Nova Legenda Anglie (John of Tynemouth/Capgrave), ed. Horstmann 1901 — translated from the Latin.

² The blessed Maxentia, sprung of noble stock — her father being a certain king of the Scots named Marcolan — was nobler still in faith; and what she promised in the basin of baptism she strove to fulfil in her life. For being given over to be instructed in letters, not only by the provision of her parents but by heavenly disposition, and inflamed by the Holy Spirit, she earnestly strove to keep the honour of her virginity. But a certain prince named Maxentius, a heathen and a barbarian, hearing of her fame and the wondrous beauty of her body, burned with love of her, and sought her of her father that she might be espoused to him. When, however, her father’s consent was made known to her, she at once fled for refuge to a church, and with all devotion commended to the Lord her purpose of virginity which she had firmly fixed in her mind; and at last, seizing the silence of night, accompanied by two only who were privy to her secret — namely an old man called Barbencius and her waiting-maid Rosebea, who had been appointed to her service — she traversed the whole island [Britain], and crossing the Gallic sea, sought a fitting place wherein to abide. And when at length they had come to the river Oise in the country of Beauvais, and, as it is said, had crossed it by divine power without a boat, there the holy virgin, after so great a journey over land and sea, like a sparrow snatched from the fowler’s net, began to serve God with her companions in a place which is called Pont, and believed herself to lie hid there unknown. Yet the aforementioned Maxentius, driven on by the goads of him who, searching all things, gos about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, gathered a band of followers and so scoured the sea-havens until he learned that she had crossed over; and because a light cannot be hidden in darkness, he was led at last to the place which gave the virgin shelter, and easily found what he sought. Approaching her, he began to use soft speeches, if by any means he might weaken her resolve and incline her consent, promising her great riches. But when she rejected him alike for his blandishments and for the riches he promised, Maxentius, seeing himself despised, and now unable to contain himself for wrath, was moved against the servants of God, and chose to die unless he were at once avenged. Stretching forth therefore his deadly hand, he seized the virgin’s hair, and bending back her neck, brandishing his sword, severed the head from the body. Then Barbencius and Rosebea were likewise slain by his sword; rendering their bodies to the earth, they bore their souls to the heavens. And when the minister of Satan had departed, the body of the holy virgin — as is related by the faithful who received it in faithful report from their fathers — rising from the ground, took up her own head in her hands, and with drooping arms bore it from the place of martyrdom to the place wherein she now rests by the will of God. There indeed a basilica was afterwards built, in which by her merits many miracles are recorded to have been shown: for there the blind were enlightened, lepers cleansed, demons driven from the bodies of the possessed, and the dead raised to life. This place also Charles, who then reigned, is read to have greatly loved and to have honoured with great gifts.

³ Here ends the Life of Saint Maxentia. [The next item in the original begins: Of Saint Mellitus, archbishop and confessor.]