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

LEECH BOOK. II. 255
greater leechdom, for the want of might in the man, Book II.
or for want of digestion, or for old age, or for youth,
or for bad weather, or for diarrhoea, then wait till that
thou may so do* or dare. If heat, or his capacity to
bear it, forbid it not, let him blood from the left arm
from the upper vein ; if thou canst not find that, let
hiTTh blood from the midmost vein ; if thou canst not
find that, let him blood from the head vein. Further,
if that cannot be found, let Jdm blood from the left
hand, near the little finger, from a vein. If the blood
be very red or livid, then must it be let flow more
plentifully ; if it be clean or clear, let it flow so much
the less. Blood however is so to be taken from the
man as that his vital power may not be unsettled".
xliii.
Thus shall the sick mens diet be administered in
that disease ;
juicy peas, and bread in hot water, and
oxymel, of which we wrote before, when speahiAig of
Ijladder disease, the southern acid drink ; marche also
sodden in water, and such worts and dim-etic drinks,
and thin wine
must be given them, and sheer or clear;
that will better the power of the milt ; and shell
fishes are to be taken, and fowls, those, Tiamely, which
are not dwellers in fens. This that folloiveth is to
be foregone ; let them not partake of fen fishes, nor
sea fishes which have hard flesh, and let them take
the before named meats, oysters and periwinkles, not
the meats which puff" up a mans strength, nor let
them take flesh of bullock, nor of swine, nor of
sheep, nor of goat, nor of kid, nor let them
drink thick wine, nor food either too extremely hot