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                             HOCVS
                             POCVS
                            IVNIOR.

                       _The Anatomie of_
                          LEGERDEMAIN.

                             _OR_,

    The Art of Iugling set forth in his proper colours, fully,
    plainly, and exactly, so that an ignorant person may thereby
    learn the full perfection of the same, after a little practise.

    Vnto each Tricke is added the figure, where it is needfull for
    instruction.

            _The second Edition, with many additions._

                 Prestat nihili quam nihil facere.

                          [Illustration]

                             _LONDON_,

                Printed by _T. H._ for _R. M._ 1635.




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To the Reader.


_COurteous Reader, doe you not wonder? if you doe not, well you may, to
see so slight a Pamphlet so quickly spent; but lightly come, and lightly
goe; it's a Iuglers terme, and it well befits the subiect. Would you
know whence it first came? why, from =Bartholomew= Fayre: would you know
whither it's bent? for the Fayre againe; it's a stragler, a wanderer,
and as I said, as it lightly comes, so it lightly goes; for it meanes to
see not onely =Bartholomew= Fayre, but all the Fayres in the Kingdome
also, and therefore in the front, =Hiccius Doccius= is the Post-master,
and what he wants there, I'le give him here, a word or two of command, a
terme of art, not so much substantiall as circumstantiall, =Celeriter,
vade=, over hedges and ditches, thorow thicke and thin, to come to your
Fayres. Rome for a Iugler: all in post, yet with a desire to give you
full satisfaction. If you like it, then buy it and reade it, if
otherwise, leave it for them that list._

Farewell.




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    _The Art of_
    LEGERDEMAINE
    Discovered.


_The originall of =Legerdemaine=, and how it came first into this
Kingdome._

IT came first into the Kingdome by certain AEgyptians, that were
transported hither, who growing to numerous multitudes, dispersed
themselues thorow most parts of the Kingdome: who being most expert in
this art, and in Palmestrie, cousened the people in all parts
wheresoeuer they came. Now diuers vagrant English joyning with them in
time learnt both their language and cousening delusions, whereby at
length they were discovered, and thereupon the next ensuing Parliament,
there was a statute enacted: that whosoeuer should transport an
Egyptian, should have a Fine imposed upon him; Moreouer, that whosoever
should assume unto themselves the names of AEgyptians, it should be
imputed unto them as fellonie, in so high a degree, that they might not
haue their Booke granted unto them, which statute was put in execution,
and since that time our Kingdome hath beene well disburdened of those
AEgyptian Iuglers.


_The Definition of the Art of =Legerdemain=, with its principall parts._

_LEgerdemaine_ is an operation, whereby one may seeme to worke
wonderfull, impossible, and incredible things by agility, nimblenesse,
and slightnesse of hand. The parts of this Art are principally two. The
first is in the conveyance of Balls, Cards, Dice, Money, &c. The second
is in Confederacie.


_The end of the Art of =Legerdemaine=._

THe end of this Art is either good or bad, accordingly as it is used:
Good, and lawfull when it is used at Festivals, and merry meetings to
procure mirth: especially if it be done without desire of estimation
above what we are. Bad, and altogether unlawfull when it is used on
purpose, to cozen, deceive, or for vaine glory to esteemed above what is
meet and honest.


_The Definition, or description of the Operator._

FIrst, hee must be one of an impudent and audacious spirit, so that hee
may set a good face upon the matter.

Secondly, he must have a nimble and cleanly conveance.

Thirdly, he must have strange termes, and emphaticall words, to grace
and adorne his actions, and the more to astonish the beholders.

Fourthly, and lastly, such gesture of body as may leade away the
spectators eyes from a strict and diligent beholding his manner of
conveyance.


_Of the Play of the Balls._

THe Operator thus qualified must have his Implements of purpose to play
withall: and first he must have three Cups, made of brasse, or Crooked
lane plate:

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These Cups must be all of one sise, and the bottome of each
of them must bee set a little within the cup; marke the following
figure, for thereby they are truely represented, both in forme and
bignesse: it is noted with the letter B. Also he must have foure Bals,
made of Corke about the bignesse of small Nutmegs. First, he must
practise to hold these Cork balls, two or three of them at once in one
hand. The best place, and the readiest to hold one ball is betweene the
ball of the thumbe, and the palme of the hand; but if you hold more than
one at one time, betweene your fingers towards the bottoms. The place to
hold a great ball is betweene your two middle fingers. Remember in your
play alwaies to keep the palme of your hand downeward: After you have
once learned to hold these balls handsomely, you may worke divers
strange, and delightfull feats.

[Sidenote: Some I have seene sit with their Codpiece open, others play
standing with a budget hanging before them, but all comes to one end.

Some feats may with more grace be performed stading then sitting. The
manner of holding the cups will conceale the ball that you retein in
your hand.]

But whether you seeme to cast your ball in the ayre, or into your mouth,
or into your other hand, yet still retaine it in the same hand, still
remembring to keepe the palme of your hand downeward, and out of sight.
Now to begin:

He that is to play must sit on the farther side of a Table, which must
be covered with a carpet: partly to keepe the balls from rolling away,
and partly to keepe them from ratling: likewise hee must set his hat in
his lap, or sit in such manner as that hee may receive any thing into
his lap, and let him cause all his spectators to sit downe: Then let him
draw his foure balls, and lay three of them upon the table, (and retain
the fourth in his right hand) and say, Gentlemen, here are three bals
you see, 1. _Meredin_, 2. _Benedic_, and 3. _Presto Iohn_, then let him
draw his cups and hold them all three in his right hand also, saying,
Here are also three Cups, saying, See there's nothing in them, neither
have they any false bottoms:

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Then say, See I will set them all on a row, and clap them all on a row,
& in clapping them downe, convey the ball that you reteined under the
middlemost cup, saying as you set them downe, Nothing there, there, nor
there. Then shew your hands, and say, Gentlemen, you see here is nothing
in my hands, and say, Now to begin, and take up with your right hand one
of the three bals that you layed downe, and say this is the first, and
with that seeme to put it into your left hand, and presently shut your
left hand, and being shut, clap it unto your eare, saying, This is for
the purging of the braine, _Presto_ bee gone, then move both the utmost
cups (noted with A, and B.) with both your hands, saying, And there is
nothing there nor there, and in the clapping them downe, conveigh the
ball in your right hand under the Cup noted B.

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Then with your right hand take up the second ball, and seeme to put it
into the left hand (but reteine it) shutting your left hand in due time:
then clap your left hand unto your mouth, seeme to suppe the ball out of
your hand, and make a face as if you swallowed it, then say, _Presto_,
and that's gone you see, and with your right hand move the cup noted A,
saying, And there is nothing, and in clapping it downe convey the ball
you reteined, under it, so have you conveyed into each cup a ball.

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Then with your right hand take up the third Ball, and seeme to put it
into your left hand, shutting it in due time, and then reach it out from
you saying, _vade_, _couragious_, and open your hand, and blow a blast,
looking up as if you saw it flying away, and say _passa couragious_, and
that's gone: then take up the cups one after another, and say,
neverthelesse Gentlemen, there is one, there is two, and there is all
three againe: Then cover them and say, see you Gentlemen, I will cover
them all againe.