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 pre- 

 dominate, 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 



