LEECH BOOK. L 143 



Ixvi Book I. 



Ch. Ixvi. 



Against mental vacancy and against folly; put into 

 ale bishopwort, lupins, betony, the southern or Italian 

 fennel, nepte, water agrimony, cockle, marclie, then let 

 the man drink. For idiotcy and folly, put into ale, 

 cassia, and lupins, bishopwort, alexanders, githrife, field- 

 more, and holy water ; then let him drink. 



Ixvii. 



1. For the better digestion of meat taken ; take lu- 

 pins, lay them under the altar, sing over them nine 

 masses, that shall avail for meat taken; lay it under 

 the vessel into which thou hast in mind to milk. If 

 ale be spoilt, then take lupins, lay them on the four 

 quarters of the dwelling, and over the door, and under 

 the threshhold, and under the ale vat, put the wort 

 into the ale with holy water. 



2. If meat be spoilt,^ and a good quantity of milken 



food, or a milking,^ or brewing, hallow the worts,^ put ' ^'^^ m- ^"' 

 them into and under the vat, and under the door ; use 

 lupins, and clifwort, and betony, and bishopwort. 



Ixviii. 



In case that a hunting spider^ bite a man, that is 

 the stronger spider, strike three scarifications near, in 

 a direction from the bite, let the blood run into a 

 green spoon of hazel wood, then throw it over the road 

 away; then no harm will come of it. Again, strike a 

 scarification on the wound; pound leechwort; lay it 

 on, no harm will happen to the man. Against bite of 

 a weaving spider,* take the netherward part of seferthe, 



' Cf. Luke xiv. 34. Marshall. j appropriate for the Aranea taran- 

 - By one of the henisons in the tula, the habits of which our 



ecclesiastical Manuale. : author had, doubtless, learnt. 

 ^ Salticus scenicus is now de- ' Aranea viatica, 



scribed by this name ; but it is very | 



