, whoever has them in his hand wins those points that they mark, and these are the nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, of which the one counts five, and the other four count three each.

Of such Tarocchi, others are called noble because they count (that is, whoever holds them wins those points that they are worth), others ignoble, because they do not count. One, two, three, four, and five are Nobles, [of] which card One counts five, and the other four count three each.

The no. 10, the 13, the 20, and from the 28 up to the 40 inclusive, count five each, except the last five which count ten and are called arie, and the 29, which does not count except when it is in the verzicola. The four kings, and the fool five each.

The numbers 10, 13, 20, and 28 to 35 inclusive count five each, and the last five count ten each, and are called Arie [Airs]. The Fool counts five, and each King counts five, and they are also among the noble cards.
The number 29 does not count except when it is in the verzicola, [in] which [it] then counts five, and one time less than its companions respectively.

From these noble cards Verzicole are formed, i.e. sequences of at least three cards, such as one, two, and three, etc. The one, the fool, and the 40 is a verzicola. The one, the 13, and the 28 is a verzicola. The ten, the 20, and the 30, or the 20, 30 and 40 is a verzicola. Three kings, or four, are a verzicola.

From said noble cards, the Verzicole are formed, which are orders and sequences of at least three equal cards, such as three Kings or four Kings; or of three low-level [andanti] cards, such as the One, two, and three, four, and five; or composed, such as one, 13, and 28; One, Fool and forty, which is the Trumpets; Ten, 20, and 30; or 20, 30, and 40. And these verzicole must be shown before the game begins, and placed on the table, which is called declaring the Verzicola.
The Fool fits into all the verzicole, and counts double or triple, as do the others that are in a verzicola, which exists without fool and never forms a verzicola, except in the one, fool, and trumpets.

These verzicola cards are counted three times in number, when they are not taken by the opponent with a superior card, which is called killing, and when they are killed, those

Of these verzicola cards, the number that they are worth is counted three times, when, however, the opponent does not spoil it for you by killing one card or more with superior cards, which in this case,

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cards that remain of that verzicola are counted twice, and the fool does the same effect with all the verzicole.

those that remain count twice; if, however, they do not remain in a sequence of three, for example: At the beginning of the game, I show 32, 33, 34, and 35. If the 33 or 34 dies to me, that breaks the sequence of three, the verzicola is spoiled, and those that remain in it count only twice for one, but if the 32 or 35 dies, the sequence of three remains for you, and consequently, it is a verzicola, and their value counts three times for each one.

If the fool or other cards enter more than one verzicola, it will count twice more per verzicola, in addition to the three mentioned, when, however, they are in one’s hand at the beginning of the game, because the verzicole made in playing are only counted two times.

The Fool, as has been said, does not make a sequence but its value always counts twice, or three times, depending on how the verzicola’s value counts, whether damaged or saved; and when there is more than one verzicola, the Fool goes with all of them, but only once counts three, and the rest counts two; and this means the verzicole declared [accusate] and shown before the game begins, because those made with the cards killed by the opponents, as would be, if, having the 32 and 33, I killed the opponent’s 31 or 34, and made the verzicola, and this counts twice.

When one of these noble cards is killed, each of the players scores, or wins, for the one that was killed, as many points as the dead card counts, except for those that are in the verzicola, of which, being killed, the companions are not marked [non si segnano], nor do they win anything.

When one of the noble cards is killed, each opponent marks [segna, i.e. scores] as many marks [segni], or points to the person to whom it died as the card was worth [for a fuller explanation see the quotation at the end of my previous post in this thread]; except, however, those which have been shown in verzicole, of which, being killed, nothing is marked (except by the one who by privilege does not play), because such marks come from the adversaries gained in the reduction in the value of that verzicola, which should count three times, and dying, counts two: and the 29, the verzicola dying where it entered, counts only five.

The other cards are called ignoble cards, and do not count but only serve to rigirare [move the cards in a way that controls] the game; which game cannot be played with more than four people, who then are given 21 cards; and if there are two or three players playing, 25 are given to each.

Then the other cards, which are called ignoble cards, and cartacce, do not count (although indeed they sometimes kill the noble ones, which count as tarocchi; from the number 6 onwards, they kill all the little ones, that is, the 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5; from the 14 onwards they also kill the 13, and from the 21 onwards they kill the 20, and every tarocco kills the Kings), but they serve to rigirare [move the cards in a way that controls] the game; which game is not used among us, except in four people at most, and then 21 cards are given to each: and when two or three people play, 25 are given. And playing in four people, the first who follows on the right hand after the one who has shuffled the cards (who is said to have the hand) has the right not to play, and pays thirty marks to the one who

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in the game takes the last card, and this one who takes the last card (who is said to make the last) earns from each of those who have played ten marks. The one who does not play still gains from those of the dead; that is, he also marks the value of the card to the one to whom said card is killed.

If this first player plays, the second has the right not to play, paying 40 marks; if the second plays, the third has said option, paying 50 marks: if the third plays, he passes the option to the fourth, who pays 60 marks, as above. But if there are only three people playing, there is no option not to play.

Having shuffled the cards, one of the players, who is next to the one who shuffles, cuts a part of them [alza, literally “raises”], and if turning it over at the bottom of the pack [the raised part] one of said noble cards, or a tarocco from 21 to 27 inclusive, is revealed, he takes it, continuing to take them all until he finds an ignoble card, and likewise the one who shuffled the cards, who finally turns over one of the noble cards, or a tarocco from 21 onwards, continues to take from it as the one who cut [or raised] did; and if they are noble cards, both the one and the other [player] mark the points to each [of the players], whatever that and those cards which he has removed count, and this is called robbing; and the one who robs must discard, that is, he throws away [puts in the residual pile, the mountain] as many cards as he robbed, to be reduced to the number appropriate to the opponent's cards.

Once the cards are shuffled, one of the players, who is on the left hand of the one who shuffled cuts [alza, literally, “raises”] a part of them: and if, turning to the bottom of that part of the deck which remains in his hand, there is one of the noble cards, or a tarocco from 21 to the 27 inclusive, he takes it, and continues to take them until he finds an ignoble card there. The one who has shuffled the cards, after having given the first turn twelve to each person and to himself, and the second turn thirteen, and having revealed the last card to everyone, reveals it to himself the same, and then looks at that which follows, and takes it, if it is a noble card or a tarocco from 21 to 27, and continues to take as above, and this is called robbing, and these cards, which are robbed and revealed, being noble, earn the person to whom they are revealed, or who robs them, as many tokens as they are worth; and those who rob them must discard, that is, take away from their hands as many cards of their choice as they have robbed, so as to reduce their cards to the number adequate to that of the companions; and whoever does not discard, or due to another accident of badly counted cards, ultimately finds himself with more cards, or with fewer than his opponents, due to his mistake does not count the points they are worth, but goes out of play.

The one who deals the cards always reveals everyone's last card, and if it is noble, the one to whom it is revealed marks to each one what it counts. Whoever does not discard, or is ultimately found with one more or less card, does not count the points of his cards, but goes out of play due to his mistake:

The one who deals more or less than the established number of cards pays 20 points to each of his opponents, and whoever has more in his hand must discard the ones he has more; but he cannot make a void, that is, some must remain of that suit which he discards; If he has less, he must take it from the residual [dal monte, literally, from the mountain] at his choice, but without seeing inside, that is, asking for the fifth or sixth, etc. of those that are in the residual [monte], and that one, who

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Whoever deals the cards badly, either more or less than the perfect number, either to himself or to his opponents, pays 20 marks [points] each.

shuffled the cards (which is called making the cards) made the cut, gives him that which he asked for.

The game begins by showing the verzicole that one has in his hand, then the first person after the one who has shuffled the cards to his right hand puts a card on the table (which is called giving), the others who follow must give of the same suit, if they have any; and if they do not have any, they have to give a tarocco, and this is called not responding, and giving of the same suit is called responding.

Whoever does not respond, that is, in playing does not throw on the table the suit if he has any such card that the first player gave, pays 60 points to each of them, and returns those that he has killed to whoever it was.

Whoever does not respond, and has in his hand the suit that was placed on the table, pays sixty points to each, and returns that noble card which he had killed; for example, the first gives the King of coins and the second, although he has coins in his hand, gives a Tarocco, above the King, and kills him; discovered that he has coins in his hand, he returns the King to whoever it was, and pays his adversaries sixty points each, as has been said.

Every tarocco takes all the suits, and among them the larger number takes the smaller, and the fool never takes, and is not taken, except in the case mentioned above.

And so the game is played, giving the cards on the table one at a time, and each one tries to take from his companion the cards that count, and this taking is called killing, and at the end of the game, that is, when all the cards that count have been given that each one had in his hand, he marks the points which he advances to the companion, and every sixty points one mark [or token] is set aside [si mette da parte un segno], which is called a sixty. And this seems to me to be enough to facilitate the understanding of the present octaves.

So it goes on, giving the cards, and the first to give is the one who takes the cards given, and everyone tries to take the cards that count from his opponent, and when they have finished giving all the cards they have in their hand, each one counts the cards they have taken: and having more than his 25, he marks as many points to the one who has less as many cards as he has more; then he counts his honors, that is, the value of the noble cards and verzicole found in his cards, and marks as many points to his opponent as he counts more with his honors, and every sixty points one token [or mark] is set aside [si mette da banda un segno], which is called a sixty, and these sixties are valued according to the agreement.

3. Comments on the comparison

Some additions in the printed edition which are of some interest can be found immediately at the beginning with two short asides; the first “is little used outside our Tuscany or at least differently from what we use”: it broadens the horizon to consider minchiate outside its area of origin, and it is important to point out to us that the vogue for minchiate had not yet begun in Rome, from where it then took off across the whole of Europe. The second is the simple addition that the lowest cards of the deck

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“are called cartacce,” a generic term useful for distinguishing them, but which was not present in the manuscript.

Of another type of interest, so to speak humanistic, are three subsequent additions which with short intervals present us with information of an academic type, clearly added by some scholar ready to exhibit his culture, both in the case of a suit of “Coins that were said by Galeotto Marzio to be ancient peasant loaves of bread,” and above all for the name of tarocchi, “Monosino says it comes from the Greek Etarochi” and everything that follows. Shortly afterwards, this time without resorting to citations from ancient authors, our erudite commentator also ventures to explain the order of the Arie: “The allegory is, that since the stars are overcome in light by the Moon,” and so on. I imagine it is the same academic commentator who, after these interventions, feels satisfied and leaves the field free for further additions of only a technical nature.

The first such addition concerns the Fool's properties. The different ways of playing it are better specified and the particular condition that occurs when it remains with the player until the last hand is added. After a brief addition that clarifies the particular role of tarot 29 (the details of which were not available in the autograph version), we find other information on the Fool relating to its inclusion in the verzicole. Then, speaking about the verzicole, we find the definition of damaged verzicole, also clarified with a specific example.

Very important is the subsequent addition on the conditions for not playing, first mentioned in passing and then described in detail (after a further clarification on the characteristics of tarot 29), with the points being lost, depending on the position at the table, in favor of who makes the last trick. Obviously, these conditions are only important in the everyone-for-oneself game, which is the one covered in the Note. The rules for penalties in case of errors in the discards are then added.

We then move on to examine the course of the game, starting from the distribution of the cards, and here we find some additions on initially declaring verzicole and on the definition of responding to the suit played. Unusually, there is additional information in the manuscript version on the way of dealing the cards, which only here is indicated "one at a time" [a una per volta] which is also in contrast with other ways of dealing indicated in subsequent manuals. [This was a wrong reading, due to the verb “dare” that is only used for the initial deal.--FP. The correct reading: Unusually, Minucci calls the process in a trick where each player puts down one card that of “giving [dare] the cards on the table one at a time.”--MH] Conversely, the number 25, of cards that each player is entitled to, is only present in the printed version, but we know that this number corresponds to the game with three players and not four players.

The indications on the course of the game are completed, in particular on how the tarocchi are played and how the Fool is played. As might have been expected, we encounter the last significant addition when explaining the final count, with several more details than the manuscript version.

In addition to these differences that emerge from the comparison, there is some information present in both the printed and manuscript versions that require some further comment. We begin immediately with the initial definitions in which, rather unusually, we find the name Germini associated with that of Tarocchi (and not that of Minchiate as usual) to indicate only the superior cards.

Another point concerns the ignoble cards, for which it is rightly specified that they are used to rigirare [move the cards in a way that controls the game], and the difference between the scoring value and the order of taking is clarified, such that an interesting characteristic of the card game derives from the fact that the worthless ones are able to capture noble cards.

You may also notice absences of rules that would be useful but are not found in either of the cases. For example, strangely, no mention is ever made of the fola, who would be responsible for looking at it and withdrawing the counting cards present. Another significant absence is the indication of the game of four in pairs, which in the Florence of the time had probably fallen into disuse, before a subsequent revival.

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4. Information on the author

The main source for finding information on Minucci is the Biographical Dictionary of Italians. [note 5] You can thus find all the essential information you are looking for. 

Portrait of Paolo Minucci [note 6]

Paolo Minucci was born in Florence in 1626 into a family of patrician origins from Volterra. From a branch transplanted to Radda in Chianti, the grandfather emigrated to Florence, obtaining citizenship for himself and his descendants, and therefore access to political offices. Paolo followed in the footsteps of his father (deceased in 1642) who was a doctor of laws and notary: he studied in Pisa and graduated in law in 1647. Upon returning to Florence, he was part of an academy protected by Cardinal Giovan Carlo dei Medici founded by Salvator Rosa, who together mainly with Lorenzo Lippi became a great friend of Paolo.

In 1656 he entered the service of Prince Mattias dei Medici, governor of Siena, to whom he sent reports and notices from Florence in connection with diplomatic offices. His position led him to relations and missions with Poland, because Prince Mattias was one of the candidates for succession to the Polish throne. In particular, between 1658 and 1659 he was entrusted with a mission to Poland which lasted several months, allowing him to establish personal relationships with court figures with whom he maintained relationships even later.

After returning to Florence he married Clarice Nelli in 1662, with whom he had at least four children. In the following years, he held various public offices, and after the death of Prince Mattias (1667), he continued to carry out secretarial functions with Grand Duke Ferdinand II, still using his experience in relations with Poland. In addition to this specific diplomatic competence, his humanistic erudition and interest in scientific experiments were also appreciated at court.

His annotations to his friend Lippi's poem, commissioned by Cardinal Leopoldo dei Medici, were much appreciated. He then retired to Radda in Chianti, where he died in 1695.
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5. https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/pa ... ografico)/
6. Dal Malmantile, edition of Florence 1731.

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From other sources (perhaps too malicious) we get an image of his less busy life, which continued the youthful habits of his lifelong friends.

He was a great eater and drinker, and frequenting taverns and wine shops, he was unable to advance in his career as his fine intelligence and learning required.
Secretary of the Medici Princes, he was forced, due to his many debts, to abandon his honored office and retire with his entire family to Radda, from where his grandfather had emigrated.
Paolo Minucci was tall, fat, with black hair, an olive complexion, and easy to get into sacris, since every little thing that didn't go his way made his eyes wide and he became red like scarlet. [note 7]

As often happens, these will be different and contrasting aspects of the same truth, to be reconstructed in a balanced way.

Florence, 01.06.2024
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7. https://www.google.it/books/edition/Gen ... frontcover