JUGGLERS.

395

prevent the effect of the ignitious element upon the flesh.It seems from the confession of the learned and ingeniousAlbertus Magnus, a Dominician monk, 6 after the abolitionof the ordeal, in the thirteenth century, when the necessity forsecrecy ceased ; and it appears that a kind of paste wasprepared, which was made to adhere to the hands or feet,by the glutinous sap of the althan (marsh-mallow,) or theslimy seeds of the flea-bane, which are still used by hat-makers for stiffening hats, with the white of an egg; thismade the paste adhere to the feet, or hands, the same as aglove.

It is understood that these ecclesiastical jugglers hadthe possession of the persons who suffered the trial of ordeal,for three days and nights after the operation:—judged forthe purpose of restoring the hands or other parts to theiraccustomed appearance. Previous to the ceremony ofordeal being performed, they, by way of grimace, sprinkledthe hands, &c. and also the iron, with holy water.

It is understood that frequently anointing the hands withoil of vitriol, or strong ley, will render them corneous and ex-tremely hard, insomuch, that the fire will have little effect.

It should have beea remarked, that the ceremony ofordeal took place in the church whilst mass was performing;the priests heated the iron themselves, and conducted thewhole proceeding, taking care to divert the attention of thecongregation as much as in their power; the same as ourmodern juggleis use precaution to effect a similar purpose.

In the Antigone of Sophocles , the guards placed over thebody of Polynices, had suffered it to be carried away andburied, contrary to the orders of the tyrant Creon: theyoffered, to prove their innocence, to submit to any trial :“We will,” said they, “ take up red-hot iron in our hands,or walk through fire.”

Hgtv y ST(H[/.Ol KCCl OttfEty

Kay irvp yepjrtw, xai Seovs apxft^xoTEiy

To jaxte 5pac7 «e, f*ri te t u

To 7T-.£tyuz. @w}.ivaam, ftxT £ipyascr(*E»oJ.

Antigone , 270, p. 248, ed. Cantabrigije, 1603, 8vo.

Vulgar Juggling of the Laity. —The exhibition of cups andballs has always amused the common people ; this is one ofthe most ordinary feats of jugglers ; it appears to have beenvery ancient; it has been noticed in Xenophon , by the

* In hi* work De Mirabilibus Mundi, at the end of his book, De SecretisMulicrum, Amstelod. 1702, 12mo, p. 100,