The xxxi. Chapter.340.
Boxes to alter one graine into another, or to consume the graine or corne to nothing.
HERE be divers juggling boxes with false bottoms, wherein manie false feates are wrought. First they have a box covered or rather footed alike at each end, the bottome of the one end being no deeper than as it may conteine one lane of corne or pepper glewed thereupon. Then use they to put into the hollow endNote the maner of this conveiance. thereof some other kind of graine, ground or unground; then doo they cover it, and put it under a hat or candlesticke: and either in putting it therinto, or pulling it thence, they turne the box, and open the contrarie end, wherein is shewed a contrarie graine: or else they shew the glewed end first (which end they suddenlie thrust into a boll or bag of such graine as is glewed alreadie thereupon) and secondlie the emptie box./
240.How to conveie (with words or charmes) the corne conteined in one box into an other.
THere is another box fashioned like a bell, wherinto they doo put so much, and such corne or spice as the foresaid hollow box can conteine. Then they stop or cover the same with a peece of lether, as broad*[* = thick] as a testor, which being thrust up hard towards the midle part or waste of the said bell, will sticke fast, & beare up the corne. 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 corne, and set downe the same upon the table,You must take heed that when the corne commeth out it cover & hide the leather, &c. the emptie end upward, saieng that they will conveie the graine therein into the other box or bell: which being set downe somewhat hard upon the table, the leather and the corne therein will fall downe, so as the said bell being taken up from the table, you shall see the corne lieng thereon, and the stopple will be hidden therwith, & covered: & when you uncover the other box, nothing shall remaine therein. But presentlie the corne must be swept downe with one hand into the other, or into your lap or hat. Manie feats maie be done with this box, as to put therein a tode, affirming the same to have beene so turned from corne, &c: and then manie beholders will/341. suppose the same to be the jugglers divell, whereby his feats and miracles are wrought. But in truth, there is more cunning witchcraft used in transferring of corne after this sort, than is in the transferring of one mans corne in the grasse into an other mans feeld: which†† See the 12 booke of this discoverie, in the title Habar, cap. 4. pag. 220, 221. the lawe of the twelve tables dooth so forceablie condemne: for the one is a cousening slight, the other is a false lie.
Of an other boxe to convert wheat into flower with words, &c.
THere is an other boxe usuall among jugglers, with a bottome in the middle thereof, made for the like purposes. One other also like a tun, wherin is shewed great varietie of stuffe, as well of liquors as spices, and all by means of an other little tun within the same, wherein and whereon liquors and spices are shewed. But this would aske too long a time of description.
Of diverse petie juggling knacks.
These are such sleights that even a bungler may doo them: and yet prettie, &c.THere are manie other beggerlie feats able to beguile the simple, as to make an ote stir by spetting thereon, as though it came to passe by words. Item to deliver meale, pepper, ginger, or anie powder out of the mouth after the eating of bread, &c: which is doone by reteining anie of those things stuffed in a little paper or bladder conveied into your mouth, and grinding the same with your teeth. ¶ Item, a rish through a peece 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 slight consisteth in turning the peece of trencher./