In some cases, however, if we are to believe the traditions of history, chess has been responsible for some serious fracas5. Thus a story is told of William the Conqueror6, how when a young man he was invited to the Court of the French king, and during his stay there was one day engaged at chess{2} with the King’s eldest7 son, when a dispute arose concerning a certain move. William, annoyed at a certain remark made by his antagonist, struck him with the chess-board, which “obliged him to make a precipitate8 retreat from France to avoid the consequences of so rash an act.”
A similar anecdote9 is told of John, the youngest son of Henry II., who quarrelled over the chess-board with one Fulco Guarine, a Shropshire nobleman, receiving such a blow as almost to kill him. John did not easily forget the affront10, and long after his accession to the throne showed his resentment11 by keeping him from the possession of Whittington Castle, to which he was the rightful heir. It is also said that Henry was engaged at chess when the deputies from Rouen informed him that the city was besieged12 by Philip, King of France; but he would not listen to their news until he had finished his game. A curious accident happened to Edward I. when he was playing at chess at Windsor, for, on suddenly rising from the game, the next moment the centre stone of the groined ceiling fell on the very spot where he had been sitting, an escape which he attributed to the special protection of Providence13. It is further recorded that Edward I. received from one of the dignitaries of the Temple, in France, a chess-board and chess-men made of jasper and crystal, which present he transferred to his queen; hence it has been concluded that she, too, was skilled in the noble game.
But his son, Edward II., got into disrepute by playing at chuck-farthing, or cross and pile,{3} which was held to be a very unkingly diversion, “and sufficient to disgust the warlike peers who had been accustomed to rally round the victorious14 banner of his father.” In one of his wardrobe accounts these entries occur: “Item—paid to Henry, the King’s barber, for money which he lent to the King to play at cross and pile, five shillings. Item—paid to Pires Barnard, usher15 of the King’s chamber16, money which he lent the King, and which he lost at cross and pile to Monsieur Robert Wattewille, eight-pence.”[1]
De Foix, on hearing that the Queen of Scots had resolved on the marriage with her cousin Darnley, went to Elizabeth that he might discuss the matter. He found her at chess, and, profiting by the opportunity of discussing the matter, he said: “This game is an image of the words and deeds of men. If, for example, we lose a pawn17, it seems but a small matter; nevertheless, the loss often draws after it that of the whole game.”
The Queen replied, “I understand you. Darnley is but a pawn, but may well checkmate me if he be promoted.”
Charles I. was occupied, it is said, at chess when he was informed of the final resolution of the Scots to sell him to the Parliament; but he was so little discomposed by this intelligence that he continued the game in no way disconcerted. A similar anecdote is told of John Frederick, Elector of Saxony, who, having been taken prisoner by Charles V., was condemned19 to death—a decree which was{4} intimated to him while at chess with Ernest of Brunswick, his fellow-prisoner. But after a short pause he challenged his antagonist to finish the game, played with his usual attention, and expressed his satisfaction at winning. And coming down to the reign20 of her late Majesty21, Queen Victoria, it is said she was fond of most games, enjoying chess or draughts22, which in her later days she exchanged for patience. When more actively23 inclined she would play at ball or battledore and shuttle-cock with the ladies of the Court, a practice which she continued till middle life.
As a warning against the perilous24 habit of playing chess with a wife, it is related of Ferrand, Count of Flanders, that, having constantly defeated the Countess, she conceived a hatred25 against him, which reached such a height that when the unfortunate Count was taken prisoner at the battle of Bouvines, she suffered him to remain a long time in prison, although, according to common report, she might easily have procured26 his release.
It was while playing at chess with a knight27, nicknamed the “King of Love,” that James I. of Scotland referred to a prophecy that a king should die that year, and remarked to his playmate, “There are no kings in Scotland but you and I. I shall take good care of myself, and I counsel you to do the same.”
Don John of Austria had a room in his palace in which there was a chequered pavement of black and white marble, upon which living men attired28 in varied29 costumes moved under his direction accord{5}ing to the laws of chess. It is also related of a Duke of Weimar that he had squares of black and white marble, on which he played at chess with red soldiers.
Although Louis XIII. firmly prohibited all games of chance at Court, he had so strong an affection for chess that he rarely lost an opportunity of playing a game in his coach whenever he went abroad. In this respect he was very different to Louis IX., who forbade any of his officers to play at dice30 or at chess; and report goes that his anger on one occasion, at finding the Duke of Anjou engaged in a move of chess, knew no bounds.
Henry III. of France was passionately31 fond of the childish game bilboquet or “cup and ball,” which, it is said, he used to play even when walking in the street; and piquet is commonly reported to have derived32 its name from that of its inventor, who contrived33 it to amuse Charles VI. of France.
The poor imbecile Charles II. of Spain did his best to amuse his young wife Marie Louise of Orleans, but not with much effect. He would play with her at “jouchets,” which appears to have been an amusement of the nature of that known as “spills,” for three or four hours a day—“a game,” writes Madame de Villars, “at which one might lose a pistole during all that time par18 malheur extraordinaire.”
Indeed, sovereigns, like other mortals, have sought recreation and a rest from the anxieties of life in sometimes what may seem the most childish amusements. One of Napoleon’s favourite games, for{6} instance, was blind-man’s-buff, a pastime which, it may be remembered, Canning and Sir William Scott played with the Princess Caroline whilst at Montagu House. Napoleon, too, was very fond of children, and would carry the infant King of Rome in his arms, and standing34 in front of a mirror, make all kinds of grimaces35 in the glass. At breakfast he would take the child upon his knee, “dip his fingers in the sauce, and daub his face with it; the child’s governess scolded, the Emperor laughed, and the child, always pleased, seemed to take delight in the rough caresses36 of his father.”[2]
Henry IV. of France also delighted in a romp37 with his children. The story goes that one day, when trotting38 round the room on his hands and knees, with the Dauphin on his back, and the other children urging him on to gallop39 in imitation of a horse, an ambassador suddenly entered and surprised the royal family in the midst of their play. Henry, rising, inquired, “Have you children, M. l’Ambassadeur.” “Yes, sire.” “In that case I proceed with the sport.” An anecdote which reminds us of one told by ?lian of Agesilaus, who, on being found by a friend riding on a stick for the amusement of his son, he bade his visitor not speak of it to any one until he was a father himself.
George III. was on one occasion discovered on all-fours, with one of his children riding astride his back; and most readers are acquainted with the well-known painting of “George III. playing at Ball with the Princess Amelia.” His Majesty also{7} took pleasure in a game of backgammon, a source of recreation of which Louis XIV. was fond. One day when playing at this game, a dispute arose about a doubtful throw, the surrounding courtiers remaining silent. The Count de Grammont happening to come in, the King asked him to decide the matter. He instantly answered, “Your Majesty is in the wrong.” “How,” said Louis, “can you decide before you know the question?”
“Because,” replied the Count, “had there been any fault, all these gentlemen would have given it in favour of your Majesty.”
The King submitted to his decision.
Queen Victoria, too, was fond of children, with whom she enjoyed a romp; and Catherine II. of Russia would spend her leisure time in affording infinite delight to the young folk, for whose amusement she would invent all kinds of impromptu40 games.
Billiards41 became very popular during the reign of Louis XIV., to whom it was recommended by his physicians as an exercise after meals. It is said that Chamillard, who played with the King, entirely42 owed his political fortune to the amount of skill which he displayed in this game. In the Mémoires Complets et Authentiques du Duc de Saint Simon, par M. Chernel (1872, vol. ii. p. 29), we read that Louis XIV. during the winter evenings played billiards with M. le Vend43?me or M. le Grand, occasionally with Le Maréchal de Villeroy, and sometimes with the Duc de Grammont.
Cards have always been popular playthings with{8} royalty—incidents connected with which will be found in our chapter on gambling44. Primero was the fashionable game at the English Court during the Tudor dynasty, and Shakespeare represents Henry VIII. playing at it with the Duke of Suffolk. It was succeeded by a game called “maw,” which appears to have been the favourite diversion of James I. Weldon, alluding45 to the poisoning of Sir Thomas Overbury in his “Court and Character of King James,” says: “The next that came on the stage was Sir Thomas Monson, but the night before he was come to his trial, the King, being at the game of maw, said, ‘To-morrow comes Thomas Monson to his trial.’ ‘Yes,’ said the King’s card-holder, ‘when, if he does not play his master’s prize, your Majesty shall never trust me.’” This remark, it is said, so ran in the King’s mind that at the next game he excused himself from playing as he was sleepy, remarking that he would play out that set the next night.
And occasionally, it would seem, the play-hours of monarchs46 have proved almost if not quite fatal. Thus it was in the winter of 1521 that the Count of St. Pol, being elected King of the Bean, Francis I. of France challenged him and his party to a combat with snowballs. Amidst them a brand was flung, which struck the King on the head, and for some days placed his life in jeopardy47.
It was on Easter Eve 1498 that Charles VIII. of France proceeded to the battlements of the Castle of Amboise with his queen to watch some of the courtiers playing ball in the fosses{9} below. But traversing a narrow passage, Charles struck his head against the archway of a low door, which, it is said, brought on a kind of fit. He was carried into a little chamber near, recovered his speech once or twice, and after nine hours of agony he died.
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1
grandee
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| n.贵族；大公 | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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skilful
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| (=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的 | |
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antagonist
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| n.敌人，对抗者，对手 | |
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fracas
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| n.打架；吵闹 | |
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conqueror
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| n.征服者，胜利者 | |
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eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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precipitate
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| adj.突如其来的；vt.使突然发生；n.沉淀物 | |
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anecdote
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| n.轶事，趣闻，短故事 | |
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affront
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| n./v.侮辱，触怒 | |
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resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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besieged
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| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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victorious
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| adj.胜利的，得胜的 | |
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usher
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| n.带位员，招待员；vt.引导，护送；vi.做招待，担任引座员 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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pawn
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| n.典当，抵押，小人物，走卒；v.典当，抵押 | |
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par
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| n.标准，票面价值，平均数量；adj.票面的，平常的，标准的 | |
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condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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reign
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| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
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majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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draughts
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| n. <英>国际跳棋 | |
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actively
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| adv.积极地，勤奋地 | |
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perilous
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| adj.危险的，冒险的 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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procured
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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attired
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| adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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dice
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| n.骰子；vt.把（食物）切成小方块，冒险 | |
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passionately
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| ad.热烈地，激烈地 | |
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derived
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| vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
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contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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grimaces
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| n.（表蔑视、厌恶等）面部扭曲，鬼脸( grimace的名词复数 )v.扮鬼相，做鬼脸( grimace的第三人称单数 ) | |
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caresses
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| 爱抚，抚摸( caress的名词复数 ) | |
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romp
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| n.欢闹；v.嬉闹玩笑 | |
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trotting
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| 小跑，急走( trot的现在分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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39
gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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impromptu
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| adj.即席的，即兴的；adv.即兴的(地)，无准备的(地) | |
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billiards
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| n.台球 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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vend
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| v.公开表明观点，出售，贩卖 | |
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gambling
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| n.赌博；投机 | |
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45
alluding
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| 提及，暗指( allude的现在分词 ) | |
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monarchs
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| 君主，帝王( monarch的名词复数 ) | |
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jeopardy
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| n.危险；危难 | |
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