Book XIII, chapters 29–33: Juggling knacks with knots, grain, thread and books

CHAP. XXIX. Of Fast or Loose; how to knit a hard Knot upon a Handkercher, and to undo the same with words.

THe Aegyptians juggling Witchcraft or Sortilegie standeth much in Fast or Loose, whereof though I have written somewhat generally already, yet having such opportunity, 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 meer cosenage. Make one plain loose knot, with the two corner ends of a Handkercher, and seeming to draw the same very hard, hold fast the body of the said Handkercher (neer to the knot) with your hand, pulling the contrary end with the left hand, which is the corner of that which you hold. Then close up handsomely the knot, which will be yet somewhat loose, and pull the Handkercher so with your right hand, as the left hand end may be neer to the knot: then will it seem a true and a firm knot. And to make it appear more assuredly to be so indeed, lest 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 fore-finger and thumb, and the neather part of your Handkercher with your other fingers, as you hold a bridle; when you would with one hand slip up the knot and lengthen your reins. This done, turn your Handkercher over the knot with the left hand, in doing whereof you must suddenly slip out the end or corner, putting up the knot of your Handkercher with your fore-finger and thumb, as you would put up the foresaid knot of your bridle. Then deliver the same (covered and wrapt in the midst of your Handkercher) to one, to hold fast, and so after some words used, and wagers layed, take the Handkercher, and shake it, and it will be loose.

A notable Feat of Fast and Loose; namely, to pull three Bead stones from off a Cord, while you hold fast the ends thereef, without removing of your hand.

TAke two little Whipcords of two-foot long a plece, double them equally so as there my appear four ends. Then take three great Bead-stones, the hole of one of them being bigger than the rest; and put one Bead-stone upon the eye or bowt of the one Cord, and another 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 done, if you put the eye of the one into the eye or bowt of the other. Then pull the middle Bead upon the same, being doubled over his fellow, and so will the Beads seem to be put over the two Cords without partition: For holding fast in each hand the two ends of the two Cords, you may toss them as you list, and make it seem manifest to the beholders, which may not see how you have done it, that the Bead-stones are put upon the two Cords without any fraud. Then must you seem to add more effectual binding of those Bead-stones to the string, and make one half of a knot with one of the ends of each side; which is for no other purpose, but that when the Bead-stones be taken away, the Cords may be seen in the case which the beholders suppose them to be in before: For when you have made your half knot (which in any wise you may not double to make a perfect knot) you must deliver into the hands of some standers by those two Cords; namely, two ends evenly set in one hand, and two in the other, and then with a wager, &c. begin to pull off your Bead-stones, &c. which if you handle nimbly, and in the end cause him to pull his two ends, the two Cords will shew to be placed plainly, and the Bead-stones 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 variety.

CHAP. XXX. Juggling Knacks by confederacy, and how to know whether one cast Cross or Pile by the ringing.

LAy a wager with your confederate (who must seem simple, or obstinately opposed against you) that standing behind a door, you will (by the sound or ringing of the money) tell him whether he cast Cross or pile: so as when you are gone, and he hath filliped the Money before the witnesses who are to be cosened, he must say, What is it if be Cross; or What if, if it be Pile: or some other such sign, as as you are agreed upon, and so you need not fail to guess rightly. By this means (if you have any invention) you may seem to do a hundreth miracles, and to discover the secrets of a mans thoughts, or words spoken a far off.

To make a shoal of Goslings draw a Timber-log.

TO make a shoal of Goslings, or (as they say) a gaggle of Geese to seem to draw a Timber-log, is done by that very means that is used, when a Cat doth draw a Fool through a Pond or River: but handled somewhat further off from the beholders.

To make a Pot or any such thing standing fast on the Cupboard, to fall down thencs by vertue of words.

LEt a Cupboard be so placed, as your Confederate may hold a black Thred without in the Court, behind some window of that room; and at a certain loud word spoken by you, he may pull the same Thred, being wound about the Pot, &c. And this was the feat of Eleazer, which Josephus reporteth to be such a miracle.

To make one dance naked.

MAke a poor Boy confederate with you, so as after Charms, &c. spoken by you, he uncloth himself, and stand naked, seeming (whilest he undresseth him) to shake, stamp, and cry, stil hastening to be uncloathed, till he be stark naked; or if you can procure none to go so far, let him only begin to stamp and shake, &c. and to uncloath him, and then you may (for the reverence of the company) seem to release him.

To transform or alter the Colour of ones Cap or Hat.

TAke a confederates Hat, and use certain words over it, and deliver it to him again, and let him seem to be wroth, and cast it back to you again, affirming that his was a good new black Hat, but this is an old blew Hat, &c. and then you may seem to counter-charm it, and re-deliver it, to his satisfaction.

How to tell where a stollen Horse is become.

BY means of confederacy, Steven Tailor, and one Pope abused divers countrey people. For Stephen Tailor would hide away his neighbours Horses, &c. and send them to Pope (whom he before had told where they were) promising to send the parties unto him, whom he described and made known by divers signs: so as this Pope would tell them at their first entrance unto the door. Wherefore they came, and would say that their Horses were stollen, but the thief should be forced to bring back the Horses, &c. and leave them within one mile South and by West, &c. of his house, even as the plot was laid, and the pack made before by Stephen and him. This Pope is said of some to be a Witch, of others he is accounted a Conjurer; but commonly called a wise man, which is all one with Soothsayer or Witch.

CHAP. XXXI. Boxes to alter one Grain into another, or to consume the Grain or Corn to nothing.

THere be divers Juggling Boxes with false bottoms, wherein many false feats are wrought. First they have a Box covered or rather footed alike at each end, the bottom of the one end being no deeper than as it may contain one lane of Corn or Pepper glewed thereupon. Then use they to put into the hollow end thereof some other kind of grain, ground or unground; then do they cover it, and put it under a Hat or Candlestick: and either in putting it thereinto, or pulling it thence, they turn the Box, and open the contrary end, wherein is shewed a contrary grain: or else they shew the glewed end first (which end they suddenly thrust into a Boll or Bag or such grain as is glewed already thereupon) and secondly the empty Box.

How to convey (with words or Charme) the Corn contained in one Box into another.

THere is another Box fashioned like a Bell, whereinto they do put so much, and such Corn or Spice as the aforesaid hollow Box can contain. Then they stop or cover the same with a piece of Leather, as broad as a Testor, which being thrust up hard towards the middle part or waste of the said Bell will stick fast, and bear up the Corn. 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 Corn, and set down the same upon the Table, the empty end upward, saying that they will convey the grain therein into the other Box or Bell: which being set down somewhat hard upon the Table, the Leather and the Corn therein will fall down, so as the said Bell being taken up from the Table, you shall see the Corn lying thereon, and the stopple will be hidden therewith, and covered; and when you uncover the other Box, nothing shall remain therein. But presently the Corn must be swept down with one hand into the other, or into your lap or hat. Many feats may be done with this Box, as to put therein a Toad, affirming the same to have been so turned from Corn, &c. and then many beholders will suppose the same to be the Jugglers Devil, whereby his feats and miracles are wrought. But in truth, there is more cunning Witchcraft used in transferring of Corn after this sort, than is in the transferring of one mans Corn in the Grass into another mans field: which the law of the twelve Tables doth so forcibly condemn; for the one is a cosening sleight, the other is a false lie.

Of another Box to convert Wheat into Flower with words, &c.

THere is another Box usual among Jugglers, with a bottom in the middle thereof, made for the like purposes. One other also like a Tun, wherein is shewed great variety of stuffe, as well of liquors as Spices, and all by means of another little Tun within the same, wherein and whereon Liquor and Spices are shewed. But this would ask too long a time of description.

Of divert petty Juggling Knacks.

THere are many other beggerly feats able to beguile the simple, as to make an Oat stir by spitting thereon, as though it came to pass by words. Item to deliver Meal, Pepper, Ginger, or any Powder out of the mouth after the eating of Bread, &c. which is done by retaining any of those things stuffed in a little Paper or Bladder conveyed into your mouth, and grinding the same with your Teeth. Item, a rish through a piece 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 sleight consisteth in turning the piece of Trencher.

CHAP. XXXII. To burn a Thred, and to make it whole again with the Ashes thereof.

IT is not one of the worst feats to burn a Thred handsomly, and to make it whole again; the order whereof is this. Take two Threds, or small Laces, of one foot in length a piece: roll up one of them round, which will be then of the quanity of a Pease, bestow the same between your left fore-finger and your thumb. Then take the other Thred, and hold it forth at length, betwixt the fore-finger and thumb of each hand, holding all your fingers daintily, as young Gentlewomen are taught to take up a morsel of meat. Then let one cut asunder the same Thred in the middle. When that is done, put the tops of your two thumbs together, and so shall you with less suspition receive the peice of Thred which you hold in your right hand into your left, without opening of your left finger and thumb; then holding these two pieces as you did the same before it was cut, let those two be cut also asunder in the midst, and they conveyed again as before, until they be cut very short, and then roll all those ends together, and keep that Ball of small Threds before the other in your left hand, and with a Knife thrust out the same with a Candle, where you may hold it until the said Ball of short Threds be burnt to ashes. Then pull back the Knife with your right hand, and leave the ashes with the other Ball betwixt the fore-finger and thumb of your left hand, and with the two thumbs and two fore-fingers together seem to take pains to frot and rub the ashes, until your Thred be renewed, and draw out that Thred at length which you kept all this while betwixt your left finger and thumb. This is not inferiour to any Jugglers feat if it be well handled; for if you have Legierdemain to bestow the same Ball of Thred, and to change it from place to place betwixt your other fingers (as may easily be done) then will it seem very strange.

To cut a Lace asunder in the midst, and to make it whole again.

BY a device not much unlike to this, you may seem to cut asunder any Lace that hangeth about ones neck, or any Point, Girdle, or Garter, &c. and with Witchcraft or Conjuration to make it whole and closed together again. For the accomplishment whereof, provide (if you can) a piece of the Lace, &c. which you mean to cut, or at the least a pattern like the same, one inch and a half long, (and keeping it double privily in your left hand, betwixt some of your fingers neer to the tips thereof) take the other Lace which you mean to cut, still hanging about ones neck, and draw down your said left hand to the bought thereof; and putting your own piece a little before the other (the end or rather middle whereof you must hide betwixt your fore-finger and thumb) making the eye or bought, which shall be seen, of your own pattern, let some stander by cut the same asunder, and it will be surely thought that the other Lace is cut; which with words and frotting, &c. you shall seem to renew and make whole again. This, if it be well handled, will seem miraculous.

How to pull Laces innumerable out of your mouth, of what colour or length you list, and never any thing seen to be therein.

AS for pulling Laces out of the mouth, it is somewhat a stale jest, whereby Jugglers gain money among Maids, selling Lace by the yard, putting into their mouths one round bottom as fast as they pull out another, and at the just end of every 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 contained in a Hat, and the same of what colour you list to name, to be drawn by so even yards out of his mouth, and yet the Juggler to talk as though there were nothing at all in his mouth.

CHAP. XXXIII. How to make a Book, wherein you shall shew every leaf therein to be white, black, blew red, yellow, green, &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 deceit, cosenage, or confederacy: whereby you may plainly see the Art to be a kind of Witchcraft. I will end therefore with one devide, which is not common, but was specially used by Claruis, whom though I never saw to exercise the feat, yet am I sure I conceive aright of that invention. He had (they say) a Book, whereof he would make you think first, that every leaf was clean white Paper; then by vertue of words he would shew you every leaf to be painted with Birds, then with Beasts, then with Serpents, then with Angels, &c. the device thereof is this. Make a Book seven inches long, and five inches broad, or according to that proportion; and let there be 49. leaves; to wit, seven times seven contained therein, so as you may out upon the edge of each leaf six notches, each notch in depth half a quarter of an inch, and one inch distant. Paint every fourteenth and fifteenth page (which is the end of every sixt leaf, and the beginning of every seventh) with like colour or one kinde of picture. Cut off with a pair of sheers every notch of the first leaf, leaving only one inch of Paper in the uppermost place uncut, which will remain almost half a quarter of an inch higher than any part of that leaf. Leave another like inch in the second place of the second leaf, clipping away one inch of Paper in the highest place immediately above it, and all the notches below the same, and so orderly to the third, fourth, &c. so as there shall rest upon each leaf one only inch of paper above the rest. One high uncut inch of Paper must answer to the first, directly, in every seventh leaf of the Book; so as when you have cut the first seven leaves, in such sort as I first described, you are to begin in the self same order at the eight leaf, descending in such wise in the cutting of seven other leaves, and so again at the fifteenth, to 21, &c. until you have passed through every leaf, all the thickness of your Book.

Now you shall understand, that after the first seven leaves, every seventh leaf in the Book is to be painted, saving one seven leaves, which must remain white. Howbeit, you must observe, that at each Bumleaf or high inch of Paper, seven leaves distant, opposite one directly and lineally against the other, through the thickness of the Book, the same page with the page precedent so to be painted with the like colour or picture, and so must you pass through the Book with seven several sorts of colours or pictures; so as, when you shall rest your thumb upon any of those Bumleaves, or high inches, and open the Book, you shall see in each page one colour or picture throughout the Book; in another row, another colour, &c. To make that matter more plain unto you, let this be description hereof. Hold the Book with your left hand, and (betwixt your fore-finger and thumb of your right hand) slip over the Book in what place you list, and your thumb will alwayes rest at the seventh leaf; to wit, at the Bumleaf or high inch of Paper from whence when your Book is strained, it will fall or slip to the next, &c. Which when you hold fast, and open the Book, the beholders seeing each leaf to have one colour or picture with so many varieties, all passing continually and directly through the whole Book, will suppose that with words you can discolor the leaves at your pleasure. But because perhaps you will hardly conceive hereof by this description, you shall (if you be disposed) see or buy for a small value the like Book, at the Shop of W. Brome in Pauls-Churchyard, for your further instruction. * There are certain feats of activity, which beautifie this Art exceedingly: howbeit even in these, some are true, and some are counterfeit, to wit, some done by practice, and some by confederacy. * There are likewise divers feats, Arithmetical and Geometrical: for them read Gemma Phrysius, and Record, &c. which being exercised by Jugglers, add credit to their Art. * There are also (besides them which I have set down in this title of Hartumim) sundry strange experiments reported by Pliny, Albert, Joh. Bap. Port. Neap. and Thomas Lupton, whereof some are true, and some false, which being known to Jannes and Jambres, or else to our Jugglers, their occupation is the more magnified, and they thereby more reverenced. Here is place to discover the particular knaveries of casting of lots, and drawing of cuts (as they term it) whereby many cosenages are wrought: so as I dare not teach the sundry devices thereof, lest the ungodly make a practice of it in the Common-wealth, where many things are decided by those means, which being honestly meant may be lawfully used. But I have said already somewhat hereof in general, and therefore also the rather have suppressed the particularities, which (in truth) are meer juggling knacks: whereof I could discover a great number.