The xxxii. Chapter.241.
To burne a thred, and to make it whole againe with the ashes thereof.
T Marke the maner of this conceit and devise. is not one of the woorst feats to burne a thred handsomelie, and to make it whole againe: the order whereof is this. Take two threds, or small laces, of one foote in length a peece: roll up one of/342. them round, which will be then of the quantitie of a pease, bestow the same betweene your left forefinger and your thombe. Then take the other thred, and hold it foorth at length, betwixt the forefinger and thombe of each hand, holding all your fingers deintilie, as yong gentlewomen are taught to take up a morsell of meate.That is, neatlie and deintilie. Then let one cut asunder the same thred in the middle. When that is doone, put the tops of your two thombes together, and so shall you with lesse suspicion receive the peece of thred which you hold in your right hand into your left, without opening of your left finger and thombe: then holding these two peeces as you did the same before it was cut, let those two be cut also asunder in the middest, and they conveied againe as before, untill they be cut verie short, and then roll all those ends together, and keepe that ball of short threds before the other in your left hand, and with a knife thrust out the same into a candle, where you may hold it untill the said ball of short threds be burnt to ashes. Then pull backe the knife with your right hand, and leave the ashes with the other ball betwixt the forefinger and thombe of your left hand, and with the two thombs & two forefingers together seeme to take paines to frot and rub the ashes, untill your thred be renewed, andA thred cut in manie peeces and burned to ashes made whole againe. drawe out that thred at length which you kept all this while betwixt your left finger and thombe. This is not inferior to anie jugglers feate if it be well handled, for if you have legierdemaine to bestowe the same ball of thred, and to change it from place to place betwixt your other fingers (as may easilie be doone) then will it seeme verie strange.
To cut a lace asunder in the middest, and to make it whole againe.
BY a devise not much unlike to this, you may seeme to cut asunder any lace that hangeth about ones necke, or any point, girdle, or garter, &c: and with witchcraft or conjuration to make it whole and closed together againe. For the accomplishment whereof,The means discovered. provide (if you can) a peece of the lace, &c: which you meane to cut, or at the least a patterne like the same, one inch and a halfe long, & (keeping it double privilie in your left hand, betwixt some of your fingers neere to the tips thereof) take the other lace which you meane to cut, still hanging about ones necke,/343. and drawe downe your said left hand to the bought thereof: and putting your owne peece a little before the other (the end or rather middle whereof you must hide betwixt your forefinger and thombe) making the eie or bought, which shall be seene, of your owne patterne, let some stander by cut the same a/sunder,242. and it will be surelie thought that the other lace is cut; which with words and froting, &c: you shall seeme to renew & make whole againe. This, if it be well handled, will seeme miraculous.
How to pull laces innumerable out of your mouth, of what colour or length you list, and never anie thing seene to be therein.
AS for pulling laces out of the mouth, it is somewhat a stale jest, whereby jugglersA common juggling knacke of flat cousenage plaied among the simple, &c. gaine monie among maides, selling lace by the yard, putting into their mouths one round bottome as fast as they pull out an other, and at the just end of everie yard they tie a knot, so as the same resteth upon their teeth: then cut they off the same, and so the beholders are double and treble deceived, seeing as much lace as will be conteined in a hat, and the same of what colour you list to name, to be drawne by so even yards out of his mouth, and yet the juggler to talke as though there were nothing at all in his mouth.
The xxxiii. Chapter.
How to make a booke, wherein you shall shew everie leafe therein to be white, blacke, blew, red, yellow, greene, &c.