Green’s Dictionary of Slang

vessel n.1

[when ‘tapped’ it ‘overflows’ with blood]

the nose.

[UK]T. Duffet Epilogue Spoken by Heccate and Three Witches 33: A health, a health to Mother C--- [...] She puts off rotten new rig’d vessel.
[UK]Sporting Mag. XLI 170: There d—n your eyes, I’ve tapped your vessel.