Hocus Pocus; or The Whole Art of Legerdemain, in Perfection. / By which the meanest capacity may perform the whole without the help of a teacher. Together with the Use of all the Instruments belonging thereto.

Chapter 65: To draw a cord through your nose, mouth, or head, so sensible, as it is wonderful to see.

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About This Book

A practical manual lays out the techniques and stagecraft of sleight of hand, teaching how to perform common experiments with balls, coin and money tricks, card manipulations, and cooperative confederate routines. It gives step-by-step procedures for classic effects such as the cups and balls and for operating luminous projection devices, with notes on specialized apparatus, concealment, and misdirection. Emphasis is placed on posture, gestures, scripted patter, and timing to distract observers, and on adapting simple props to produce surprising transformations. The instructions aim to enable readers of modest skill to learn and present entertaining feats.

To draw a cord through your nose, mouth, or head, so sensible, as it is wonderful to see.

There is another juggling knack which they call the bridle, being made of two elder sticks, through the hollowness thereof is placed a cord, the same being put on the nose like a pair of tongs or pincers, the cord which goeth round about the same being drawn to and fro, the beholders will think the cord goes through your nose, very dangerously; the knots at the end of the cord, which do stay the same from being drawn out of the stick, may not be put at the very top, for that must be stopped up, but half an inch beneath each end, and so, (I say) when it is pulled, it will seem to pass through the nose, and then you may take a knife and seem to cut the cord asunder, and pull the bridle from your nose.