How to command seven half-pence through a table.
This feat is one of the greatest that the jugglers have done, and is inferior to none. To do this, you must go to some tinman, or any body that knows how to make your holes room enough for a die to go in and out, and then let them clap a good half-penny upon them all, and so make them fast, and nobody can tell them from real ones; then you must get a cap to cover your half-pence, a cap and a die for the company to fling to amuse them; when you are thus provided with half-pence, a cap, and a die, the manner of performance is thus: desire any body in the company to lend you seven half-pence, telling them that you will soon return them their own again; then say, gentlemen, this is made just fit for your money; then clapping your cap on, desire somebody in the company to fling that die to see what they can fling, and in so doing, take off the cap and convey your false money into the cap, so that the company may not see you put it in, then with your cap cover the die, so with your right-hand take up the true money, and put it into the left under the table, saying, Vada, begone, I command the die to be gone, and the money to come in the place; so take up the cap, and the die is gone, and the money is come, covering the money again with the cap, so taking the true money in your right-hand, and knocking under the table, making a jingling as though the money was coming through the table, then flinging then on the table, say, there is the money, and with your right-hand take off the cap, saying, and there is the die; so convey the false money into your lap, and there is the cap likewise. This is an ingenious feat if well handled, here make the figure of a die, and the fashion of seven half-pence, and a cap to cover them.
How to turn a box of bird-seed into a living bird.
You must have a box made on purpose, with a false lid; for to describe it to you in words, is pretty hard, but you may have them ready made at my house. This box must be turned nearly like unto the egg-boxes, so that they cannot find out where it opens, and you must have a false lid to clap on and off, and on that lid glew some bird seed; so before you shew the box, to the company, put a bird in the box, and then the false lid, then shew the box to the company, and it will seem to be full of seed, then say to the company, ‘gentlemen you see my box is full of seed;’ which nobody can tell to the contrary, then put your true lid on, saying, Gentlemen, I will command all the seed out of my box, and command a living bird to appear; so taking off the covers the bird will appear. You may be furnished with all manner of instruments, cups, Dutch puddings, egg-boxes, globe-boxes, melting-boxes, sixpenny-boxes, bird-boxes, and bells and bushels.
How to command a sixpence out of a box.
You must go and get a box turned of box-wood or any other wood which you fancy; you must have it turned with two lids, one must be a false one, and there put a counter, so that it may rattle; and you must have a small pegg, or button, to your box, to hinder the counter from jingling, and at the bottom of the box, which you have neatly turned, there you must have a half notch made in your box, just fit for a sixpence to come out. So to perform this feat, you must desire any body to lend you a sixpence, and to mark it with what they please, then let them put it into the box themselves, afterwards then put the cover on, then by shaking the box, the sixpence will come into your hand; then you may dispose of it as you know how when you are shewing your feats. This feat is not inferior to any that is shewn with boxes.
Note, This box you may have of me ready made in the new fashion.