Question of the day

spkennyuk

spkennyuk

Member
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5,981
I vaguely remember watching something on TV years ago. One of these history / myth reeanctment type things.

One of the stories was about two people playing cards in a castle and one wrote the execution warrant for somebody in Scotland on a playing card.

I have to say i cant remember anymore of the details of the story.

Im summising the story is linked to the card in question if it rings any bells with anyone else.
 
zagatoes30

zagatoes30

Member
Messages
21,099
spkennyuk said:
I vaguely remember watching something on TV years ago. One of these history / myth reeanctment type things.

One of the stories was about two people playing cards in a castle and one wrote the execution warrant for somebody in Scotland on a playing card.

I have to say i cant remember anymore of the details of the story.

Im summising the story is linked to the card in question if it rings any bells with anyone else.
Click to expand...

You are on the right track, this is one of the many reasons why this card is so named - any one know what the card is? or any of the other reasons it is so called?
 
zagatoes30

zagatoes30

Member
Messages
21,099
spkennyuk said:
Nine ?
Click to expand...

Spot on, I thought this would be in your useless facts pocket

The Curse Of Scotland

A term applied to the 9 of diamonds, for which various explanations are given, none completely authoritative. The Bridge Magazine once listed six possible origins for the term as follows:

1. That in the once popular round game 'Pope Joan', the 9 of diamonds was called the Pope, the antichrist of Scottish Reformers.
2. That the 9 of diamonds was the chief card in the game 'cornette', introduced into Scotland by the unhappy Queen Mary.
3. That 'Butcher' Cumberland wrote the orders for the Balle of Culloden, 1746, on the back of the card. This is very doubtful.
4. That the order for the Massacre of Glencoe (1692) was signed on the back of this card.
5. That the dispositions for the fatal field of Flodden (1513) were drawn up on it by James IV of Scotland.
6. That it is derived from the nine lozenges that formed the arms of the Earl of Stair, who was especially loathed for his connection with the Massacre of Glencoe and the union with England (1707).

Some one else best have a go
 
MarkMas

MarkMas

Chief pedant
Messages
9,046
zagatoes30 said:
6. That it is derived from the nine lozenges that formed the arms of the Earl of Stair, who was especially loathed for his connection with the Massacre of Glencoe and the union with England (1707).
Click to expand...

It turns out to be quite interesting to read about the Earls of Stair, including John Dalrymple (1720–1789) who was supposed to become the 3rd Earl, but ended up as the 5th Earl.

Paraphrased from Wikipedia:

The 2nd Earl of Stair (John Dalrymple ) obtained a charter empowering him to name his successor. He nominated his nephew, also called John Dalrymple, the second son of his third brother George. This was mostly because his second brother William Dalrymple (who was heir presumptive to the peerages) had married Penelope Crichton, 4th Countess of Dumfries, a peeress in her own right.

(Oh, and what happened to his 'first brother'? John Dalrymple accidentally killed him in a shooting accident when he was 9.)

This nomination was contested and the House of Lords decided in favour of James Dalrymple, the second son of William Dalrymple, who become the 3rd Earl. He was childless, and was succeeded by his elder brother, who became the 4th Earl, having already succeeded his mother as 5th Earl of Dumfries.

The 4th Earl was also childless, and on his death in the two earldoms separated. His nephew Patrick Macdonnell-Crichton became 5th Earl of Dumfries. His cousin, the aforementioned John Dalrymple, who had been nominated by his uncle to be the 3rd Earl of Stair became the 5th Earl of Stair.

To add to the confusion, all 14 Earls of Stair have been called John Dalrymple, apart from James (3rd) William (4th) and North (9th).
 
MarkMas

MarkMas

Chief pedant
Messages
9,046
OK, going back to US states....

Which US state has parishes instead of counties?

Which US state has a county that has borders with four other states?

Which US state has the British union flag as part of the state flag?

Which US state is supposedly the only one that has the right to leave the USA?
 
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