Hocus Pocus Junior: The Anatomie of Legerdemain / Or, the art of jugling set forth in his proper colours, fully, plainly, and exactly, so that an ignorant person may thereby learn the full perfection of the same, after a little practise.

by Unknown

Your finger tops must be rubd a little with some greene soft waxe, and so you may doe it cleanlily.

TAke a low glasse, fill it reasonable full of Beere, and take a sixpence and lay it downe upon the table, and set the glasse of Beere upon it, and dipping your finger into the Beere, say, whether is the sixpence in, or under the glasse. Some will say perhaps, it is under: then say, let's see, and take up at once both sixe pence and glasse (hold the glasse so that both your hands may quite hide it) and let the glass slip plum downe into your lap, then make as if you threw it away, looking up after it. Then seeme to blow your nose, and let fall the sixpence upon the table, saying, I am glad I have got my mony againe: but now (say) what's become of the glasse? Then seeme to take it out of your pocket, saying, I am a good fellow, and would not willingly lose my liquor, then drinke it up. This is an excellent tricke if it be swiftly and neatly performed. Though you spill a part of the Beere, it is no matter, neither is it any disgrace unto it, besides you may put it off very well.

How to seeme to cut off a mans head, it is called the decollation of Iohn Baptist.

YOu must have a table with two good wide holes towards one end, also a cloth on purpose to cover the table with, so that the said covering may hang to the ground round about the table; also this covering must have two holes made in it even with the holes of the table, you must also have a platter of wood for the purpose, having a hole in the bottom to fit also unto the holes of the table, and it must, as also the table, be made to take in two pieces: having these in readinesse, you must have two boyes; the one must lie along upon the table with his backe upward, and he must put his head thorow the one hole of the table, cloth and all; the other must sit under the table and put his head thorow the other hole of the table, then put the platter about his neck, to make the sight more dreadfull to behold, you may forme some loome about the neckes of them, making small holes in them as it were veins, and besmeare it over with sheepes bloud, putting some bloud also and little bits of liver into the platter, and set a chafing-dish of coales before the head, strewing some brimstone upon the coales; for this will make the head seem so pale and wan, as if in very deed it were separated from the body.

The head may fetch a gaspe or two, and it will be better. Let no body bee present while you doe this, neither when you have given entrance, permit any to be medling, nor let them tarry long.

How to make the face of a Childe to appeare in a pot of water.

YOu must get a ball made of wood, and upon one halfe or side of it, there must the face of a childe be artificially carued: on the backe side of this face there must bee made a hole, but not very deepe; this hole must be filled with Lead, to the end that it may (the ball being cast into the water) sway the face uppermost: then paint it livelie with oyle colours, and it is done. Note that it ought not to be full so big as a tenis ball. Call for a wine quart pot filled with faire water up to the necke, having your face in a readinesse, concealed in your right hand, take the pot in your left hand, and set it on the Table, and say, see you Gentlemen, here is nothing in the pot but water, with that clap down the pot lid with your right hand, and in clapping it down, slip the face into the pot, this you may doe without any the lest suspition. Then cause them all to stand off, and if they please, to marke you as narrowly as they can: with that put your hand into your pocket, and seeme to take out a handfull of powder, and to strew it over the pot, saying, Surge celeriter, by the powder of Experience, surge, then bid them look what is there. After the same manner may you make a Toade to appeare, which will cause no small admiration.

Advice whereby you may drinke a Tunnell full of drink, and afterwards seeme to poure the same all out of your sleeve againe.

YOu must get a double Tunnell, that is, two Tunnels sodered one within the other, so that you may at the little end poure a quantitie of wine, water, or any liquor. This Tunnell you must have readie filled before hand with whatsoever liquor you please: call for some of the same kinde: then draw your Tunnell, and setting your middle finger unto the bottome of it, bid some body, or else do you your selfe poure it full, and drinke it up before them, and turne the broad end of the Tunnell downeward, saying, Gentlemen, all is gone, and in a trice turne your selfe about, and in turning, pronounce some tearmes of art, withdraw your finger from the narrow end, and let all the liquor out that was betweene the Tunnels, and it will be thought to be that which you drunke out of the Tunnell, and so you may perswade them that it is the very same.