The xix. Chapter.315.222.That great matters may be wrought by this art, when princes esteeme and mainteine it: of divers woonderfull experiments, and of strange conclusions in glasses, of the art perspective, &c.HOWBEIT, these are but trifles in respect of other experiments to this effect; speciallie when great princes mainteine & give countenance to students in those magicall arts, which in these countries and in this age is rather prohibited than allowed, by reason of the abuse commonlie coupled therewith; which in truth is it that mooveth admiration and estimation of miraculous workings. As for example. If I affirme, that with certeine charmes and popish praiers I can set an horsse or an asses head upon a mans shoulders, I shall not be beleeved; or if I doo it, I shall be thought a witch. And yet ifJ. Bap. Neap.experiments be true,Wonderfull experiments.it is no difficult matter to make it seeme so: and the charme of a witch or papist joined with the experiment, will also make the woonder seeme to proceed thereof. The words used in such case are uncerteine, and to be recited at the pleasure of the witch or cousener. But the conclusion is this: Cut off the head of a horsse or an asse (before they be dead) otherwise the vertue or strength thereof will be the lesse effectuall,To set an horsses or an asses head on a mans neck and shoulders,and make an earthern vessell of fit capacitie to conteine the same, and let it be filled with the oile and fat therof; cover it close, and dawbe it over with lome: let it boile over a soft fier three daies continuallie, that the flesh boiled may run into oile, so as the bare bones may be seene: beate the haire into powder, and mingle the same with the oile; and annoint the heads of the standers by, and they shall seeme to have horsses or asses heads. If beasts heads be annointed with the like oile made of a mans head, they shall seeme to have mens faces, as diverse authors soberlie affirme. If a lampe be annointed heerewith, everie thing shall seeme most monstrous. It is also written, that if that which is calledSpermain anie beast be bur/ned,316.and anie bodies face therewithall annointed, he shall seeme to have the like face as the beast had. But if you beate arsenicke verie fine, and boile it with a little sulphur in a covered pot, and kindle it with a new candle, the standers by will seeme to be hedlesse. Aqua composita and salt being fiered in the night, and all other lights extinguished, make the standers by seeme as dead. All these things might be verie well perceived and knowne, and also practised byJannesandJambres. But the woonderous devises, and miraculous sights and conceipts made and conteined in glasse,Strange things to be doone by perspective glasses.doo farre exceed all other; whereto the art perspective is verie necessarie. For it sheweth the illusions of them, whose experiments be seene in diverse sorts of glasses; as in the hallowe, the plaine, the embossed, the columnarie, the pyramidate or piked, the turbinall, the bounched, the round, the cornerd, the inversed, the eversed, the massie, the regular, the irregular, the coloured and cleare glasses: for you may have glasses so made, as what image or favour soever you print in your imagination, you shall thinke you see the same therein. Others are so framed, as therein one may see what others doo/223.in places far distant; others, wherby you shall see men hanging in the aire; others, whereby you may perceive men flieng in the aire; others, wherin you may see one comming, & another going; others, where one image shall seeme to be one hundred, &c. There be glasses also, wherein one man may see another mans image, and not his owne; others, to make manie similitudes; others, to make none at all. Others, contrarie to the use of all glasses, make the right side turne to the right, and the left side to the left; others, that burne beforeCōcerning these glasses remember that the eiesight is deceived: forNon est in speculo res quæ speculatur in eo.and behind; others, that represent not the images received within them, but cast them farre off in the aire, appearing like aierie images, and by the collection of sunne beames, with great force setteth fier (verie farre off) in everie thing that may be burned. There be cleare glasses, that make great things seeme little, things farre off to be at hand; and that which is neere, to be far off; such things as are over us, to seeme under us; and those that are under us, to be above us. There are some glasses also, that represent things in diverse colours, & them most gorgeous, speciallie any white thing. Finally, the thing most worthie of admiration concerning these glasses, is, that the lesser glass dooth lessen/317.the shape: but how big so ever it be, it maketh the shape no bigger than it is. And therforeAugustinethinketh some hidden mysterie to be therein.Vitellius, andJ. Bap. Neap.write largelie hereof. These I have for the most part seene, and have the receipt how to make them: which, if desire of brevitie had not forbidden me, I would here have set downe. But I thinke not butPharaosmagicians had better experience than I for those and such like devises. And (asPompanaciussaith) it is most true, that someRash opinion can never judge soundlie.for these feats have beene accounted saints, some other witches. And therefore I saie, that the pope maketh rich witches, saints; and burneth the poore witches.The xx. Chapter.A comparison betwixt Pharaos magicians and our witches, and how their cunning consisted in juggling knacks.THUS you see that it hath pleased GOD to shew unto men that seeke for knowledge, such cunning in finding out, compounding, and framing of strange and secret things, as thereby he seemeth to have bestowed upon man, some part of his divinitie. Howbeit, God (of nothing, with his word) hath created all things, and dooth at his will, beyond the power and also the reach of man, accomplish whatsoever he list. And such miracles in times past he wrought by the hands of his prophets, as here he did byMosesAn apish imitation in Jannes and Jambres of working woonders.in the presence ofPharao, whichJannesandJambresapishlie followed. But to affirme that they by themselves, or by all the divels in hell, could doo indeed asMosesdid by the power of the Holie-ghost, is woorsse than infidelitie. If anie object and saie, that our witches can doo such feats with words and charms, asPharaosmagicians did by their art, I denie it; and all the world will never beable to shew it.Jo. Calvine, lib. institut. 1. cap. 8.Cle. recog. 3.That which they did, was openlie done; as our witches and conjurors never doo anie/224.thing: so as these cannot doo as they did. And yet (asCalvinesaith of them) they were but jugglers. Neither could they doo, as manie/318.suppose. For asClemenssaith; These magicians did rather seeme to doo these woonders, than worke them indeed. And if they made but prestigious shewes of things, I saie it was more than our witches can doo. For witchcrafts (asErastusErast. in disputat. de lamiis.himselfe confesseth in drift of argument) are but old wives fables. If the magicians serpent had beene a verie serpent, it must needs have beene transformed out of the rod. And therein had beene a double worke of God; to wit, the qualifieng and extinguishment of one substance, and the creation of another. Which areActions unpossible to divels:Ergoto witches conjurors, &c.actions beyond the divels power, for he can neither make a bodie to be no bodie, nor yet no bodie to be a bodie; as to make something nothing, and nothing something; and contrarie things, one: naie, they cannot make one haire either white or blacke.*[* Matt. 5, 36]IfPharaosmagicians had made verie frogs upon a sudden, whie could they not drive them awaie againe? If they could not hurt the frogs, whie should we thinke that they could make them? Or that our witches, which cannot doo so much as counterfet them, can kill cattell and other creatures with words or wishes? And therefore I saie withJamblichus,Jamb. de mysteriis.Quæ fascinati imaginamur, præter imaginamenta nullā habent actionis & essentiæ veritatem; Such things as we being bewitched doo imagine, have no truth at all either of action or essence, beside the bare imagination.The xxi. Chapter.That the serpents and frogs were trulie presented, and the water poisoned indeed by Jannes and Jambres, of false prophets, and of their miracles, of Balams asse.TRUELIE I thinke there were no inconvenience granted, though I should admit that the serpent and frogs were truelie presented, and the water truelie poisoned byJannesandJambres;Pharaos magicians were not maisters of their owne actions.not that they could execute such miracles of themselves, or by their familiars or divels: but that God, by the hands of those counterfet couseners, contrarie to their owne expectations, overtooke them, and compelled them in their ridiculous wickednes to be/319.instruments of his will and vengeance, upon their maisterPharao: so as by their hands God shewed some miracles, which he himselfewrought: as appeareth inExodus.Exod. 10.For God did put the spirit of truth intoBaalamsmouth, who was hiered to cursse his people. And although he were a corrupt and false prophet, and went about a mischeevous enterprise;God useth the wicked as instruments to execute his counsels & judgments.yet God made him an instrument (against his will) to the confusion of the wicked. Which if it pleased God to doo here, as a speciall worke, whereby to shew his omnipotencie, to the confirmation of his peoples faith, in the doctrine of their Messias delivered unto them by the prophetMoses, then was it miraculous and extraordinarie, and not to be looked for now. And (as some suppose) there were then a consort or crew of false prophets, which could also foretell things to come, and worke miracles. I answer, it was extraordinarie and miraculous, & that it pleased God so/225.to trie his people; but he worketh not so in these daies: for the working of miracles is ceased.The contrarie effects that the miracles of Moses and the miracles of the Aegyptian magiciās wroght in the hart of Pharao.Likewise in this case it might well stand with Gods glorie, to use the hands ofPharaosmagicians, towards the hardening of their maisters hart; and to make their illusions and ridiculous conceipts to become effectuall. For God had promised and determined to harden the heart ofPharao. As for the miracles whichMosesdid, they mollified it so, as he alwaies relented upon the sight of the same. For unto the greatnesse of his miracles were added such modestie and patience, as might have mooved even a heart of steele or flint. ButPharaosfrowardnes alwaies grew upon the magicians actions: the like example, or the resemblance whereof, we find not againe in the scriptures. And though there were such people in those daies suffered and used by God, for the accomplishment of his will and secret purpose: yet it followeth not, that now, when Gods will is wholie revealed unto us in his word, and his sonne exhibited (for whome, or rather for the manifestation of whose comming all those things were suffered or wrought) such things and such people should yet continue. So as I conclude, the cause being taken awaie, the thing proceeding thence remaineth not. And to assigne our witches and conjurors their roome, is to mocke and contemne Gods woonderfull works; and to oppose against them cousenages, juggling knacks, and things of nought. And therefore, as they must/320.confesse, that none in these daies can doo asMosesdid: so it may be answered, that none in these daies can doo asJannesandJambresdid: who, if they had beene false prophets, as they were jugglers, had yet beene more privileged to exceed our old women or conjurors, in the accomplishing of miracles, or in prophesieng, &c. For who may be compared withBalaam? Naie, I dare saie, thatBalaamsasse wrought a greater miracle, and more supernaturall, than either the pope or all the conjurors and witches in the world can doo at this daie.That the art of juggling is more, or at least no les strange in working miracles than conjuring, witchcraft, &c.To conclude, it is to be avouched (and there be proofes manifest enough) that our jugglers approch much neerer to resemblePharaosmagicians, than either witches or conjurors, & can make a more livelie shew of working miracles than anie inchantors can doo: for these practise to shew that in action, which witches doo in words and termes. But that you may thinke I have reason for the maintenance of mine opinion in this behalfe, I will surcease by multitude of words to amplifie this place, referring you to the tract following of the art of juggling, where you shall read strange practises and cunning conveiances; which bicause they cannot so convenientlie be described by phrase of speech, as that they should presentlie sinke into the capacitie of you that would be practitioners of the same; I have caused them to be set foorth in forme and figure, that your understanding might be somewhat helped by instrumentall demonstrations. And when you have perused that whole discoverie of juggling, compare the wonders thereof with the woonders imputed to conjurors and witches, (not omittingPharaossorcerers at anie hand in this comparison) and I beleeve you will be resolved, that the miracles doone inPharaossight by them, and the miracles ascribed unto witches, conjurors, &c: may be well taken for false miracles, meere delusions, &c: and for such actions as are commonlie practised by cunning jugglers; be it either by legierdemaine, confederacie, or otherwise.//The xxii. Chapter.321.226.The art of juggling discovered, and in what points it dooth principallie consist.NOW because such occasion is ministred, and the matter so pertinent to my purpose, and also the life of witchcraft and cousenage so manifestlie delivered in the art of juggling; I thought good to discover it, together with the rest of the other deceiptfull arts; being sorie that it falleth out to my lot, to laie open the secrets of this mysterie, to the hinderance of such poore men as live thereby: whose dooings herein are not onlie tollerable,In what respects juggling is tollerable and also commendable.but greatlie commendable, so they abuse not the name of God, nor make the people attribute unto them his power; but alwaies acknowledge wherein the art consisteth, so as thereby the other unlawfull and impious arts may be by them the rather detected and bewraied.The true art therefore of juggling consisteth in legierdemaine; to wit, the nimble conveiance of the hand, which is especiallie performed three waies.The three principall points wherein legierdemaine or nimblenes of hand dooth consist.The first and principall consisteth in hiding and conveieng of balles, the second in the alteration of monie, the third in the shuffeling of the cards. He that is expert in these may shew much pleasure, and manie feats, and hath more cunning than all other witches or magicians. All other parts of this art are taught when they are discovered: but this part cannot be taught by any description or instruction, without great exercise and expense of time. And for as much as I professe rather to discover than teach these mysteries, it shall suffice to signifie unto you, that the endevor and drift of jugglers is onelie to abuse mens eies and judgements. Now therefore my meaning is, in words as plaine as I can, to rip up certeine proper tricks of that art; whereof some are pleasant and delectable, other some dreadfull and desperate, and all but meere delusions, or counterfet actions, as you shall soone see by due observation of everie knacke by me heereafter deciphered./The xxiii. Chapter.322.Of the ball, and the manner of legierdemaine therewith, also notable feats with one or diverse balles.CONCERNINGGreat varietie of plaie with the balles, &c.the ball, the plaies & devises thereof are infinite, in somuch as if you can by use handle them well, you may shewe therewith a hundreth feats. But whether you seeme to throw the ball into your left hand, or into your mouth, or into a pot, or up into the aier, &c: it is to be kept still in your right hand. If you practise first with a leaden bullet, you shall the sooner and better doo it with balles of corke. The first place at your first learning, where you are to bestow a great ball, is in the palme of your hand, with your ringfinger: but a small ball is to be placed with your/227.thombe, betwixt your ringfinger and midlefinger, then are you to practise to doo it betwixt the other fingers, then betwixt the forefinger and the thombe, with the forefinger and midlefinger jointlie, and therein is the greatest and strangest cunning shewed.These feats are nimbly, cleanly, & swiftly to be conveied; so as the eies of the beholders may not discerne or perceive the drift.Lastlie the same small ball is to be practised in the palme of the hand, and by use you shall not onelie seeme to put anie one ball from you, and yet reteine it in your hand; but you shall keepe foure or five as cleanelie and certeinelie as one. This being atteined unto, you shall worke woonderfull feats: as for example.Laie three or foure balles before you, and as manie small candlesticks, bolles, saltsellers, or saltseller covers, which is the best. Then first seeme to put one ball into your left hand, and therwithall seeme to hold the same fast: then take one of the candlesticks, or anie other thing (having a hollow foot, & not being too great) and seeme to put the ball which is thought to be in your left hand, underneath the same, and so under the other candlesticks seeme to bestow the other balles: and all this whileMemorandum that the juggler must set a good grace on the matter: for that is verie requisite.the beholders will suppose each ball to be under each candlesticke: this doone, some charme or forme of words is commonlie used. Then take up one candlesticke with one hand, and blow, saieng; Lo, you see that is/323.gone: & so likewise looke under ech candlesticke with like grace and words, & the beholders will woonder where they are become. But if you, in lifting up the candlesticks with your right hand, leave all those three or foure balles under one of them (as by use you may easilie doo, having turned them all downe into your hand, and holding them fast with your little and ringfingers) and take the candlesticke with your other fingers, and cast the balles up into the hollownes thereof (for so they will not roll so soone awaie) the standers by will be much astonied. But it will seeme woonderfull strange, if also in shewing how there remaineth nothing under an other of those candlesticks, taken up with your left hand, you leave behind you a great ball, or anie other thing, the miracle will be the greater. For first they thinke you have pulled awaie all the balles by miracle; then, that you have brought them all togither againe by like meanes, and they neither thinke nor looke that anie other thing remaineth behind under anie of them. And therefore, after manie other feats doone, returne to your candlesticks, remembring where you left the great ball, and in no wise touch the same; but having an other like ball about you, seeme to bestow the same in maner and forme aforesaid, under a candlesticke which standeth furthest frō that where the ball lieth. And when you shall with *wordsAs, Hey, fortuna furie, nunquam credo, passe, passe, when come you sirra:See pag.147.or charmes seeme to conveie the same ball from under the same candlesticke, and afterward bring it under the candlesticke which you touched not, it will (I saie) seeme woonderfull strange.To make a little ball swell in your hand till it be verie great.TAke a verie great ball in your left hand, or three indifferent big balles; and shewing one or three little balles, seeme to put them into your said left hand, concealing (as you may well doo) the other balles which were there in before: then use words, and makethem seeme to swell, and open your hand, &c. This plaie is to be varied a hundreth waies: for as you find them all under one candlesticke, so may you go to a stander by, and take off/228.his hat or cap, and shew the balles to be there, by conveieng them thereinto, as you turne the bottome upward./To consume (or rather to conveie) one or manie balles into nothing.324.IF you take one ball, or more, & seeme to put it into your other hand, and whilest you use charming words, you conveie them out of your right hand into your lap; it will seeme strange. For when you open your left hand immediatlie, the sharpest lookers on will saie it is in your other hand, which also then you may open; & when they see nothing there, they are greatlie overtaken.How to rap a wag upon the knuckles.BUt I will leave to speake anie more of the ball, for herein I might hold you all daie, and yet shall I not be able to teach you to use it, nor scarslie to understand what I meane or write concerning it: but certeinelie manie are persuaded that it is a spirit or a flie, &c.Memorandum,*[* Rom.]that alwaies the right hand be kept open and streight, onlie keepe the palme from view. And therefore you may end with this miracle. ¶ Laie one ball upon your shoulder, an other on your arme, and the third on the table:This feate tendeth cheefelie to the mooving of laughter and mirth.which because it is round, and will not easilie lie upon the point of your knife, you must bid a stander by laie it thereon, saieng that you meane to throwe all those three balles into your mouth at once: and holding a knife as a pen in your hand, when he is laieng it upon the point of your knife, you may easilie with the haft rap him on the fingers, for the other matter wilbe hard to doo.The xxiiii. Chapter.Of conveiance of monie.THEThe monie must not be of too small nor of too large a circumference for hindering of the conveiance.conveieng of monie is not much inferior to the ball, but much easier to doo. The principall place to keepe a peece of monie is the palme of your hand, the best peece to keepe is a testor; but with exercise all will be alike, except the mony be verie small, and then it is to be keptbetwixt the fingers, almost at the fingers end, whereas the ball is to be kept beelowe neere to the palme./To conveie monie out of one of your hands into the other by legierdemaine.325.FIrst you must hold open your right hand, & lay therin a testor, or some big peece of monie: then laie thereupon the top of your long left finger, and use words, and upon the sudden slip your right hand from your finger wherwith you held downe the testor, and bending your hand a verie little, you shall reteine the testor still therein: and suddenlie (I saie) drawing your right hand through your left, you shall seeme to have left the testor there speciallie when you shut in due time your left hand.This is prettie if it be cunninglie handled: for both the eare and the eie is deceived by this devise.Which/229.that it may more plainelie appeare to be trulie doone, you may take a knife, and seeme to knocke against it, so as it shall make a great sound: but in stead of knocking the peece in the left hand (where none is) you shall hold the point of the knife fast with the left hand, and knocke against the testor held in the other hand, and it will be thought to hit against the mony in the left hand. Then use words, and open your hand, and when nothing is seene, it will be woondered at how the testor was remooved.To convert or transubstantiate monie into counters, or counters into monie.ANother waie to deceive the lookers on, is to doo as before, with a testor; and keeping a counter in the palme of the left hand secretlie to seeme to put the testor thereinto; which being reteined still in the right hand, when the left hand is opened, the testor will seeme to be transubstantiated into a counter.To put one testor into one hand, and an other into the other hand, and with words to bring them togither.HEVarietie of trickes may be shewed in juggling with mony.that hath once atteined to the facilitie of reteining one peece of monie in his right hand, may shew a hundreth pleasant conceipts by that meanes, and may reserve two or three as well as one. And lo then may you seeme to put one peece into your left hand, and reteining it still in your right hand, you may togither therewith take up another like peece, and so with words seeme to bring both peeces togither./326.To put one testor into a strangers hand, and another into your owne, and to conveie both into the strangers hand with wordsALso you may take two testors evenlie set togither, and put the same in stead of one testor, into a strangers hand, and then making as though you did put one testor into your left hand, with words you shall make it seeme that you conveie the testor in your hand, into the strangers hand: for when you open your said left hand, there shall be nothing seene; and he opening his hand shall find two, where he thought was but one. By this devise (I saie) a hundreth conceipts may be shewed.How to doo the same or the like feate otherwise.TO keepe a testor, &c: betwixt your finger, serveth speciallie for this and such like purposes. Hold out your hand, and cause one to laie a testor upon the palme thereof, then shake the same up almost to your fingers ends, and putting your thombe upon it; you shall easilie, with a little practise, conveie the edge betwixt the middle and forefinger, whilest you profferYou must take heed that you be close and slie: or else you discredit the art.to put it into your other hand (provided alwaies that the edge appeere not through the fingers on the backside) which being doone, take up/230.another testor (which you may cause a stander by to laie downe) and put them both together, either closelie instead of one into a strangers hand, or keepe them still in your owne: & (after words spoken) open your hands, and there being nothing in one, and both peeces in the other, the beholders will woonder how they came togither.To throwe a peece of monie awaie, and to find it againe where you list.YOu may, with the middle or ringfinger of the right hand, conveie a testor into the palme of the same hand, & seeming to cast it awaie, keepe it still:Use and exercise maketh men readie and practive.which with confederacie will seeme strange; to wit, when you find it againe, where another hath bestowed the verie like peece. But these things without exercise cannot be doone, and therefore I will proceed to shew things to be/327.brought to passe by monie, with lesse difficultie; & yet as strange as the rest: which being unknowne are marvellouslie commended, but being knowne, are derided, & nothing at all regarded.With words to make a groat or a testor to leape out of a pot, or to run alongst upon a table.YOuThis feat is the stranger if it be doone by night; a candle placed betweene the lookers on & the juggler: for by that means their eiesight is hindered from discerning the conceit.shall see a juggler take a groat or a testor, and throwe it into a pot, or laie it in the midst of a table, & with inchanting words cause the same to leape out of the pot, or run towards him, or from him ward*[* = himward]alongst the table. Which will seeme miraculous, untill you knowe that it is doone with a long blacke haire of a womans head, fastened to the brim of a groat, by meanes of a little hole driven through the same with a Spanish needle. In like sort you may use a knife, or anie other small thing: but if you would have it go from you, you must have a confederate, by which meanes all juggling is graced and amended.To make a groat or a testor to sinke through a table, and to vanish out of a handkercher verie strangelie.A Juggler also sometimes will borrow a groat or a testor, &c: and marke it before you, and seeme to put the same into the middest of a handkercher, and wind it so, as you may the better see and feele it. Then will he take you the handkercher, and bid you feele whether the groat be there or naie; and he will also require you to put the same under a candlesticke, or some such thing. Then will he send for a bason, and holding the same under the boord right against the candlesticke, will use certeine words of inchantments; and in short space you shall heare the groat fall into the bason. This doone, one takes off the candlesticke, and the juggler taketh the handkercher by a tassell, and shaketh it; but the monie is gone: which seemeth as strange as anie feate whatsoever, but being knowne, the miracle is turned to a bable.A discoverie of this juggling knacke.For it is nothing else, but to sowe a groat into the corner of a handkercher, finelie covered with a peece of linnen, little bigger than your groat: which corner you must conveie in steed of the groat delivered to you, into the middle of your handkercher; leaving the other either in your hand/231.or lap, which afterwards you must/328.seeme to pull through the boord, letting it fall into a bason, &c.A notable tricke to transforme a counter to a groat.TAke a groat, or some lesse peece of monie, and grind it verie thin at the one side; and take two counters, and grind them, the one at the one side, the other on the other side: glew the smoothside of the groat to the smooth side of one of the counters, joining them so close together as may be, speciallie at the edges, which may be so filed, as they shall seeme to be but one peece; to wit, one side a counter, and the other side a groat.The juggler must have none of his trinkets wanting: besides that, it behooveth him to be mindfull, least he mistake his trickes.Then take a verie little greene waxe (for that is softest and therefore best) and laie it so upon the smooth side of the other counter, as it doo not much discolour the groat: and so will that counter with the groat cleave togither, as though they were glewed; and being filed even with the groat and the other counter, it will seeme so like a perfect entire counter, that though a stranger handle it, he shall not bewraie it; then having a little touched your forefinger, and the thombe of your right hand with soft waxe, take therewith this counterfet counter, and laie it downe openlie upon the palme of your left hand, in such sort as an auditor laieth downe his counters, wringing the same hard, so as you may leave the glewed counter with the groat apparentlie in the palme of your left hand; and the smooth side of the waxed counter will sticke fast upon your thombe, by reason of the wax wherwith it is smeered, and so may you hide it at your pleasure. Provided alwaies, that you laie the waxed side downeward, and the glewed side upward: then close your hand, and in or after the closing thereof turne the peece, & so in stead of a counter (which they suppose to be in your hand) you shall seeme to have a groat, to the astonishment of the beholders, if it be well handled./The xxv. Chapter.329.An excellent feat, to make a two penie peece lie plaine in the palme of your hand, and to be passed from thence when you list.PUT a little red wax (not too thin) upon the naile of your longest finger, then let a stranger put a two penie peece into the palme of your hand, and shut your fist suddenlie, and conveie the two penie peece upon the wax, which with use you may so accomplish, as no man shall perceive it. Then and in the meane time use *words* As, Ailif, casyl, zaze, hit mel meltat: Saturnus, Jupiter, Mars, Sol, Venus, Mercurie, Luna: or such like.of course, and suddenlie open your hand, holding the tippes of your fingers rather lower than higher than the palme of your hand, and the beholders will woonder where it is become. Then shut your hand suddenlie again, & laie a wager whether it be there or no; and you may either leave it there, or take it awaie with you at your pleasure. This (if it be will†[† for well]handled) hath more admiration than any other feat of the hand.Memorandum‡[‡ Rom.]this may be best handled, by putting the wax upon the two penie peece, but then must you laie it in your hand your selfe./To conveie a testor out of ones hand that holdeth it fast.232.STicke a little wax upon your thombe, and take a stander by by the finger, shewing him the testor, and telling him you will put the same into his hand: then wring it downe hard with your waxed thombe, and using many words looke him in the face, & as soone as you perceive him to looke in your face, or frō your hand, suddenlie take awaie your thombe, & close his hand, and so will it seeme to him that the testor remaineth: even as if you wring a testor upon ones forehead, it will seeme to sticke, when it is taken awaie, especiallie if it be wet. Then cause him to hold his hand still, and with speed put into another mans hand (or into your owne) two testors in stead of one, and use words of course, wher/by330.you shall make not onelie the beholders, but the holders beleeve, when they open their hands, that by inchantment you have brought both togither.To throwe a peece of monie into a deepe pond, and to fetch it againe from whence you list.THereIn these knacks of confederacie Feats had the name, whilest he lived.be a marvellous number of feats to be doone with monie, but if you will worke by private confederacie, as to marke a shilling, or anie other thing, and throwe the same into a river or deepe pond, and having hid a shilling before with like marks in some other secret place; bid some go presentlie & fetch it, making them beleeve, that it is the verie same which you threw into the river: the beholders will marvell much at it. And of such feats there may be doone a marvellous number; but manie more by publike confederacie, whereby one may tell another how much monie he hath in his pursse, and a hundreth like toies, and all with monie.To conveie one shilling being in one hand into another, holding your armes abroad like a rood.EVermoreA knacke more merrie than marvellous.it is necessarie to mingle some merie toies among your grave miracles, as in this case of monie, to take a shilling in each hand, and holding your armes abroad, to laie a wager that you will put them both into one hand, without bringing them anie whit neerer togither. The wager being made, hold your armes abroadlike a rood, and turning about with your bodie, laie the shilling out of one of your hands upon the table, and turning to the other side take it up with the other hand: and so you shall win your wager.How to rap a wag on the knuckles.DEliverAnother to the same purpose read in pag. 324.one peece of monie with the left hand to one, and to a second person another, and offer him that you would rap on the fingers the third; for he (though he be ungratious and subtill) seeing the other receive monie, will not lightlie refuse it: and when he offereth to take it, you may rap him on the fingers with a knife, or somewhat else held in the right/233.hand, saieng that you knew by your familiar, that he ment to have kept it from you./The xxvi. Chapter.331.To transforme anie one small thing into anie other forme by folding of paper.TAKE a sheete of paper, or a handkercher, and fold or double the same, so as one side be a little longer than an other: then put a counter betweene the two sides or leaves of the paper or handkercher, up to the middle of the top of the fold, holding the same so as it be not perceived, and laie a groat on the outside thereof, right against the counter, and fold it downe to the end of the longer side: and when you unfold it againe, the groat will be where the counter was, and the counter where the groat was; so as some will suppose that you have transubstantiated the monie into a counter, and with this manie feats may be doone.The like or rather stranger than it may be done, with two papers three inches square a peece, divided by two folds into three equall parts at either side, so as each folded paper remaine one inch square: then glew the backsides of the two papers together as they are folded, & not as they are open, & so shall both papers seeme to be but one; & which side soever you open, it shall appeare to be the same, if you hide handsomelie the bottome, as you may well doo with your middle finger, so as if you have a groat in the one and a counter in the other, you (having shewed but one) may by turning the paper seeme to transubstantiate it. This may be best performed, by putting it under a candlesticke, or a hat, &c: and with *words* Such as you shall find in pag. 323, & 329. in the marginal notes or some strange terms of your owne devising.seeme to doo the feat.The xxvii. Chapter.Of cards, with good cautions how to avoid cousenage therein: speciall rules to conveie and handle the cards, and the maner and order how to accomplish all difficult and strange things wrought with cards.HAVING now bestowed some waste monie among you, I will set you to cards; by which kind of witchcraft a great number of people have juggled awaie not onelie their monie, but also their lands,/332.their health, their time, and their honestie. I dare not (as I could) shew the lewd juggling that chetors practise, least it minister some offense to the well disposed, to the simple hurt and losses, and to the wicked occasion of evill dooing.Of dice plaie & the like unthriftie games, mark these two olde verses:Ludens taxillis bene respice quid sit in illis, Mors tua fors tua res tua spes tua pendet in illis: and remember them.But I would wish all gamesters to beware, not onlie with what cards and dice they plaie, but speciallie with whome & where they exercise gaming. And to let dice passe (as whereby a man maie be inevitablie cousened) one that is skilfull to make and use Bumcards, may undoo a hundreth wealthie men that are given to gaming: but if he have a confederate present, either of/234.the plaiers or standers by, the mischiefe cannot be avoided. If you plaie among strangers, beware of him that seemes simple or drunken; for under their habit the most speciall couseners are presented, & while you thinke by their simplicitie and imperfections to beguile them (and therof perchance are persuaded by their confederats, your verie freends as you thinke) you your selfe will be most of all overtaken. Beware also of bettors by, and lookers on, and namelie of them that bet on your side: for whilest they looke in your game without suspicion, they discover it by signes to your adversaries, with whome they bet, and yet are their confederates.But in shewing feats, and juggling with cards, the principall point consisteth in shuffling them nimblie, and alwaies keeping one certeine card either in the bottome, or in some knowne place of the stocke, foure or five cards from it. Hereby you shall seeme to worke woonders; for it will be easie for you to see or spie one card, which though you be perceived to doo, it will not be suspected, if you shuffle them well afterwards.Note.And this note I must give you, that in reserving the bottome card, you must alwaies (whilest you shuffle) keepe him a little before or a little behind all the cards lieng underneath him, bestowing him (I saie) either a little beyond his fellowes before, right over the forefinger, or else behind the rest, so as the littlefinger of the left hand may meete with it: which is the easier, the readier, and the better waie. In the beginning of your shuffling, shuffle as thicke as you can; and in the end throw upon the stocke the nether card (with so manie mo at the least as you would have preserved for anie purpose) a little before or behind the rest. Provided alwaies, that your forefinger, if the packe be laied before, or the little finger, if the packe lie be/hind,333.creepe up to meete with the bottome card, and not lie betwixt the cards: and when you feele it, you may there hold it, untill you have shuffled over the cards againe, still leaving your kept card below. Being perfect herein, you may doo almost what you list with the cards. By this meanes, what packe soever you make, though it consist of eight, twelve, or twentie cards, you may keepe them still together unsevered next to the nether card, and yet shuffle them often to satisfie the curious beholders. As for example, and for brevities sake, to shew you diverse feats under one.How to deliver out foure aces, and to convert them into foure knaves.MAke a packe of these eight cards; to wit, foure knaves and foure aces: and although all the eight cards must lie immediatlie together, yet must ech knave and ace be evenlie severed, and the same eight cards must lie also in the lowest place of the bunch.You must be well advised in the shuffling of the bunch, least you overshoot your selfe.Then shuffle them so, as alwaies at the second shuffling, or at least wise at the end of your shuffling the said packe, and of the packe one ace may lie nethermost, or so as you may know where he goeth and lieth: and alwaies (I saie) let your foresaid packe with three or foure cards more lie unseparablie together immediatlie upon and with that ace. Then using some speech or other devise, and putting your hands with the cards to the edge of the table to hide the action, let out privilie a peece of the second card, which is one of the knaves, holding/235.foorth the stocke in both your hands, and shewing to the standers by the nether card (which is the ace or kept card) covering also the head or peece of the knave (which is the next card) with your foure fingers, draw out the same knave, laieng it downe on the table: then shuffle againe, keeping your packe whole, and so have you two aces lieng together in the bottome. And therfore, to reforme that disordered card, as also for a grace and countenance to that action, take off the uppermost card of the bunch, and thrust it into the middest of the cards; and then take awaie the nethermost card, which is one of your said aces, and bestow him likewise. Then may you begin as before, shewing an other ace, and in steed thereof, laie downe an other knave: and so foorth, untill in steed of foure aces you/334.have laied downe foureknaves. The beholders all this while thinking that there lie foure aces on the table, are greatlie abused, and will marvell at the transformation.How to tell one what card he seeth in the bottome, when the same card is shuffled into the stocke.WHen you have seene a card privilie, or as though you marked it not, laie the same undermost, and shuffle the cards as before you are taught, till your card lie againe below in the bottome. Then shew the same to the beholders, willing them to remember it: then shuffle the cards, or let anie other shuffle them; for you know the card alreadie, and therefore may at anie time tell them what card they saw: which** For that will drawe the action into the greater admiration.neverthelesse would be done with great circumstance and shew of difficultie.An other waie to doo the same, having your selfe indeed never seene the card.IF you can see no card, or be suspected to have seene that which you meane to shew, then let a stander by first shuffle, and afterwards take you the cards into your hands, and (having shewed and not seene the bottome card) shuffle againe, and keepe the same card, as before you are taught; and either make shift then to see it when their suspicion is past, which maie be done by letting some cards fall, or else laie downe all the cards in heaps, remembring where you laid your bottome card. Then spie how manie cards lie in some one heape, and laie the heape where your bottome card is upon that heape, and all the other heapes upon the same: and so, if there were five cards in the heape wheron you laied your card, then the same must be the sixt card, which now you may throw out, or looke upon without suspicion: and tell them the card they saw.To tell one without confederacie what card he thinketh.LAie three cards on a table, a little waie distant, and bid a stander by be true and not waver,The eie bewraieth the thought.but thinke one of them three, and by his eie you shall assuredlie perceive which he both seeth and thinketh. And you shall doo the like, if you cast downe a whole/335.paire of cards with the faces upward,/236.wherof there will be few or none plainlie perceived, and they also coate cards. But as you cast them downe suddenlie, so must you take them up presentlie, marking both his eie and the card whereon he looketh.The xxviii. Chapter.How to tell what card anie man thinketh, how to conveie the same into a kernell of a nut or cheristone, &c: and the same againe into ones pocket: how to make one drawe the same or anie card you list, and all under one devise.TAKETricks with cards, &c: which must be doone with confederacie.a nut, or a cheristone, & burne a hole through the side of the top of the shell, and also through the kernell (if you will) with a hot bodkin, or boare it with a nall; and with the eie of a needle pull out some of the kernell, so as the same may be as wide as the hole of the shell. Then write the number or name of a card in a peece of fine paper one inch or halfe an inch in length, and halfe so much in bredth, and roll it up hard: then put it into a nut, or cheristone, and close the hole with a little red waxe, and rub the same with a litle dust, and it will not be perceived, if the nut or cheristone be browne or old. Then let your confederate thinke that card which you have in your nut, &c: and either conveie the same nut or cheristone into some bodies pocket, or laie it in some strange place: then make one drawe the same out of the stocke held in your hand, which by use you may well doo. But saie not; I will make you perforce draw such a card: but require some stander by to draw a card, saieng that it skils not what card he draw. And if your hand serve you to use the cards well, you shall prefer unto him, and he shall receive (even though he snatch at an other) the verie card which you kept, and your confederate thought, and is written in the nut, and hidden in the pocket, &c. You must (while you hold the stocke in your hands, tossing the cards to and fro) remember alwaies to keepe your card in your eie, and not to loose the sight thereof. Which feate, till you be perfect in, you may/336.have the same privilie marked; and when you perceive his hand readie to draw, put it a little out towards his hand, nimblie turning over the cards, as though you numbred them, holding the same more loose and open than the rest, in no wise suffering him to draw anie other: which if he should doo, you must let three or foure fall, that you may beginne againe. ¶ This will seeme most strange, if your said paper be inclosed in a button, and by confederacie sowed upon the doublet or cote of anie bodie.A merrie conceipt, the like whereof you shall find in pag. 324, & 330.This tricke they commonlie end with a nut full of inke, in which case some wag or unhappie boie is to be required to thinke a card; and having so doone, let the nut be delivered him to cracke, which he will not refuse to doo, if he have seene the other feate plaied before./The xxix. Chapter.237.Of fast or loose, how to knit a hard knot upon a handkercher, and to undoo the same with words.THEAegyptiansjuggling witchcraft or sortilegie standeth much in fast or loose, whereof though I have written somwhat generallie alreadie, yet having such oportunitie I will here shew some of their particular feats; not treating of their common tricks which is so tedious, nor of their fortune telling which is so impious; and yet both of them meere cousenages.Fast and loose with a handkercher.¶ Make one plaine loose knot, with the two corner ends of a handkercher, and seeming to draw the same verie hard, hold fast the bodie of the said handkercher (neere to the knot) with your right hand, pulling the contrarie end with the left hand, which is the corner of that which you hold. Then close up handsomlie the knot, which will be yet somewhat loose, and pull the handkercher so with your right hand, as the left hand end may be neere to the knot: then will it seeme a true and a firme knot. And to make it appeare more assuredlie to be so indeed, let a stranger pull at the end which you hold in your left hand, whilest you hold fast the other in your right hand: and then holding the knot with your forefinger & thombe, & the nether part of your handkercher with your other fingers,/337.as you hold a bridle when you would with one hand slip up the knot and lengthen your reines. This doone, turne your handkercher over the knot with the left hand, in dooing whereof you must suddenlie slip out the end or corner, putting up the knot of your handkercher with your forefinger and thombe, as you would put up the foresaid knot of your bridle. Then deliver the same (covered and wrapt in the middest of your handkercher) to one, to hold fast, and so after some words used, and wagers laied, take the handkercher and shake it, and it will be loose.A notable feate of fast or loose; namelie, to pull three beadstones from off a cord, while you hold fast the ends thereof, without remooving of your hand.TAkeFast or lose with whipcords and beades.two little whipcords of two foote long a peece, double them equallie, so as there may appeare foure ends. Then take three great beadstones, the hole of one of them beeing bigger than the rest; and put one beadstone upon the eie or bowt of the onecord, and an other on the other cord. Then take the stone with the greatest hole, and let both the bowts be hidden therein: which may be the better doone, if you put the eie of the one into the eie or bowt of the other. Then pull the middle bead upon the same, being doubled over his fellow, and so will the beads seeme to be put over the two cords without partition. For holding fast in each hand the two ends of the two cords, you may tosse them as you list, and make it seeme manifest to the beholders, which may not see how you have doone it, that the beadstons are put upon the two cords without anie fraud. Then must you seeme to adde more effectuall binding of those beadstones to the string, and make one/238.halfe of a knot with one of the ends of each side; which is for no other purpose,This conveiance must be closelie doone:Ergoit must be no bunglers worke.but that when the beadstones be taken awaie, the cords may be seene in the case which the beholders suppose them to be in before. For when you have made your halfe knot (which in anie wise you may not double to make a perfect knot) you must deliver into the hands of some stander by those two cords; namelie, two ends evenlie set in one hand, and two in the other, and then with a wager, &c: beginne to pull off your beadstones, &c: which if you handle nimblie, and in the end cause him to pull his two ends, the two cords will/338.shew to be placed plainelie, and the beadstones to have come through the cords. But these things are so hard and long to be described, that I will leave them; whereas I could shew great varietie.The xxx. Chapter.Juggling knacks by confederacie, and how to know whether one cast crosse or pile by the ringing.LAIE a wager with your confederate (who must seeme simple, or obstinatlie opposed against you) that standing behind a doore, you will (by the sound or ringing of the monie) tell him whether he cast crosse or pile: so as when you are gone, and he hath fillipped the monie before the witnesses who are to be cousened, he must saie;What is it? What ist? signes of confederacie.What is it, if it be crosse; or What ist, if it be pile: or some other such signe, as you are agreed upon, and so you need not faile to gesse rightlie. By this meanes (if you have anie invention) you may seeme to doo a hundreth miracles, and to discover the secrets of a mans thoughts, or words spoken a far off.To make a shoale of goslings drawe a timber log.TO make a shoale of goslings, or (as they saie) a gaggle of geese to seeme to drawe a timber log, is doone by that verie meanes that is used, when a cat dooth drawe a foole through a pond or river: but handled somewhat further off from the beholders.To make a pot or anie such thing standing fast on the cupboord, to fall downe thense by vertue of words.LEt a cupboord be so placed, as your confederate may hold a blacke thred without in the court, behind some window of that roome; and at a certeine lowd word spoken by you, he may pull the same thred, being woond about the pot, &c. And this was the feate ofEleazar,Eleazers feate of cōfederacie.whichJosephusreporteth to be such a miracle./To make one danse naked.339.MAke a poore boie confederate with you, so as after charmes, &c: spoken by you, he uncloth himselfe, and stand naked, seeming (whilest he undres/seth239.him) to shake, stampe, and crie, still hastening to be unclothed, till he be starke naked: or if you can procure none to go so far, let him onelie beginne to stampe and shake, &c: and to uncloth him, and then you may (for the reverence of the companie) seeme to release him.To transforme or alter the colour of ones cap or hat.TAke a confederates hat, and use certeine *words* As, Droch myroch, & senaroth betu baroch assmaaroth, roūsee farounsee, hey passe passe, &c: or such like strange words.over it, and deliver it to him againe, and let him seeme to be wroth, and cast it backe to you againe, affirming that his was a good new blacke hat, but this is an old blew hat, &c: and then you may seeme to countercharme it, and redeliver it, to his satisfaction.How to tell where a stollen horsse is become.BY meanes ofPope and Tailor cōfederates.confederacie,Steeven Tailorand onePopeabused divers countrie people. ForSteeven Tailorwould hide awaie his neighbours horsses, &c: and send them*[* ? then]toPope, (whom he before had told where they were) promising to send the parties unto him, whome he described and made knowne by divers signes: so as thisPopewould tell them at their first entrance unto the doore. Wherefore they came, and would saie that their horsses were stollen, but the theefe shouldbe forced to bring backe the horsses, &c: and leave them within one mile south and bywest, &c: of his house, even as the plot was laid, and the packe made before bySteevenand him. ThisPopeis said of some to be a witch, of others he is accompted a conjuror; but commonlie called a wise man, which is all one with a soothsaier or witch./The xxxi. Chapter.340.Boxes to alter one graine into another, or to consume the graine or corne to nothing.THERE be divers juggling boxes with false bottoms, wherein manie false feates are wrought. First they have a box covered or rather footed alike at each end, the bottome of the one end being no deeper than as it may conteine one lane of corne or pepper glewed thereupon. Then use they to put into the hollow endNote the maner of this conveiance.thereof some other kind of graine, ground or unground; then doo they cover it, and put it under a hat or candlesticke: and either in putting it therinto, or pulling it thence, they turne the box, and open the contrarie end, wherein is shewed a contrarie graine: or else they shew the glewed end first (which end they suddenlie thrust into a boll or bag of such graine as is glewed alreadie thereupon) and secondlie the emptie box./240.How to conveie (with words or charmes) the corne conteined in one box into an other.THere is another box fashioned like a bell, wherinto they doo put so much, and such corne or spice as the foresaid hollow box can conteine. Then they stop or cover the same with a peece of lether, as broad*[* = thick]as a testor, which being thrust up hard towards the midle part or waste of the said bell, will sticke fast, & beare up the corne. And if the edge of the leather be wet, it will hold the better. Then take they the other box dipped (as is aforesaid) in corne, and set downe the same upon the table,You must take heed that when the corne commeth out it cover & hide the leather, &c.the emptie end upward, saieng that they will conveie the graine therein into the other box or bell: which being set downe somewhat hard upon the table, the leather and the corne therein will fall downe, so as the said bell being taken up from the table, you shall see the corne lieng thereon, and the stopple will be hidden therwith, & covered: & when you uncover the other box, nothing shall remaine therein. But presentlie the corne must be swept downe with one hand into the other, or into your lap or hat.Manie feats maie be done with this box, as to put therein a tode, affirming the same to have beene so turned from corne, &c: and then manie beholders will/341.suppose the same to be the jugglers divell, whereby his feats and miracles are wrought. But in truth, there is more cunning witchcraft used in transferring of corne after this sort, than is in the transferring of one mans corne in the grasse into an other mans feeld: which†† See the 12 booke of this discoverie, in the titleHabar, cap. 4. pag. 220, 221.the lawe of the twelve tables dooth so forceablie condemne: for the one is a cousening slight, the other is a false lie.Of an other boxe to convert wheat into flower with words, &c.THere is an other boxe usuall among jugglers, with a bottome in the middle thereof, made for the like purposes. One other also like a tun, wherin is shewed great varietie of stuffe, as well of liquors as spices, and all by means of an other little tun within the same, wherein and whereon liquors and spices are shewed. But this would aske too long a time of description.Of diverse petie juggling knacks.These are such sleights that even a bungler may doo them: and yet prettie, &c.THere are manie other beggerlie feats able to beguile the simple, as to make an ote stir by spetting thereon, as though it came to passe by words. Item to deliver meale, pepper, ginger, or anie powder out of the mouth after the eating of bread, &c: which is doone by reteining anie of those things stuffed in a little paper or bladder conveied into your mouth, and grinding the same with your teeth. ¶ Item, a rish through a peece of a trencher, having three holes, and at the one side the rish appearing out in the second, at the other side in the third hole, by reason of a hollow place made betwixt them both, so as the slight consisteth in turning the peece of trencher./The xxxii. Chapter.241.To burne a thred, and to make it whole againe with the ashes thereof.ITMarke the maner of this conceit and devise.is not one of the woorst feats to burne a thred handsomelie, and to make it whole againe: the order whereof is this. Take two threds, or small laces, of one foote in length a peece: roll up one of/342.them round, which will be then of the quantitie of a pease, bestow the same betweene your leftforefinger and your thombe. Then take the other thred, and hold it foorth at length, betwixt the forefinger and thombe of each hand, holding all your fingers deintilie, as yong gentlewomen are taught to take up a morsell of meate.That is, neatlie and deintilie.Then let one cut asunder the same thred in the middle. When that is doone, put the tops of your two thombes together, and so shall you with lesse suspicion receive the peece of thred which you hold in your right hand into your left, without opening of your left finger and thombe: then holding these two peeces as you did the same before it was cut, let those two be cut also asunder in the middest, and they conveied againe as before, untill they be cut verie short, and then roll all those ends together, and keepe that ball of short threds before the other in your left hand, and with a knife thrust out the same into a candle, where you may hold it untill the said ball of short threds be burnt to ashes. Then pull backe the knife with your right hand, and leave the ashes with the other ball betwixt the forefinger and thombe of your left hand, and with the two thombs & two forefingers together seeme to take paines to frot and rub the ashes, untill your thred be renewed, andA thred cut in manie peeces and burned to ashes made whole againe.drawe out that thred at length which you kept all this while betwixt your left finger and thombe. This is not inferior to anie jugglers feate if it be well handled, for if you have legierdemaine to bestowe the same ball of thred, and to change it from place to place betwixt your other fingers (as may easilie be doone) then will it seeme verie strange.To cut a lace asunder in the middest, and to make it whole againe.BY a devise not much unlike to this, you may seeme to cut asunder any lace that hangeth about ones necke, or any point, girdle, or garter, &c: and with witchcraft or conjuration to make it whole and closed together againe. For the accomplishment whereof,The means discovered.provide (if you can) a peece of the lace, &c: which you meane to cut, or at the least a patterne like the same, one inch and a halfe long, & (keeping it double privilie in your left hand, betwixt some of your fingers neere to the tips thereof) take the other lace which you meane to cut, still hanging about ones necke,/343.and drawe downe your said left hand to the bought thereof: and putting your owne peece a little before the other (the end or rather middle whereof you must hide betwixt your forefinger and thombe) making the eie or bought, which shall be seene, of your owne patterne, let some stander by cut the same a/sunder,242.and it will be surelie thought that the other lace is cut; which with words and froting, &c: you shall seeme to renew & make whole againe. This, if it be well handled, will seeme miraculous.How to pull laces innumerable out of your mouth, of what colour or length you list, and never anie thing seene to be therein.AS for pulling laces out of the mouth, it is somewhat a stale jest, whereby jugglersA common juggling knacke of flat cousenage plaied among the simple, &c.gaine monie among maides, selling lace by the yard, putting into their mouths one round bottome as fast as they pull out an other, and at the just end of everie yard they tie a knot, so as the same resteth upon their teeth: then cut they off the same, and so the beholders are double and treble deceived, seeing as much lace as will be conteined in a hat, and the same of what colour you list to name, to be drawne by so even yards out of his mouth, and yet the juggler to talke as though there were nothing at all in his mouth.
That great matters may be wrought by this art, when princes esteeme and mainteine it: of divers woonderfull experiments, and of strange conclusions in glasses, of the art perspective, &c.
HOWBEIT, these are but trifles in respect of other experiments to this effect; speciallie when great princes mainteine & give countenance to students in those magicall arts, which in these countries and in this age is rather prohibited than allowed, by reason of the abuse commonlie coupled therewith; which in truth is it that mooveth admiration and estimation of miraculous workings. As for example. If I affirme, that with certeine charmes and popish praiers I can set an horsse or an asses head upon a mans shoulders, I shall not be beleeved; or if I doo it, I shall be thought a witch. And yet ifJ. Bap. Neap.experiments be true,Wonderfull experiments.it is no difficult matter to make it seeme so: and the charme of a witch or papist joined with the experiment, will also make the woonder seeme to proceed thereof. The words used in such case are uncerteine, and to be recited at the pleasure of the witch or cousener. But the conclusion is this: Cut off the head of a horsse or an asse (before they be dead) otherwise the vertue or strength thereof will be the lesse effectuall,To set an horsses or an asses head on a mans neck and shoulders,and make an earthern vessell of fit capacitie to conteine the same, and let it be filled with the oile and fat therof; cover it close, and dawbe it over with lome: let it boile over a soft fier three daies continuallie, that the flesh boiled may run into oile, so as the bare bones may be seene: beate the haire into powder, and mingle the same with the oile; and annoint the heads of the standers by, and they shall seeme to have horsses or asses heads. If beasts heads be annointed with the like oile made of a mans head, they shall seeme to have mens faces, as diverse authors soberlie affirme. If a lampe be annointed heerewith, everie thing shall seeme most monstrous. It is also written, that if that which is calledSpermain anie beast be bur/ned,316.and anie bodies face therewithall annointed, he shall seeme to have the like face as the beast had. But if you beate arsenicke verie fine, and boile it with a little sulphur in a covered pot, and kindle it with a new candle, the standers by will seeme to be hedlesse. Aqua composita and salt being fiered in the night, and all other lights extinguished, make the standers by seeme as dead. All these things might be verie well perceived and knowne, and also practised byJannesandJambres. But the woonderous devises, and miraculous sights and conceipts made and conteined in glasse,Strange things to be doone by perspective glasses.doo farre exceed all other; whereto the art perspective is verie necessarie. For it sheweth the illusions of them, whose experiments be seene in diverse sorts of glasses; as in the hallowe, the plaine, the embossed, the columnarie, the pyramidate or piked, the turbinall, the bounched, the round, the cornerd, the inversed, the eversed, the massie, the regular, the irregular, the coloured and cleare glasses: for you may have glasses so made, as what image or favour soever you print in your imagination, you shall thinke you see the same therein. Others are so framed, as therein one may see what others doo/223.in places far distant; others, wherby you shall see men hanging in the aire; others, whereby you may perceive men flieng in the aire; others, wherin you may see one comming, & another going; others, where one image shall seeme to be one hundred, &c. There be glasses also, wherein one man may see another mans image, and not his owne; others, to make manie similitudes; others, to make none at all. Others, contrarie to the use of all glasses, make the right side turne to the right, and the left side to the left; others, that burne beforeCōcerning these glasses remember that the eiesight is deceived: forNon est in speculo res quæ speculatur in eo.and behind; others, that represent not the images received within them, but cast them farre off in the aire, appearing like aierie images, and by the collection of sunne beames, with great force setteth fier (verie farre off) in everie thing that may be burned. There be cleare glasses, that make great things seeme little, things farre off to be at hand; and that which is neere, to be far off; such things as are over us, to seeme under us; and those that are under us, to be above us. There are some glasses also, that represent things in diverse colours, & them most gorgeous, speciallie any white thing. Finally, the thing most worthie of admiration concerning these glasses, is, that the lesser glass dooth lessen/317.the shape: but how big so ever it be, it maketh the shape no bigger than it is. And therforeAugustinethinketh some hidden mysterie to be therein.Vitellius, andJ. Bap. Neap.write largelie hereof. These I have for the most part seene, and have the receipt how to make them: which, if desire of brevitie had not forbidden me, I would here have set downe. But I thinke not butPharaosmagicians had better experience than I for those and such like devises. And (asPompanaciussaith) it is most true, that someRash opinion can never judge soundlie.for these feats have beene accounted saints, some other witches. And therefore I saie, that the pope maketh rich witches, saints; and burneth the poore witches.
A comparison betwixt Pharaos magicians and our witches, and how their cunning consisted in juggling knacks.
THUS you see that it hath pleased GOD to shew unto men that seeke for knowledge, such cunning in finding out, compounding, and framing of strange and secret things, as thereby he seemeth to have bestowed upon man, some part of his divinitie. Howbeit, God (of nothing, with his word) hath created all things, and dooth at his will, beyond the power and also the reach of man, accomplish whatsoever he list. And such miracles in times past he wrought by the hands of his prophets, as here he did byMosesAn apish imitation in Jannes and Jambres of working woonders.in the presence ofPharao, whichJannesandJambresapishlie followed. But to affirme that they by themselves, or by all the divels in hell, could doo indeed asMosesdid by the power of the Holie-ghost, is woorsse than infidelitie. If anie object and saie, that our witches can doo such feats with words and charms, asPharaosmagicians did by their art, I denie it; and all the world will never beable to shew it.Jo. Calvine, lib. institut. 1. cap. 8.Cle. recog. 3.That which they did, was openlie done; as our witches and conjurors never doo anie/224.thing: so as these cannot doo as they did. And yet (asCalvinesaith of them) they were but jugglers. Neither could they doo, as manie/318.suppose. For asClemenssaith; These magicians did rather seeme to doo these woonders, than worke them indeed. And if they made but prestigious shewes of things, I saie it was more than our witches can doo. For witchcrafts (asErastusErast. in disputat. de lamiis.himselfe confesseth in drift of argument) are but old wives fables. If the magicians serpent had beene a verie serpent, it must needs have beene transformed out of the rod. And therein had beene a double worke of God; to wit, the qualifieng and extinguishment of one substance, and the creation of another. Which areActions unpossible to divels:Ergoto witches conjurors, &c.actions beyond the divels power, for he can neither make a bodie to be no bodie, nor yet no bodie to be a bodie; as to make something nothing, and nothing something; and contrarie things, one: naie, they cannot make one haire either white or blacke.*[* Matt. 5, 36]IfPharaosmagicians had made verie frogs upon a sudden, whie could they not drive them awaie againe? If they could not hurt the frogs, whie should we thinke that they could make them? Or that our witches, which cannot doo so much as counterfet them, can kill cattell and other creatures with words or wishes? And therefore I saie withJamblichus,Jamb. de mysteriis.Quæ fascinati imaginamur, præter imaginamenta nullā habent actionis & essentiæ veritatem; Such things as we being bewitched doo imagine, have no truth at all either of action or essence, beside the bare imagination.
That the serpents and frogs were trulie presented, and the water poisoned indeed by Jannes and Jambres, of false prophets, and of their miracles, of Balams asse.
TRUELIE I thinke there were no inconvenience granted, though I should admit that the serpent and frogs were truelie presented, and the water truelie poisoned byJannesandJambres;Pharaos magicians were not maisters of their owne actions.not that they could execute such miracles of themselves, or by their familiars or divels: but that God, by the hands of those counterfet couseners, contrarie to their owne expectations, overtooke them, and compelled them in their ridiculous wickednes to be/319.instruments of his will and vengeance, upon their maisterPharao: so as by their hands God shewed some miracles, which he himselfewrought: as appeareth inExodus.Exod. 10.For God did put the spirit of truth intoBaalamsmouth, who was hiered to cursse his people. And although he were a corrupt and false prophet, and went about a mischeevous enterprise;God useth the wicked as instruments to execute his counsels & judgments.yet God made him an instrument (against his will) to the confusion of the wicked. Which if it pleased God to doo here, as a speciall worke, whereby to shew his omnipotencie, to the confirmation of his peoples faith, in the doctrine of their Messias delivered unto them by the prophetMoses, then was it miraculous and extraordinarie, and not to be looked for now. And (as some suppose) there were then a consort or crew of false prophets, which could also foretell things to come, and worke miracles. I answer, it was extraordinarie and miraculous, & that it pleased God so/225.to trie his people; but he worketh not so in these daies: for the working of miracles is ceased.The contrarie effects that the miracles of Moses and the miracles of the Aegyptian magiciās wroght in the hart of Pharao.Likewise in this case it might well stand with Gods glorie, to use the hands ofPharaosmagicians, towards the hardening of their maisters hart; and to make their illusions and ridiculous conceipts to become effectuall. For God had promised and determined to harden the heart ofPharao. As for the miracles whichMosesdid, they mollified it so, as he alwaies relented upon the sight of the same. For unto the greatnesse of his miracles were added such modestie and patience, as might have mooved even a heart of steele or flint. ButPharaosfrowardnes alwaies grew upon the magicians actions: the like example, or the resemblance whereof, we find not againe in the scriptures. And though there were such people in those daies suffered and used by God, for the accomplishment of his will and secret purpose: yet it followeth not, that now, when Gods will is wholie revealed unto us in his word, and his sonne exhibited (for whome, or rather for the manifestation of whose comming all those things were suffered or wrought) such things and such people should yet continue. So as I conclude, the cause being taken awaie, the thing proceeding thence remaineth not. And to assigne our witches and conjurors their roome, is to mocke and contemne Gods woonderfull works; and to oppose against them cousenages, juggling knacks, and things of nought. And therefore, as they must/320.confesse, that none in these daies can doo asMosesdid: so it may be answered, that none in these daies can doo asJannesandJambresdid: who, if they had beene false prophets, as they were jugglers, had yet beene more privileged to exceed our old women or conjurors, in the accomplishing of miracles, or in prophesieng, &c. For who may be compared withBalaam? Naie, I dare saie, thatBalaamsasse wrought a greater miracle, and more supernaturall, than either the pope or all the conjurors and witches in the world can doo at this daie.
That the art of juggling is more, or at least no les strange in working miracles than conjuring, witchcraft, &c.To conclude, it is to be avouched (and there be proofes manifest enough) that our jugglers approch much neerer to resemblePharaosmagicians, than either witches or conjurors, & can make a more livelie shew of working miracles than anie inchantors can doo: for these practise to shew that in action, which witches doo in words and termes. But that you may thinke I have reason for the maintenance of mine opinion in this behalfe, I will surcease by multitude of words to amplifie this place, referring you to the tract following of the art of juggling, where you shall read strange practises and cunning conveiances; which bicause they cannot so convenientlie be described by phrase of speech, as that they should presentlie sinke into the capacitie of you that would be practitioners of the same; I have caused them to be set foorth in forme and figure, that your understanding might be somewhat helped by instrumentall demonstrations. And when you have perused that whole discoverie of juggling, compare the wonders thereof with the woonders imputed to conjurors and witches, (not omittingPharaossorcerers at anie hand in this comparison) and I beleeve you will be resolved, that the miracles doone inPharaossight by them, and the miracles ascribed unto witches, conjurors, &c: may be well taken for false miracles, meere delusions, &c: and for such actions as are commonlie practised by cunning jugglers; be it either by legierdemaine, confederacie, or otherwise.//
The art of juggling discovered, and in what points it dooth principallie consist.
NOW because such occasion is ministred, and the matter so pertinent to my purpose, and also the life of witchcraft and cousenage so manifestlie delivered in the art of juggling; I thought good to discover it, together with the rest of the other deceiptfull arts; being sorie that it falleth out to my lot, to laie open the secrets of this mysterie, to the hinderance of such poore men as live thereby: whose dooings herein are not onlie tollerable,In what respects juggling is tollerable and also commendable.but greatlie commendable, so they abuse not the name of God, nor make the people attribute unto them his power; but alwaies acknowledge wherein the art consisteth, so as thereby the other unlawfull and impious arts may be by them the rather detected and bewraied.
The true art therefore of juggling consisteth in legierdemaine; to wit, the nimble conveiance of the hand, which is especiallie performed three waies.The three principall points wherein legierdemaine or nimblenes of hand dooth consist.The first and principall consisteth in hiding and conveieng of balles, the second in the alteration of monie, the third in the shuffeling of the cards. He that is expert in these may shew much pleasure, and manie feats, and hath more cunning than all other witches or magicians. All other parts of this art are taught when they are discovered: but this part cannot be taught by any description or instruction, without great exercise and expense of time. And for as much as I professe rather to discover than teach these mysteries, it shall suffice to signifie unto you, that the endevor and drift of jugglers is onelie to abuse mens eies and judgements. Now therefore my meaning is, in words as plaine as I can, to rip up certeine proper tricks of that art; whereof some are pleasant and delectable, other some dreadfull and desperate, and all but meere delusions, or counterfet actions, as you shall soone see by due observation of everie knacke by me heereafter deciphered./
Of the ball, and the manner of legierdemaine therewith, also notable feats with one or diverse balles.
CONCERNINGGreat varietie of plaie with the balles, &c.the ball, the plaies & devises thereof are infinite, in somuch as if you can by use handle them well, you may shewe therewith a hundreth feats. But whether you seeme to throw the ball into your left hand, or into your mouth, or into a pot, or up into the aier, &c: it is to be kept still in your right hand. If you practise first with a leaden bullet, you shall the sooner and better doo it with balles of corke. The first place at your first learning, where you are to bestow a great ball, is in the palme of your hand, with your ringfinger: but a small ball is to be placed with your/227.thombe, betwixt your ringfinger and midlefinger, then are you to practise to doo it betwixt the other fingers, then betwixt the forefinger and the thombe, with the forefinger and midlefinger jointlie, and therein is the greatest and strangest cunning shewed.These feats are nimbly, cleanly, & swiftly to be conveied; so as the eies of the beholders may not discerne or perceive the drift.Lastlie the same small ball is to be practised in the palme of the hand, and by use you shall not onelie seeme to put anie one ball from you, and yet reteine it in your hand; but you shall keepe foure or five as cleanelie and certeinelie as one. This being atteined unto, you shall worke woonderfull feats: as for example.
Laie three or foure balles before you, and as manie small candlesticks, bolles, saltsellers, or saltseller covers, which is the best. Then first seeme to put one ball into your left hand, and therwithall seeme to hold the same fast: then take one of the candlesticks, or anie other thing (having a hollow foot, & not being too great) and seeme to put the ball which is thought to be in your left hand, underneath the same, and so under the other candlesticks seeme to bestow the other balles: and all this whileMemorandum that the juggler must set a good grace on the matter: for that is verie requisite.the beholders will suppose each ball to be under each candlesticke: this doone, some charme or forme of words is commonlie used. Then take up one candlesticke with one hand, and blow, saieng; Lo, you see that is/323.gone: & so likewise looke under ech candlesticke with like grace and words, & the beholders will woonder where they are become. But if you, in lifting up the candlesticks with your right hand, leave all those three or foure balles under one of them (as by use you may easilie doo, having turned them all downe into your hand, and holding them fast with your little and ringfingers) and take the candlesticke with your other fingers, and cast the balles up into the hollownes thereof (for so they will not roll so soone awaie) the standers by will be much astonied. But it will seeme woonderfull strange, if also in shewing how there remaineth nothing under an other of those candlesticks, taken up with your left hand, you leave behind you a great ball, or anie other thing, the miracle will be the greater. For first they thinke you have pulled awaie all the balles by miracle; then, that you have brought them all togither againe by like meanes, and they neither thinke nor looke that anie other thing remaineth behind under anie of them. And therefore, after manie other feats doone, returne to your candlesticks, remembring where you left the great ball, and in no wise touch the same; but having an other like ball about you, seeme to bestow the same in maner and forme aforesaid, under a candlesticke which standeth furthest frō that where the ball lieth. And when you shall with *wordsAs, Hey, fortuna furie, nunquam credo, passe, passe, when come you sirra:See pag.147.or charmes seeme to conveie the same ball from under the same candlesticke, and afterward bring it under the candlesticke which you touched not, it will (I saie) seeme woonderfull strange.
TAke a verie great ball in your left hand, or three indifferent big balles; and shewing one or three little balles, seeme to put them into your said left hand, concealing (as you may well doo) the other balles which were there in before: then use words, and makethem seeme to swell, and open your hand, &c. This plaie is to be varied a hundreth waies: for as you find them all under one candlesticke, so may you go to a stander by, and take off/228.his hat or cap, and shew the balles to be there, by conveieng them thereinto, as you turne the bottome upward./
IF you take one ball, or more, & seeme to put it into your other hand, and whilest you use charming words, you conveie them out of your right hand into your lap; it will seeme strange. For when you open your left hand immediatlie, the sharpest lookers on will saie it is in your other hand, which also then you may open; & when they see nothing there, they are greatlie overtaken.
BUt I will leave to speake anie more of the ball, for herein I might hold you all daie, and yet shall I not be able to teach you to use it, nor scarslie to understand what I meane or write concerning it: but certeinelie manie are persuaded that it is a spirit or a flie, &c.Memorandum,*[* Rom.]that alwaies the right hand be kept open and streight, onlie keepe the palme from view. And therefore you may end with this miracle. ¶ Laie one ball upon your shoulder, an other on your arme, and the third on the table:This feate tendeth cheefelie to the mooving of laughter and mirth.which because it is round, and will not easilie lie upon the point of your knife, you must bid a stander by laie it thereon, saieng that you meane to throwe all those three balles into your mouth at once: and holding a knife as a pen in your hand, when he is laieng it upon the point of your knife, you may easilie with the haft rap him on the fingers, for the other matter wilbe hard to doo.
Of conveiance of monie.
THEThe monie must not be of too small nor of too large a circumference for hindering of the conveiance.conveieng of monie is not much inferior to the ball, but much easier to doo. The principall place to keepe a peece of monie is the palme of your hand, the best peece to keepe is a testor; but with exercise all will be alike, except the mony be verie small, and then it is to be keptbetwixt the fingers, almost at the fingers end, whereas the ball is to be kept beelowe neere to the palme./
FIrst you must hold open your right hand, & lay therin a testor, or some big peece of monie: then laie thereupon the top of your long left finger, and use words, and upon the sudden slip your right hand from your finger wherwith you held downe the testor, and bending your hand a verie little, you shall reteine the testor still therein: and suddenlie (I saie) drawing your right hand through your left, you shall seeme to have left the testor there speciallie when you shut in due time your left hand.This is prettie if it be cunninglie handled: for both the eare and the eie is deceived by this devise.Which/229.that it may more plainelie appeare to be trulie doone, you may take a knife, and seeme to knocke against it, so as it shall make a great sound: but in stead of knocking the peece in the left hand (where none is) you shall hold the point of the knife fast with the left hand, and knocke against the testor held in the other hand, and it will be thought to hit against the mony in the left hand. Then use words, and open your hand, and when nothing is seene, it will be woondered at how the testor was remooved.
ANother waie to deceive the lookers on, is to doo as before, with a testor; and keeping a counter in the palme of the left hand secretlie to seeme to put the testor thereinto; which being reteined still in the right hand, when the left hand is opened, the testor will seeme to be transubstantiated into a counter.
HEVarietie of trickes may be shewed in juggling with mony.that hath once atteined to the facilitie of reteining one peece of monie in his right hand, may shew a hundreth pleasant conceipts by that meanes, and may reserve two or three as well as one. And lo then may you seeme to put one peece into your left hand, and reteining it still in your right hand, you may togither therewith take up another like peece, and so with words seeme to bring both peeces togither./
ALso you may take two testors evenlie set togither, and put the same in stead of one testor, into a strangers hand, and then making as though you did put one testor into your left hand, with words you shall make it seeme that you conveie the testor in your hand, into the strangers hand: for when you open your said left hand, there shall be nothing seene; and he opening his hand shall find two, where he thought was but one. By this devise (I saie) a hundreth conceipts may be shewed.
TO keepe a testor, &c: betwixt your finger, serveth speciallie for this and such like purposes. Hold out your hand, and cause one to laie a testor upon the palme thereof, then shake the same up almost to your fingers ends, and putting your thombe upon it; you shall easilie, with a little practise, conveie the edge betwixt the middle and forefinger, whilest you profferYou must take heed that you be close and slie: or else you discredit the art.to put it into your other hand (provided alwaies that the edge appeere not through the fingers on the backside) which being doone, take up/230.another testor (which you may cause a stander by to laie downe) and put them both together, either closelie instead of one into a strangers hand, or keepe them still in your owne: & (after words spoken) open your hands, and there being nothing in one, and both peeces in the other, the beholders will woonder how they came togither.
YOu may, with the middle or ringfinger of the right hand, conveie a testor into the palme of the same hand, & seeming to cast it awaie, keepe it still:Use and exercise maketh men readie and practive.which with confederacie will seeme strange; to wit, when you find it againe, where another hath bestowed the verie like peece. But these things without exercise cannot be doone, and therefore I will proceed to shew things to be/327.brought to passe by monie, with lesse difficultie; & yet as strange as the rest: which being unknowne are marvellouslie commended, but being knowne, are derided, & nothing at all regarded.
YOuThis feat is the stranger if it be doone by night; a candle placed betweene the lookers on & the juggler: for by that means their eiesight is hindered from discerning the conceit.shall see a juggler take a groat or a testor, and throwe it into a pot, or laie it in the midst of a table, & with inchanting words cause the same to leape out of the pot, or run towards him, or from him ward*[* = himward]alongst the table. Which will seeme miraculous, untill you knowe that it is doone with a long blacke haire of a womans head, fastened to the brim of a groat, by meanes of a little hole driven through the same with a Spanish needle. In like sort you may use a knife, or anie other small thing: but if you would have it go from you, you must have a confederate, by which meanes all juggling is graced and amended.
A Juggler also sometimes will borrow a groat or a testor, &c: and marke it before you, and seeme to put the same into the middest of a handkercher, and wind it so, as you may the better see and feele it. Then will he take you the handkercher, and bid you feele whether the groat be there or naie; and he will also require you to put the same under a candlesticke, or some such thing. Then will he send for a bason, and holding the same under the boord right against the candlesticke, will use certeine words of inchantments; and in short space you shall heare the groat fall into the bason. This doone, one takes off the candlesticke, and the juggler taketh the handkercher by a tassell, and shaketh it; but the monie is gone: which seemeth as strange as anie feate whatsoever, but being knowne, the miracle is turned to a bable.A discoverie of this juggling knacke.For it is nothing else, but to sowe a groat into the corner of a handkercher, finelie covered with a peece of linnen, little bigger than your groat: which corner you must conveie in steed of the groat delivered to you, into the middle of your handkercher; leaving the other either in your hand/231.or lap, which afterwards you must/328.seeme to pull through the boord, letting it fall into a bason, &c.
TAke a groat, or some lesse peece of monie, and grind it verie thin at the one side; and take two counters, and grind them, the one at the one side, the other on the other side: glew the smoothside of the groat to the smooth side of one of the counters, joining them so close together as may be, speciallie at the edges, which may be so filed, as they shall seeme to be but one peece; to wit, one side a counter, and the other side a groat.The juggler must have none of his trinkets wanting: besides that, it behooveth him to be mindfull, least he mistake his trickes.Then take a verie little greene waxe (for that is softest and therefore best) and laie it so upon the smooth side of the other counter, as it doo not much discolour the groat: and so will that counter with the groat cleave togither, as though they were glewed; and being filed even with the groat and the other counter, it will seeme so like a perfect entire counter, that though a stranger handle it, he shall not bewraie it; then having a little touched your forefinger, and the thombe of your right hand with soft waxe, take therewith this counterfet counter, and laie it downe openlie upon the palme of your left hand, in such sort as an auditor laieth downe his counters, wringing the same hard, so as you may leave the glewed counter with the groat apparentlie in the palme of your left hand; and the smooth side of the waxed counter will sticke fast upon your thombe, by reason of the wax wherwith it is smeered, and so may you hide it at your pleasure. Provided alwaies, that you laie the waxed side downeward, and the glewed side upward: then close your hand, and in or after the closing thereof turne the peece, & so in stead of a counter (which they suppose to be in your hand) you shall seeme to have a groat, to the astonishment of the beholders, if it be well handled./
An excellent feat, to make a two penie peece lie plaine in the palme of your hand, and to be passed from thence when you list.
PUT a little red wax (not too thin) upon the naile of your longest finger, then let a stranger put a two penie peece into the palme of your hand, and shut your fist suddenlie, and conveie the two penie peece upon the wax, which with use you may so accomplish, as no man shall perceive it. Then and in the meane time use *words* As, Ailif, casyl, zaze, hit mel meltat: Saturnus, Jupiter, Mars, Sol, Venus, Mercurie, Luna: or such like.of course, and suddenlie open your hand, holding the tippes of your fingers rather lower than higher than the palme of your hand, and the beholders will woonder where it is become. Then shut your hand suddenlie again, & laie a wager whether it be there or no; and you may either leave it there, or take it awaie with you at your pleasure. This (if it be will†[† for well]handled) hath more admiration than any other feat of the hand.Memorandum‡[‡ Rom.]this may be best handled, by putting the wax upon the two penie peece, but then must you laie it in your hand your selfe./
STicke a little wax upon your thombe, and take a stander by by the finger, shewing him the testor, and telling him you will put the same into his hand: then wring it downe hard with your waxed thombe, and using many words looke him in the face, & as soone as you perceive him to looke in your face, or frō your hand, suddenlie take awaie your thombe, & close his hand, and so will it seeme to him that the testor remaineth: even as if you wring a testor upon ones forehead, it will seeme to sticke, when it is taken awaie, especiallie if it be wet. Then cause him to hold his hand still, and with speed put into another mans hand (or into your owne) two testors in stead of one, and use words of course, wher/by330.you shall make not onelie the beholders, but the holders beleeve, when they open their hands, that by inchantment you have brought both togither.
THereIn these knacks of confederacie Feats had the name, whilest he lived.be a marvellous number of feats to be doone with monie, but if you will worke by private confederacie, as to marke a shilling, or anie other thing, and throwe the same into a river or deepe pond, and having hid a shilling before with like marks in some other secret place; bid some go presentlie & fetch it, making them beleeve, that it is the verie same which you threw into the river: the beholders will marvell much at it. And of such feats there may be doone a marvellous number; but manie more by publike confederacie, whereby one may tell another how much monie he hath in his pursse, and a hundreth like toies, and all with monie.
EVermoreA knacke more merrie than marvellous.it is necessarie to mingle some merie toies among your grave miracles, as in this case of monie, to take a shilling in each hand, and holding your armes abroad, to laie a wager that you will put them both into one hand, without bringing them anie whit neerer togither. The wager being made, hold your armes abroadlike a rood, and turning about with your bodie, laie the shilling out of one of your hands upon the table, and turning to the other side take it up with the other hand: and so you shall win your wager.
DEliverAnother to the same purpose read in pag. 324.one peece of monie with the left hand to one, and to a second person another, and offer him that you would rap on the fingers the third; for he (though he be ungratious and subtill) seeing the other receive monie, will not lightlie refuse it: and when he offereth to take it, you may rap him on the fingers with a knife, or somewhat else held in the right/233.hand, saieng that you knew by your familiar, that he ment to have kept it from you./
To transforme anie one small thing into anie other forme by folding of paper.
TAKE a sheete of paper, or a handkercher, and fold or double the same, so as one side be a little longer than an other: then put a counter betweene the two sides or leaves of the paper or handkercher, up to the middle of the top of the fold, holding the same so as it be not perceived, and laie a groat on the outside thereof, right against the counter, and fold it downe to the end of the longer side: and when you unfold it againe, the groat will be where the counter was, and the counter where the groat was; so as some will suppose that you have transubstantiated the monie into a counter, and with this manie feats may be doone.
The like or rather stranger than it may be done, with two papers three inches square a peece, divided by two folds into three equall parts at either side, so as each folded paper remaine one inch square: then glew the backsides of the two papers together as they are folded, & not as they are open, & so shall both papers seeme to be but one; & which side soever you open, it shall appeare to be the same, if you hide handsomelie the bottome, as you may well doo with your middle finger, so as if you have a groat in the one and a counter in the other, you (having shewed but one) may by turning the paper seeme to transubstantiate it. This may be best performed, by putting it under a candlesticke, or a hat, &c: and with *words* Such as you shall find in pag. 323, & 329. in the marginal notes or some strange terms of your owne devising.seeme to doo the feat.
Of cards, with good cautions how to avoid cousenage therein: speciall rules to conveie and handle the cards, and the maner and order how to accomplish all difficult and strange things wrought with cards.
HAVING now bestowed some waste monie among you, I will set you to cards; by which kind of witchcraft a great number of people have juggled awaie not onelie their monie, but also their lands,/332.their health, their time, and their honestie. I dare not (as I could) shew the lewd juggling that chetors practise, least it minister some offense to the well disposed, to the simple hurt and losses, and to the wicked occasion of evill dooing.Of dice plaie & the like unthriftie games, mark these two olde verses:Ludens taxillis bene respice quid sit in illis, Mors tua fors tua res tua spes tua pendet in illis: and remember them.But I would wish all gamesters to beware, not onlie with what cards and dice they plaie, but speciallie with whome & where they exercise gaming. And to let dice passe (as whereby a man maie be inevitablie cousened) one that is skilfull to make and use Bumcards, may undoo a hundreth wealthie men that are given to gaming: but if he have a confederate present, either of/234.the plaiers or standers by, the mischiefe cannot be avoided. If you plaie among strangers, beware of him that seemes simple or drunken; for under their habit the most speciall couseners are presented, & while you thinke by their simplicitie and imperfections to beguile them (and therof perchance are persuaded by their confederats, your verie freends as you thinke) you your selfe will be most of all overtaken. Beware also of bettors by, and lookers on, and namelie of them that bet on your side: for whilest they looke in your game without suspicion, they discover it by signes to your adversaries, with whome they bet, and yet are their confederates.
But in shewing feats, and juggling with cards, the principall point consisteth in shuffling them nimblie, and alwaies keeping one certeine card either in the bottome, or in some knowne place of the stocke, foure or five cards from it. Hereby you shall seeme to worke woonders; for it will be easie for you to see or spie one card, which though you be perceived to doo, it will not be suspected, if you shuffle them well afterwards.Note.And this note I must give you, that in reserving the bottome card, you must alwaies (whilest you shuffle) keepe him a little before or a little behind all the cards lieng underneath him, bestowing him (I saie) either a little beyond his fellowes before, right over the forefinger, or else behind the rest, so as the littlefinger of the left hand may meete with it: which is the easier, the readier, and the better waie. In the beginning of your shuffling, shuffle as thicke as you can; and in the end throw upon the stocke the nether card (with so manie mo at the least as you would have preserved for anie purpose) a little before or behind the rest. Provided alwaies, that your forefinger, if the packe be laied before, or the little finger, if the packe lie be/hind,333.creepe up to meete with the bottome card, and not lie betwixt the cards: and when you feele it, you may there hold it, untill you have shuffled over the cards againe, still leaving your kept card below. Being perfect herein, you may doo almost what you list with the cards. By this meanes, what packe soever you make, though it consist of eight, twelve, or twentie cards, you may keepe them still together unsevered next to the nether card, and yet shuffle them often to satisfie the curious beholders. As for example, and for brevities sake, to shew you diverse feats under one.
MAke a packe of these eight cards; to wit, foure knaves and foure aces: and although all the eight cards must lie immediatlie together, yet must ech knave and ace be evenlie severed, and the same eight cards must lie also in the lowest place of the bunch.You must be well advised in the shuffling of the bunch, least you overshoot your selfe.Then shuffle them so, as alwaies at the second shuffling, or at least wise at the end of your shuffling the said packe, and of the packe one ace may lie nethermost, or so as you may know where he goeth and lieth: and alwaies (I saie) let your foresaid packe with three or foure cards more lie unseparablie together immediatlie upon and with that ace. Then using some speech or other devise, and putting your hands with the cards to the edge of the table to hide the action, let out privilie a peece of the second card, which is one of the knaves, holding/235.foorth the stocke in both your hands, and shewing to the standers by the nether card (which is the ace or kept card) covering also the head or peece of the knave (which is the next card) with your foure fingers, draw out the same knave, laieng it downe on the table: then shuffle againe, keeping your packe whole, and so have you two aces lieng together in the bottome. And therfore, to reforme that disordered card, as also for a grace and countenance to that action, take off the uppermost card of the bunch, and thrust it into the middest of the cards; and then take awaie the nethermost card, which is one of your said aces, and bestow him likewise. Then may you begin as before, shewing an other ace, and in steed thereof, laie downe an other knave: and so foorth, untill in steed of foure aces you/334.have laied downe foureknaves. The beholders all this while thinking that there lie foure aces on the table, are greatlie abused, and will marvell at the transformation.
WHen you have seene a card privilie, or as though you marked it not, laie the same undermost, and shuffle the cards as before you are taught, till your card lie againe below in the bottome. Then shew the same to the beholders, willing them to remember it: then shuffle the cards, or let anie other shuffle them; for you know the card alreadie, and therefore may at anie time tell them what card they saw: which** For that will drawe the action into the greater admiration.neverthelesse would be done with great circumstance and shew of difficultie.
IF you can see no card, or be suspected to have seene that which you meane to shew, then let a stander by first shuffle, and afterwards take you the cards into your hands, and (having shewed and not seene the bottome card) shuffle againe, and keepe the same card, as before you are taught; and either make shift then to see it when their suspicion is past, which maie be done by letting some cards fall, or else laie downe all the cards in heaps, remembring where you laid your bottome card. Then spie how manie cards lie in some one heape, and laie the heape where your bottome card is upon that heape, and all the other heapes upon the same: and so, if there were five cards in the heape wheron you laied your card, then the same must be the sixt card, which now you may throw out, or looke upon without suspicion: and tell them the card they saw.
LAie three cards on a table, a little waie distant, and bid a stander by be true and not waver,The eie bewraieth the thought.but thinke one of them three, and by his eie you shall assuredlie perceive which he both seeth and thinketh. And you shall doo the like, if you cast downe a whole/335.paire of cards with the faces upward,/236.wherof there will be few or none plainlie perceived, and they also coate cards. But as you cast them downe suddenlie, so must you take them up presentlie, marking both his eie and the card whereon he looketh.
How to tell what card anie man thinketh, how to conveie the same into a kernell of a nut or cheristone, &c: and the same againe into ones pocket: how to make one drawe the same or anie card you list, and all under one devise.
TAKETricks with cards, &c: which must be doone with confederacie.a nut, or a cheristone, & burne a hole through the side of the top of the shell, and also through the kernell (if you will) with a hot bodkin, or boare it with a nall; and with the eie of a needle pull out some of the kernell, so as the same may be as wide as the hole of the shell. Then write the number or name of a card in a peece of fine paper one inch or halfe an inch in length, and halfe so much in bredth, and roll it up hard: then put it into a nut, or cheristone, and close the hole with a little red waxe, and rub the same with a litle dust, and it will not be perceived, if the nut or cheristone be browne or old. Then let your confederate thinke that card which you have in your nut, &c: and either conveie the same nut or cheristone into some bodies pocket, or laie it in some strange place: then make one drawe the same out of the stocke held in your hand, which by use you may well doo. But saie not; I will make you perforce draw such a card: but require some stander by to draw a card, saieng that it skils not what card he draw. And if your hand serve you to use the cards well, you shall prefer unto him, and he shall receive (even though he snatch at an other) the verie card which you kept, and your confederate thought, and is written in the nut, and hidden in the pocket, &c. You must (while you hold the stocke in your hands, tossing the cards to and fro) remember alwaies to keepe your card in your eie, and not to loose the sight thereof. Which feate, till you be perfect in, you may/336.have the same privilie marked; and when you perceive his hand readie to draw, put it a little out towards his hand, nimblie turning over the cards, as though you numbred them, holding the same more loose and open than the rest, in no wise suffering him to draw anie other: which if he should doo, you must let three or foure fall, that you may beginne againe. ¶ This will seeme most strange, if your said paper be inclosed in a button, and by confederacie sowed upon the doublet or cote of anie bodie.A merrie conceipt, the like whereof you shall find in pag. 324, & 330.This tricke they commonlie end with a nut full of inke, in which case some wag or unhappie boie is to be required to thinke a card; and having so doone, let the nut be delivered him to cracke, which he will not refuse to doo, if he have seene the other feate plaied before./
Of fast or loose, how to knit a hard knot upon a handkercher, and to undoo the same with words.
THEAegyptiansjuggling witchcraft or sortilegie standeth much in fast or loose, whereof though I have written somwhat generallie alreadie, yet having such oportunitie I will here shew some of their particular feats; not treating of their common tricks which is so tedious, nor of their fortune telling which is so impious; and yet both of them meere cousenages.Fast and loose with a handkercher.¶ Make one plaine loose knot, with the two corner ends of a handkercher, and seeming to draw the same verie hard, hold fast the bodie of the said handkercher (neere to the knot) with your right hand, pulling the contrarie end with the left hand, which is the corner of that which you hold. Then close up handsomlie the knot, which will be yet somewhat loose, and pull the handkercher so with your right hand, as the left hand end may be neere to the knot: then will it seeme a true and a firme knot. And to make it appeare more assuredlie to be so indeed, let a stranger pull at the end which you hold in your left hand, whilest you hold fast the other in your right hand: and then holding the knot with your forefinger & thombe, & the nether part of your handkercher with your other fingers,/337.as you hold a bridle when you would with one hand slip up the knot and lengthen your reines. This doone, turne your handkercher over the knot with the left hand, in dooing whereof you must suddenlie slip out the end or corner, putting up the knot of your handkercher with your forefinger and thombe, as you would put up the foresaid knot of your bridle. Then deliver the same (covered and wrapt in the middest of your handkercher) to one, to hold fast, and so after some words used, and wagers laied, take the handkercher and shake it, and it will be loose.
TAkeFast or lose with whipcords and beades.two little whipcords of two foote long a peece, double them equallie, so as there may appeare foure ends. Then take three great beadstones, the hole of one of them beeing bigger than the rest; and put one beadstone upon the eie or bowt of the onecord, and an other on the other cord. Then take the stone with the greatest hole, and let both the bowts be hidden therein: which may be the better doone, if you put the eie of the one into the eie or bowt of the other. Then pull the middle bead upon the same, being doubled over his fellow, and so will the beads seeme to be put over the two cords without partition. For holding fast in each hand the two ends of the two cords, you may tosse them as you list, and make it seeme manifest to the beholders, which may not see how you have doone it, that the beadstons are put upon the two cords without anie fraud. Then must you seeme to adde more effectuall binding of those beadstones to the string, and make one/238.halfe of a knot with one of the ends of each side; which is for no other purpose,This conveiance must be closelie doone:Ergoit must be no bunglers worke.but that when the beadstones be taken awaie, the cords may be seene in the case which the beholders suppose them to be in before. For when you have made your halfe knot (which in anie wise you may not double to make a perfect knot) you must deliver into the hands of some stander by those two cords; namelie, two ends evenlie set in one hand, and two in the other, and then with a wager, &c: beginne to pull off your beadstones, &c: which if you handle nimblie, and in the end cause him to pull his two ends, the two cords will/338.shew to be placed plainelie, and the beadstones to have come through the cords. But these things are so hard and long to be described, that I will leave them; whereas I could shew great varietie.
Juggling knacks by confederacie, and how to know whether one cast crosse or pile by the ringing.
LAIE a wager with your confederate (who must seeme simple, or obstinatlie opposed against you) that standing behind a doore, you will (by the sound or ringing of the monie) tell him whether he cast crosse or pile: so as when you are gone, and he hath fillipped the monie before the witnesses who are to be cousened, he must saie;What is it? What ist? signes of confederacie.What is it, if it be crosse; or What ist, if it be pile: or some other such signe, as you are agreed upon, and so you need not faile to gesse rightlie. By this meanes (if you have anie invention) you may seeme to doo a hundreth miracles, and to discover the secrets of a mans thoughts, or words spoken a far off.
TO make a shoale of goslings, or (as they saie) a gaggle of geese to seeme to drawe a timber log, is doone by that verie meanes that is used, when a cat dooth drawe a foole through a pond or river: but handled somewhat further off from the beholders.
LEt a cupboord be so placed, as your confederate may hold a blacke thred without in the court, behind some window of that roome; and at a certeine lowd word spoken by you, he may pull the same thred, being woond about the pot, &c. And this was the feate ofEleazar,Eleazers feate of cōfederacie.whichJosephusreporteth to be such a miracle./
MAke a poore boie confederate with you, so as after charmes, &c: spoken by you, he uncloth himselfe, and stand naked, seeming (whilest he undres/seth239.him) to shake, stampe, and crie, still hastening to be unclothed, till he be starke naked: or if you can procure none to go so far, let him onelie beginne to stampe and shake, &c: and to uncloth him, and then you may (for the reverence of the companie) seeme to release him.
TAke a confederates hat, and use certeine *words* As, Droch myroch, & senaroth betu baroch assmaaroth, roūsee farounsee, hey passe passe, &c: or such like strange words.over it, and deliver it to him againe, and let him seeme to be wroth, and cast it backe to you againe, affirming that his was a good new blacke hat, but this is an old blew hat, &c: and then you may seeme to countercharme it, and redeliver it, to his satisfaction.
BY meanes ofPope and Tailor cōfederates.confederacie,Steeven Tailorand onePopeabused divers countrie people. ForSteeven Tailorwould hide awaie his neighbours horsses, &c: and send them*[* ? then]toPope, (whom he before had told where they were) promising to send the parties unto him, whome he described and made knowne by divers signes: so as thisPopewould tell them at their first entrance unto the doore. Wherefore they came, and would saie that their horsses were stollen, but the theefe shouldbe forced to bring backe the horsses, &c: and leave them within one mile south and bywest, &c: of his house, even as the plot was laid, and the packe made before bySteevenand him. ThisPopeis said of some to be a witch, of others he is accompted a conjuror; but commonlie called a wise man, which is all one with a soothsaier or witch./
Boxes to alter one graine into another, or to consume the graine or corne to nothing.
THERE be divers juggling boxes with false bottoms, wherein manie false feates are wrought. First they have a box covered or rather footed alike at each end, the bottome of the one end being no deeper than as it may conteine one lane of corne or pepper glewed thereupon. Then use they to put into the hollow endNote the maner of this conveiance.thereof some other kind of graine, ground or unground; then doo they cover it, and put it under a hat or candlesticke: and either in putting it therinto, or pulling it thence, they turne the box, and open the contrarie end, wherein is shewed a contrarie graine: or else they shew the glewed end first (which end they suddenlie thrust into a boll or bag of such graine as is glewed alreadie thereupon) and secondlie the emptie box./
THere is another box fashioned like a bell, wherinto they doo put so much, and such corne or spice as the foresaid hollow box can conteine. Then they stop or cover the same with a peece of lether, as broad*[* = thick]as a testor, which being thrust up hard towards the midle part or waste of the said bell, will sticke fast, & beare up the corne. And if the edge of the leather be wet, it will hold the better. Then take they the other box dipped (as is aforesaid) in corne, and set downe the same upon the table,You must take heed that when the corne commeth out it cover & hide the leather, &c.the emptie end upward, saieng that they will conveie the graine therein into the other box or bell: which being set downe somewhat hard upon the table, the leather and the corne therein will fall downe, so as the said bell being taken up from the table, you shall see the corne lieng thereon, and the stopple will be hidden therwith, & covered: & when you uncover the other box, nothing shall remaine therein. But presentlie the corne must be swept downe with one hand into the other, or into your lap or hat.Manie feats maie be done with this box, as to put therein a tode, affirming the same to have beene so turned from corne, &c: and then manie beholders will/341.suppose the same to be the jugglers divell, whereby his feats and miracles are wrought. But in truth, there is more cunning witchcraft used in transferring of corne after this sort, than is in the transferring of one mans corne in the grasse into an other mans feeld: which†† See the 12 booke of this discoverie, in the titleHabar, cap. 4. pag. 220, 221.the lawe of the twelve tables dooth so forceablie condemne: for the one is a cousening slight, the other is a false lie.
THere is an other boxe usuall among jugglers, with a bottome in the middle thereof, made for the like purposes. One other also like a tun, wherin is shewed great varietie of stuffe, as well of liquors as spices, and all by means of an other little tun within the same, wherein and whereon liquors and spices are shewed. But this would aske too long a time of description.
These are such sleights that even a bungler may doo them: and yet prettie, &c.THere are manie other beggerlie feats able to beguile the simple, as to make an ote stir by spetting thereon, as though it came to passe by words. Item to deliver meale, pepper, ginger, or anie powder out of the mouth after the eating of bread, &c: which is doone by reteining anie of those things stuffed in a little paper or bladder conveied into your mouth, and grinding the same with your teeth. ¶ Item, a rish through a peece of a trencher, having three holes, and at the one side the rish appearing out in the second, at the other side in the third hole, by reason of a hollow place made betwixt them both, so as the slight consisteth in turning the peece of trencher./
To burne a thred, and to make it whole againe with the ashes thereof.
ITMarke the maner of this conceit and devise.is not one of the woorst feats to burne a thred handsomelie, and to make it whole againe: the order whereof is this. Take two threds, or small laces, of one foote in length a peece: roll up one of/342.them round, which will be then of the quantitie of a pease, bestow the same betweene your leftforefinger and your thombe. Then take the other thred, and hold it foorth at length, betwixt the forefinger and thombe of each hand, holding all your fingers deintilie, as yong gentlewomen are taught to take up a morsell of meate.That is, neatlie and deintilie.Then let one cut asunder the same thred in the middle. When that is doone, put the tops of your two thombes together, and so shall you with lesse suspicion receive the peece of thred which you hold in your right hand into your left, without opening of your left finger and thombe: then holding these two peeces as you did the same before it was cut, let those two be cut also asunder in the middest, and they conveied againe as before, untill they be cut verie short, and then roll all those ends together, and keepe that ball of short threds before the other in your left hand, and with a knife thrust out the same into a candle, where you may hold it untill the said ball of short threds be burnt to ashes. Then pull backe the knife with your right hand, and leave the ashes with the other ball betwixt the forefinger and thombe of your left hand, and with the two thombs & two forefingers together seeme to take paines to frot and rub the ashes, untill your thred be renewed, andA thred cut in manie peeces and burned to ashes made whole againe.drawe out that thred at length which you kept all this while betwixt your left finger and thombe. This is not inferior to anie jugglers feate if it be well handled, for if you have legierdemaine to bestowe the same ball of thred, and to change it from place to place betwixt your other fingers (as may easilie be doone) then will it seeme verie strange.
BY a devise not much unlike to this, you may seeme to cut asunder any lace that hangeth about ones necke, or any point, girdle, or garter, &c: and with witchcraft or conjuration to make it whole and closed together againe. For the accomplishment whereof,The means discovered.provide (if you can) a peece of the lace, &c: which you meane to cut, or at the least a patterne like the same, one inch and a halfe long, & (keeping it double privilie in your left hand, betwixt some of your fingers neere to the tips thereof) take the other lace which you meane to cut, still hanging about ones necke,/343.and drawe downe your said left hand to the bought thereof: and putting your owne peece a little before the other (the end or rather middle whereof you must hide betwixt your forefinger and thombe) making the eie or bought, which shall be seene, of your owne patterne, let some stander by cut the same a/sunder,242.and it will be surelie thought that the other lace is cut; which with words and froting, &c: you shall seeme to renew & make whole againe. This, if it be well handled, will seeme miraculous.
AS for pulling laces out of the mouth, it is somewhat a stale jest, whereby jugglersA common juggling knacke of flat cousenage plaied among the simple, &c.gaine monie among maides, selling lace by the yard, putting into their mouths one round bottome as fast as they pull out an other, and at the just end of everie yard they tie a knot, so as the same resteth upon their teeth: then cut they off the same, and so the beholders are double and treble deceived, seeing as much lace as will be conteined in a hat, and the same of what colour you list to name, to be drawne by so even yards out of his mouth, and yet the juggler to talke as though there were nothing at all in his mouth.