Obs. exc. arch. Forms: α. 4–6 leche, 5–7 leech(e, 6 leache, 6– leach. β. 5 lese, lesse, lees(s(e, leshe, lesk, 6 loss. [a. OF. lesche (F. lèche).]

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  † 1.  A slice (of meat, etc.); a strip. Obs.

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  α.  c. 1420.  Liber Cocorum (1862), 45. Thre leches of bacun lay þou mot In brothe.

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c. 1440.  Anc. Cookery, in Househ. Ord. (1790), 435. Cut smal leches of two ynches of length.

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c. 1500.  For to Serve Ld., in Babees Bk. (1868), 370. Take of ij leches of the briste, and cowche legge and whyngge and lechis into a faire voyde plater.

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  β.  14[?].  Noble Bk. Cookry (Napier, 1882), 30. Tak the clodde of beef and make lesks of a span longe.

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c. 1460.  J. Russell, Bk. Nurture, 610. Put it in a dische leese by lees.

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  2.  A dish consisting of sliced meat, eggs, fruits, and spices in jelly or some other coagulating material. Often in adoptions of AF. combinations, denoting particular varieties, e.g., leche frye [cf. OF. lechefroie, mod.F. lèchefrite, dripping-pan], damask, dugard, lumbard, purple, royal, etc. Dry leach: a sort of cake or gingerbread, containing dates, etc. White leach: a gelatine of almonds.

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  α.  c. 1390[?].  Forme of Cury, 36. Leche Lumbard. Take rawe Pork [etc.].

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c. 1420.  in Q. Eliz. Acad., 90. Leche ffloree…. leche dalmayn. Ibid., 91. Leche damasque. Ibid., 92. Leche maskelyn…. Leche rubby.

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c. 1440.  Anc. Cookery, in Househ. Ord. (1790), 449. And therwith daryolus, and lechefryes, made of frit and friture.

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c. 1460.  J. Russell, Bk. Nurture, 516. Cow heelis and Calves fete ar dere y-bouȝt some tide To medille amonge leeches & Ielies. Ibid., 708. Quynces bake leche dugard.

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1494.  Fabyan, Chron., VII. 587. Leche damask, wt the kynges worde or prouerbe flourysshed.

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1530.  Palsgr., 238/1. Leche made of flesshe, gelee.

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1570.  in Gutch, Coll. Cur., II. 8. For vj lb. of almones to him, for drie leche.

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1573.  Baret, Alv., L 154. White Leach, gelatina amygdalorum.

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1602.  Plat, Delightes for Ladies (1605), § 22. This is your Gingerbread vsed at the Court…. It is otherwise called drie Leach.

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1615.  Markham, Eng. Housew., II. ii. (1668), 96. To make the best Leech take Ising-glass … then take Almonds.

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1750.  E. Smith, Compl. Housew. (ed. 14), 195. To make white Leach.

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1848.  H. Ainsworth, Lanc. Witches, I. ix. I pray you taste this pippin jelly … or some leach of almonds.

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  β.  c. 1450.  Two Cookery-bks., 75. Lese fryes.

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1452.  in Wood, Hist. Univ. Oxon (1792), I. 599. Leshe damask.

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c. 1460.  J. Russell, Bk. Nurture, 504. Alle maner of leessez ye may forbere.

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