card of ten

Apparently from the use of cards with a rank of 10 in early card games.

card of ten (plural cards of ten)

1. (obsolete, idiomatic) A bold front, an instance of standing one's ground. [15th–17th c.]
   • 1499, John Skelton, The Bowge of Courte:

     Fyrste pycke a quarell and fall oute with hym then, / And soo outface hym with a carde of ten.

   • 1561, John Awdely, The Fraternitye of Vacabondes, section XIX:

     And the noblemen and gentylmen, which shold be the ponysshers of theft, be the chefe mayntayners of robry; bi this meanys often thei robbe & be not taken; but in case he be taken, eyther he shal haue fauor for his masters sake, or els bragg it owt with a carde of .x […]

   • c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):

     A vengeance on your crafty withered hide, / Yet I haue fac'd it with a card of ten […]

   • 1629, Ben Jonson, The New Inn:

     Some must be knaves, some varlets, bawds, and ostlers, / As aces, deuces, cards o' ten, to face it / Out i' the game, which all the world is.