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

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LEECH BOOK. II. 283
that the salves may sink in. Work into a aalve Book ii.
somo old salt grease, some horse marrow, some goose
fat or hens, and add good worts, and warm the sore
2:)laces at the fire.
6. At whiles lay on and bind on pitch, and wax,
and pepper, and grease, and oil melted together. At
whiles lay on and bind on the sore swollen sinews
goats treadles, mingled with honey, or sodden in
vinegar
; then the paralyzed and swollen sinews dwindle
to
their -proper size.
7. Work him a wort drink, which is not purging
nor yet emetic, but which driveth off and diminishes
the evil humour in the sick man, which is, as it were,
foulness, or rheum, or mucus.
8. Take of honey this small pound,^ then add to it
beaten and sifted pepper ;
then give it to the infirm
man to eat. Again, about three nights after, give it
him in the same quantity, or more ; and so about four
nights after
that.
9. For the half dead disease; at whiles, apply a
spoon measure of salt ;
mingle with honey and pepper
besides. Try both in this leechdom and in others,
which I also write, how it will hold; if the body be
hard on the outside, lay on the leechdom that the hard
part hy it may turn to ratten, and may draw out the
mischief. Draw blood from him, if the face or the
head he sore, in the tender place ;
and make use of the
leechdoms, which may draw the foul matter from the
head, either through tlic moutli or through the nose
and when he hath the power, cause him to sneeze often
give him the meats which are easy of digestion, and
have a good succulence, and that he by means of the
meats may grow slender ; that is to say, (jive hion
sodden worts ; boil them ;
let the first and the second
'
That is, a pound by weight, not a pint by measure : see Leechbook,
II. Ixvii.