To fetch a shilling out of a handkerchief.
To do this, you must have a ring of wire, such a one as you generally hang your keys upon, but less, or a curtain ring will do, so as it is no bigger than a shilling, then take a handkerchief, and put therein a shilling, twisting the handkerchief round, the form of the shilling will appear, then say, That you may be certain it is here, I will shew it you once more, that you may be sure it is in here, and taking out the shilling, convey the round wire into the handkerchief, which being twisted, will seem to be the shilling; the better to deceive, you may wrap the edge of the wire with your stick, then open the wire, draw it out, and produce the shilling which you have in the palm of your right-hand, saying, gentlemen, look you here is the shilling, you held the handkerchief very fast; in the mean time ask, who gave me this shilling? he who you had it of will soon answer, I, then thank him for it, saying, it is more than I have had given me this two days.
To cause the beer you drink, to be wrung out of the handle of a knife.
To do this, you must have a small piece of spunge with drink put in it privately, then unseen, place this behind your right-ear, but let not the spunge be too big or too full of liquor, least you be discovered; then taking a knife, stick it with the handle upwards in a table or stool, but observe when you go about these sports, to place your company before you, then bid them look, saying, ‘There you see is nothing of wet, either upon the handle, or upon the table’; so stretching your empty hand towards your ear, darting the point, saying, ‘Now some body cross my arm,’ and speaking some powerful words, as Jubio Bisco, then have you a fair opportunity to take this spunge into your hand, from behind your ear, and stretching forth your hand, squeeze it gently, and, after a little, harder, which makes it run the faster, to the amazement of the company, saying, thus could I do till I had drown’d you all; sprinkle a little in their faces, which will cause them to shut their eyes, whilst you convey away your spunge.
How to make it freeze by the fire-side.
This feat can be done or performed only in winter, and at such times as snow may be had, and he that will shew it, must have in readiness, a handful of salt: the time serving, and the party being provided, let him call for a joint-stool, a quart pot, a handfull of snow, a little water, and a short staff; first let him pour a little water upon the stool, and upon it let him set the quart-pot, and put the snow into the pot, the salt also, but privately, then let him hold the pot fast with his left hand, and therewith churn the snow and salt in the pot, as if one would churn for butter, and in half a quarter of an hour the pot will freeze so hard to the stool, that you can scarcely with both hands pull it off from the stool.
To cut glass, a famous invention.
You must have a piece of well dried match-cord, light it that it may have a good coal, then take a beer-bowl glass, and hold the match to the edge of the glass, have your finger ready wet, and when the glass as very hot, clap your finger to the hot place, and it will suddenly crack about a quarter of an inch downward, then keep the coal of the match the like distance from the end of the crack, and as it follows, so move your hand and cut it screw-fashion, otherwise it will not hold together, till you have it through the bottom, or like waves; when you have done it, and that is cold, as that it will be, take it by the foot, and turn it downwards, it will stretch so, that you may put your finger betwixt each cutting, then turn it up again, you may drink a glass of beer in it, and not spill a drop.
