Natural Maqick. c Boo/^i6.

then for to do the thing I would have, for that would require a long time. Bur thismay be done well in dry wood, as in Fir:thus;thc chinks falining together with com-mon white glcw. Also the Amicnts used

To conceal Letters in Junkets.

I will relate the cunning of the Wife of Polycretes } for she, whilst in the MilesianCamps they solemnized a Sokmn Feast of their Country • when they were all fastasleep, and drunk, took this opportunity to tell her brothers of it, and did thus. Shedesired Diegnetue, General of the Erythrei, that (he might send some Junkets to herbrothers: and when she had'leave , Ihe put a leaden fcrole into a cake, and she badthe bearer tell her brothers from her, that no man should eat of it but themselves.When they heard this, they opened the cake, and found the Letter, and performedthe contents of it. They came upon the enemy by night, that was dead drunk at theFeast, and conquered him. Also the Antients were wont

To shut up Letters in living creatures.

Herodotus faith, That Harpagus sent Letters to Cyrus , put into the belly of a Harewhose entrails were taken out, by one that counterfeited a shepherd hunting. So

Letters may be hid in Garments.

The secret places of clothes are best, to avoid suspicion; as in your bosom, or underthe soles ot your feet. Ovid in his Arte Amandi , writes to this purpose:

Letters may be concealed in your hr eft,Wrapt in a clowt , which way u held the beft',Or else you may tender your feet provideA place full closely Letters for to hide.

To hide Letters in your belt.

Those of Campania were wont, when they would discover anything to the Cartha-ginians , and the Remans besieged them round; they sent a man that seemed to runfrom them, with a Letter concealed in his girdle; and he taking occasion to escape,brought it to, he Carthaginians. Others carried Letters in their scabbards, andsent them away by messengers, and were not found out. But we use now adays

To hide letters in the Bowels of living creatures.

For we wrap them in some meat, and give them to a Dog, or some other creature toswallow; that when he is killed, the letters may be found in his belly: and there isnothing neglected to make this way certain. The like was done by Harpagus. He,as Herodotus faith,being co discover to Cyrusfome secrets, when the ways were stopr,that he could do it by no other means, he delivered the letters to a faithful servant,who went like a Hunter, that had catcht a Hare; and in her belly were the lettersput, when the guts were taken forth, and so they were brought to Persis. We usealso

To ft> ut up letters inft ones.

Flints are beaten very fine in brazen Mortars, and sifted ; then are they melted ina brass Cauldron, by putting two ounces of Colophoniato one pound of the pow-der of the Hone; and mingling them, put your letters into leaden plates, and hidethem in the middle of the composition, and put the lump into a linuen bag, andtyeit fast , that it may be round; then sink it into cold water, and it will grow hard,and appear like a stint.

CHAP,