Page:Leechdoms wortcunning and starcraft of early England volume 2.djvu/71

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Book I. Ch. i.

1. In these first leechcrafts are written leechdoms for all infirmities of the head.

2. A wort has been named murra, rub it in a mortar as much as may make a pennyweight, add to the ooze a stoup full of wine, then smear the head with that and let the patient drink this at night fasting. For head wark, take rue and wormwood, pound them and mingle with vinegar and oil, strain through a cloth, smear the head with it; or work a paste of the same, lay it on the head and swathe it up well, when thou will to bed.

3. For the same, take betony and pepper, rub them thoroughly together, let them hang one night in a cloth, smear with them. For head wark, pound some roots of beet with honey, wring them, apply the juice to the face, and let the patient lie supine against the sun, and hang the head adown that the juice may run all over the head. Let him hold before that in his mouth oil or butter, and then sit up and lean forward and let the matter flow off the face. Let him so do often till it be clean.

4. For head wark, take the lower part of homewort, pound it, lay it in cold water, rub it hard till it be all in a lather, bathe the head with it.

5. For head wark, take elecampane and groundsel and fen cress and gitrife, boil them in water, make them steam upon the eyes, when it is hot, and rub about the eyes with the worts, so hot.

6. For head ache, take willow and oil, reduce to ashes, work to a viscid substance, add to this hemlock and carline and the red nettle, pound them,