the convent, and laid it to the charge of St. Marenna, who was thereupon presently excommunicated, and lived a religious life in the grot near the convent, for the space of seven years; and being then again admitted into the couvent, and still continuing to live a very strick life, but he at length died, and the Fratres coming, according to their custom to anoint the body, found that he was a woman, whereupon they began to cross themselves, and to beg pardon for excommunicating her, and have built an alter in the grot, and called it by the name of St. Marenna, as they have also in several grots thereabouts, in remembrance of the religious relics of those that dwell therein; and when they carry any body to see them they presently fall down to prayers.”
About a league from the convent are two Frenchmen that live a hermit’s life, having bread and wine allowed them by the patriarch. Night coming on, we went to supper with the patriarch, the bishops of Aleppo, and two other bishops, with what the place afforded. At supper they brought out a great glass which held near two English quarts, with which the old man soon made himself merry, it being their custom to drink heartily; he telling us, that that glass had belonged to the convert above a
