Here followeth the Life next of S. Marine.
Marine was a noble virgin and was one only daughter to her
father without brother or sister, and after the death of her mother, her father
entered into a monastery of religion, and changed the habit of his daughter so
that she seemed and was taken for his son and not a woman. Then the father
prayed the abbot and his brethren that they would receive his only son, whom at
his instance they received for to be a monk and was called of them all brother
Marine. He began to live right religiously, and to be much obedient. When she
was twenty-seven years and her father approached towards the death, he called
his daughter to him, confirming her in her good purpose and commanding her that
in no wise she should show ne do be known that she was a woman, and then her
father died. She went ofttimes to the wood with the cart to fetch home wood,
and because it was far from the monastery otherwhile she lodged in a goodman's
house whose daughter had conceived a child by a knight. And when it was
perceived, she was thereof examined, who had begotten that child, and she said
that it was the monk Marine had lain by her and gotten it. And then anon the
father and mother went to the abbey and made a great complaint and a great
clamour to the abbot for his monk Marine. Then the abbot, being hereof sore
abashed, sent for Marine and demanded of him why he had done so horrible a sin.
And he meekly answered and said: Holy father, I ask of our Lord mercy, for I
have sinned. Then the abbot hearing this was much angry for the sorrow and
shame, and commanded anon that he should be put out of the house. And then this
Marine full patiently went out of the monastery, and dwelled at the gate three
years, and lived straitly with a morsel of bread a day. And when the child was
weaned from the mother's pap, it was sent to the abbot, and he sent it to
Marine, and bade him keep such treasure as he had brought forth. And then he
took meekly and patiently the child and kept it with him there two years. All
these things he took in great patience, and in all things gave to our Lord thankings; and at the last the
brethren had pity on him and considered his humility and patience, and did so
much to the abbot that he was taken into the monastery, and all the offices
that were most foul were enjoined for him for to do. He took it all gladly, and
all things he did patiently and devoutly, and at the last, being full of
virtuous life, she died and departed out of this world. When they should take
up the body and wash it for to dispose it to be buried they saw that she was a
woman. All they were astonied and feared, and knowledged that they had
trespassed greatly in the servant of God. Then they ran all for to see the
sight, and asked forgiveness of their ignorance and trespass. Then bare they
the body of her into the church and there honourably they buried it. Then she
that infamed the servant of God was taken and vexed with a devil, and
knowledging her sin came to the sepulchre of the blessed virgin, and there was
delivered and made all whole. To whose tomb the people over all there about
came and assembled, and there our Lord showed many miracles for his blessed
virgin Marine. She died the fourteenth kalends of July.
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