and so did men of other places and is great sclaunder,[17] for now is Simony King crowned in holy churche, God amende it when his will is. And they say that in Lent men should not singe masse but on the Saterday and on the Sonday, and they fast not the Saterday no tyme in the yeare, but if it be Christmas or Easter even. And they suffer no man that is on this side the Grece sea to sing at theyr aulters, and if it fall that they do through any hap,[18] they wash theyr aulters as sone without tarieng with holy water, and they say that there should be but one masse sayde at one aulter in a day. And they say that our Lorde did neuer eate meate but that he made a token[19] of eating. And also they say that we sinne deadly in shaving of our berdes, for the berde is a token of a man, and a gift of our Lord and they saye that we sinne in eating of beastes that were defended[20] in the olde lawe, as swyne, hares and other beastes. And thus they saye that we sinne in eating of fleshe on the dayes before Ashwednesday, and in eating of fleshe on the Wednesdaye, and when we eate chese or egges on the Fryday and they curse all those that eate no fleshe on the Saterday. Also the Emperour of Constantinople maketh the Patriarkes, Archebishoppes and Bishoppes, and he giveth all the dignities of the churches, and depryveth them that are unworthy, although it be so that these touch not the way, nevertheless they touch that which I haue behight[21] to shew a parte of the custome, maners, and diversitie of countries, and for this is the first countrey that is discordaunt from our faithe and letteth[22] our faithe on this side the sea, therefore haue I sette it here that ye may see the diversitie between our faith & theirs, for many men haue great liking to here speake of straunge things. [Footnote 1: Calliste, which Ferrarius, in his _Lexicon Geographicum_ (edit. 1670), says is an island in the Ægean Sea. The other islands have different names in different MSS., but are not worth the trouble of identifying, except Lampne as Lemnos--where Mandeville places Mount Athos. _Plutarch_ and _Pliny_ said that, in the summer solstice this mountain projected its shadow on the market-place of Myrina, the capital city of Lemnos, and that a brazen cow was there erected to mark the termination of the shadow; but this is as probable as the distance given, namely, seventy-seven miles, which is manifestly erroneous. The spelling of the geographical names is very bad, and renders it a difficult task to identify them: for instance, if it were not a well-known fact that Aristoteles was born and buried at Stagira, it would be very difficult to identify Strages as being the same place. Again, Olimphus is used instead of Lemnos, in connection with the shadow of Mount Athos.] [Footnote 2: Powder, dust.] [Footnote 3: Uninjured.] [Footnote 4: Furnished.] [Footnote 5: Jousting or tilting.]