The xxxiii. Chapter.How to make a booke, wherein you shall shew everie leafe therein to be white, blacke, blew, red, yellow, greene, &c.THERE are a thousand jugglings, which I am loth to spend time to describe, whereof some be common, and some rare, and yet nothing else but deceipt, cousenage, or confederacie:Juggling a kind of witchcraft.whereby you may plainelie see the art to be a kind of witchcraft. I will end therfore with one devise, which is not common, but was speciallie used byClarvis,The invention of Clarvis.whome though I never saw to exercise the feat, yet am I sure I conceive aright of that invention. He had (they/344.saie) a booke, whereof he would make you thinke first, that everie leafe was cleane white paper: then by vertue of words he would shew you everie leafe to be painted with birds, then with beasts, then with serpents, then with angels, &c: the devise thereof is this.This knack is sooner learned by demonstrative means, than taught by words of instruction.¶ Make a booke seven inches long, and five inches broad, or according to that proportion: and let there be xlix, leaves; to wit, seven times seven conteined therin, so as you may cut upon the edge of each leafe six notches, each notch in depth halfe a quarter of an inch, and one inch distant. Paint everie foureteenth and fifteenth page (which is the end of everie sixt leafe, & the beginning of everie seventh) with like colour, or one kind of picture. Cut off with a paire of sheares everie notch of the first leafe, leaving onlie one inch of paper in the uppermost place uncut, which will remaine almost halfe a quarter of an inch higher than anie part of that leafe. Leave an other like inch in the second place of the second leafe, clipping away one inch of paper in the highest place immediatlie above it, and all the notches below the same, and so orderlie to the third, fourth, &c: so as there shall rest upon each leafe one onlie inch of paper above the rest. One high uncut inch of paper must answer to the first, directliein everie seventh leafe of the booke: so as when you have cut the first seven leaves, in such sort as I first described,/243.you are to begin in the selfe same order at the eight leafe, descending in such wise in the cutting of seven other leaves, and so againe at the fifteenth, to xxi, &c: untill you have passed through everie leafe, all the thicknes of your booke.Now you shall understand, that after the first seven leaves, everie seventh leafe in the booke is to be painted, saving one seven leaves, which must remaine white. Howbeit you must observe, that at each Bumleafe or high inch of paper, seven leaves distant, opposite one directlie and lineallie against the other, through the thicknesse of the booke, the same page with the page precedent so to be painted with the like colour or picture; and so must you passe through the booke with seven severall sorts of colours or pictures: so as, when you shall rest your thombe upon anie of those Bumleaves, or high inches, and open the booke,This will seeme rare to the beholders.you shall see in each page one colour or picture through out the booke; in an other rowe, an other colour, &c. To make that matter more plaine unto you, let this be the description hereof. Hold the booke/345.with your left hand, and (betwixt your forefinger and thombe of your right hand) slip over the booke in what place you list, and your thombe will alwaies rest at the seventh leafe; to wit, at the Bumleafe or high inch of paper from whence when your booke is streined, it will fall or slip to the next, &c. Which when you hold fast, & open the booke, the beholders seeing each leafe to have one colour or picture with so manie varieties, all passing continuallie & directlie thrugh the whole booke, will suppose that with words you can discolour the leaves at your pleasure.Wher such bookes may be gotten.But because perhaps you will hardlie conceive herof by this description, you shall (if you be disposed) see or buie for a small value the like booke, at the shop ofW. Bromein Powles churchyard, for your further instruction. ¶ There are certeine feats of activitie, which beautifie this art exceedinglie: howbeit even in these, some are true, and some are counterfet; to wit, some done by practise, and some by confederacie. ¶ There are likewise divers feats arythmeticall & geometricall: for them readGemma Phrysius, andRecord,&c.which being exercised by jugglers ad credit to their art. ¶ There are also (besides them which I have set downe in this title ofHartumim) sundrie strange experiments reported byPlinie,Albert,Joh. Bap. Port. Neap.andThomas Lupton, wherof some are true, and some false: which being knowne toJannesandJambres, or else to our jugglers, their occupation is the more magnified, and they thereby more reverenced.See more hereof in the 11. book of this discoverie, in the titleNahas, cap. 10 pag. 197, 198.¶ Here is place to discover the particular knaveries of casting of lots, and drawing of cuts (as they terme it) whereby manie cousenages are wrought: so as I dare not teach the sundrie devises thereof, least the ungodlie make apractise of it in the commonwealth, where manie things are decided by those meanes, which being honestlie meant may be lawfullie used. But I have said alreadie somewhat hereof in generall, and therefore also the rather have suppressed the particularities, which (in truth) are meere juggling knackes: whereof I could discover a great number./The xxxiiii. Chapter.346.244.Desperate or dangerous juggling knacks, wherein the simple are made to thinke, that a seelie juggler with words can hurt and helpe, kill and revive anie creature at his pleasure: and first to kill anie kind of pullen, and to give it life againe.TAKE a hen, a chicke, or a capon, and thrust a nall or a fine sharpe pointed knife through the midst of the head thereof, the edge towards the bill, so as it may seeme impossible for hir to scape death: then use words, and pulling out the knife, laie otes before hir, &c: and she will eate and live, being nothing at all greeved or hurt with the wound; bicause the *braine* The naturall cause why a hen thrust thorough the head with a bodkin dooth live notwithstanding.lieth so far behind in the head as it is not touched, though you thrust your knife betweene the combe and it: and after you have doone this, you may convert your speach and actions to the greevous wounding and present recovering of your owne selfe.To eate a knife, and to fetch it out of anie other place.TAke a knife, and conteine the same within your two hands, so as no part be seene thereof but a little of the point, which you must so bite at the first, as noise may be made therewith. Then seeme to put a great part thereof into your mouth, and letting your hand slip downe, there will appeare to have beene more in your mouth than is possible to be conteined therein. Then send for drinke, or use some other delaie, untill you have let the said knife slip into your lap,It must be cleanelie conveied in any case.holding both your fists close together as before, and then raise them so from the edge of the table where you sit (for from thence the knife may most privilie slip downe into your lap) and in steed of biting the knife, knable a little upon your naile, and then seeme to thrust the knife into your mouth, opening the hand next unto it, and thrust up the other, so as it may appeare to the standers by, that you have delivered your/347.hands therof, and thrust it into your mouth: then call for drinke, after countenance made of pricking and danger, &c. Lastlie, put your hand into your lap, and taking that knife in your hand, you may seeme to bring it out from behind you, or from whence youlist. ¶ But if you have another like knife and a confederate, you may doo twentie notable woonders hereby: as to send a stander by into some garden or orchard, describing to him some tree or herbe, under which it sticketh; or else some strangers sheath or pocket, &c.To thrust a bodkin into your head without hurt.TAkeThe maner & meanes of this action.a bodkin so made, as the haft being hollowe, the blade thereof may slip thereinto as soone as you hold the point upward: and set the same to your forehead, and seeme to thrust it into your head, and so (with a little sponge in your hand) you may wring out bloud or wine, making the be/holders245.thinke the bloud or the wine (whereof you may saie you have drunke verie much) runneth out of your forehead. Then, after countenance of paine and greefe, pull awaie your hand suddenlie, holding the point downeward; and it will fall so out, as it will seeme never to have beene thrust into the haft: but immediatlie thrust that bodkin into your lap or pocket, and pull out an other plaine bodkin like the same, saving in that conceipt.To thrust a bodkin through your toong, and a knife through your arme: a pittifull sight, without hurt or danger.MAkeA forme or patterne of this bodkin and knife you shal see described if you turne over a few leaves forward.a bodkin, the blade therof being sundred in the middle, so as the one part be not neere to the other almost by three quarters of an inch, each part being kept a sunder with one small bought or crooked piece of iron, of the fashion described hereafter in place convenient. Then thrust your toong betwixt the foresaid space; to wit, into the bought left it the bodkin blade, thrusting the said bought behind your teeth, and biting the same: and then shall it seeme to sticke so fast in and through your toong, as that one can hardlie pull it out. ¶ Also the verie like may be doone with a knife so made, and put upon your arme: and the wound will appeare the more terrible, if a little bloud be powred/348.thereupon.To thrust a peece of lead into one eie, and to drive it about (with a sticke) betweene the skin and flesh of the forehead, untill it be brought to the other eie, and there thrust out.PUt a peece of lead into one of the nether lids of your eie, as big as a tag of a point, but not so long (which you may doo without danger) and with a little juggling sticke (one end therof being hollow) seeme to thrust the like peece of lead under the other eie lid; but conveie the same in deed into the hollownes of the sticke, the stopple or peg whereof may be privilie kept in your hand untill this feate bedoone. Then seeme to drive the said peece of lead, with the hollow end of the said sticke, from the same eie: and so with the end of the said sticke, being brought along upon your forhead to the other eie, you maie thrust out the peece of lead, which before you had put thereinto; to the admiration of the beholders. ¶ Some eat the lead, and then shoove it out at the eie: and some put it into both, but the first is best.To cut halfe your nose asunder, and to heale it againe presentlie without anie salve.TAkeThis is easilie doone, howbeit being clenlie handled it will deceive the sight of the beholders.a knife having a round hollow gap in the middle, and laie it upon your nose, and so shall you seeme to have cut your nose halfe asunder. Provided alwaies, that in all these you have an other like knife without a gap, to be shewed upon the pulling out of the same, and words of inchantment to speake, bloud also to beeraie the wound, and nimble conveiance./To put a ring through your cheeke.246.There is an other old knacke, which seemeth dangerous to the cheeke. For the accomplishing whereof you must have two rings, of like colour and quantitie; the one filed asunder, so as you may thrust it upon your cheeke; the other must be whole, and conveied upon a sticke, holding your hand thereupon in the middle of the sticke, delivering each end of the same sticke to be holden fast by a stander by. Then conveieng the same cleanlie into your hand, or (for lacke of good conveiance) into your lap or/349.pocket, pull awaie your hand from the sticke: and in pulling it awaie, whirle about the ring, and so will it be thought that you have put thereon the ring which was in your cheeke.To cut off ones head, and to laie it in a platter, &c: which the jugglers call the decollation of John Baptist.TOThis was doone by one Kingsfield of London, at a Bartholomewtide, An.1582. in the sight of diverse that came to view this spectacle.shew a most notable execution by this art, you must cause a boord, a cloth, and a platter to be purposelie made, and in each of them holes fit for a boies necke. The boord must be made of two planks, the longer and broader the better: there must be left within halfe a yard of the end of each planke halfe a hole; so as both planks being thrust togither, there may remaine two holes, like to the holes in a paire of stocks: there must be made likewise a hole in the tablecloth or carpet. A platter also must be set directlie over or upon one of them, having a hole in the midle thereof, of the like quantitie, and also a peece cut out of the same, so big as his necke, through which his head may be conveied into the middest of the platter: and then sitting or kneeling under the boord, let the head onlie remaine uponthe boord in the same. Then (to make the sight more dredfull) put a little brimstone into a chafing dish of coles, setting it before the head of the boie, who must gaspe two or three times, so as the smoke enter a little into his nostrils and mouth (which is not unholsome) and the head presentlie will appeare starke dead; if the boie set his countenance accordinglie: and if a little bloud be sprinkled on his face, the sight will be the stranger.This is commonlie practised with a boie instructed for that purpose, who being familiar and conversant with the companie, may be knowne as well by his face, as by his apparell. In the other end of the table, where the like hole is made, an other boie of the bignesse of the knowne boie must be placed, having upon him his usuall apparell: he must leane or lie upon the boord, and must put his head under the boord through the said hole, so as his bodie shall seeme to lie on the one end of the boord, and his head shall lie in a platter on the other end.Necessarie observations to astonish the beholders.¶ There are other things which might be performed in this action, the more to astonish the beholders, which because they offer long descriptions, I omit: as to put about his necke a little dough kneded with bul/locks350.bloud, which being cold will appeare like dead flesh; & being pricked with a sharpe round hollow quill, will bleed, and seeme verie strange, &c. ¶ Manie rules are to be observed herein, as to/247.have the table cloth so long and wide as it may almost touch the ground. ¶ Not to suffer the companie to staie too long in the place, &c.To thrust a dagger or bodkin into your guts verie strangelie, and to recover immediatlie.AN other miracle may be shewed touching counterfet executions; namelie, that with a bodkin or a dagger you shall seeme to kill your selfe, or at the least make an unrecoverable wound in your bellie: as (in truth) not long since a juggler caused himself to be killed at a taverne in cheapside, from whence he presentlie went intoOf a juggler that failing in the feats of his art lost his life.Powles churchyard and died. Which misfortune fell upon him through his owne follie, as being then drunken, and having forgotten his plate, which he should have had for his defense. The devise is this. ¶ You must prepare a paste boord, to be made according to the fashion of your bellie and brest: the same must by a painter be coloured cunninglie, not onelie like to your flesh, but with pappes, navill, haire, &c: so as the same (being handsomelie trussed unto you) may shew to be your naturall bellie. Then next to your true bellie you may put a linnen cloth, and thereupon a double plate (which the juggler that killed himselfe forgot, or wilfullie omitted) over and upon the which you may place the false bellie. Provided alwaies, that betwixt the plate & the false bellie you place a gut or bladder of bloud, whichbloud must be of a calfe or of a sheepe; but in no wise of an oxe or a cow, for that will be too thicke. Then thrust, or cause to be thrust into your brest a round bodkin, or the point of a dagger, so far as it may pearse through your gut or bladder: which being pulled out againe, the said bloud will spin or spirt out a good distance from you, especiallie if you straine your bodie to swell, and thrust therewith against the plate.But herein see you be circumspect.You must ever remember to use (with words, countenance, and gesture) such a grace, as may give a grace to the action, and moove admiration in the beholders./351.To drawe a cord through your nose, mouth or hand, so sensiblie as is woonderful to see.THereA forme or patterne of this bridle you shall see described if you turne over a few leaues.is an other juggling knacke, which they call the bridle, being made of two elder sticks, through the hollownes therof is placed a cord, the same being put on the nose like a paire of tongs or pinsars; and the cord, which goeth round about the same, being drawne to and fro, the beholders will thinke the cord to go through your nose verie dangerouslie. The knots at the end of the cord, which doo staie the same from being drawne out of the sticke, may not be put out at the verie top (for that must be stopped up) but halfe an inch beneath each end: and so I saie, when it is pulled, it will seeme to passe through the nose; and then may you take a knife, and seeme to cut the cord asunder, and pull the bridle from your nose./248.The conclusion, wherin the reader is referred to certeine patterns of instruments wherewith diverse feats heere specified are to be executed.HErein I might wade infinitelie, but I hope it sufficeth, that I have delivered unto you the principles, and also the principall feats belonging to this art of juggling; so as any man conceiving throughlie hereof may not onlie doo all these things, but also may devise other as strange, & varie everie of these devises into other formes as he can best conceive. And so long as the power of almightie God is not transposed to the juggler, nor offense ministred by his uncomlie speach and behaviour, but the action performed in pastime, to the delight of the beholders, so as alwaies the juggler confesse in the end that these are no supernaturall actions, but devises of men, and nimble conveiances, let all such curious conceipted men as cannot affoord their neighbors anie comfort or commoditie, but such aspleaseth their melancholike dispositions say what they list, for this will not onelie be found among indifferent actions,Among what actions juggling is to be counted.but such as greatlie advance the power and glorie of God, discovering their pride and falshood that take upon them to worke miracles, and to be the mightie power of God, asJannesandJambresand alsoSimon Magusdid.If anie man doubt of these things, as whether they be not as/352.strange to behold as I have reported, or thinke withBodinthat these matters are performed by familiars or divels; let him go into S. Martins, and inquire for oneJohn CautaresA matchles fellowe for legierdemaine.(a French man by birth, in conversation an honest man) and he will shew as much and as strange actions as these, who getteth not his living hereby, but laboureth for the same with the sweat of his browes, and neverthelesse hath the best hand and conveiance (I thinke) of anie man that liveth this daie.Neither doo I speake (as they saie) without booke herein. For if time, place, and occasion serve, I can shew so much herein, as I am sureBodin,Spinæus, andVairus, would sweare I were a witch, and had a familiar divell at commandement. But truelie my studie and travell herein hath onelie beene emploied to the end I might proove them fooles, and find out the fraud of them that make them fooles, as whereby they may become wiser, and God may have that which to him belongeth.Touching the patternes of diverse juggling instruments.And bicause the maner of these juggling conveiances are not easilie conceived by discourse of words; I have caused to be set downe diverse formes of instruments used in this art; which may serve for patternes to them that would throughlie see the secrets thereof, and make them for their owne private practises, to trie the event of such devises, as in this tract of legierdemaine are shewed. Where note, that you shall find everie instrument that is most necessarilie occupied in the working of these strange feats, to beare the just and true number of the page, where the use thereof is in ample words declared.Now will I proceed with another cousening point of witchcraft, apt for the place, necessarie for the time, and in mine opinion meet to be discovered, or at the least to be defaced among deceitfull arts. And bicause manie are abused heereby to their utter undooing, for that it hath had passage under the protection of learn- ing, wherby they pretend to accomplish their works, it hath gone freelie with- out generall controlment through all ages, nations & people.//Heere follow patternes of certeine instru*ments[* Hence Rom.]to be used in the former juggling knacks.To pull three beadstones from off a cord, while you hold fast the ends thereof, without remooving of your hand.To draw a cord thorough your nose, mouth or hand, which is called the bridle.TO be instructed in the right use of the said beadstones, readpage 337. and338. As for the bridle, readpage 351.[These four pages of engravings are unpaged in the first and second editions. The references are to the first edition pagings.]To thrust a bodkin into your head, and through your toong, &c.The hethermost is the bodkin wtthe bowt: yemidlemost is the bodkin with the holow haft: the further most is the plaine bodkin serving for shew.TO be instructed and taught in the right use and readie practise of these bodkins, readpag. 347.To thrust a knife through your arme, and to cut halfe your nose asunder, &c.The middle most knife is to serve for shew; the other two be the knives of device.TO be readie in the use and perfect in the practise of these knives here portraied, seepage 347. and348.To cut off ones head, and to laie it in a platter, which the jugglers call the decollation of John Baptist.The forme of yeplanks &c.The order of the action, as it is to be shewed.WHat order is to be observed for the practising heereof with great admiration, readpage 349,350.
How to make a booke, wherein you shall shew everie leafe therein to be white, blacke, blew, red, yellow, greene, &c.
THERE are a thousand jugglings, which I am loth to spend time to describe, whereof some be common, and some rare, and yet nothing else but deceipt, cousenage, or confederacie:Juggling a kind of witchcraft.whereby you may plainelie see the art to be a kind of witchcraft. I will end therfore with one devise, which is not common, but was speciallie used byClarvis,The invention of Clarvis.whome though I never saw to exercise the feat, yet am I sure I conceive aright of that invention. He had (they/344.saie) a booke, whereof he would make you thinke first, that everie leafe was cleane white paper: then by vertue of words he would shew you everie leafe to be painted with birds, then with beasts, then with serpents, then with angels, &c: the devise thereof is this.This knack is sooner learned by demonstrative means, than taught by words of instruction.¶ Make a booke seven inches long, and five inches broad, or according to that proportion: and let there be xlix, leaves; to wit, seven times seven conteined therin, so as you may cut upon the edge of each leafe six notches, each notch in depth halfe a quarter of an inch, and one inch distant. Paint everie foureteenth and fifteenth page (which is the end of everie sixt leafe, & the beginning of everie seventh) with like colour, or one kind of picture. Cut off with a paire of sheares everie notch of the first leafe, leaving onlie one inch of paper in the uppermost place uncut, which will remaine almost halfe a quarter of an inch higher than anie part of that leafe. Leave an other like inch in the second place of the second leafe, clipping away one inch of paper in the highest place immediatlie above it, and all the notches below the same, and so orderlie to the third, fourth, &c: so as there shall rest upon each leafe one onlie inch of paper above the rest. One high uncut inch of paper must answer to the first, directliein everie seventh leafe of the booke: so as when you have cut the first seven leaves, in such sort as I first described,/243.you are to begin in the selfe same order at the eight leafe, descending in such wise in the cutting of seven other leaves, and so againe at the fifteenth, to xxi, &c: untill you have passed through everie leafe, all the thicknes of your booke.
Now you shall understand, that after the first seven leaves, everie seventh leafe in the booke is to be painted, saving one seven leaves, which must remaine white. Howbeit you must observe, that at each Bumleafe or high inch of paper, seven leaves distant, opposite one directlie and lineallie against the other, through the thicknesse of the booke, the same page with the page precedent so to be painted with the like colour or picture; and so must you passe through the booke with seven severall sorts of colours or pictures: so as, when you shall rest your thombe upon anie of those Bumleaves, or high inches, and open the booke,This will seeme rare to the beholders.you shall see in each page one colour or picture through out the booke; in an other rowe, an other colour, &c. To make that matter more plaine unto you, let this be the description hereof. Hold the booke/345.with your left hand, and (betwixt your forefinger and thombe of your right hand) slip over the booke in what place you list, and your thombe will alwaies rest at the seventh leafe; to wit, at the Bumleafe or high inch of paper from whence when your booke is streined, it will fall or slip to the next, &c. Which when you hold fast, & open the booke, the beholders seeing each leafe to have one colour or picture with so manie varieties, all passing continuallie & directlie thrugh the whole booke, will suppose that with words you can discolour the leaves at your pleasure.Wher such bookes may be gotten.But because perhaps you will hardlie conceive herof by this description, you shall (if you be disposed) see or buie for a small value the like booke, at the shop ofW. Bromein Powles churchyard, for your further instruction. ¶ There are certeine feats of activitie, which beautifie this art exceedinglie: howbeit even in these, some are true, and some are counterfet; to wit, some done by practise, and some by confederacie. ¶ There are likewise divers feats arythmeticall & geometricall: for them readGemma Phrysius, andRecord,&c.which being exercised by jugglers ad credit to their art. ¶ There are also (besides them which I have set downe in this title ofHartumim) sundrie strange experiments reported byPlinie,Albert,Joh. Bap. Port. Neap.andThomas Lupton, wherof some are true, and some false: which being knowne toJannesandJambres, or else to our jugglers, their occupation is the more magnified, and they thereby more reverenced.See more hereof in the 11. book of this discoverie, in the titleNahas, cap. 10 pag. 197, 198.¶ Here is place to discover the particular knaveries of casting of lots, and drawing of cuts (as they terme it) whereby manie cousenages are wrought: so as I dare not teach the sundrie devises thereof, least the ungodlie make apractise of it in the commonwealth, where manie things are decided by those meanes, which being honestlie meant may be lawfullie used. But I have said alreadie somewhat hereof in generall, and therefore also the rather have suppressed the particularities, which (in truth) are meere juggling knackes: whereof I could discover a great number./
Desperate or dangerous juggling knacks, wherein the simple are made to thinke, that a seelie juggler with words can hurt and helpe, kill and revive anie creature at his pleasure: and first to kill anie kind of pullen, and to give it life againe.
TAKE a hen, a chicke, or a capon, and thrust a nall or a fine sharpe pointed knife through the midst of the head thereof, the edge towards the bill, so as it may seeme impossible for hir to scape death: then use words, and pulling out the knife, laie otes before hir, &c: and she will eate and live, being nothing at all greeved or hurt with the wound; bicause the *braine* The naturall cause why a hen thrust thorough the head with a bodkin dooth live notwithstanding.lieth so far behind in the head as it is not touched, though you thrust your knife betweene the combe and it: and after you have doone this, you may convert your speach and actions to the greevous wounding and present recovering of your owne selfe.
TAke a knife, and conteine the same within your two hands, so as no part be seene thereof but a little of the point, which you must so bite at the first, as noise may be made therewith. Then seeme to put a great part thereof into your mouth, and letting your hand slip downe, there will appeare to have beene more in your mouth than is possible to be conteined therein. Then send for drinke, or use some other delaie, untill you have let the said knife slip into your lap,It must be cleanelie conveied in any case.holding both your fists close together as before, and then raise them so from the edge of the table where you sit (for from thence the knife may most privilie slip downe into your lap) and in steed of biting the knife, knable a little upon your naile, and then seeme to thrust the knife into your mouth, opening the hand next unto it, and thrust up the other, so as it may appeare to the standers by, that you have delivered your/347.hands therof, and thrust it into your mouth: then call for drinke, after countenance made of pricking and danger, &c. Lastlie, put your hand into your lap, and taking that knife in your hand, you may seeme to bring it out from behind you, or from whence youlist. ¶ But if you have another like knife and a confederate, you may doo twentie notable woonders hereby: as to send a stander by into some garden or orchard, describing to him some tree or herbe, under which it sticketh; or else some strangers sheath or pocket, &c.
TAkeThe maner & meanes of this action.a bodkin so made, as the haft being hollowe, the blade thereof may slip thereinto as soone as you hold the point upward: and set the same to your forehead, and seeme to thrust it into your head, and so (with a little sponge in your hand) you may wring out bloud or wine, making the be/holders245.thinke the bloud or the wine (whereof you may saie you have drunke verie much) runneth out of your forehead. Then, after countenance of paine and greefe, pull awaie your hand suddenlie, holding the point downeward; and it will fall so out, as it will seeme never to have beene thrust into the haft: but immediatlie thrust that bodkin into your lap or pocket, and pull out an other plaine bodkin like the same, saving in that conceipt.
MAkeA forme or patterne of this bodkin and knife you shal see described if you turne over a few leaves forward.a bodkin, the blade therof being sundred in the middle, so as the one part be not neere to the other almost by three quarters of an inch, each part being kept a sunder with one small bought or crooked piece of iron, of the fashion described hereafter in place convenient. Then thrust your toong betwixt the foresaid space; to wit, into the bought left it the bodkin blade, thrusting the said bought behind your teeth, and biting the same: and then shall it seeme to sticke so fast in and through your toong, as that one can hardlie pull it out. ¶ Also the verie like may be doone with a knife so made, and put upon your arme: and the wound will appeare the more terrible, if a little bloud be powred/348.thereupon.
PUt a peece of lead into one of the nether lids of your eie, as big as a tag of a point, but not so long (which you may doo without danger) and with a little juggling sticke (one end therof being hollow) seeme to thrust the like peece of lead under the other eie lid; but conveie the same in deed into the hollownes of the sticke, the stopple or peg whereof may be privilie kept in your hand untill this feate bedoone. Then seeme to drive the said peece of lead, with the hollow end of the said sticke, from the same eie: and so with the end of the said sticke, being brought along upon your forhead to the other eie, you maie thrust out the peece of lead, which before you had put thereinto; to the admiration of the beholders. ¶ Some eat the lead, and then shoove it out at the eie: and some put it into both, but the first is best.
TAkeThis is easilie doone, howbeit being clenlie handled it will deceive the sight of the beholders.a knife having a round hollow gap in the middle, and laie it upon your nose, and so shall you seeme to have cut your nose halfe asunder. Provided alwaies, that in all these you have an other like knife without a gap, to be shewed upon the pulling out of the same, and words of inchantment to speake, bloud also to beeraie the wound, and nimble conveiance./
There is an other old knacke, which seemeth dangerous to the cheeke. For the accomplishing whereof you must have two rings, of like colour and quantitie; the one filed asunder, so as you may thrust it upon your cheeke; the other must be whole, and conveied upon a sticke, holding your hand thereupon in the middle of the sticke, delivering each end of the same sticke to be holden fast by a stander by. Then conveieng the same cleanlie into your hand, or (for lacke of good conveiance) into your lap or/349.pocket, pull awaie your hand from the sticke: and in pulling it awaie, whirle about the ring, and so will it be thought that you have put thereon the ring which was in your cheeke.
TOThis was doone by one Kingsfield of London, at a Bartholomewtide, An.1582. in the sight of diverse that came to view this spectacle.shew a most notable execution by this art, you must cause a boord, a cloth, and a platter to be purposelie made, and in each of them holes fit for a boies necke. The boord must be made of two planks, the longer and broader the better: there must be left within halfe a yard of the end of each planke halfe a hole; so as both planks being thrust togither, there may remaine two holes, like to the holes in a paire of stocks: there must be made likewise a hole in the tablecloth or carpet. A platter also must be set directlie over or upon one of them, having a hole in the midle thereof, of the like quantitie, and also a peece cut out of the same, so big as his necke, through which his head may be conveied into the middest of the platter: and then sitting or kneeling under the boord, let the head onlie remaine uponthe boord in the same. Then (to make the sight more dredfull) put a little brimstone into a chafing dish of coles, setting it before the head of the boie, who must gaspe two or three times, so as the smoke enter a little into his nostrils and mouth (which is not unholsome) and the head presentlie will appeare starke dead; if the boie set his countenance accordinglie: and if a little bloud be sprinkled on his face, the sight will be the stranger.
This is commonlie practised with a boie instructed for that purpose, who being familiar and conversant with the companie, may be knowne as well by his face, as by his apparell. In the other end of the table, where the like hole is made, an other boie of the bignesse of the knowne boie must be placed, having upon him his usuall apparell: he must leane or lie upon the boord, and must put his head under the boord through the said hole, so as his bodie shall seeme to lie on the one end of the boord, and his head shall lie in a platter on the other end.Necessarie observations to astonish the beholders.¶ There are other things which might be performed in this action, the more to astonish the beholders, which because they offer long descriptions, I omit: as to put about his necke a little dough kneded with bul/locks350.bloud, which being cold will appeare like dead flesh; & being pricked with a sharpe round hollow quill, will bleed, and seeme verie strange, &c. ¶ Manie rules are to be observed herein, as to/247.have the table cloth so long and wide as it may almost touch the ground. ¶ Not to suffer the companie to staie too long in the place, &c.
AN other miracle may be shewed touching counterfet executions; namelie, that with a bodkin or a dagger you shall seeme to kill your selfe, or at the least make an unrecoverable wound in your bellie: as (in truth) not long since a juggler caused himself to be killed at a taverne in cheapside, from whence he presentlie went intoOf a juggler that failing in the feats of his art lost his life.Powles churchyard and died. Which misfortune fell upon him through his owne follie, as being then drunken, and having forgotten his plate, which he should have had for his defense. The devise is this. ¶ You must prepare a paste boord, to be made according to the fashion of your bellie and brest: the same must by a painter be coloured cunninglie, not onelie like to your flesh, but with pappes, navill, haire, &c: so as the same (being handsomelie trussed unto you) may shew to be your naturall bellie. Then next to your true bellie you may put a linnen cloth, and thereupon a double plate (which the juggler that killed himselfe forgot, or wilfullie omitted) over and upon the which you may place the false bellie. Provided alwaies, that betwixt the plate & the false bellie you place a gut or bladder of bloud, whichbloud must be of a calfe or of a sheepe; but in no wise of an oxe or a cow, for that will be too thicke. Then thrust, or cause to be thrust into your brest a round bodkin, or the point of a dagger, so far as it may pearse through your gut or bladder: which being pulled out againe, the said bloud will spin or spirt out a good distance from you, especiallie if you straine your bodie to swell, and thrust therewith against the plate.But herein see you be circumspect.You must ever remember to use (with words, countenance, and gesture) such a grace, as may give a grace to the action, and moove admiration in the beholders./
THereA forme or patterne of this bridle you shall see described if you turne over a few leaues.is an other juggling knacke, which they call the bridle, being made of two elder sticks, through the hollownes therof is placed a cord, the same being put on the nose like a paire of tongs or pinsars; and the cord, which goeth round about the same, being drawne to and fro, the beholders will thinke the cord to go through your nose verie dangerouslie. The knots at the end of the cord, which doo staie the same from being drawne out of the sticke, may not be put out at the verie top (for that must be stopped up) but halfe an inch beneath each end: and so I saie, when it is pulled, it will seeme to passe through the nose; and then may you take a knife, and seeme to cut the cord asunder, and pull the bridle from your nose./
HErein I might wade infinitelie, but I hope it sufficeth, that I have delivered unto you the principles, and also the principall feats belonging to this art of juggling; so as any man conceiving throughlie hereof may not onlie doo all these things, but also may devise other as strange, & varie everie of these devises into other formes as he can best conceive. And so long as the power of almightie God is not transposed to the juggler, nor offense ministred by his uncomlie speach and behaviour, but the action performed in pastime, to the delight of the beholders, so as alwaies the juggler confesse in the end that these are no supernaturall actions, but devises of men, and nimble conveiances, let all such curious conceipted men as cannot affoord their neighbors anie comfort or commoditie, but such aspleaseth their melancholike dispositions say what they list, for this will not onelie be found among indifferent actions,Among what actions juggling is to be counted.but such as greatlie advance the power and glorie of God, discovering their pride and falshood that take upon them to worke miracles, and to be the mightie power of God, asJannesandJambresand alsoSimon Magusdid.
If anie man doubt of these things, as whether they be not as/352.strange to behold as I have reported, or thinke withBodinthat these matters are performed by familiars or divels; let him go into S. Martins, and inquire for oneJohn CautaresA matchles fellowe for legierdemaine.(a French man by birth, in conversation an honest man) and he will shew as much and as strange actions as these, who getteth not his living hereby, but laboureth for the same with the sweat of his browes, and neverthelesse hath the best hand and conveiance (I thinke) of anie man that liveth this daie.
Neither doo I speake (as they saie) without booke herein. For if time, place, and occasion serve, I can shew so much herein, as I am sureBodin,Spinæus, andVairus, would sweare I were a witch, and had a familiar divell at commandement. But truelie my studie and travell herein hath onelie beene emploied to the end I might proove them fooles, and find out the fraud of them that make them fooles, as whereby they may become wiser, and God may have that which to him belongeth.
Touching the patternes of diverse juggling instruments.And bicause the maner of these juggling conveiances are not easilie conceived by discourse of words; I have caused to be set downe diverse formes of instruments used in this art; which may serve for patternes to them that would throughlie see the secrets thereof, and make them for their owne private practises, to trie the event of such devises, as in this tract of legierdemaine are shewed. Where note, that you shall find everie instrument that is most necessarilie occupied in the working of these strange feats, to beare the just and true number of the page, where the use thereof is in ample words declared.
Now will I proceed with another cousening point of witchcraft, apt for the place, necessarie for the time, and in mine opinion meet to be discovered, or at the least to be defaced among deceitfull arts. And bicause manie are abused heereby to their utter undooing, for that it hath had passage under the protection of learn- ing, wherby they pretend to accomplish their works, it hath gone freelie with- out generall controlment through all ages, nations & people.//
To pull three beadstones from off a cord, while you hold fast the ends thereof, without remooving of your hand.To draw a cord thorough your nose, mouth or hand, which is called the bridle.
TO be instructed in the right use of the said beadstones, readpage 337. and338. As for the bridle, readpage 351.
[These four pages of engravings are unpaged in the first and second editions. The references are to the first edition pagings.]
[These four pages of engravings are unpaged in the first and second editions. The references are to the first edition pagings.]
The hethermost is the bodkin wtthe bowt: yemidlemost is the bodkin with the holow haft: the further most is the plaine bodkin serving for shew.
TO be instructed and taught in the right use and readie practise of these bodkins, readpag. 347.
The middle most knife is to serve for shew; the other two be the knives of device.
TO be readie in the use and perfect in the practise of these knives here portraied, seepage 347. and348.
The forme of yeplanks &c.The order of the action, as it is to be shewed.
WHat order is to be observed for the practising heereof with great admiration, readpage 349,350.