Two notorious woonders and yet not marvelled at.
THOUGHT good here to insert two most miraculous matters, of the one I am Testis oculatus, an eie witnesse; of the other I am so crediblie and certeinelie informed, that I dare and doo beleeve it to be verie true. When Maister T. Randolph returned out of Russia, after his ambassage dispatched, a gentleman of his traine/306. brought home a monument of great accompt, in nature and in propertie very wonderfull. And bicause I am loath to be long in the description of circumstances, I will first describe the thing it selfe: which was a peece of earth of a good quantitie, and most excellentlie proportioned in nature, having these qualities and vertues following. If one had taken a peece of perfect steele,Strange properties in a peece of earth. forked and sharpened at the end, and heated it red hot, offering therewith to have touched it; it would have fled with great celeritie: and on the other side, it would have pursued gold, either in coine or bulloine, with as great violence and speed as it shunned the other. No bird in the aire durst approch neere it; no beast of the field but feared it, and naturallie fled from the sight thereof. It would be here to daie, and to morrowe twentie miles off, and the next daie after in the verie place it was the first daie, and that without the helpe of anie other creature.
Johannes Fernelius writeth of a Strange properties in a stone: the like qualities in other stons: See pag. 193. 194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 199, 300.strange stone latelie brought out of India, which hath in it such a marvellous brightnes, puritie, and shining, that therewith the aire round about is so lightned and cleared, that one may see to read thereby in the darknes of night. It will not be conteined in a close roome, but requireth an open and free place. It would not willing/lie216. rest or staie here belowe on the earth, but alwaies laboureth to ascend up into the aire. If one presse it downe with his hand, it resisteth, and striketh verie sharpelie. It is beautifull to behold, without either spot or blemish, and yet verie unplesant to taste or feele. If anie part thereof be taken awaie, it is never a whit diminished, the forme thereof being inconstant, and at everie moment mutable. These two things last rehearsed are strange, and so long woondered at, as the mysterie and moralitie thereof remaineth undiscovered: but when I have disclosed the matter, and told you that by the lumpe of earth a man is ment, and some of his qualities described; and that that which was conteined in the farre fetcht stone, was fier, or rather flame: the doubt is resolved, and the miracle ended. And yet (I confesse) there is in these two creatures conteined more miraculous matter, than in all the loadstones and diamonds in the world. And hereby is to be noted, that even a part of this art, which is called naturall or witching magicke, consisteth as well in the deceipt of words, as in the/307. sleight of hand: wherein plaine lieng is avoided with a figurative speech, in the which, either the words themselves, or their interpretation have a double or doubtfull meaning, according to that which hath beene said before in the title** Being the 7 booke of this discoverie: See pag. 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 160, &c. Where discourse is made of oracles, &c. Ob or Pytho: and shall be more at large hereafter in this treatise manifested.
The twelfe Chapter.
Of illusions, confederacies, and legierdemaine, and how they may be well or ill used.
ANIE writers have beene abused as well by untrue reports, as by illusion, and practises of confederacie and legierdemaine, &c: sometimes imputing unto words that which resteth in the nature of the thing; and sometimes to the nature of the thing, that which proceedeth of fraud and deception of sight. But when these experiments growe to superstition or impietie, they are either to be forsaken as vaine, or denied as false. Howbeit, if these things be doone for mirth and recreation, and not to the hurt of our neighbour, nor to the abusing or prophaning of Gods name, in mine opinion they are neither impious nor altogether unlawfull: though herein or hereby a naturall thing be made to seeme supernaturall.Look hereafter in this booke for divers conceits of juggling set foorth at large, beginning at pag. 321. Such are the miracles wrought by jugglers, consisting in fine and nimble conveiance, called legierdemaine: as when they seeme to cast awaie, or to deliver to another that which they reteine still in their owne hands; or conveie otherwise: or seeme to eate a knife, or some such other thing, when indeed they bestowe the same secretlie into their bosoms or laps. Another point of juggling is, when they thrust a knife through the braines and head of a chicken or pullet, and seeme to cure the same with words: which would live and doo well, though never a word were spoken. Some of these toies also consist in arythmeticall devises, partlie in experiments of naturall magike, and partlie in private as also in publike confederacie.//
The xiii. Chapter.308. 217.
Of private confederacie, and of Brandons pigeon.