The xxv. Chapter. 329.
An excellent feat, to make a two penie peece lie plaine in the palme of your hand, and to be passed from thence when you list.
P UT a little red wax (not too thin) upon the naile of your longest finger, then let a stranger put a two penie peece into the palme of your hand, and shut your fist suddenlie, and conveie the two penie peece upon the wax, which with use you may so accomplish, as no man shall perceive it. Then and in the meane time use *words* As, Ailif, casyl, zaze, hit mel meltat: Saturnus, Jupiter, Mars, Sol, Venus, Mercurie, Luna: or such like. of course, and suddenlie open your hand, holding the tippes of your fingers rather lower than higher than the palme of your hand, and the beholders will woonder where it is become. Then shut your hand suddenlie again, & laie a wager whether it be there or no; and you may either leave it there, or take it awaie with you at your pleasure. This (if it be will†[† for well] handled) hath more admiration than any other feat of the hand. Memorandum‡[‡ Rom.] this may be best handled, by putting the wax upon the two penie peece, but then must you laie it in your hand your selfe./
To conveie a testor out of ones hand that holdeth it fast. 232.
STicke a little wax upon your thombe, and take a stander by by the finger, shewing him the testor, and telling him you will put the same into his hand: then wring it downe hard with your waxed thombe, and using many words looke him in the face, & as soone as you perceive him to looke in your face, or frō your hand, suddenlie take awaie your thombe, & close his hand, and so will it seeme to him that the testor remaineth: even as if you wring a testor upon ones forehead, it will seeme to sticke, when it is taken awaie, especiallie if it be wet. Then cause him to hold his hand still, and with speed put into another mans hand (or into your owne) two testors in stead of one, and use words of course, wher/by330. you shall make not onelie the beholders, but the holders beleeve, when they open their hands, that by inchantment you have brought both togither.
To throwe a peece of monie into a deepe pond, and to fetch it againe from whence you list.
THere In these knacks of confederacie Feats had the name, whilest he lived.be a marvellous number of feats to be doone with monie, but if you will worke by private confederacie, as to marke a shilling, or anie other thing, and throwe the same into a river or deepe pond, and having hid a shilling before with like marks in some other secret place; bid some go presentlie & fetch it, making them beleeve, that it is the verie same which you threw into the river: the beholders will marvell much at it. And of such feats there may be doone a marvellous number; but manie more by publike confederacie, whereby one may tell another how much monie he hath in his pursse, and a hundreth like toies, and all with monie.
To conveie one shilling being in one hand into another, holding your armes abroad like a rood.
EVermoreA knacke more merrie than marvellous. it is necessarie to mingle some merie toies among your grave miracles, as in this case of monie, to take a shilling in each hand, and holding your armes abroad, to laie a wager that you will put them both into one hand, without bringing them anie whit neerer togither. The wager being made, hold your armes abroad like a rood, and turning about with your bodie, laie the shilling out of one of your hands upon the table, and turning to the other side take it up with the other hand: and so you shall win your wager.
How to rap a wag on the knuckles.
DEliverAnother to the same purpose read in pag. 324. one peece of monie with the left hand to one, and to a second person another, and offer him that you would rap on the fingers the third; for he (though he be ungratious and subtill) seeing the other receive monie, will not lightlie refuse it: and when he offereth to take it, you may rap him on the fingers with a knife, or somewhat else held in the right/233. hand, saieng that you knew by your familiar, that he ment to have kept it from you./