Treatise on the Morals and Discipline of Human Conduct

...probably. And so from what has been said, it is clear that the game of cards original: "ludus cartularum" is more likely to be considered "real" meaning the actualized or standard version if it is played with 52 cards rather than [sixty], as was said, by reason of its greater convenience, yet inherently by reason of a fuller courtesy. ¶ Here some people infer a reasoning, saying that the game, as it appears in most places, is not a full "image" of the game an "image" refers to a complete symbolic model of a royal court but only a certain part, like half of one game. ¶ Just as in the game of chess original: "ludo scacorum" which some find in its whole form, and some as a half of that game, or some as a certain part—such as among us in "Knights" original: "equis"; likely a reference to a simplified chess variant in which some pieces are missing—yet not according to our perfect [standards], which speak of governance in the whole game or in a half of it. ¶ Thus, indeed, and in its own way, in the "whole" game of cards there are certain cards that are not found in the half-version, nor in a quarter part of it, such as the Queens and their handmaidens. ¶ Wherefore, as a puzzle it is played that neither queens nor their handmaidens belong to this [version of the] game, and even though the game of cards can currently be played without them using 52 cards—which number of cards is sufficient for having a game and is not a number [of cards?]...
part.

solution whether it be in a smaller part, which can be done by fewer parts... I read that which is owed and I say I seek this there is no objection: rather, it clearly seems to approve of my lady. For in every game of chess, Queens are present, whether the set is whole or some part of it. ¶ So also if the game of cards is varied in the aforementioned way—which however is not known and does not even exist among us. ¶ But if moral lessons are to be obtained from the game, some say that Queens ought to be among the cards original: "in mille cartule," likely a hyperbolic expression for "any number of cards" because a Queen in every kingdom is a person made, as it were, like the right hand of the King; which is why David, singing in the Psalms, foretold... A reference to Psalm 45:9: "The queen stands at your right hand in gold of Ophir."