Scot's Discovery of vvitchcraft proving the common opinions of witches contracting with divels, spirits, or familiars ... to be but imaginary, erronious conceptions and novelties : wherein also, the lewde unchristian all written and published in anno 1584, by Reginald Scot, Esquire.

CHAP. XXIIII.

Of conveyance of money.

* 1.1THe conveying of money is not much inferior to the ball, but much ea∣sier to doe. The principall place to keep a piece of money is the palm of your hand, the best piece to keep is a testor; but with exercise all will be alike, except the money be very small, and then it is to be kept betwixt the fingers, almost at the fingers end, whereas the ball is to be kept below neer to the palm••.

To convey money out of one of your hands into the other by legierdemain.

FIrst you must hold open your right hand, and lay therein a testor, or some big piece of mony: then lay thereupon the top of your long left finger, and use words, and upon the sudden slip your right hand from your finger wherewith you held down the testor, and bending your hand a ve∣ry little, you shall remain the testor still therein: and suddenly (I say) drawing your right hand through your left, you shall seem to have left the testor there, specially when you shut in due time your left hand, Which

that it may more plainly appear to be truly done,* 1.2 you may take a knife, and seem to knock against it, so as it shall make a great sound: but in stead of knocking the piece in the left hand (where none is) you shall hold the point of the knife fast with the left hand, and knock against the testor held in the other hand, and it will be thought to hit against the mo∣ney in the left hand. Then use words, and open your hand, and when nothing is seen, it will be wondred at how the testor was remo∣ved.

To convert or transubstantiate money into counters, or counters into money.

ANother way to deceive the lookers on, is to do as before, with a testor; and keeping a counter in the palm of the left hand secretly to seem to put the testor thereinto; which being reteined still in the right hand, when the left hand is opened, the testor will seem to be transubstantiated into a counter.

To put one testor into one hand, and another into the other hand, and with words to bring them together.

HE that hath once attained to the facility of retaining one piece of mo∣ney in his right hand,* 1.3 may shew a hundreth pleasant conceipts by that means, and may reserve two or three as well as one. And lo them may you seem to put one piece into your left hand, and retaining it still in your right hand, you may together therewith take up another like piece, and so with words seem to bring both pieces together.

To put one testor into a strangers hand, and another into your own, and to con∣vey both into the strangers hand with words.

ALso you may take two testors evenly set together, and put the same in stead of one testor, into a strangers hand, & then making as though you did put one testor into your left hand, with words you shall make it seem that you convey the testor in your hand, into the strangers hand: for when you open your said left hand, there shall be nothing seen; and he opening his hand shall find two, where he thought was but one. By this device (I say) a hundreth conceipts may be shewed.

How to do the same or the like seat otherwise.

TO keep a testor, &c. betwixt your finger, serveth specially for this and such like purposes.* 1.4 Hold out your hand, and cause one to lay a te∣stor upon the palm thereof, then shake the same up almost to your fingers ends, and putting your thumbe upon it; you shall easily, with a little practice, convey the edge betwixt the middle and forefinger, whilest you proffer to put it into your other hand (provided alwayes that the edge ap∣pear not through the fingers on the backside) which being done, take up

another testor (which you may cause a stander by to lay down) and put them both together, either closely in stead of one into a strangers hand, or keep them still in your owne: and (after words spoken) open your hands and there being nothing in one, and both pieces in the other, the beholder will wonder how they came together.

To throw a piece of money away, and to find it again where you lost.

* 1.5YOu may, with the middle or ring finger of the right hand, convey a te∣stor into the palme of the same hand, and seeming to cast it away, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it still: which with confederacy will seem strange; to wit, when you find it again, where another hath bestowed the very like piece. But these things without exercise cannot be done, and therefore I will proceed to shew things to be brought to passe by mony, with lesse difficulty; and yet as strange as the rest: which being unknown are marvellously commended, but being knowne are decided, and nothing at all regarded.

With words to make a groat or a testor to leap out of a pot, or to run along upon a table.

* 1.6YOu shal see a juggler take a groat or a testor, and throw it into a pot, or lay it in the midst of a table, and with inchanting words cause the sa•••• to leap out of the pot, or run towards him, or from him ward alongst the table. Which will seem miraculous, untill you know it is done with a long black hair of a woman, head, fastned to the brim of a groat, by means of a little hole driven through the same with a Spanish needle. In like son you may use a knife, or any other small thing: but if you would have it go from you, you must have a confederate, by which means all juggling is graced and amended.

To make a great or a testor to sink through a table, and to vanish out of a hand∣kercher very strangely.

A Juggler also sometimes will borrow a groat or a testor, &c. and make it before you, and seem to put the same into the midst of a handkercher, and wind it so, as you may the better see and feel it. Then will he take you the handkercher, and bid you feel whether the groat be there or nay; and he will also require you to put the same under a candlestick, or some such thing. Then will he send for a bason, and holding the same under the boord right against the candlestick, will use certaine words of inchant∣ments; and in short space you shall hear the groat fall into the bason. This done one takes off the candlestick, and the juggler taketh the hand∣kercher by a tassell,* 1.7 and shaketh it; but the money is gone: which seemeth as strange as any feat whatsoever, but being known, the miracle is turned to a bable. For it is nothing else, but to sow a groat into the corner of a handkercher, finely covered with a piece of linnen, little bigger then your groat: which corner you must convey instead of the groat delivered to you, into the middle of your handkercher; leaving the other either in your hand

or lap, which afterwards you must seem to pull through the board, let∣ting it fall into a bason, &c.

A notable trick to transforme a counter to a groat.

TAke a groat, or some lesse piece of money, and grind it very thin at the one side; and take two counters, and grind them, the one at the one side, the other on the other side: glew the smooth side of the groat to the smooth side of one of the counters, joyning them so close together as may be, specially at the edges, which may be so filed, as they shall seem to be but one piece; to wit, one side a counter, and the other side a groat, then take a very little green waxe (for that is so frest and therefore best) and lay it so upon the smooth side of the other counter, as it do not much discolour the groat:* 1.8 and so will that counter with the groat cleave together, as though they were glewed; and being filed even with the groat and the other coun∣ter, it will seem so like a perfect entire counter, that though a stranger handle it, he shall not bewray it; then having a little touched your fore∣finger, and the thumb of your right hand with soft waxe, take therewith this counterfeit counter and lay it down openly upon the palm of your left hand, in such sort as an auditor layeth down his counters, wringing the same hard, so as you may leave the glewed counter with the groat ap∣parently in the palm of your left hand; and the smooth side of the waxed counter will stick fast upon your thumb, by reason of the waxe wherewith it is smeared, and so may you hide it at your pleasure. Provided alwaies, that you lay the waxed side downward, and the glewed side upward: then close your hand, and in or after the closing thereof turne the piece, and so in stead of a counter (which they supposed to be in your hand) you shall seem to have a groat, to the astonishment of the beholders, if it be well handled.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The money must not be of too small nor of too large a circumference for hindering of the convey∣ance.
• * 1.2

  This is pretty if it be cun∣ningly han∣dled; for both the ear and the eie is deceived by this device.
• * 1.3

  Variety of tricks may be shewed in jug∣gling with mo∣ney.
• * 1.4

  You must take heed that you be close and slie: or else you discredit the art.
• * 1.5

  Use and exer∣cise maketh men ready and practive.
• * 1.6

  This feat is the stranger if it be done by night; a can∣dle placed be∣tween the loo∣kers on and the juggler: for by that means their eie-sight is hindred from discer∣ning the con∣ceit.
• * 1.7

  A discovery of this juggling knack.
• * 1.8

  The juggler must have none of his trinkets, wan∣ting: besides that, it behoe∣veth him to be mindfull, lest he mistake his tricks.