The discovery of witchcraft proving that the compacts and contracts of witches with devils and all infernal spirits or familiars are but erroneous novelties and imaginary conceptions : also discovering, how far their power extendeth in killing, tormenting, consuming, or curing the bodies of men, women, children, or animals by charms, philtres, periapts, pentacles, curses, and conjurations : wherein likewise the unchristian practices and inhumane dealings of searchers and witch-tryers upon aged, melancholly, and superstitious people, in extorting confessions by terrors and tortures, and in devising false marks and symptoms, are notably detected ... : in sixteen books / by Reginald Scot ... ; whereunto is added an excellent Discourse of the nature and substance of devils and spirits, in two books : the first by the aforesaid author, the second now added in this third edition ... conducing to the compleating of the whole work, with nine chapters at the beginning of the fifteenth [sic] book of The discovery.

CHAP. XXXII.

To burn a Thred, and to make it whole again with the Ashes thereof.

IT is not one of the worst feats to burn a Thred handsomly, and to make it whole again; the order whereof is this. Take two Threds, or small Laces,* 1.1 of one foot in length a piece: roll up one of them round, which will be then of the quanity of a Pease, bestow the same between your left fore-finger and your thumb. Then take the other Thred, and hold it forth at length,* 1.2 betwixt the fore-finger and thumb of each hand, holding all your fingers daintily, as young Gentlewomen are taught to take up a morsel of meat. Then let one cut asunder the same Thred in the middle. When that is done, put the tops of your two thumbs together, and so shall you with less suspition receive the peice of Thred which you hold in your right hand into your left, without opening of your left finger and thumb; then holding these two pieces as you did the same before it was cut, let those two be cut also asunder in the midst, and they conveyed again as before, until they be cut very short, and then roll all those ends toge∣ther, and keep that Ball of small Threds before the other in your left hand,* 1.3 and with a Knife thrust out the same with a Candle, where you may hold it until the said Ball of short Threds be burnt to ashes. Then pull back the Knife with your right hand, and leave the ashes with the other Ball betwixt the fore-finger and thumb of your left hand, and with the two thumbs and two fore-fingers to∣gether seem to take pains to frot and rub the ashes, until your Thred be renew∣ed, and draw out that Thred at length which you kept all this while betwixt your left finger and thumb. This is not inferiour to any Jugglers feat if it be well handled; for if you have Legierdemain to bestow the same Ball of Thred, and to change it from place to place betwixt your other fingers (as may easily be done) then will it seem very strange.

To cut a Lace asunder in the midst, and to make it whole again.

BY a device not much unlike to this, you may seem to cut asunder any Lace that hangeth about ones neck, or any Point, Girdle, or Garter, &c. and with Witchcraft or Conjuration to make it whole and closed together again. For the accomplishment whereof, provide (if you can) a piece of the Lace, &c. which you mean to cut, or at the least a pattern like the same, one inch and a half long,* 1.4 (and keeping it double privily in your left hand, betwixt some of your fingers neer to the tips thereof) take the other Lace which you mean to cut, still hang∣ing about ones neck, and draw down your said left hand to the bought thereof; and putting your own piece a little before the other (the end or rather middle whereof you must hide betwixt your fore-finger and thumb) making the eye or bought, which shall be seen, of your own pattern, let some stander by cut the same asunder, and it will be surely thought that the other Lace is cut; which with words and frotting, &c. you shall seem to renew and make whole again. This, if it be well handled, will seem miraculous.

How to pull Laces innumerable out of your mouth, of what colour or length you list, and never any thing seen to be therein.

* 1.5AS for pulling Laces out of the mouth, it is somewhat a stale jest, whereby Jugglers gain money among Maids, selling Lace by the yard, putting into their mouths one round bottom as fast as they pull out another, and at the just end of every yard they tie a knot, so as the same resteth upon their teeth; then cut they off the same, and so the beholders are double and treble deceived, see∣ing as much Lace as will be contained in a Hat, and the same of what colour you list to name, to be drawn by so even yards out of his mouth, and yet the Juggler to talk as though there were nothing at all in his mouth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mark the manner of this conceit and de∣vice.
• * 1.2

  That is, neatly and daintily.
• * 1.3

  A Throd cut in many pieces and burned to ashes made whole again.
• * 1.4

  The means discovered.
• * 1.5

  A common juggling knack of flat cosenage play∣ed among the simple, &c.