-- The Ace's Book --
--------------------

[Typesetting notes: anything in square brackets, like this, is a
typesetting note, and should be excised from the final document.
Anything between <i> and </i> should be put into italics if
possible (so sue me, I'm an HTML hacker). In general, do *not*
correct the spelling or punctuation; I'm trying to do this in
period style.]

The Epistle Dedicatorie
-----------------------

[If possible, center this paragraph, with a sort of reversed
pyramidal shape:]

TO THE RIGHT NOBLE AND HONORABLE
  MASTER Aquel of Darkested
    Woode, Most Honorable
      Baron of the Fair
       Landes Known as
      <i>Carolingia.</i>

[If you can do an enlarged capital for the initial G, do it;
otherwise, don't worry about it:]

G  OOD my Lord Baron, I have heard through your good Secretaries
   that you are desirous of learning more about the noble
pastimes of gaming; that you are skilled at the dice, and wise
at the Cardes, and that your Fair Baroness has some wisdom at
games as well; and that you wishe to see honorable gaming in
your lands; not the loose gambling common in some countreys,
but games of skill as well as chanse, and games wel-suited for
provinces so riche in nobility. From the city of the Towers to
the green acres of Ash-hyrst, and all of the Boroughs and
Universitties of the towns, <i>Carolingia</i> is well-famed for the
wisdome of its people, and their same love of recreation.

Those good Secretaries have spoken to me, and asked that I
begin this correspondence, in which to teache various games,
from many Kingdoms and distant landes. I am Justin du Coeur,
known as <i>Ace</i> to many of those in Calais. My skill is
but modest, but I have taut many the games of this land and
others; and as the Ace is the begining of a deck of Cardes,
so these lessons have begun many in their enjoyment of games.

As a dancemaster of some yeers, I have spent time learning dances in
the Citties of Rome and Venice, and teaching them in the mighty City of
London. In eche of these lands I have studied and learnt the games
native there; also, I have played the games of our fair France since
my youth: and residing in Calais these past several years, I have come
upon and learned games from travellers from many landes, from the
Almayns to the Spaynish. All these disparate skills I lay at your
disposal, to enrich and broaden the experience of the people of your
Barony.

In time, an these letters be wel-received, I may think to collect them
into a Booke, to be sold in the City of Calais and in the many Laurel
Lands. Knowyng wel your good generosity and love of games, I would
hope to dedicate this book to your gracious selves. Thus, I remain, yr
humble Justin duC, in Septembre in the yeere of Our Lorde 1596.

ENDNOTES
--------

Since this series of articles is being produced as completely
in persona as I can manage, I can't talk about such mundanities
as documentation in them. Thus, I will be appending to each
article a series of endnotes, talking about what's Really Going
On Here.

The Epistle Dedicatorie is almost de rigeur for books of this
period. The basic concept is straightforward: dedicate the
book to some great lord or another, in hopes of gaining their
favor in the project. (Even books without a patron tended to
have an Epistle, directed towards the readers.)

As the letter says, I'm hoping to eventually collect this
series into a book or two. I expect the letters to wander
all over the map, into various sorts of games, as the fancy
strikes. (However, they will tend towards the later end of
period, both because that's my period and because it's *much*
easier to research.)

The writing style is an attempt to follow late-period English spelling
and style (yes, my persona is French, but neither I nor my audience
are). Its going to take some experimentation, so please bear with me
-- it's almost physically difficult for me to spell this
randomly. (And if you have critiques of the period style, or
suggestions for improvement, please tell me.)

The purpose of this project is to create a book of games that
is sufficiently period in style to be useful for Le Poulet
Gauche, while still being clear enough for us moderns to use.
It's a fine line; forgive me if I sometimes fall off of it.

In Service to The Gamester's Art,

	Justin du Coeur