Page:Leechdoms wortcunning and starcraft of early England volume 2.djvu/67

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LEECH BOOK. I.
15

Contents.

shall write upon the eucharistic paten the holy and the great name of God, and wash it with holy water in to the drink, and sing a holy prayer over it and the Credo and the Paternoster. Ten leechdoms.

lxiii. Leechdoms for a fiendsick man (or demoniac), drinks for that, and how a man shall sing masses and prayers and psalms over the drink, and drink out of church bells, and for a lunatic man, and for the wood heart or frenzy, and for them all; six receipts.

lxiv. Leechdoms against every pagan charm and for a man with elvish tricks; that is to say, an enchantment for a sort of fever, and powder and drinks and salve, and if the disease be on neat cattle; and if the disease harm a man, or if a mare ride him and hurt him. In all seven crafts.

lxv. Leechdoms again for typhus, and the names of the four gospellers and writings and prayers; and in silence shall one write some writing. Five receipts.

lxvi. Leechdoms for the idiot and the silly.

lxvii. Leechdoms and drinks for meat taken, and if ale be spoilt or milken food. Three receipts.

lxviii. Leechdoms in case a hunting spider[1] bite a man, that is, the stronger sort, and if another by name gangweaver,[2] bite him. Six capital receipts.

lxix. Leechdoms for a rent of a mad dog and for wound of hound. Seven leechdoms.

lxx. Leechdoms if a man be too lustful or too unlustful.

lxxi. Leechdoms for sore of the dorsal muscles, and if the heel sinew be broken.

lxxii. Leechdoms declaring at what time blood is to be foregone, and at what to be let; and how the air is full of venom at Lammas[3] time, and of drinks and evacuations on that month, and that worts on that month are to be worked.


  1. Now Salticus scenicus. Aranea venatoria is American. But here the tarantula was meant.
  2. Aranea viatica.
  3. August 1.