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.

To eat a knife, and to fetch it out of any other place.

TAke a knife, and contain the same within your two hands, so as no part be seen there of but a little of the point, which you must so bite at the first, as noise may be made therewith. Then seem to put a great par•• thereof into your mouth, and letting your hand slip down, there will ap∣pear to have been more in your mouth then is possible to be contained therein. Then send for drink, or use some other delay, untill you have let the said knife slip into your lap, holding both your fists close together as before, and then raise them so from the edge of the table where you sit (for from thence the knife may most privily slip downe into your lap) and instead of biting the knife, knable a little upon your nail, and the•• seem to thrust the knife into your mouth, opening the hand next unto ••, and thrust up the other, so as it may appear to the standers by, that you have delivered your hands thereof, and thrust it into your mouth; the•• call for drink, after countenance made of pricking and danger, &c. Last∣ly, put your hand into your lap, and taking that knife in your hand, you may seem to bring it out from behind you, or from whence you list. * But if you have another like knife and confederate, you may do twenty no∣table wonders hereby; as to send a stander by into some garden or or∣chard, describing to him some tree or herbe, under which it sticked or else some strangers sheath or pocket, &c.

Notes

• It must be cleanly con∣veyed in any case.