,,the ,art of ,iugling or ,legerdemaine4 ,wherein is deciphered1 all the conueyances of ,legerdemaine and ,iugling1 how they are effected1 wherin they chiefly consist4 ,cautions to beware of cheating at ,cardes and ,dice4 ,the detection of the beggerly ,art of ,alcumistry1 1 ,the foppery of foolish cousoning ,charmes4 ,all tending to mirth and recreation1 especially for those that desire to haue the insight and priuate practise thereof4 ,by ,s4,r4 ,quod noua testa capit1 ,inueterata sapit4 #afab4 ,,to ,,the ,,ingeniovs ,,gentleman1 and my louing father1 ,mr4 ,,william ,,bvbb4 ,this short conceipt1 that ,i haue writ of late1 ,to you kinde ,father ,,bvbb1 ,i dedicate1 ,not that ,i meane heereby 7good sir7 to teach1 ,for ,i confesse1 your skills beyond my reach3 ,but since before with me much time you spent1 ,good reason then1 first fruits ,i should present3 ,that thankefull 99 ,bird that leaues one young behinde1 ,ensamples me1 to bear a thankefull minde3 ,vngratefull he1 that thankes can not repay ,to him1 that hath deseru'd it euery way3 ,accept 7kinde ,sir7 my loue1 that being doone1 ,i aske no more1 desire no other ,boone4 ,your ,lo3 sonne in all loue1 ,,sa3 ,,rid4 99 ,sidenote3 ,the nature of this ,bird is3 that building her nest vnder the couer of houses 7as the ,swallow doth with vs7 leaue euer behinde her for the owner of the house1 one young one1 in token of her thankfulnesse3 and as ,i may say1 for pawne of her rent4 ,,to ,,his ,,loving ,,friend ,,and adopted ,sonne ,mr4 ,sa3 ,rid4 ,most worthy sonne1 ,your labour and obseruance heerein1 with the gift of your first fruits1 is both worthy commendations and acceptance3 and to cherrish you further in this your discouery1 ,i will giue an addition to your second treatise4 ,so ,i leaue you to ,god3 and belieue you1 not a more louing friend then1 ,william ,bubb4 ,to the curteous ,reader4 ,there goeth a prety ,fable of the ,moone3 ,on a time she earnestly besought her mother to prouide her a garment1 comely and fit for her body3 how can that bee sweete daughter 7quoth the mother7 sith that your body neuer keepes it selfe at one staye1 nor at one certaine estate1 but changeth euery day in the month1 nay euery houre8 ,the application heereof needes no interpretation3 ,fantasie and foolery who can please8 and desire who can humour8 no ,camelion changeth his coulour as affection1 nor any thing so variable a ,populus ,chorus ,fluuius4 ,i would with all my heart1 euery ,author that had done no better then ,i haue1 had done no worse3 and it were to be wished that some caprichious ,coxecombes1 with their desperate wits1 were not so forward to disbowell the entrails of their own ouerweening1 singular1 infectious1 pestiferous thoughts1 as ,i knowe some4 ,but ,i cannot stand all day nosing of ,candlestickes2 meane time beare with a plaine man3 whatsoeuer ,i haue now done1 ,i hope no exception can be taken1 it is for your mirth and recreation 7and ,i pray you so take it47 let such as will needes barke at the ,moone1 yell till their hearts ake3 ,gentle and ,gentlemens spirits1 wil take all kindely that is kindely presented4 ,yours in loue ,s4,r4 ,,the ,art of ,iugling or ,legerdemaine4 ,heretofore we haue runne ouer the two pestiferous carbuncles in the commonwealth1 the ,egyptians and common ,canters3 the poore ,canters we haue canuased meetely well1 it now remaines to proceede where ,i left1 ond to goe forward with that before ,i promised3 ,st4 ,quintane be my good speede1 ,i know ,i haue runne thorow the hands of many1 censured of diuers1 girded at not of a few3 ,but humanity is euer willinger to loue then hate3 curtesie much forwarder to commend then dispraise3 clemency infinitely proner to absolue then to condemn4 ,is it not possible to find sauery hearbs among netles1 roses among prickles1 berries among bushes1 marrow among bones1 grain among stubble1 and a little corne among a great deale of chaffe8 ,in the rankest and strongest poysons1 pure and sweet balmes may be distilled1 and some matter or other worthy to be remembred may be embraced1 whosoeuer is ,author4 ,there is nothing so exceeding foolish but hath bene defended by some wise man1 nor any thing so passing wise1 but hath bene confuted by some foole3 ,tut1 ,st4 ,barnard saw not all things1 and the best cart may eftsoones ouerthrow3 ,that curld pate ,rufus that goes about with ,zoylus to carpe and finde fault1 must bring the ,standard of iudgement with him1 and make wisedome the moderater of his wit1 otherwise they may be like to purchase to themselues the worshipfull names of ,dunces and ,dottipoles4 ,so much by the way4 ,these kinde of people about an hundred yeares agoe1 about the twentith yeare of ,king ,henry the eight1 began to gather an head1 at the first heere about the ,southerne parts1 and this 7as ,i am informed7 and as ,i can gather1 was their beginning4 ,certaine ,egiptians banished their cuntry 7belike not for their good conditions7 ariued heere in ,england1 who being excellent in quaint trickes and deuises1 not known heere at that time among vs1 were esteemed and had in great admiration1 for what with strangenesse of their attire and garments1 together with their sleights and legerdemaines1 they were spoke of farre and neere1 insomuch that many of our ,english loyterers ioyned with them1 and in time learned their craft and cosening4 ,the speach which they vsed was the right ,egiptian language1 with whome our ,englishmen conuersing with1 at last learned their language4 ,these people continuing about the cuntry in this fashion1 practising their cosening art of fast and loose1 and legerdemaine1 purchased to themselues great credit among the cuntry people1 and got much by ,palmistry1 and telling of fortunes3 insomuch they pittifully cosoned the poore cuntry girles1 both of mony1 siluer spoones1 and the best of their apparrell1 or any good thing they could make1 onely to heare their fortunes4 ,this ,giles ,hather 7for so was his name7 together with his whore ,kit ,calot1 in short space had following them a pretty traine1 he tearming himselfe the ,king of ,egiptians1 and she the ,queene1 ryding about the cuntry at their pleasures vncontrolled3 at last about forty yeres after1 when their knauery began to be espied1 and that their cosonages were apparant to the world1 7for they had continued neere thirty yeares after this manner1 pilling and polling1 and cosening the cuntry7 it pleased the ,councell to looke more narrowly into their liues1 and in a ,parliament made in the first and second yeares of ,phillip and ,mary1 there was a strict ,statute made1 that whosoeuer should transport any ,egiptians into this ,realme1 should forfeit forty pounds3 ,moreouer1 it was then enacted1 that such fellowes as tooke vpon them the name of ,egiptians1 aboue the age of fourteene1 or that shall come ouer and be transported into ,england1 or any other persons1 and shall be seene in the company of vagabonds1 calling themselues ,egiptians1 or counterfeiting1 transforming1 or disguising themselues by their apparrell1 speach1 or other behauiours like vnto ,egiptians1 and so shall continue1 either at one or seuerall times1 by the space of a month1 they should be adiudged fellons1 not allowed their booke or ,clergy4 ,these ,acts and ,statutes now put forth1 and come to their hearing1 they deuide their bands and companies into diuers parts of the ,realme3 for you must imagine and know that they had aboue two hundred roagues and vagabonds in a ,regiment3 and although they went not altogether1 yet would they not be aboue two or three miles one from the other1 and now they dare no more be knowne by the name of ,egiptians1 nor take any other name vpon them then poore people4 ,but what a number were executed presently vpon this statute1 you would wonder3 yet not withstanding all would not preuaile3 but still they wandred1 as before vp and downe1 and meeting once in a yeere at a place appointed3 sometimes at the ,deuils arse in peake in ,darbishire1 and otherwhiles at ,ketbrooke by ,blackeheath1 or elsewhere1 as they agreed still at their meeting4 ,then it pleased ,queene ,elizabeth to reuiue the ,statute before mentioned1 in the twentith yeare of her happy raigne1 endeauouring by all meanes possible to roote out this pestiferous people1 but nothing could be done1 you see vntill this day3 they wander vp and downe in the name of ,egiptians1 cullouring their faces and fashioning their attire and garment like vnto them1 yet if you aske what they are1 they dare no otherwise then say1 they are ,englishmen1 and of such a shire1 and so are forced to say contrary to that they pretend4 ,but to come a little neerer our purpose1 these fellowes seeing that no profit comes by wandring1 but hazard of their liues1 doe daily decrease and breake off their wonted society1 and betake themselues many of them1 some to be ,pedlers1 some ,tinkers1 some ,iuglers1 and some to one kinde of life or other1 insomuch that ,iugling is now become common1 ,i meane the professors who make an occupation and profession of the same3 which ,i must needs say1 that some deserue commendation for the nimblenes and agillity of their hands1 and might be thought to performe as excellent things by their ,legerdemaine1 as any of your wisards1 witches1 or magitians whatsoeuer4 ,for these kinde of people doe performe that in action1 which the other do make shew of3 and no doubt many when they heare of any rare exploit performed which cannot enter into their capacity1 and is beyond their reach1 straight they attribute it to be done by the ,deuill1 and that they worke by some familiar spirit1 when indeede it is nothing els but meere illusion1 cosoning1 and legerdemaine4 ,for you haue many now adaies1 and also heeretofore many writers haue bene abused1 as well by vntrue reports as by illusion and practises of confederacy1 legerdemaine1 c4 ,sometimes imputing to words that which resteth in nature1 and sometimes to the nature of the thing that which proceedeth of fraud and deception of sight4 ,but when these experiments growe to superstition and impiety1 they are either to be forsaken as vaine1 or denyed as false3 howbeit1 if these things be done for recreation and mirth1 and not to the hurt of our neighbour1 nor to the prophaning and abusing of ,gods holy name3 then sure they are neither impious nor altogether vnlawfull1 though heerein or heereby a naturall thing be made to seeme supernaturall4 ,and ,gentlemen1 if you will giue me patience1 ,i will lay open vnto you the right ,art ,iugling and ,legerdemain1 in what poynt it doth chiefly consist3 principally being sorry that it thus fals out1 to lay open the secrets of this mistery to the hinderance of such poore men as liue thereby1 whose doings heerein are not onely tollerable1 but greatly commendable1 so they abuse not the name of ,god1 nor make the people to attribute vnto them his power1 but alwaies acknowledge wherein the ,art consisteth4 ,the true ,art therefore of ,iugling1 consisteth in ,legerdemaine3 that is1 the nimble conueyance and right dexteritie of the hand1 the which is performed diuers waies1 especially three3 ,the first and princiall consisteth in hiding conueying of balls3 ,the second in alteration of money3 ,the third in the shuffling of ,cards3 and he that is expert in these1 may shew many feates1 and much pleasure4 ,there are diuers and rare experiments to be showne by confederacy1 either priuate or publike1 all which in place conuenient1 shall be spoken of4 ,and forasmuch as ,i professe rather to discouer then teach these misteries1 it shall suffice to signifie vnto you1 that the endeauour and drift of ,iuglers1 is onely to abuse mens eyes and iudgements3 now then my meaning is in wordes as plaine as ,i can1 to rip up some proper tricks of that ,art1 wherof some are pleasant delectable1 othersome dreadful desperate1 and all but meere delusions and counterfeit actions1 as you shal soone see by due obseruation of euery knacke by me heereafter deciphered3 ,and first in order ,i will begin with the playes and deuises of the ball1 which are many3 ,i will touch onely but a few1 and as in this1 so in all the rest ,i will runne ouer slightly1 yet as plaine as ,i can4 ,notes and obseruations to be marked of such as desire to practise ,legerdemaine4 ,remember that a ,iugler must set a good face vppon that matter he goeth about1 for a good grace and carriage is very requisite to make the art more authenticall4 ,your feates and trickes then must be nimbly1 cleanly1 and swiftly done1 and conueyed so as the eyes of the beholders may not discerne or perceaue the tricke1 for if you be a bungler1 you both shame your selfe1 and make the ,art you goe about to be perceaued and knowne1 and so bring it into discredit4 ,wherefore vse and exercise makes a man ready4 ,vsus promptus facit1 and by that meanes your feats being cunningly handled1 you shall deceaue both the eye1 the hand1 and the eare3 for often times it will fall out in this arte1 and deuises ,deceptio visus1 ,deceptio tactus1 et ,deceptio ,auditus4 ,note also that you must haue none of your ,trinckets wanting1 least you be put to a non plus3 besides it behooueth you to be mindefull whereabout you goe in euery trick1 least you mistake1 and so discredit the arte4 ,you must also haue your words of ,arte1 certaine strange words1 that it may not onely breed the more admiration to the people1 but to leade away the eie from espying the manner of your conuayance1 while you may induce the minde1 to conceiue1 and suppose that you deale with ,spirits3 and such kinde of sentenses1 and od speeches1 are vsed in diuers manners1 fitting and correspondent to the action and feate that you goe about4 ,as ,hey ,fortuna1 furia1 nunquam1 ,credo1 passe passe1 when come you ,sirrah8 or this way3 hey ,iack come aloft for thy masters aduantage1 passe and be gone1 or otherwise3 as ,ailif1 ,casil1 zaze1 ,hit1 metmeltat1 ,saturnus1 ,iupiter1 ,mars1 ,sol1 ,venus1 ,mercurie1 ,luna8 or thus3 ,drocti1 ,micocti1 et ,senarocti1 ,velu barocti1 ,asmarocti1 ,ronnsee1 ,faronnsee1 hey passe passe3 many such obseruations to this arte1 are necessary1 without which all the rest1 are little to the purpose4 ,feates of ,legerdemaine vsed with the ,balls1 with one or more4 ,concerning the ,ball1 the playes and deuises thereof are infinite3 insomuch1 as if you can vse them wel1 you may shew an hundred feats1 but whether you seeme to throw the ,ball into the ayre1 or into your mouth1 or into your left hand1 or as you list1 it must be kept still in your right hand3 if you practise first with the leaden bullet1 you shall the sooner1 and better do it with balls of ,corke3 the first place at your first learning1 where you are to bestow a great ball1 is in the palme of your hand1 with your ring finger1 but a small ball is to be placed with your thumbe betwixt your ring finger and middle finger3 then are you to practise to do it betwixt your other fingers1 then betwixt the forefinger the thumbe1 with the forefinger middle finger ioyntly1 and therein is the greatest and the strangest conueying shewed4 ,lastly the same small ball is to be practised in the palme of your hand1 and so by vse1 you shall not only seeme to put any ball from you1 and yet retaine it in your hand1 but you shall keepe fower or fiue1 as clenly and certaine as one1 this being first learned and sleight attayned vnto1 you shall worke wonderfull feates3 as for ensample4 ,note for this feate yow must haue fower boxes made in the manner of extinguishers that are made to put out candles1 but as big againe3 but for want of them1 you may take smal candlesticks1 or saltseller couers1 or som such like4 ,lay three or fower balls before you1 and as many boxes or small candlesticks c1 then first seeme to put one ball into your left hand1 and therewithall seeme to holde the same fast4 ,then take one of the boxes c4 or any other thing 7hauing a hollow foote1 and being great7 and seeme to put the ball which is thought to be in your left hand vnderneath the same1 and so vnder the other candlesticks ,boxes c4 seeme to bestow the other balls1 and all this while the beholders will suppose each ball to be vnder each box1 or candlestick c4 this done vse some charme or forme of words 7before set downe7 as hey ,fortuna furie nunquam credo1 passe passe3 then take vp the candlestick with one hand and blow1 saying thats gone you see3 and so likewise looke vnder each candlestick with like grace and words 7for you must remember to carry a good grace and face on the matter7 and the beholders will wonder where they are become3 ,but if you in lifting vp the candlesticks with your right hand leaue all those three or fower balls vnder one of them 7as by vse you may easily doe7 hauing turned them all downe into your hand and holding them fast with your little1 and ring finger1 and take the box or candlestick c4 with your other fingers and cast the balls vp into the hollownes thereof 7for so they will not rowle so soone away7 the standers by will be much astonished1 but it will seeme wonderfull strange1 if also in shewing how there remaineth nothing vnder an other of the said candlesticks taken vp with your left hand you leaue behinde you a great ball1 or any other thing1 the miracle will be the greater4 ,for first1 they will thinke you haue pulled away all the balls by miracle1 then that you haue brought them againe by like meanes and they nether thinke1 or looke that any other thing remaineth behinde vnder any of them1 and therfore after many other feates don returne to your candlesticks1 remembring where you left the great ball1 and in no wise touch the same1 but hauing another great ball about you1 seeme to bestow the same in manner and forme aforesaid vnder a candlestick which standeth farthest from that where the ball lyeth1 and when you shall with words and charmes seeme to conuey the same ball from vnder the same box or candlestick c4 7and afterward bring it vnder the box c4 which you touched not7 it will 7,i say7 seeme wonderfull strange4 ,to make a little ,ball swell in your hand till it be very great4 ,take a very great ball in your left hand1 or three indifferent big balls1 and shewing one or three little balls1 seeme to put them into your said left hand1 concealing 7as you may well do7 the other balls which were there before3 ,then vse charmes1 and words1 and make them seem to swell1 and open your hand c4 ,this play is to be varied an hundred waies for as you finde them all vnder the boxe or candlesticke1 so may you goe to a stander by1 and take off his hat or cap and shew the balls to be there1 by conueying them thereinto as you turne the bottome vpward4 ,these things to them that know them are counted ridiculous1 but to those that are ignorant they are maruelous4 ,to consume1 7or rather conuay7 one or many ,balls into nothing4 ,if you take a ball or more1 and seeme to put it into your other hand1 and whilst you vse charming words1 you conuey them out of your right hand into your lap1 it will seeme strange1 for when you open your left hand1 immediately the sharpest lookers on will say1 it is in your other hand1 which also then you may open1 and when they see nothing there1 they are greatly ouertaken4 ,an other pretty feat with ,balls4 ,take foure ,balls1 one of the which keep betweene your fore-finger and your middle1 laying the other three vpon the table1 then take vp one and put it into your left hand1 and afterward take vp another1 and conuaying it and the other betweene your fingers into your left hand1 taking vp the third and seeming to cast it from you into the ayre1 or into your mouth1 or else where you please1 vsing some words or charmes as before3 the standers by when you aske them how many you haue in your hand1 will iudge there are no more then two1 which when you open your hand they shall see how they are deluded4 ,but ,i will leaue to speake of the ball any more1 for heerein ,i might hold you all day1 and yet shall ,i not be able to teach you the vse of it1 nor scarcely to vnderstand what ,i meane or write1 concerning it1 vnlesse you haue had some sight thereof heeretofore by demonstration3 and alwaies remember that the right hand be kept open and straight1 only keepe the palme from view3 and therefore ,i will end with this miracle4 ,a feat1 tending chiefly to laughter and mirth4 ,lay one ball vpon your shoulder1 an other on your arme1 and the third on the table3 which because it is round and will not easily lye vpon the point of your knife1 you must bid a stander by1 lay it theron1 saying1 that you meane to cast all those three ,balls into your mouth at once3 and holding a knife as a penne in your hand1 when he is laying vpon the poynt of your knife1 you may easily with the haft rap him on the fingers1 for the other matter will be hard to doe4 ,and thus much of the ,balls4 ,to come to the second principall part of ,legerdemaine1 which is conuayance of mony1 wherein by the way obserue that the mony must not be of too small nor too great a circumference1 least either1 it hinder the conuayance4 ,of conueyance of mony4 ,the conueying of mony is not much inferiour to the ,ball1 but much easier to doe3 ,the principall place to keepe a peece of mony in1 is the palme of your hand3 ,the best peece to keepe1 is a testor1 but with exercise all will be alike1 except the mony be very small1 and then it must bee kept betweene the fingers1 and almost at the fingers end1 where as the ball is to be kept1 and below neere to the palme4 ,to conuey mony out of one hand into the other1 by ,legerdemaine4 ,first you must hold open your right hand and lay therin a testor or counter1 and then lay thereupon the top of your long left finger1 and vse words c4 and vpon the sudden slip your right hand from your finger1 wherewith you held downe the testor1 and bending your hand a very little1 you shall retaine the testor therein1 and sodainely 7,i say7 drawing your right hand thorough your left1 you shal seeme to haue left the testor there1 especially when you shut in due time your left hand1 which that it may more plainely appeare to be truely done1 you may take a knife and seeme to knocke against it1 so as it shall make a great sound3 but instead of knocking the peece in the left hand 7where none is7 you shall hold the point of the knife fast with the left hand1 and knocke against the testor held in the other hand1 and it will be thought to hit against the mony in the left hand3 then vse words1 and open the hand1 and when nothing is seene1 it will be wondred at1 how the testor was remoued4 ,to conuert or transubstantiat money into ,counters1 or ,counters into money4 ,an other way to deceaue the lookers on1 is to doe as before with a testor1 and keeping a ,counter in the palme of your left hand1 secretly to seeme to put the testor thereinto1 which being retained still in the right hand1 when the left hand is opened1 the testor will seeme to be transubstantiated into a counter4 ,to put one ,testor into one hand1 and another into an other hand1 and with words to bring them together4 ,he that hath once attayned to the facillity of reteyning one peece of money in his right hand1 may shew an hundred pleasant conceits by that meanes1 and may reserue two or three as well as one3 and loe1 then may you seeme to put one peece into your left hand1 and retaining it still in your right hand1 you may together therewith take vp another like peece1 and so with words seeme to bring both peeces together4 ,to put one testor into a strangers hand and an other in your owne hand1 and to conuay both into the strangers hand with words4 ,take two testors eeuenly set together1 and put the same in stead of one testor into a strangers hand3 and then making as though you put one testor into your left hand1 with words you shall make it seeme that you conuey the testor in your hand into the strangers hand3 for when you open your said left hand1 there shall be nothing seene3 and he opening his hand1 shall finde two where he thought was but one4 ,by this deuise ,i say an hundred conceits may be shewed4 ,to throwe a peece of money away and to finde it againe where you please4 ,you may with the middle and ring-finger of the right hand1 conuey a testor into the palme of the same hand1 and seeming to cast it away1 keepe it still1 which with confederacy will seeme strange3 to wit1 when you finde it againe1 where another hath bestowed the very like peece4 ,but these things without exercise cannot be done1 and therefore ,i will proceede to shew things to be brought to passe by many1 with lesse difficulty1 and yet as strange as the rest1 which being vnknowne1 are maruelously commended1 but being vnknowne1 are derided and nothing at all regarded4 ,to make a testor or a groat1 leap out of a potte1 or run along vpon a table with words4 ,you shall see a ,iugler take a testor or groate throw it into a pot1 or lay it on the middest of the table1 and with inchanting words cause the same to leape out of the pot1 or run towards him or from him wards alongest the table1 which will seeme miraculous1 vntill that you know that it is done with a long black haire of a womans head1 fastned to the brim of a groat by meanes of a little hole driuen through the same with a spanish needle3 in like sort you may vse a knife or any other small thing4 ,but if you would haue it to goe from you1 you must haue a confederate by which meanes all ,iugling is greased1 and amended4 ,this feate is the stranger if it be done by night1 a candle placed betweene the lookers on and the ,iugler3 for by that meanes the eysight is hindred from deserning the conceyt4 ,a very pretty trick to make a groate or a testor to sinck thorow a table1 and to vanish out of a hand kercheife very strangely4 ,a ,iugler sometimes will borrow a groate or a testor1 and marke it before you1 and seeme to put the same into a hand kercheife1 and winde it so that you may the better see and feele it3 then will he take you the handkercheif and bid you feele whether the groate be there or no3 ,and he will also require you to put the same vnder a candlestick or some such thing3 then will he send for a ,bason and holding the same vnder the boord right against the candlestick will vse certen words of inchantments1 and in short space you shall here the groat fall into a bason3 this done1 one takes of the candlestick and the ,iugler taketh the handcarcheife by the tassell1 and shaketh it3 but the money is gone1 which seemeth as strange as any feate what soeuer3 but being knowne1 the miracle is turned into a bable1 for it is nothing but to sowe a counter into the corner of a handkercher finely couered with a peece of linnen little bigger then the counter1 which corner you must conuey in steede of the groat deliuered vnto you1 in the middle of your handkercheife1 leauing the other eyther in your hand or lappe1 which afterwards you must seeme to pull through the board1 letting it fall into a bason4 ,to conuey one shilling being in one hand into an other1 holding your armes abroad like to a roode4 ,euermore it is necessary to mingle some merry toyes among your graue miracles1 as in this case of money3 ,take a shilling in each hand1 and holding your armes abroad1 to lay a wager that you will put them both into one hand without bringing them any whit nerer together3 the wager being layde1 hold your armes abroad like a roode1 and turning about with your body1 lay the shilling out of one of your hands vppon the table1 and turning to the other side take it vp with the other hand1 and so you shall winne your wager4 ,of ,cardes and ,dice1 with good cautions how to auoyde cosenage therein3 speciall rules to conuey and handle the cardes1 and the manner and order how to accomplish all difficult1 strange things wrought with cardes4 ,hauing bestowed some wast money amonge you1 ,i will set you to ,cardes1 and ,dice3 ,a cupple of honest friends that drawe both in a yoke together1 which haue bin the ouerthrow1 of many a hundred in this ,realme1 and these are not the slightest matters whereuppon ,iuglers worke vpon1 and shew their feates4 ,by which kinde of ,iugling1 a great number haue ,iugled away1 not only their money1 but also their landes1 their health1 their time1 and their honestie3 ,i dare not 7as ,i could7 shew the lewde ,iugling that cheaters practise1 least it minister some offence1 to the well disposed3 to the simple hurt and losse1 and to the wicked occasion of euill doing4 ,but by the way ,i will a little speake of dice1 and the vse of them1 as caueats1 rather to let you take heede of their cosonings1 then to giue you light to follow their doings3 ,non ad imitandum sed ad cuitandum4 ,first1 you must know a ,langret1 which is a die that simple men haue seldom heard of1 but often seene to their cost1 and this is a well fauoured die1 and seemeth good and square1 yet is it forged longer1 vppon the ,cater1 and ,trea1 then any other way3 ,and therefore it is called a ,langret4 ,such be also cal'd bard ,cater treas1 because commonly1 the longer end will of his owne sway drawe downewards1 and turne vp to the eie1 ,sixe1 ,sincke1 ,deuce or ,ace4 ,the principall vse of them is at ,nouum1 for so longe a paire of ,bard cater treas be walking on the bourd1 so longe can ye not cast fiue1 nor nine1 vnles it be by greate chance1 that the roughnes of the table1 or some other stoppe force them to stay1 and runne against their kinde3 for without ,cater or trea1 ye know that fiue or nine can neuer come4 ,but you will say by this reason1 he that hath the first dice1 is like alwaies to stripp and rob all the table about4 ,to helpe this1 there must be for that purpose1 an odd ,die1 called a flat ,cater trea ready at hand1 and no other number1 for graunting the trea and ,cater be allwaies vppon the one ,die1 then is there no chance vpon the other ,die1 but may serue to make fiue or nine1 cast forth1 loose all4 ,but now to share you what shifts they haue to bring the flat die in and out1 which is a iolly cunning property of ,iugling1 with them called foysting3 the which is nothing else but a slight1 to carry easly within the hand1 as often as the foister list3 so that when either he or his partner shall cast the dice1 the flat comes not abroad1 till hee hath made a great hand and won as much as him listeth3 otherwise the flat is euer one1 vnlesse at few times vpon purpose he suffer the silly soules to cast in a hand or two1 to giue them courage to continue the play1 and liue in hope of winning4 ,these things ,i know seeme very strange to the simple1 and as yet cannot sinke into their braine1 how a man may carry so many dice in one hand1 and chop and change them so often1 and neuer be espied3 so as before ,i tolde you1 ,iuglers conueyance seemeth to exceede the compas of reason till you know the feat3 but what is it that vse and labour ouercometh not4 ,to foyst finely and readily and with the same hand to tell mony to and fro1 is a thing hardly learned1 and asketh a bold spirit and long experience1 though it be one of the first the ,cheater learneth4 ,what should ,i speak any more of false dice1 of fullons1 high-men1 lowe-men1 gourds1 and brisled dice1 grauiers1 demies1 and contraries1 all which haue his sundry vses3 but it is not my meaning to stand on this subiect3 ,i would rather vse my pen1 and spend my time1 to disswade and perswade all gamesters1 to beware not onely with what dice1 but with what company and where they exercise gaming3 and be well assured ,gentlemen that all the friendly entertainement you shall finde amongst them is for no other end1 but to perswade you to play1 and therby by to breede your great losse1 if not altogether your vndoing4 ,therefore vtterly forbeare to hazard any thing at dice1 and liue in doubt and suspition of cheating1 wheresoeuer you play 7vnles you know your company very well7 for the contagion of cheating1 is now growne so vniuersall1 that they swarme in euery quarter3 and therefore ye cannot be in safety1 vnles you shunne the company of such altogether4 ,to leaue ,dice and returne to ,cardes1 wherein is as much falsehood and cosening as in ,dice3 ,i will therefore disclose as much in one as in the other1 for ,i would not giue a point to choose1 which of them is the better1 or rather the worse1 for there is such a slight in shuffling and sorting of the ,cardes1 that play at what game you will1 all is lost before hand1 but if there be a confederate3 either of the players or standers bie1 the mischiefe can not be auoided4 ,beware therefore when you play among strangers of him that seemes simple or drunken1 for vnder their habit the most speciall cosoners are presented1 and while you thinke by their simplicitie and imperfections to beguile them1 7and thereof perchance are perswaded by their confederates7 your very friends as you thinke1 you your selfe will be most of all ouertaken4 ,beware also of betters by1 and lookers on3 and namely on them that bet on your side3 for whilst they looke on your game without suspition1 they discouer it by signes to your aduersaries1 with whome they bet1 and yet are they confederates1 whereof me thinkes this one aboue the rest proceedeth from a fine inuention4 ,a tricke by confederacy at ,cardes4 ,a ,gamester1 after he had bene often times bitten by ,cheators1 and after much losse1 grew very suspitious in his play1 so that he would not suffer any of the sitters by to be priuy to his game1 for this the ,cheators deuised a new shift1 that a woman should sit close by him1 and by the swift and slowe drawing of her needle1 giue a token to the ,cheator what was the ,cosens game4 ,other helpes there be1 as to set the ,cosen vpon the bench1 with a great ,looking glasse behinde him on the wall1 wherein the ,cheator may alwaies see what ,cardes hee hath in his hand1 ,so that a few ensamples in stead of many that might be rehearsed1 this one conclusion may be gathered1 that whosoeuer is giuen to play1 and once sitteth amongst them1 it is great ods but that he shall rise a looser4 ,but many there be that liue so continently1 that nothing can perswade them to put a penny in aduenture1 and some againe are so vnskilfull that lacke of cunning forceth them to forbeare play3 but yet hard it is for any man to fall into their company1 but they will make him stoope at one game or other3 and for this purpose1 their first drift and intent is to seeke1 by al meanes possible to vnderstand his nature1 and whereunto he is most inclined3 if they find that he taketh pleasure in the company of women1 then seek they to strike him1 at the ,sacking law3 7as they tearme it7 and take this alwaies for a rule1 that all the ,baudes in the country be of the ,cheaters familiar acquaintance4 ,therefore it is not very hard for them at all times to prouide for their amorous ,cosen1 a lewd lecherous ,lady to keepe him louing company3 then fall they to banquetting1 and carrowsing and hunting of ,tauernes1 and much is the cost that this silly ,cosen shall be at in ,iewels and apparrell1 otherwise he shall not once get a graunt to haue a kisse of his mistris lips3 and euer in middle of their conference she layeth in this reason1 for her sake to put in twenty or thirty crownes in aduenture at ,cardes or ,dice3 you know not 7quoth she7 what may be a womans lucke3 if he refuse it1 ,lord how vnkindely she takes the matter1 and cannot be reconciled with lesse then a gowne or a kirtle of silke4 ,but now if these ,cheaters perceaue that he esteemeth no bruised ware1 but is enamored with virginity1 they haue a fine cast within an houres warning1 to make ,ione ,siluerpin as good a maide as if she had neuer come to the stewes3 but to let these things passe1 for offending of chast eares1 whose displeasure ,i would not incurre1 for all the cheates these gamesters get in a whole yeare4 ,but to our purpose4 ,there are two sorts of vsing the ,cards1 the one is in playing 7with one or more7 games1 as ,primero1 ,trumpe1 ,saunte1 ,decoye1 c4 ,the other vse of ,cardes is to shew feates of ,legerdemaine4 ,concerning the first1 if it be vsed for recreation and not to the prophaning of ,gods holy name1 nor hurt of our bretheren and neighbors1 they are to be tollerated3 but now 7more is the pitty7 they are not vsed in that fashion as they should be1 but much hurt oft times ariseth thereof4 ,primero now as it is in great vse1 so is there much deceite in it1 some play vppon the prick1 some pinch the cardes priuily with their nailes1 some turne vp the corners1 some marke them with fine spots of ,inck1 some there be that trauell into ,spaine and into ,italie to learne fine tricks and quaint conueyances1 at cardes and returne home1 and winne much money with them here in ,england1 but yet at the last they are still ouer-reached by some fine wittes that devise new sleights here at home4 ,at ,trumpe1 ,saunte1 and such other like games1 cutting at the nick1 is a great aduantage1 so is cutting by ,bumcard1 finely vnder or ouer3 stealing the stock or the discarded ,cardes4 ,at ,decoye they drawe twentie hands together and play all vpon assurance when to winne or loose1 other helpes there be as ,i haue before set downe1 with a looking glasse and confederacy3 all which and such like1 tende to cosoning and hurt of our brother3 ,but we will proceed with the other vse of ,cardes1 which tendeth to mirth and recreation of minde and which in themselues simply is no hurt1 vnles they are abused4 ,in shewing feats ,iugling with cardes the principall poynt consisteth in shuffling them nimbly1 and alwaies keeping one certen carde either in the bottom or in some knowne place of the stock1 foure or fiue cardes from it1 hereby you shall seeme to worke wonders1 for it will be easie for you to see or espie one1 which though you be perceiued to doe1 it will not be suspected1 if you shuffle them well afterwards1 and this note ,i must giue you1 ,that in reseruing the bottome carde1 you must alwaies 7whilst you shuffle7 keepe him a little before1 or a little behind1 all the cardes lying vnderneath him1 bestowing him 7,i say7 eyther a little beyond his fellowes before right ouer the fore finger1 or else behinde the rest1 so as the little finger of the left hand may meete with it1 which is the esier and the readier1 and the better way3 in the beginning of your shuffleing1 shuffle as thick as you can1 and in the end throw vppon the deck the nether carde1 7with so many moe at the least as you would haue preserued for any purpose7 a little before or behinde the rest2 prouided alwaies that your fore finger if the pack be laide before1 or the little finger if the pack lye behinde1 creepe vp to meete with the bottome carde1 and not lye betwixt the cardes1 and when you feele it1 you may there holde it vntill you haue shuffled ouer the cardes againe1 still leauing your kept carde below being perfect herein1 you may doe almost what you list with the cardes3 ,by this meanes what pack soeuer you make1 though it consist of eight1 twelue1 or twenty cardes1 you may keepe them still together vnseuered next to the nether carde1 and yet shuffle them often to satisfie the curious beholders1 as for ensample1 and for breuities sake1 to shew you diuers feates vnder one4 ,how to deliuer out foure ,aces1 and to conuert them into foure ,knaues4 ,make a pack of eight cardes1 to wit foure ,knaues and foure ,aces1 and although all the eight cardes must lie imediately together1 yet must ech ,knaue and ,ace be openly seauered1 and the same eight cardes must lie also in the lowest place of the bunch1 then shuffle them so1 as alwaies at the second shuffling1 or at least wise at the end of your shuffling the said pack1 and of the pack one ace may lye nethermost or so as you may knowe where he goeth and lyeth1 and alwaies ,i say let your foresaid pack1 with three or foure cardes more1 lye vnseperablely together1 immediately vppon and with that ace1 then vsing some speech or other deuise1 and putting your hand with the cardes to the edge of the table1 to hide the account1 let out priuily a peece of the second card1 which is one of the knaues holding forth the stock in both your hands1 and shewing to the standers by the nether ,card 7which is the ace or kept ,card7 couering also the head or peece of the knaue 7which is your next card7 with your foure fingers3 draw out the same knaue laying it down an the ,table3 then shuffle again keeping your packe whole1 and so haue you two aces lying together in the bottome3 therefore to reforme that disordered ,card1 as also for a grace and countenance to that action1 take off the vppermost ,card of the bunch1 and thrust it into the middest of the ,cards1 and then take away the nethermost ,card1 which is one of your aces1 and bestow him likewise3 then may you begin as before1 shewing an other ace1 and in stead thereof lay downe another knaue1 and so forth1 vntill instead of your foure aces you haue laid downe foure knaues4 ,the beholders all this while thinking that there lye foure aces on the table1 are greatly abused1 and will maruell at the transformation4 ,how to tell one what ,card he seeth in the bottome1 when the same ,carde is shuffled into the stock4 ,when you haue seene a ,card priuily1 or as though you marked it not1 lay the same vndermost1 and shuffle the ,cards as before you were taught1 till your ,card ly againe belowe in the bottom3 then shew the same to the beholders1 willing them to remember it1 then shuffle the ,cards or let any shuffle them1 for you know the ,cardes already1 and therefore may at any time tell them what ,carde they saw1 which neuerthelesse would be done with great circumstance and shew of difficultie4 ,a strange excellent tricke to hold foure ,kings in the hand1 and by words to transform them into foure ,aces1 and after to make them all blancke ,cardes1 one after another4 ,you shall see a ,iugler take foure ,kings and no more in his hand1 and apparantly shew you them1 then after some words and charmes1 he will throwe them downe before you vpon the table1 taking one of the ,kings away and adding but one other ,card3 then taking them vp againe and blowing vpon them1 will shew you them transformed into blancke ,cardes1 white on both sides3 after vsing charmes againe1 throwing them downe as before1 7with the faces downeward7 will take them vp againe and shew you foure ,aces1 blowing still vpon them1 that it may breede the more wonder1 which tricke in my minde is nothing inferiour to the rest3 and being not knowne1 will seeme wonderfull strange to the spectators1 yet after you knowe it1 you can not but say the tricke is pretty4 ,now therefore to accomplish this feate1 you must haue ,cardes made for the purpose1 7halfe ,cardes ye may call them7 that is the one halfe kings the other part aces1 so that laying the aces1 one ouer the other1 nothing but the kings will be seene1 and then turning the kings downward1 the foure aces will be seene3 prouided you must haue two whole1 one whole king to couer one of the aces1 or els it will be perceaued1 and the other an ace to lay ouer the kings1 when you meane to shew the aces3 then when you will make them all blancke1 lay the ,cards a little lower1 and hide the aces and they will appeare all white4 ,the like you may make of the foure knaues1 putting vppon them the foure fiues1 and so of the rest of the ,cardes3 ,but this can not be well shewed you without demonstration4 ,hitherto ,i haue intreated of the three principall kinds of ,iugling1 now it remaineth in order to speake of ,iugling by confederacy1 which is either priuate or publike4 ,priuate conspiracy is1 when one 7by a speciall plot laid by himselfe1 without any compact made with others7 perswadeth the beholders1 that he will suddenly and in their presence1 doe some miraculous feate1 which he hath already accomplished priuately3 as for ensample1 he will shew you a carde or any other like thing1 and will say further unto you1 behold and see what a marke it hath1 and then burneth it1 and neuertheles fetcheth another like ,card1 so marked out of some bodies pocket1 or out of some corner1 where he himselfe before had placed it1 to the wonder and astonishment of simple beholders1 which conceaue not that kinde of illusion1 but expect miracles and strange workes4 ,i haue read of a notable exploit done before a ,king by a ,iugler1 who painted on a wall the picture of a doue1 and seeing a pigeon sitting vpon the top of an house1 said to the ,king1 looke now your grace shall see what a ,iugler can doe1 if he be his craftes master1 then pricked the picture with a knife1 so hard and so often1 and with so effectuall words1 as the pigeon fell downe from the top of the house starke dead1 you may imagine how the matter was taken1 what wondring was thereat1 how he was prohibited to vse that feat any further1 least he should imploy it in any other kinde of murder4 ,this story is held yet of diuers as canonicall1 but when you are taught the feat or slight1 you will thinke it a mockery and a simple illusion4 ,to vnfold you the mistery heereof1 so it is that the poore pigeon was before in the hands of the ,iugler1 into whom he had thrust a dramme of ,nux vomica1 or some other such poyson1 which to the nature of the ,bird was so extreame a poyson1 as after the receit thereof1 it could not liue aboue the space of halfe an houre1 and being let loose after the medicine ministred1 she alwaies resorteth to the top of the next house1 which she will the rather doe1 if there be any pigeons already sitting there1 and after a short space falleth downe1 either starke dead1 or greatly astonished3 but in the meane time1 the ,iugler vseth words of art1 partly to protract time1 and partly to gaine credit1 and admiration of the beholders4 ,as with ,cardes you may shew feates by priuate confederacy1 so of the other two1 that is to wit1 with the balls and the mony1 as to marke a shilling or any other thing1 and throwe the same into a riuer or deepe pond1 hauing hid the shilling before1 with like markes1 in some other secret place1 bid some goe presently and fetch it1 making them beleeue that it is the very same which you threwe into the riuer the beholders will maruell much at it3 and of such feates there may be many done1 but more by publike confederacy1 whereby one may tell another how much money he hath in his purse and an hundred like toyes4 ,of publike confederacie and whereof it consisteth4 ,publike confederacy is1 when there is before hand a compacte made betwixt diuers persons3 the one to be principall1 the other to be assistant in working of miracles1 or rather in cosoning and abusing the beholders1 as when ,i tell you in the presence of a multitude1 what you haue thought or done1 or shall doe or thinke1 when you and ,i were thereupon agreed before3 and if this be cunningly and closely handled1 it will induce great admiration to the beholders1 especially when they are before amased and abused1 by some experiment of art1 magicke or legerdemaine4 ,i will in briefe set you downe some pretty conclusions1 and so ,i will proceede with other feates in other kindes4 ,to tell you how to know whether one caste ,crosse or ,pile2 by the ringing ,lay a wager with your confederate 7who must seeme simple or obstinate opposed against you7 that standing behinde a dore1 you will 7by the sounding or ringing of the mony7 tell him whether he cast crosse or pile1 so as when you are gone1 and he hath phillepped the money before the witnesses who are to be cosoned1 he must say ,what is it if it be crosse1 or ,what i'st if it be pile1 or some other such signe1 as you are agreed vpon2 and so you neede not faile to gesse rightly4 ,by this meanes if you haue any inuention1 you may seeme to doe an hundred miracles1 to discouer a mans thought1 or words spoken a far off4 ,how to tell where a stolne horse is become4 ,by meanes of confederacy ,cuthbert ,conycatcher1 and one ,swart ,rutter1 two that haue taken degrees in ,whittington ,colledge1 abused notably the country people3 for ,cuthbert would hide away his neighbours horses1 kine1 colts1 c3 and send them to ,swart ,rutter1 7whom he before had told where they were7 promising to send the parties vnto him1 whome he described1 and made knowne by diuers signes3 so as this ,swart would tell them at their first entrance vnto the dore1 wherefore they came1 and would say that their horses kine c4 were stolne1 but the theefe should be forced to bring them backe againe1 and leaue them within one mile 7south and by west1 c47 of his house3 euen as the plot was laid1 and the pack made before by ,cuthbert him4 ,this ,cuthbert is esteemed of some1 thought to be a witch of others1 he is accounted a coniurer1 but commonly called a wise man1 and are able of themselues1 to tell you where any thing that is stolne is1 as to build ,pauls steeple vp againe4 ,to make one daunce naked4 ,it hath bene reported of such fellowes1 and such1 that they can doe rare feates1 as to make one daunce naked4 ,to the effecting of this1 make a poore boy confederate with you3 so as after charmes and words spoken by you1 he vnclothe himselfe and stand naked3 seeming 7whilst he vndresseth him7 to shake1 stampe1 and crie1 still hastening to be vnclothed1 till he be starke naked3 or if you can procure none to goe so farre1 let him only begin to stamp and shake c4 and to vnclothe him1 and then you may 7for reuerence of the company7 seeme to release him4 ,to make a pot of any such thing standing fast on a cupbord1 to fall downe thence by vertue of words4 ,lett your cupbord be so placed1 as your confederate may hould a black ,threed without in the courete1 behinde some windowe of that roome1 and at a certen lowe word spoken by you1 he may pull the same threed1 being wound about the pot4 ,and this was the feate of ,eleazer the ,iewe1 which ,iosephus reporteth to be such a miracle4 ,now that we haue spoken of the three principle actes of ,legerdemayne and of confederacy1 ,i will go forward1 and touch some fewe ordinary feates1 which are pretty1 yet not altogether to be compared with the rest2 ,i meane for conceipt and nimblenes of the hand1 yet such as to the ignorant1 and those that knowe not the carriage1 will seeme strange and wonderfull4 ,of ,boxes to alter one graine into another1 or to consume the graine or corne to nothing4 ,there be diuers iugling boxes with false bottomes1 wherein many false feates are wrought4 ,first they haue a boxe couered or rather footed alike at each end1 the bottome of the one end being no deeper then as it may containe one lane of corne or pepper1 glewed there vpon4 ,then vse they to put into the hollow end thereof some other kind of graine1 ground or vnground3 then doe they couer it1 and put it vnder a hat or candlesticke1 and either in putting it thereinto1 or pulling it thence1 they turne the boxe1 and open the contrary end1 wherein is shewed a contrary graine1 or else they shew the glewed end first1 7which end they suddenly thrust into a bag of such graine as is glewed already therevpon7 and secondly the empty boxe4 ,how to conuey 7with words and charmes7 the corne conteyned in one ,box1 into another4 ,there is another boxe fashioned like a bell1 whereinto they put so much and such corne as the foresaid hollowe boxe can conteine3 then they stop and couer the same with a peece of lether as broad as a tester1 which being thrust vp hard to the middle part or waste of the said bell1 will sticke fast and beare vp the corne1 and if the edge of the same lether be wet1 it will hold the better3 then take they the other boxe1 dipped 7as is aforesaid7 in corne1 and set downe the same vpon the ,table1 the empty end vpward1 saying1 that they will conuey the graine therein1 into the other boxe or bell1 which being set downe somewhat hard vpon the table1 the leather corne therein will fall down1 so as the said bell being taken vp from the table3 you shal see the corne lying thereon1 the stopple wilbe hidden therewith1 couered1 when you vncouer the other box nothing shal remaine therein1 but presently the corne must be swept downe with one hand1 into the other1 or into your lapp or hatt3 many feates may be done with this boxe1 as to put therein a toade1 affirming the same to be so turned from corne1 and then many beholders will suppose the same to be the ,iuglers deuill1 whereby his feates and myracles are wrought4 ,how to pull laces innumerable out of your mouth2 of what colour or length you list1 and neuer any thing seene to be therein4 ,as for pulling of laces forth of the mouth it is now somewhat stale1 whereby ,iuglers get much mony among maydes1 selling lace by the yarde1 putting into their mouthes one round bottome1 as fast as they pull out another1 at the iust ende of euery yarde they tie a knott1 so as the same resteth vppon their teeth1 then cut they off the same1 and so the beholders are double and treble deceaued1 seeing so much lace as will be conteined in a hat1 and the same of what collour you list to name1 to bee drawne by so euen yards out of his mouth1 and yet the ,iugler to talke as though there were nothing at all in his mouth4 ,there are diuers iugling trickes which ,i am loath to describe for some reasons before alleaged1 whereof some are common some rarer and some desperate3 ,i wil therefore shew a few desperate and dangerous iugling knackes1 wherein the simple are made thinke1 that a silly ,iugler with words can hurt and helpe1 kill and reuiue any creature at his pleasure3 and first to kill any kinde of pullen and to make them reuiue4 ,to kill a ,hen1 chicken or ,capon and giue it life againe4 ,take a hen c4 and trust a naule1 or a fine sharpe pointed knife through the middle of the head thereof1 the edge toward the bill1 so as it may seeme impossible for her to escape death4 ,then vse words or incantations1 and pulling out the knife1 lay otes before her and she wil eate and liue1 being nothing at all greeued or hurt with the wound1 because the braine lyeth so farre behinde in the head as it is not touched1 though you thrust your knife betweene the combe and it399 ,and after you haue done this1 you may conuert your speech and accions1 to the greeuous wounding1 and recouering of your owne selfe4 99 ,sidenote3 ,the naturall cause why a ,hen thrust through the head with a ,bodkin doth liue notwithstanding4 ,to eate a ,knife1 and to fetch it forth of another place4 ,take a knife1 and conuey the same betweene your two hands1 so as no parte be seene thereof1 but a little of the poynt1 which you must so bite at the first as noyse may be made therwith3 then seeme to put a great parte therof into your mouth1 and letting your hand slip downe1 there will appeare to haue bin more in your mouth1 then is possible to be conteyned therein3 then send for drinke1 or vse some other delaye vntill you haue let the said knife slip into your lap1 holding both your fists close together as before1 and then raise them so from the edge of the table where you sit 7for from thence the knife may most priuily slippe downe into your lappe7 and in steede of biting the knife1 knab a little vppon your naile1 and then seeme to thrust the knife into your mouth199 opening the hand next vnto it1 and thrust vp the other1 so as it may appeare to the standers by1 that you haue deliuered your hands thereof1 and thrust it into your mouth3 then call for drinke1 after countenance made of pricking1 and daunger c4 lastly1 put your hand into your lap1 and taking that knife into your hand1 you may seeme to bring it out from behinde you1 or from whence you list3 but if you haue another like knife1 and a confederate1 you may doe twentie notable wonders hereby3 as to send a stander by into some garden or ,orchard1 describing to him some tree or herbe vnder which it sticketh3 or else some strangers sheath or pocket c4 99 ,sidenote3 ,this is pretty if it be cleanely done4 ,to thrust a bodkin through your head1 without any hurt4 ,take a ,bodkin so made1 as the haft being hollow1 the blade thereof may slip thereinto3 as soone as you holde the poynt downeward1 and set the same to your forehead1 and seeme to thrust it into your head3 and so 7with a little sponge in your hand7 you may wringe out blood or wine1 making the beholders thinke the blood or wine 7whereof you may say you haue drunke very much7 runneth out of your forehead3 ,then after countenance of paine and greefe1 pull away your hand suddenly1 holding the poynt downeward1 and it will fall so out1 as it will seeme neuer to haue bin thrusted into the hafte3 ,but immediately thrust that bodkin into your lappe or pocket1 and pull out another playne bodkin like the same1 sauing in that conceite4 ,to cut halfe your nose in sunder1 and to heale it againe presently without any salue4 ,take a knife1 hauing a round hollow gappe in the middle1 and lay it vppon your nose1 and so shall you seeme to haue cut your nose in sunder399 prouided alwaies that in all these1 you haue another like knife without a gap to be shewed vppon pulling out of the same and words of inchauntments to speake3 ,blood also to bewraye the wounde1 and nimble conueyance4 ,sidenote3 ,this is easily don1 howbeit being nimbly done it will deceaue the sight of the beholders4 ,to put a ,ring through your cheeke4 ,there is pretty ,knack1 which seemeth dangerous to the cheeke3 for the accomplishment whereof1 you must haue two rings of like coullour and quantity1 the one filed asunder1 so as you may thrust it vpon your cheeke3 the other must be whole and conueyed vpon a sticke1 holding your hand therevpon in the middle of the sticke1 deliuering each end of the same sticke to be holden fast by a stander by1 then pulling the ring out of your cheeke1 cleanely strike it against same part of the sticke1 keeping it still in your hand1 then pull your other hand from the sticke1 and pulling it away1 whirle about the ring1 and so it will be thought that you haue put thereon the ,ring which was in your cheeke4 ,many other pretty feates of this nature might be here sett downe1 as to cut of ones head and to laye it in a platter1 which ,iuglers cal the decollation of ,s4 ,iohn the ,baptist1 also to thrust a dagger or bodkin through your gutts very strangely1 and to recouer imediately3 after another way then with the bodkyn before rehearsed1 also to draw a corde through your nose1 mouth or hande so sencibly1 as is wonderful to see1 al which with many more1 ,i here forbeare for breuities sake4 ,there is a very pretty trick to make wine or beere1 to come out of your browe1 or eare1 with a funnell after you haue drank the same1 the which ,i am loath to discouer1 as not willing to haue all the poore ,iugglers trickes made known at once3 there is a way to make fire to come out of your mouth by burning of towe1 all which for reasons before aleadged1 ,i wil here omit to discouer4 ,but will hie me to another sorte of ,iugglers1 or rather cosoners1 calling themselues by the name of alchimistes1 professing themselues learned men1 and to haue the ,philosophers stone1 these professors of the mysty or smokie science1 studie and cast about how to ouer-reach and cosen the simple1 and such as are giuen to coueteousnes or greedy desire after gaine1 with such they insinuate themselues by little and little1 professing a shew of honesty and plainnes1 vntill they are acquainted with their desires1 and found the length of their foote3 telling them that they can doe wonders1 make siluer of copper1 and golde of siluer4 ,such a one a while agoe was in ,battersey1 who comming poore to towne1 made some of the towne beleeue he had the ,philosophers stone3 wherevpon1 one of the rest beleuing him1 desired to be better acquainted with him3 insomuch1 that he requested him to take a poore bed at his house1 and offred him great kindenesse1 hoping in time to get some skil of him towards the attaining of the ,philosophers stone3 vpon a day as this ,smith 7for so imagine him to be7 and beggerly ,artist were together1 desired him of all loues to impart to him some of his learning1 assuring him1 if it lay in his power to doe him a pleasure1 he should not faile1 protesting that both his purse and himselfe were both at his comaund3 ,herevpon1 to be short1 my ,gentleman at the first was somewhat scrupilous1 yet at the earnest request of his newe friend1 did at last condiscende1 charging him to be secret in what he should disclose vnto him4 ,the ,smith swore to be silent3 then my cosoning copesmate instructs him as followeth4 ,in the month of ,iuly1 search for the seede of ,fearne1 which must be first and principall matter of working this1 and effecting this hidden secret1 and qd4 he1 if you had but an ounce of this fearneseede1 thou shalt be made for euer1 for it is very hard to finde3 heerevpon he gets vp the next morning 7for it was about the same time of the yeare which he prescribd him to search for this inestimable seede7 and lookes very dilligently about the heath1 7where store of fearne growes3 but hauing7 spent most part of the day in searching and looking1 his backe ready to cracke with stooping1 and his throate furd with dust1 for want of small beere1 so that the poore ,smith was ready to faint for want of foode3 by chance one of the towne came by1 and seeing him search so dilligently vp downe1 and could not guesse for what1 asked him what he sought for so busily8 ,o quoth the ,smith1 for a thing that if ,i could finde1 ,i should be made for euer3 why quoth the fellow what ,i prethee ist8 ,o no quoth the ,smith ,i may not tell you3 not tell me quoth the fellow1 why what ist8 ,i prethee tell me3 at last1 at the earnest entreaty of the fellow1 the smith told he looked for fearne seede3 with that the fellow laughed a good1 and asked him who willed him to looke for that8 that did ,m4 ,etseb quoth the smith1 and if ,i can but finde one ounce of it1 it would be of much worth3 worth quoth the fellow1 he that set thee to looke for that was a foole and thou art an ,asse1 for there was neuer any fearne seede as yet seene3 therefore get thee home to the forge1 for he makes but a foole of thee3 at this the smith was blancke1 and got him home to his anuill3 but how the smith and the ,alcumister1 agreed vpon the reckoning for his cosening him1 ,i meane not heere to deliuer3 but this ,i bring in by the way1 to shew that their art is nothing but deceipt1 and themselues cosoners1 which by two pretty tales ,i will declare vnto you1 ,how an ,alcumister cousoned a priest4 ,chaucer in one of his ,canterbury tales1 rehearseth this test of a cousoning ,alcumist3 espying on a day a coueteous priest1 whose purse he knew to be well lyned3 assaulted him with flattery and kinde speech1 two principall points belonging to this art3 at length he borrowed mony of this priest1 which is the third part of this art1 without the which the professors can doe no good1 nor endure in good estate3 then he at his day repayed the mony1 which is the most difficult poynt in this art1 and a rare experiment3 finally to requite the priests curtesie1 he promised vnto him such instructions1 as therby within short time he should become infinitely rich1 and all through this art of multiplication3 and this is the most common point in this science1 for heerein they must be skilfull before they be famous or attaine to any credit3 the ,preist disliked not his proffer1 especially because it tended to his profit1 and embraced his curtesie3 then the foole-taker bad him send forthwith for three ounces of quicke-siluer1 which hee said he would transubstantiate 7by his art7 into perfect siluer3 the ,priest thought nothing of deceit1 but with great ioy accomplished his request4 ,and now forsooth goeth this iolly ,alcumist about his busines1 and worke of multiplication1 and causeth the ,priest to make a fire of coles1 in the bottome whereof he placeth a croslet1 and pretending onely to helpe the ,priest to lay the coles handsomely1 he foysteth into the middle ward or lane of coles1 a beechen cole1 within which was conueyed an ingot of perfect siluer1 7which when the cole was consumed slipt down into the croslet1 that was ,i say directly vnder it47 ,the ,priest perceaued not the fraud1 but receaued the ingot of siluer1 and was not a little ioyfull to see such certen successe proceed from his own handy worke1 wherein could be no fraud 7as he surely conceaued7 and therefore very dilligently gaue the knaue forty pounds1 for the receit of this experiment1 who for that summe of mony1 taught him a lesson in ,alcumistry1 but he neuer returned to heare repetitions or to see how hee profited4 ,a merry tale how a cosoning ,alcumist deceaued a country ,gentleman4 ,a ,gentleman in ,kent of good worth1 not long sithence was ouertaken by a cosoning knaue1 who professed ,alcumistry1 ,iugling1 ,witch craft1 and coniuration1 and by meanes of his companions and confederates1 found the simplicitie and abilitie of the said ,gentleman1 learnt his estate and humors to be conuenient for his purpose1 and at last came a wooing to his daughter1 to whome hee made loue cunningly in words1 though his purpose tended to another end3 and among other illusions and tales1 concerning his owne commendations1 for wealth1 parentage1 inheritance1 alliance1 learning and cunning1 be bosted of the knowledge and experience in ,alcumistry1 making the simple ,gentleman beleeue that he could multiply1 and of one ,angell make two or three1 which seemed strange to the ,gentleman3 insomuch as he became willing enough to see that conclusion3 whereby the ,alcumister had more hope and comfort to attaine his desire1 then if his daughter had yeelded to haue married him3 to bee short1 he in the presence of the said ,gentleman1 did include within a little ball of virgins ware a couple of ,angells1 after certaine ceremonies and coniuring words1 he seemed to deliuer the same vnto him1 but in truth1 through ,legerdemaine1 he conueyed into the ,gentlemans hand1 another ball of the same scantling1 wherein were inclosed many more ,angells then were in the ball which he thought he had receaued1 ,now 7forsooth7 the ,alcumister bad him lay vp the same ball of ware1 and also vse certaine ceremonies1 7which ,i thought good heere to omit7 and after certaine daies1 houres1 and minutes1 they returned together according to the appointment1 and found great gaines by multiplication of the angels1 insomuch that he being a plaine man1 was heereby perswaded that he should not onely haue a rare and notable good sonne in law1 but a companion that might helpe to ad vnto his wealth much treasure1 and to his estate great fortune and felicity3 and to encrease this opinion in him1 as also to winne his further fauour3 but especially to bring his cunning ,alcumistry1 or rather his lend purpose to passe1 he tolde him that it were folly to multiply a pound of gold1 when as easily they might multiply a million1 and therefore counselled him to produce al the money he had1 or could borrowe of his neighbours1 and freendes1 and did put him out of doubt1 that he would multiply the same1 reduble it exceedingly1 euen as he sawe by experience how he delt with the smal somme before his face3 this ,gent4 in hope of gaines and preferment1 consented to his sweete motion1 brought out and layd before his feete1 not the one halfe of his goodes1 but all that he had1 or could make or borrowe any manner of waye3 then this ,iuggling ,alchimister hauing obtayned his purpose1 foulded the same in a ball in quantity far bigger then the other4 ,and conuaying the same vnto his bosome or pocket1 deliuered another ,ball 7as before7 in the like quantity1 to be reserued1 and safely kept in his cheste1 whereof 7because the matter was of importance7 eyther of them must haue a keye1 and a seuerall lock1 that no interruption might be made to the ceremuny1 or abuse by either of them in defrawding eche other4 ,now forsooth the circumstances1 and ceremonies being ended the ,alchimisters purpose thereby performed1 he tould the ,gent4 that vntil a certen day and hower lymited to retorne1 either of them might imploye themselues about theire busines1 and necessarie affaires1 the ,gent4 to his busines1 and he to the citty of ,london4 ,and in the meane tyme the gould should multiply1 ,but the ,alchimister 7belike7 hauing other matters of more importance1 cam not iust at the hower appoynted nor yet at the day1 nor with in the yere1 so as although it were som what1 against the ,gent4 conscience to violate his promise or break the league yet partly by the longing he had to see1 partely the desire he had to enioy the frute of the excellent experiment1 hauing for his own securitie 7 the others ,satisfaction7 some testimonie at the opening thereof1 to witnes his sincere dealing1 he brake vp the coffer1 loe1 he soone espied the ,ball of ware which he himselfe had layd vpp there with his owne handes1 so as he thought1 if the hardest should fall1 he should finde his principall1 and why not as good incrase now1 as of the other before8 ,but alas1 when the ware was broken and the mettall discouered1 the gould was much abased and became perfect lead4 ,hitherto haue ,i spoken somewhat of the knauerie of ,alcumisry1 now ,i will conclude with a pretty dialogue that ,petrarke a man of great wisdome and learning1 and of no lesse experience1 hath written who as in his time1 sawe the fraudulent fetches of this compassing craft1 so hath there bin no age1 since the same hath bin broached1 but that some wise men haue smelt out the euill meaning of these shifting marchants1 and bewrayed them to the world4 ,francis ,petrarke1 7,i say7 treating of the same matter1 in forme of a dialogue1 introduceth a deciple of his1 who fancied the foresaid profession and practise1 speaking on this manner4 ,decip4 ,i hope for a prosperous successe in ,alcamistrie4 ,pet4 ,it is a wonder from whence that hope should spring1 sith the fruite thereof did neuer yet fall to thy lotte3 nor yet at any time chance to another1 as the report commonly goeth1 that many rich men1 by this vanity and madnes1 haue bin brought to beggery1 whilst they haue wearied their wealth1 in trying of conclusions3 to make gould ingender gould4 ,decip4 ,i hope for gould according to the workemans promise4 ,petra4 ,he that promised the gould1 will runne away with the gould1 and thou neuer the wiser4 ,decip4 ,he promiseth me greate good4 ,petr4 ,he will first serue his owne turne1 and releeue his priuate pouerty1 for ,alcumisters are a beggerly kinde of people1 who though they confesse themselues bare1 and needy3 yet wil they make other rich1 and wealthie1 as though others pouertie did molest1 and greeue them more then their owne1 so far the words of petrarke4 ,albert in his booke of mineralls1 reporteth that ,auicen treating of ,alcumistry3 saith1 ,let the dealers of ,alcumistry vnderstand1 that the very nature of things1 can not be changed3 but rather made by arte1 to resemble the same in shew1 and likenes3 so that they are not the very thing indeede1 but seeme so to bee in appearance3 ,as ,castles and ,towers doe seeme to be built in the ayre1 whereas the representations there shewed1 are nothing else1 but the resemblance of certaine obiects belowe1 caused in some bright1 and cleere cloude3 when the aire is voyde of thicknes1 and grossenes1 a sufficient proofe hereof may be the looking-glasse3 and wee see 7saith he7 the yellow orringe cullour layde vppon red1 seemeth to be gould4 ,thus much for the fond1 and vaine arte of ,alcumistry1 ,i will now drawe to an ende1 leauing to speake of the innumerable charmes of coniurours1 bad ,phisitions1 lewd ,surgions1 melancholy ,witches1 and cosoners1 especially for such3 as bad ,phisitions and ,surgions1 knowe not how to cure3 as against the falling euill1 the biting of madde doggs1 the stinging of a ,scorpion1 the tooth-ache1 for a woman in trauell1 for the kings euill3 to get a thorne out of any member1 or a bone out of ones throate3 for sore eies1 to open locks1 against spirits3 for the botts in a horse1 for sower wines1 and diuers others4 ,there are also diuers books imprinted1 as it should appeare by the authoritie of the ,church of ,rome1 wherin are conteyned many medecinall prayers1 not only against all deseases of horses1 but also for euery impediment1 and fault in a horse1 in so much as if a shooe fall in the middest of his iorney2 there is a prayer to warrant your horses hoofe so as it shall not breake1 how farre soeuer he be from the smythes forge3 ,but these of all the rest are the fondest toyes1 that euer were deuised1 therefore we wil passe them ouer1 and yet how many in these dayes are addicted to the beleefe of these charmes it is incredible1 ,i will giue you a taste of two or three1 because you shall see the foolery of the rest4 ,a ,charme to be said each morning by a ,witch fasting1 or at least before she goe abroade4 ,the fire bites1 the fire bites1 the fire bites3 hogs turde ouer it1 hogges turde ouer it1 hoggs turde ouer it4 ,the ,father with thee1 the ,sonne with me1 the holy ,ghost betweene vs both to be1 thrise1 then spitt ouer one shoulder1 and then ouer the other1 and then three times right forward4 ,an olde womans ,charme wherewith she did much good in the cuntrie and grew famous thereby4 ,an olde woman that healed all deseases of cattell 7for the which she neuer tooke any reward but a penny and a loafe7 being seriously examined1 by what words she brought these things to passe1 confessed that after she had touched the sick creature1 she alwaies departed immediately saying4 ,my loafe in my lap1 ,my penie in my purse3 ,thou art neuer the better1 ,and ,i am neuer the worse4 ,a slouenly ,charme for sore eies4 ,the ,deuill pull out both thine eies1 ,and etish99 in the holes likewise4 ,sidenote3 spel this word backward and you shall see what a slouenly charme this is etish4 ,a ,miller that had his eeles stolne by night1 made mone to the priest of the parish1 who indeede was the principall of the theeues that stole the eeles1 ,sir ,iohn willed him to be quiet1 for said he ,i will to curse the theeues1 and their adherents with bell1 booke1 and candle1 that they shall haue small ioy of their fish1 and therefore the next sonday ,sir ,iohn gotte him vp to the pulpit with his surplis on his back1 and his ,gole about his neck1 and pronounced these words following1 in the audience of the people4 ,all ye that haue stolne the myllers ,eeles ,laudate ,dominum in coelis3 ,and all they that haue consented therunto ,benedicamus ,domino4 ,by this little you may plainely perceaue the foppery of the ,church of ,rome1 who hould such toyes as authenticall1 and also there knauery to make the people beleeue1 lies for truth1 and falshod for honestie1 ,bearing them in hand1 as in this1 so in all the rest1 with blindenes1 and ignorance but hereof ynoughe4 ,and now to conclude1 lett vs backe againe with one pretty knack1 which is held to be meruilous and wonderfull4 ,and that is to make a horse tell you how much money you haue in your purse3 and ,i reade of a pretty story of an asse at ,memphis in ,egypt1 that could do rare feates1 among other ,iuggling knackes1 there and then vsed3 there was one that tooke paynes with an asse1 that he had taught him1 all these quallities following1 and for game he caused a stage to be made1 and an assembly of people to meete1 which being downe in the manner of a play1 he came in with his asse1 and sayde3 ,the ,sultan hath great neede of asses1 to helpe to carry stones1 and other stuffe towards his great building which he hath in hande3 the asse immediately fell downe to the ground1 and by all signes shewed himself to be sick1 and at length to giue vp the ghost1 so as the ,iuggler begged of the assembly money towards his asse1 and hauing gotten all that he could1 he saide1 now my masters you shall see mine asse is yet aliue1 and doth but counterfeit1 because he would haue some money to buy him prouender1 knowing that ,i was poore and in some neede of reliefe3 heere vpon he would needes lay a wager that his asse was aliue1 who to euery mans seeing was starke dead3 and when one had laid mony with him therevpon1 he commaunded the asse to arise1 but hee lay still as though he were dead3 then did he beate him with a ,cudgell1 but that would not serue the turne1 vntill he had addressed his speech to the ,asse1 saying as before in open audience1 the ,sultane hath commaunded that all the people shall ride out to morrow1 and see the triumph1 and that the faire ,ladies will ride vpon the fairest ,asses1 and will giue notable prouender to them1 and euery ,asse shall drinke of the sweete water of ,nylus3 and then1 loe the ,asse did presently start vp1 and aduance himself exceedingly4 ,loe quoth his master1 now ,i haue wonne3 but in troth the ,maior hath borrowed my ,asse for the vse of the old il-fauoured witch his wife3 and therevpon immediately he hung downe his eares and halted downe right1 as though he had bene starke lame3 then said his ,master1 ,i perceaue you loue young pretty wenches3 at which the asse looked vp as it were with a ioyfull cheere1 and then his master bad him choose out one that should ride vpon him1 and he ran to a very hansome woman1 and touched her with his head4 ,such a one is at this day to be seene in ,london1 his master will say1 sirra1 heere be diuers ,gentlemen1 that haue lost diuers things1 and they heare say that thou canst tell them tydings of them where they are3 if thou canst1 prethee shew thy cunning and tell them3 then hurles he downe a handkercher or a gloue that he had taken from the parties before1 and bids him giue it the right owner1 which the horse presently doth3 and many other pretty feates this horse doth1 and some of those trickes as the ,asse before mencioned did1 which not one among a thousand perceaues how they are done1 nor how he is brought to learne the same3 and note that all the feates that this horse doth1 is altogether in numbering3 as for ensample1 ,his master will aske him how many people there are in the roome3 the horse will pawe with his foote so many times as there are people3 and marke the eye of the horse is alwaies vpon his master1 and as his master moues1 so goes he or stands still1 as he is brought to it at the first3 as for ensample1 his master will throw you three dice1 and will bid his horse tell how many you or he haue throwne1 then the horse pawes with his foote whiles the master stands stone still3 then when his master sees hee hath pawed so many as the first dice shewes it selfe1 then he lifts vp his shoulders and stirres a little3 then he bids him tell what is on the second die1 and then of the third die1 which the horse will doe accordingly1 still pawing with his foote vntill his master sees he hath pawed ynough1 and then stirres3 which the horse marking1 will stay and leaue pawing4 ,and note1 that the horse will paw an hundred times together1 vntill he sees his master stirre3 and note also that nothing can be done1 but his master must first know1 and then his master knowing1 the horse is ruled by him by signes4 ,this if you marke at any time you shall plainely perceaue4 ,now that we are come to our iournies end1 let vs sit downe and looke about vs1 whether we are al sonnes of one father1 if there be no knaues among vs3 ,st4 ,boniface light me the candle4 ,who doe ,i see8 what the lustie lad of the ,myter1 that will binde beares1 and ride his golden ,asse to death but he will haue his will8 ,birlady1 birlady sir1 you of all the rest are most welcome1 what how doth your stomack after your carrowsing banquet8 what gorge vpon gorge1 egges vpon egges1 and sack vpon sack1 at these yeares8 by the faith of my body sir you must prouide for a hot kitchen against you growe olde1 if you mean to liue my yeares3 but happy the father that begot thee1 and thrise happy the ,nurse that soffred such a toward yonker as thy selfe3 ,i know thy vertues as well as thy selfe1 thou hast a superficiall twang of a little something3 an ,italian ribald can not vomit out the infections of the world1 but thou my pretty ,iuuinall1 an ,english ,dorrell-lorrell1 must lick it vp for restoratiue1 putrifie thy gentle brother ouer against thee1 with the vilde impostumes of thy lewd corruptions3 ,god blesse good mindes from the blacke enemy say ,i3 ,i know you haue bene prying like the ,deuill from ,east to ,west1 to heare what newes3 ,i will acquaint thee with some1 that a secret distillation before thou goest4 ,he that drinketh oyle of prickes1 shall haue much a doe to auoyd sirrope of roses3 and he that eateth nettles for prouender1 hath a priuiledge to pisse vpon lillies for litter4 ,i prethee sweete natures darling1 insult not ouermuch vpon quiet men3 a worme that is troden vpon will turne againe1 and patience loues not to be made a cart of ,croyden4 ,i doe begin with thee now1 but if ,i see thee not mend thy conditions1 ,ile tell you another tale shortly3 thou shalt see that ,i can doot1 ,i could bring in my ,author to tell thee to thy face1 that he hath found a knaue in grosse1 of thee3 but ,i can say1 ,i haue found thee a foole in retaile3 thou seest simplicity can not double1 nor plaine dealing cannot dissemble1 ,i could wish thee to amend thy life1 and take heede of the ,beadle4 ,vale qui rediculose haec legeris4 ,,finis4 ,transcriber's notes3 ,obvious typographical errors that were not plausible as historical or phonetic spellings were corrected4 ,in the original1 these read looke now your grace shall see what a ,iugler can doe originally loo bid some goe presently and fetch it originally fecth so ,i will proceede with other feates originally proceene the one filed asunder originally the the one ,a slouenly ,charme for sore eies originally eiet ,abbreviations have been silently expanded4 ,where opening and closing parentheses were mismatched1 commas were turned into parentheses 7or vice versa7 to make them match4