The Curse of Scotland--Why the Nine of Diamonds is so called.
When I was a child (now about half a century ago) my father used to
explain the origin of the nine of diamonds being called "The curse of
Scotland" thus: That it was the "_cross_ of Scotland," which, in the
Scotch pronunciation, had become "curse."
St. Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland: he suffered on a cross, not
of the usual form, but like the letter X, which has since been commonly
called a St. Andrew's cross. It was supposed that the similarity of the
nine of diamonds to this form occasioned its being so called. The arms
of the Earl of Stair, alluded to in your publication, are exactly in the
form of this cross. If this explanation should be useful, you are most
welcome to it.