in twenty-three leaves. A list of errors at the end is preceded by the following lines as an apology;

"Our miserie and fraile estate

In nothing is declared more,
Then in our errors rathe and late;

That chance when least we loke therfore,

Yea and also whiche yet is more,

We many times put faultes in vre,

When from them we our selues thinke sure.
Wherfore sith it is destinate,

And none can clerely it withstande,
With loue and with most friendly rate,

Before to rede thou take in hande

This worke, let all the faultes be scan'de,

And by this rule the same redresse,

Leste faultes good frutes to muche oppresse." Conduit street.

J. H.

ART. IX. The Art of Iugling or Legerdemaine. Wherein is deciphered, all the conueyances of Legerdemaine and Iugling, how they are effected & wherin they chiefly consist. Cautions to beware of cheating at Cardes and Dice; the detection of the beggerly art of Alcumistry, & the foppery of foolish cousoning charmes; all tending to mirth and recreation, especially for those that desire to haue the insight and priuate practise thereof. By S. R. Quod noua testa capit Inueterata sapit. Printed at London for T. B. and are to bee solde by Samuel Rand, neere Holborne-bridge. 1612, 4to. 24 leaves. The title of this tract has made it repeatedly considered as written by Robert Greene, an error evident by the following introduction.

"To

"To the ingenious gentleman, and my louing father, Mr. William Bvbb.

"This short conceipt, that I'haue writ of late,
To you, kinde father Bvbb, I dedicate,

Not that I meane heereby (good sir) to teach,

For I confesse, your skill's beyond my reach:
But since before with me much time you spent,
Good reason then, first fruits I should present:
That thankefull Bird,* that leaves one young behinde,
Ensamples me to beare a thankefull minde:
Vagratefull he, that thankes can not repay
To him, that hath deseru'd it euery way:
Accept (kinde sir) my loue, that being doone,
I aske no more, desire no other boone.

Your lo. sonne in all loue,

SA. RID."

"To his loving friend and adopted sonne, Mr. Sa.

Rid.

"MOST WORTHY SONNE,

"Your labour and obseruance heerein, with the gift of your first fruits, is both worthy commendations and acceptance: and to cherrish you further in this your discouery, I will giue an addition to your second treatise. So I leaue you to God, and belieue you, not a more louing friend then

WILLIAM BUBB."t

"The nature of this bird is, that building her nest vnder the couer of houses (as the swallow doth with vs) leaus ever behinde her for the owner of the house, one young one in token of her thankfulnesse: and as I may say, for pawne of her rent,"

† Prefixed to "Greene's Metamorphosis" are eighteen lines addressed "to the avthovr, his friend," with the signature of "Bubb, Gent."

"To the curteous Reader. There goeth a prety fable On a time she earnestly besought her

of the moone.

mother to prouide her a garment comely and fit for her body: how can that bec, sweete daughter, (quoth the mother) sith that your body neuer keepes it selfe at one staye, nor at one certaine estate, but changeth euery day in the month, nay euery houre: the application heereof nedes no interpretation: fantesie and foolery who can please, and desire who can humour, no camelion changeth his cullour as affection; nor any thing so variable a Populus Chorus Fluuius.— Let such as will needes barke at the moone yell till their hearts ake: Gentle and Gentlemen's spirits, wil take all kindely that is kindely presented. Your's in loue, S. R."

It is probable this is not the first edition of this work, or the first fruits" of the author's pen, according to the language of his adopted father, and which appears at the commencement of the dissertation.

"The Art of Iugling or Legerdemaine. Heretofore we haue runne ouer the two pestiferous carbuncles in the common wealth, the Egyptians and common Canters: the poore Canters we haue canvassed meetely well; it now remains to proceed where I left, and to goe forward with that before I promised: St. Quintane be my good speede, I know I haue runne thorow the hands of many, censured of diuers, & girded at not of a few but humanity is euer willinger to loue then hate curtesie much forwarder to commend then dispraise clemency infinitely proner to absolue then to codemn. Is it not possible to find sauery hearbs amog netles, roses among prickles, berries among bushes, marrow among bones, grain among stubble, and a little corne among a great deale of chaffe? In

the

the rankest and strongest poysons, pure and sweet balmes may be distilled, and some matter or other worthy to be remembred may be embraced whosoeuer is author. There is nothing so exceeding foolish but hath bene defended by some wise man, nor any thing so passing wise, but hath bene confuted by some foole: tut, St. Barnard saw not all things, and the best cart may eftsoones ouerthrow. That curl'd-pate Rufus that goes about with Zoylus to carpe and finde fault, must bring the standard of iudgement with him; and make wisdome the moderator of his wit, otherwise they may be like to purchase to themselues the worshipfull names of Dunces and Dottipoles. So much by the way."

Various tricks performed with balls and boxes by jugglers are set forth, but they are not confined to the board of amusement, the frauds and artifice of nefarious characters are described as "how to tell where a stolne horse is become. By means of confederacy Cuthbert Conycatcher, and one Swart Ratter, two that haue taken degrees in Whittington college, abused notably the country people, &c."

Under the head of Alchimy is the story from Chaucer "how an Alcumister cousoned a priest," and a conversation from Petrarch to the same point. The Egyptians are stated to have gathered head in the southern parts of England about 20 Hen. VIII. and that Giles Hather and Kit Calot were known as the King and Queen. The act of Philip and Mary divided their bands or companies into various parts, forming in number about two hundred rogues and vagabonds in a regiment, many of whom suffered under the act, whence they took the name of poor people, and held

their meetings occasionally at the Devil's arse a peak in Derbyshire, and at Ketbrooke by Blackheath. Upon the revival of the statute in the 20th of Elizabeth they were distributed, when some turned pedlars, some tinkers, and some juglers.

An amusing story of an Egyptian ass that did many curious tricks seems a prelude to introduce the fallowing relation of a learned horse, (probably alluding to Bankes's,)" at this day to be seene in London; his master will say, sirrah, heere be diuers gentlemen, that haue lost diuers things, and they heare say that thou canst tell them tydings of them where they are; if thou canst, prethee shew thy cunning and tell them; then hurles he down a handkercher or a gloue that he had taken from the parties before, and bids him giue it the right owner, which the horse presently doth, and many other pretty feates this horse doth, and some of those trickes as the asse before mencioned did, which not one among a thousand perceaues how they are done, nor how he is brought to learne the same; and note that all the feates that this horse doth, is altogether in numbering; as for ensample, his master will aske him how many people there are in the room? The horse will pawe with his foote so many times as there are people; and marke, the eye of the horse is alwaies vpon his master, and as his master moues, so goes he or stands still, as he is brought to it at the first: as for ensample his master will throw you three dice, and will bid the horse tell how many you or he have throwne, then the horse pawes with his foote whiles his master stands stone still; then when his master sees he hath pawed so many as the first dice shews it selfe, then he lifts up his shoulders and stirs a little; then he bids

him