ding, and recouering of your owne selfe.

[* Sidenote: The naturall cause why a Hen thrust through the head
with a Bodkin doth liue notwithstanding.]

To eate a Knife, and to fetch it forth
of another place.

Take a knife, and conuey the same betweene your two hands, so as no
parte be seene thereof, but a little of the poynt, which you must so
bite at the first as noyse may be made therwith: then seeme to put a
great parte therof into your mouth, and letting your hand slip downe,
there will appeare to haue bin more in your mouth, then is possible to
be conteyned therein: then send for drinke, or vse some other delaye
vntill you haue 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
priuily slippe downe into your lappe) and in steede of biting the
knife, knab a little vppon your naile, and then seeme to thrust the
knife into your mouth,[*] opening the hand next vnto it, and thrust vp
the other, so as it may appeare to the standers by, that you haue
deliuered your hands thereof, and thrust it into your mouth: then call
for drinke, after countenance made of pricking, and daunger &c.
lastly, put your hand into your lap, and taking that knife into your
hand, you may seeme to bring it out from behinde you, or from whence
you list: but if you haue another like knife, and a confederate, you
may doe twentie notable wonders hereby: as to send a stander by into
some garden or Orchard, describing to him some tree or herbe vnder
which it sticketh: or else some strangers sheath or pocket &c.

[* Sidenote: This is pretty if it be cleanely done.]

To thrust a bodkin through your head,
without any hurt.

Take a Bodkin so made, as the haft being hollow, the blade thereof may
slip thereinto: as soone as you holde the poynt downeward, and set the
same to your forehead, and seeme to thrust it into your head: and so
(with a little sponge in your hand) you may wringe out blood or wine,
making the beholders thinke the blood or wine (whereof you may say you
haue drunke very much) runneth out of your forehead: Then after
countenance of paine and greefe, pull away your hand suddenly, holding
the poynt downeward, and it will fall so out, as it will seeme neuer
to haue bin thrusted into the hafte: But