their faces and fashioning their attire and garment like vnto them,
yet if you aske what they are, they dare no otherwise then say, they
are Englishmen, and of such a shire, and so are forced to say contrary
to that they pretend.

But to come a little neerer our purpose, these fellowes seeing that no
profit comes by wandring, but hazard of their liues, doe daily
decrease and breake off their wonted society, and betake themselues
many of them, some to be Pedlers, some Tinkers, some Iuglers, and some
to one kinde of life or other, insomuch that Iugling is now become
common, I meane the professors who make an occupation and profession
of the same: which I must needs say, that some deserue commendation
for the nimblenes and agillity of their hands, and might be thought to
performe as excellent things by their Legerdemaine, as any of your
wisards, witches, or magitians whatsoeuer. For these kinde of people
doe performe that in action, which the other do make shew of: and no
doubt many when they heare of any rare exploit performed which cannot
enter into their capacity, and is beyond their reach, straight they
attribute it to be done by the Deuill, and that they worke by some
familiar spirit, when indeede it is nothing els but meere illusion,
cosoning, and legerdemaine. For you haue many now adaies, and also
heeretofore many writers haue bene abused, as well by vntrue reports
as by illusion and practises of confederacy, & legerdemaine, &c.
Sometimes imputing to words that which resteth in nature, and
sometimes to the nature of the thing that which proceedeth of fraud
and deception of sight. But when these experiments growe to
superstition and impiety, they are either to be forsaken as vaine, or
denyed as false: howbeit, if these things be done for recreation and
mirth, and not to the hurt of our neighbour, nor to the prophaning and
abusing of Gods holy name: then sure they are neither impious nor
altogether vnlawfull, though heerein or heereby a naturall thing be
made to seeme supernaturall. And Gentlemen, if you will giue me
patience, I will lay open vnto you the right Art Iugling and
Legerdemain, in what poynt it doth chiefly consist: principally being
sorry that it thus fals out, to lay open the secrets of this mistery
to the hinderance of such poore men as liue thereby, whose doings
heerein are not onely tollerable, but greatly commendable, so they
abuse not the name of God, nor make the people to attribute vnto them
h