Leechdoms, wortcunning, and starcraft of early England. Being a ...

;
LEECH BOOK. I. 109
often. Work him then a composing drink of sovrel in Book I.
wine and in water, and in the bath, every morning,
let him drink a mulled draught ; it will amend the
bitterness of the gall.
xliii.
For dropsy, rub betony, as much as a penny weight,
in warm water, let tlie patient drink for three days,
each day, a good bowl full. Again, take of the juice
of the roots of ashthroat or of dwarf elder four spoons
full, put them into a bowl full- of wine, give them to
drink to the patient.
xliv.
1. Against the disease cancer, that is, bite : sorrel,
salt,
ribwort, egg, soot, burnt loam, smede or fine flour
of wheat ;
mingle with eggs, meadow sweet, " fieferth,"
oak rind, appletree rind, sloethorn rind : if the cancer
wax on a man, work up some new chalder and la}'
on ; cleanse the wound thei'ewith.
2. Against cancer ; burn sulfur in a copper vessel,
rub it to dust, as small as thou may, and sift through
a cloth, mingle with old soap, and let the sulfur predominate,
add a moderate quantity of virgin honey
see if it be, too stiff, moisten it witli the honey ; lay on
a mallow leaf; when it healeth, boil in butter cuckoo
sour and singreen and woodroffe, smear therewith the
borders, where it is red ; make the other salve cleanse
the wound, put no water. A salve for cancer ; take
cows milk, without water, make it become cream, turn
it to butter, wash it not in water. Take the small
turnsole unwashen, make it clean, pound it thoroughly,
mix it well with the butter, put it into a pan over
the fire, boil it thoroughly, strain well through a cloth,
cure therewith. Against disease of cancer : oak rind
on the north side of the tree by the earth, and the