How to thrust a bodkin through your tongue.
Make a bodkin, or a nail, which is all one; the blade thereof being sundered in the middle, so as the one part be not near to the other, by almost three quarters of an inch, each part being kept asunder with one small bout or crooked piece of iron, of the fashion described before, then thrust your tongue betwixt the aforesaid space, to wit, into the bout left in the bodkin blade, thrusting the said bout behind your teeth, and biting the same, it shall seem to stick so fast in, and through your tongue, that one can hardly pull it out. Also you must have another bodkin or nail, just like unto the false one, to serve to shew to the company.
How to cut your arm off, a pitiful sight, without hurt or danger.
You must provide yourself with two knives, a true one, and a false one, and let them be so alike, that no one can tell one from the other, so when you go to shew this feat to the company, put the true knife into your pocket, and then take out the false one and clap it on your wrist undiscovered, and with a spunge make the knife bloody, and it will seem so much the more strange.
How to kill any fowl, but especially a pullet, and with words to give it life again.
Take a hen or chicken, and thrust a nail, or a sharp pointed knife, through the midst of the head thereof, the edge towards the bill, so as it may seem impossible for her to escape death, then use some words, and pulling out the knife, lay oats before her, and she will eat and live, being nothing at all grieved or hurt with the wound, because the brain lieth so far behind in the head, as it is not touched, though you thrust your knife between the comb and it; and after you have done this, you may convert your speech and actions to the grievous wounding, and present recovery of your own self.
To thrust a piece of lead into your eye, and to drive it about with a stick between the skin and flesh and forehead, until it be brought to the other eye, and there thrust out.
Put a piece of lead into one of the nether lids of your eye, as big as a tag of a point, but not so long, which you may do without danger, and with a little juggling stick, one end thereof being hollow, seem to thrust the like piece of lead under the other eye-lid, but convey the same, indeed, into the hollowness of the stick, the stopple or peg thereof may be privately kept in your hand until this feat be done, then seem to drive the said piece of lead, with the hollow end of the slick from the same eye, and so with the end of the said stick being brought along upon your forehead to the other eye, you may thrust out the piece of lead, and then shove it out of the eye; and some put it into both, but the first is the best; this is easily done, howbeit, being cleanly handled, it will deceive the sight of the beholders.
To make the constable catch the knave.
Take a pack of cards, and look out the four knaves, lay one of them privately on the top of the pack, and lay the other three down on the table, saying, here you see are three knaves got together, about no good you may be sure; then lay down a king beside them, saying, But here comes the constable and catches them together; Oh, (says he) have I caught you together? well, the next time I catch you together, I will punish you severely for all your rogueries. Oh, but (say they) you shall not catch us together again in haste for they conclude to run three several ways: Well, I will go here, (says one) so take one of the knaves and put him at the top of the pack: And I will go here, (says another) so put him at the bottom, Then I will go here, (says the other) so put him in the middle: nay, (says the constable) if you run, I will make sure of one, so I will follow the first, then take the king and put him at the top, and let any one cut the cards asunder two or three times, then deal, cut the cards one by one, and you shall find three knaves together, and the constable with them.
Note, This feat would be best done with a pack of cards that has two knaves of that sort, of which you put one in the middle.
To seem to change a card into a king or queen picture.
To do this, you must have the picture in your sleeve, and by a swift slight return the card, and fetch out the picture with a back bending. The manner of doing this is better learnt by frequent trials than can be taught by many words; but if you would do this feat, and yet hold your hand straight, and unmoved, then you must peel off the spots or figures of a card, as thin as you can, and just stick it on the picture with something that will make it stick a little, then having shewed the spots or figure of the card, you may draw it off, and roll it up with your thumb, into a very narrow compass, holding it undiscovered between the inside of the thumb and the ball of your fore-finger, and so produce the picture, to the admiration of the beholders.
To seem to turn a card into a live bird.
Take a card in your hand, and shew it fairly to the company, bidding them seriously observe it, then having a live bird in your sleeve, turn your hand on a sudden, drawing the card into your sleeve dexterously with your thumb and little finger, and giving a hard shake, the bird will come out or your sleeve into your hand, which you may produce, and then let fly, as you think convenient, and it will cause wonder in the spectators.
Three or four cards being laid down, to tell any one which of those cards he touched.
This feat is done by confederacy, in this manner; take and lay down, with their faces upwards, 3 cards, which may be an ace, a four, and a five, then go out of the room, but let your confederate stay and see which card was touched, then when any one has touched a card, let them call you into the room again, and if he touch the ace, let your confederate say, I will lay a penny that you cannot tell which card he touched; and if he touched the four, let him say, I will lay a groat, and if he touched the five, let him say, I will lay you a crown you cannot tell which card he touched; so by your confederate’s discourse, you will know which card he touched, nevertheless, you must pretend to find him out by smelling to them, as though the touch of his finger had left a scent on the card.
To tell one what card he took notice of.
Take any number of cards, as 10, 12, and then holding them with their backs toward you, open four or five of the uppermost, and as you hold them out to their view, let any one note a card, and tell you, whether it be the first, second, or third from the top, but you must privately know the whole number of those cards you took; then shut up your cards in your hands, and take the rest of the pack and place upon them; then knock their ends and sides upon the table; so it will seem impossible to find the noted card, yet it may easily be done thus: subtract the number of the cards you held in your hand from 52, the whole number of the cards in the pack, and to the remainder add the number of the noted card; so the same shall be the number of the noted card from the top: therefore take off the cards one by one, smelling to them, till you come to the noted card.
How to let a gentleman hold ten pieces of money in his hand, and to command them unto what number he can think on.
You must fling your money on a table, and desire any body to tell ten pieces out on the table, when they have done they will say, there is ten. Note, you must have in readiness, privately concealed in your right-hand, five pieces, then you must tell the company that you always tell your money after every person, so telling down the money with your left-hand, and taking it up with your right, convey the five pieces to the ten, then ask if any body is desirous to hold them, and there will be enough to hold them, and be sure to hold them fast; that done, bid them to call for what number they please to think on between 10 and 15, and so let them call for what number they will, you know they have it in their hand, and when they open their hand, they are struck to admiration. But be sure not to forget your terms of art to amaze the beholders.