Page:Hocus pocus, or, The whole art of legerdemain in perfection (2).pdf/13

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must suddenly slip out the end or corner, patting up the knot of your handkerchief with your forefinger and thumb, as you would put up the aforesaid knot of your bridle: then deliver the same covered and wrapt within the midst of the handkerchief to one to hold fast, and after pronouncing some words of art, take the handkerchief and shake it, and it will be loose.

How to take three Button Moulds off two Strings.

Take two little whipcords of two feet long apiece, double them equally so as there may appear four ends; then take three button moulds, the hole of one of them must be bigger than the rest, and put one button mould upon the eye or bout of the one cord, and another on the other cord; then take the button mould with the greatest hole, and let both the bouts be hidden therein; which may be the better done if you put the eye or bout of the one into the eye or bout of the other; then pull the middle button upon the same being doubled over his fellow, so will the heads seem to be put over the two cords, you may loose them as you list, and make it seem manifest to the beholders, which may not see how they are done, but that the buttons are put upon the two cords without any fraud, then must you seem to add a more effectual binding of those buttons to the strings, and make one half of a knot, with one of the ends of each side, which is for no other purpose, but that when the buttons be taken away, the cords may be seen in the case, which the beholders supposes them to be in before, for when you have made your half knots, which in any wise you may not double to make