The xxiii. Chapter. 322.
Of the ball, and the manner of legierdemaine therewith, also notable feats with one or diverse balles.
CONCERNING Great varietie of plaie with the balles, &c. the ball, the plaies & devises thereof are infinite, in somuch as if you can by use handle them well, you may shewe therewith a hundreth feats. But whether you seeme to throw the ball into your left hand, or into your mouth, or into a pot, or up into the aier, &c: it is to be kept still in your right hand. If you practise first with a leaden bullet, you shall the sooner and better doo it with balles of corke. The first place at your first learning, where you are to bestow a great ball, is in the palme of your hand, with your ringfinger: but a small ball is to be placed with your/227. thombe, betwixt your ringfinger and midlefinger, then are you to practise to doo it betwixt the other fingers, then betwixt the forefinger and the thombe, with the forefinger and midlefinger jointlie, and therein is the greatest and strangest cunning shewed.These feats are nimbly, cleanly, & swiftly to be conveied; so as the eies of the beholders may not discerne or perceive the drift. Lastlie the same small ball is to be practised in the palme of the hand, and by use you shall not onelie seeme to put anie one ball from you, and yet reteine it in your hand; but you shall keepe foure or five as cleanelie and certeinelie as one. This being atteined unto, you shall worke woonderfull feats: as for example.
Laie three or foure balles before you, and as manie small candlesticks, bolles, saltsellers, or saltseller covers, which is the best. Then first seeme to put one ball into your left hand, and therwithall seeme to hold the same fast: then take one of the candlesticks, or anie other thing (having a hollow foot, & not being too great) and seeme to put the ball which is thought to be in your left hand, underneath the same, and so under the other candlesticks seeme to bestow the other balles: and all this whileMemorandum that the juggler must set a good grace on the matter: for that is verie requisite. the beholders will suppose each ball to be under each candlesticke: this doone, some charme or forme of words is commonlie used. Then take up one candlesticke with one hand, and blow, saieng; Lo, you see that is/323. gone: & so likewise looke under ech candlesticke with like grace and words, & the beholders will woonder where they are become. But if you, in lifting up the candlesticks with your right hand, leave all those three or foure balles under one of them (as by use you may easilie doo, having turned them all downe into your hand, and holding them fast with your little and ringfingers) and take the candlesticke with your other fingers, and cast the balles up into the hollownes thereof (for so they will not roll so soone awaie) the standers by will be much astonied. But it will seeme woonderfull strange, if also in shewing how there remaineth nothing under an other of those candlesticks, taken up with your left hand, you leave behind you a great ball, or anie other thing, the miracle will be the greater. For first they thinke you have pulled awaie all the balles by miracle; then, that you have brought them all togither againe by like meanes, and they neither thinke nor looke that anie other thing remaineth behind under anie of them. And therefore, after manie other feats doone, returne to your candlesticks, remembring where you left the great ball, and in no wise touch the same; but having an other like ball about you, seeme to bestow the same in maner and forme aforesaid, under a candlesticke which standeth furthest frō that where the ball lieth. And when you shall with *words As, Hey, fortuna furie, nunquam credo, passe, passe, when come you sirra: See pag. 147. or charmes seeme to conveie the same ball from under the same candlesticke, and afterward bring it under the candlesticke which you touched not, it will (I saie) seeme woonderfull strange.
To make a little ball swell in your hand till it be verie great.
TAke a verie great ball in your left hand, or three indifferent big balles; and shewing one or three little balles, seeme to put them into your said left hand, concealing (as you may well doo) the other balles which were there in before: then use words, and make them seeme to swell, and open your hand, &c. This plaie is to be varied a hundreth waies: for as you find them all under one candlesticke, so may you go to a stander by, and take off/228. his hat or cap, and shew the balles to be there, by conveieng them thereinto, as you turne the bottome upward./
To consume (or rather to conveie) one or manie balles into nothing. 324.
IF you take one ball, or more, & seeme to put it into your other hand, and whilest you use charming words, you conveie them out of your right hand into your lap; it will seeme strange. For when you open your left hand immediatlie, the sharpest lookers on will saie it is in your other hand, which also then you may open; & when they see nothing there, they are greatlie overtaken.
How to rap a wag upon the knuckles.
BUt I will leave to speake anie more of the ball, for herein I might hold you all daie, and yet shall I not be able to teach you to use it, nor scarslie to understand what I meane or write concerning it: but certeinelie manie are persuaded that it is a spirit or a flie, &c. Memorandum,*[* Rom.] that alwaies the right hand be kept open and streight, onlie keepe the palme from view. And therefore you may end with this miracle. ¶ Laie one ball upon your shoulder, an other on your arme, and the third on the table:This feate tendeth cheefelie to the mooving of laughter and mirth. which because it is round, and will not easilie lie upon the point of your knife, you must bid a stander by laie it thereon, saieng that you meane to throwe all those three balles into your mouth at once: and holding a knife as a pen in your hand, when he is laieng it upon the point of your knife, you may easilie with the haft rap him on the fingers, for the other matter wilbe hard to doo.