Gleek according to Wits Interpreter (1671)


The Noble and delightful Game at Gleek.

The ingenious exercise of recreation, being so full of variey, and
delight, as shall be manifested, will serve as a cure to Melancholy, and
possibly hinder the horrid effects that usually are caused by that black
and heavie distemper. And the first thing to be observerd is, that the
Deuces and Treys must be cast out, being useless in this Game. The Set is
confin'd to no number, as Picket or Cribbidge; but you may leave off at
your discretion, after you have play'd one,two,or three Sets, more or
lesse, as your fancy promts you.

 Customarily, and frequently, the Gamesters play as farthing, half-penny,
or penny Gleek, which will amount to a pretty considerable summe, is they
continue the Game? : and if the please, they may play higher; as at
four-penny, six-penny, or twelve-penny Gleek, according as they agree
before hand.

 The Gamesters are three, neither more nor lesse. Being set down with a
resolution to go to it; they lift for the Deale, and he that has the least
Card, is to Deale.

 He that Deals, lays the Cards down upon the Table to be Cut, accoring to
the custom and usual manner of more vulgar Games, first shuffling them
well and fairly; when this is done, the Dealer delivers them out by four
at a time, till every Gamester has twelve, as at Ruff and Honours; and the
rest of the Cards which are eight, are to be laid upon the Table for the
stock, seven whereof are bought, and the eight is turned up, the turn'd up
Card is his that deals, and if Tiddie be turn'd up, it is four, two apiece
from each to the Dealer. The Ace is called Tib, the Knave Tom, and the
four of Trumps Tiddie, Tib the Ace is fifteen in hand, and eighteen in
play, because it wins a Trick. Tom the Knave is nine, and Tiddie the four
of Trumps is four, that is to say, you are to have two apiece of the other
two Gamesters, that is either two farthings, two half-pence, two pence,
two six-pences, or shillings, according as you resolve to play, either at
farthing, half-penny, penny, six penny, or twelve-penny Gleek, but Tib and
Tom you find in counting after play; besides, the King of Trumps is three,
and the Queen of Trumps three.

 Having proceeded thus far; next of all, the eldest hand bids for the
stock, in hope of bettering his Game, if it be bad, (though sometimes it
proves to his loss, according as it falls out); the first penny you bid is
thirteenm the next fourteen, the next fifteen, the next sixteen, possible
they may rise much higher; but if as sixteen they say take it, and neither
of the other two will give any more, then is he upon whom it is put, bound
to take it; that is, to take in seven of the stock into his own hand, and
put out seven, the eighth Card being turn'd up for Trump: and is besides
to pay, because he bid sixteen, eight to one, and eight to the other of
the Gamesters, for buying: but if he have Mournival, Gleek, or Tiddie in
his hand after he has taken in the stock, he bates for them all; and so
possibly may gain by it, if he have a good hand, and pay for his buying
too.

 Here you must note, that if Tib be turn'd up it is fifteen to the Dealer,
in reckoning after play; but he must not make use of it in play, being the
Trump Card, for then 'twould make him eighteen, because it would win a
trick, which is three more; but he may reckon for it after play in
counting, as is said before.

 Next you speak for the Ruff and he that has most of a suit in his hand,
wins it, unless some of the Gamesters have four Aces, and then he gains
the Ruff, though you have forescore of a suit in your hand. The first, of
eldest, 'tis possible, sayes, I'le vye the Ruff; the next sayes, I'll see
it; the third, I'le see it, and revie it; I'le see you revie, sayes the
first, because he thinks he has as many in his hand as another: the
middlemost probably sayes, I'le not meddle with it; then they shew their
Cards, and he that has most of suit wins sixpence, or farthings, &c. as is
before mentioned of him that holds out longest, and four of the other that
said he would see it, but afterwards refused to meddle with it; but if
that any of the three Gamesters sayes, he has nothing to sau as to the
Ruffe, he payes but two farthing, half-pence, pence, six-pence, or
shillings; according as the Game is. 

 But sometimes it falls out, that one of the Gamesters having all of a
suit in his hand, bifs high for the Ruff, and the other possibly has four
Aces, and so is resolv'd to bid higher; so that it may amount to sixteen,
and sometimes more; but very seldom it is, that htis falls out; but then
they will say, I'le see it, and revie, says one; I'le see it, and revie
it, says the other; that is, eight to the winner, and all above is but two
a time, as it may be they'l say, I'le see it and reive it again, and I'le
see it and reive that again, they reckon but two, after that it is once
come to eight: but he that has the four Aces carries it clearly (as was
said before) though the other have all his Cards of one suit. Buying, or
bidding for the Ruff is, when you are in likelyhood to go in for
Mournival, Gleek, or increase of buyings and your Cards too, whereas
otherwise you should lose all. And sometimes out of policy, or rather a
vapour, they will vie, when the have not above 30, in their hands, and the
next may have forty, the other fity: and they being afraif to see it, many
times he wins out of vapour: and this is good paly, though he acquaint you
with it afterward. Then the call for Mournivall, Gleek &c. A Mournival of
Aces is eight, Mournival of Kings six, of Queens four, and a Mournival of
Knaves two, apiece. A Gleek of Aces is four, of Kings three, of Queens two
and a Gleek of Knaves is one apiece from the other two Gamesters. A
Mournival of Aces is all the four Aces: of Kings, the four Kings, &c. A
Gleek of Aces is three Acesm A Gleek of Kings, three Kings, &c. The you
begin to play, as at other more odinary Games, as Whisk, and Ruff and
Honours.

 Here you must note, that twentie two are your Cards: if you win nothing
but the Cards that were dealt you, you lose ten, for twelve and eight
makse twenty two: If you have neither Tib, Tom, Tiddy, King, Queen,
Mournival, nor Gleek, you lose, because you count as many Cards as you had
in tricks, which cannot be many, because of your bad hand. If you have
thirty by Honours, that is eight above your own Cards which are
22. besides the Cards you win by them in play; so that thus you reckon
8,9,10,11,&c. and so you proceed till you have counted all the Cards you
have won. If you have Tom only, which is 9, and the King of Trumps that is
3(?). then you reckon from 12,13,14,15, till you come to 22 and then every
Card above above wins so many half-pence, pence, &c. as you plaid for, if
you are under 22. you lose as many : so you call for losings, for by their
counting of their Cards, you find how much each has lost, and so the pay
you accordingly.

 One thing I must not omit, which is, that at the beginning, before the
Cards are dealt, you will play at Tiddie, or leave it out, that is,
whether it shall be reckon'd four, or whether is shall go for an ordinary
Card; some say that it is a Card that they are apt to forget, and
therefore they'l not play it; but that is left ot the decision of the
Gamesters, as they agree before hand; it stands firm, whether they play it
or no.

 Observe farther, that they will call often times for a Gleek of Kings,
when they have but two in their hand; or a Gleek of Aces, Queens, or
Knaves, and probably it may pass, if the other two lye not in one
hand: But if it be found out by examining, or asking what King they want,
they will execute it, and impute it to a mistake, which is very foul play,
and many times causeth greath dissention, and wrangling among the
Gamesters,

 Thus have I briefly, though I think satisfactorily, given you an account
of the Game of Gleek, and what belongs thereunto; and if by accident, any
other difficulties not here mentioned arise in play, they may easily be
resolved out of these Rules here set down, examining them by the Rules of
Reason.