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

as
LEECH BOOK. I. 113
same worts, and then take agrimony, form a ring ai-ound Book T.
the incision on the outside, (lie mischief will proceed no
*"''
further, and bind the wort also over the sore. For
stroke of viper, remove from thine ears the wax and
smear around therewith, and say thrice the prayer
of Saint
John.
'''^"
4. Dominus mens et pater et fdius et spiritus sanctus
;
cui omnia subiecta sunt ; cui omnis creatmu deservit
et omnis potestas subiecta est et metuit et expavescit;
et draco fugit, et silet vipera, et rubeta ilia que dicitur
rana quieta torpescit, et scorpius extinguitur et regulus
tho. hcLfiU he \mc\iviY et o-TrijAajoj^ nihil noxium opera- ^ The tarantula
tur, et omnia venenata et adhuc ferociora, repentia et i^*^,^
^'"^ '" '
.
anmialia noxia, te verentur ; et omnes adversse saluti for prey.
humane radices arescunt ; tu, domine, extingue hoc venenatum
virus, extingue operationes eius mortifera,s, et
vires, quas in se habet, evacua, et da in conspectu tuo
omnibus quos tu
creasti, oculos ut videant, aures ut audiant,
cor ut magnitudinem tuam intelligant. Et cum
hoc dixisset, totum semet ipsum signo crucis armavit,
et bibit totum quod erat in calice : per signum sancttc
crucis, et per te Christe lesu, qui cum, domino summo
patre vivis, salvator mundi, in unitate Spiritus Sancti,
per omnia secula seculorum. Amen.
^
hole watching
5. For flying venom and every venomous swelling,
on a Friday churn butter, which has been milked from
a neat or hind all of one colour ;
and let it not be
mingled Avith water, sing over it nine times a litany,
and nine times the Pater noster, and nine times this
incantation. The charm is said in the tahle of contents
to be Scottish, that is Gaelic,^ but the ivord.s themselves
seem to belong to no known language. That is valid
'
Or Gadhelic, or Irish. An early I
not Scotland, occurs in TIClfrics
instance of the mention of Ireland, 1 Homilies, vol. ii. p. .T JG.
VOL. XL
H