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MARY
THE
AEGIPTIAN
being
but
12.
yeares
old
,
left
her
Parents
and
came
to
Alexandria
:
where
for
17
yeares
she
prostituted
her selfe
to
insatiable
lust
.
And
to
allure
more
to
her
company
,
exposed
on
free
cost
to
their
pleasure
,
mayntayning
her self
in
the
meane
time
by
begging
and
spinning
of
wool
.
It
hapned
that
many
sailed
to
Hierusalem
to
celebrate
the
festiuity
of
the
exaltation
of
the
Holy
Crosse
;
whither
she
also
trauelled
,
not
out
of
piety
,
but
to
gaine
new
associats
to
her
sensual
delights
.
And
now
arriued
euen
at
the
gates
of
the
Temple
,
the
rest
continually
entring
,
she
alone
strangely
suffred
repulse
.
Which
hauing
3.
or
4.
times
susteyned
;
at
length
she
vnderstood
that
for
her
sinnes
she
was
deemed
vnworthy
to
behold
the
holy
Crosse
.
Wherefore
seriously
touched
with
compunction
,
and
prostrate
before
an
Image
of
the
Blessed
Virgin
,
she
implored
her
aide
,
that
with
the
rest
she
might
behold
&
honor
that
sacred
Instrument
of
our
Redēption
;
promising
from
that
time
neuer
to
contaminate
her self
with
luxurious
impurities
.
Then
assaying
to
enter
,
she
found
no
stoppage
as
before
;
but
(
like
the
sea
rowling
forward
the
waues
)
the
multitude
impelle
her
into
the
Temple
.
There
according
to
her
desire
,
hauing
honoured
the
sanctified
wood
;
she
returned
to
the
place
,
where
formerly
she
had
made
her
promise
to
the
Blessed
Virgin
.
And
a
voice
from
heauen
directed
her
how
she
should
dispose
of
her self
for
the
glory
of
God
and
her
eternal
behoof
.
Whervpon
taking
with
her
three
loaues
of
course
bread
,
she
hastned
to
the
wildernes
;
and
there
for
the
space
of
47.
yeares
,
liued
in
such
austerity
as
she
neither
beheld
man
nor
liuing
creature
,
confining
her self
to
the
presence
of
God
and
his
Angels
her
sole
spectators
;
her
loaues
after
long
tract
of
time
being
spent
,
she
for
17.
yeares
sustained
her
feeble
body
with
hearbs
onely
&
rootes
;
her
garments
rotting
&
falling
from
her
:
she
was
long
so
afflicted
with
winters
cold
and
scortching
heats
of
that
clymate
,
as
often
fainting
&
void
of
breath
,
she
layd
on
the
ground
destitute
of
sense
&
motion
.
For
the
first
17.
yeares
after
her
entrance
into
the
wildernes
,
she
was
assayled
with
vgly
and
violent
temptations
;
but
through
diuine
assistance
still
victorious
.
To
conclude
after
a
wonderful
and
most
penitential
life
,
interseasoned
with
diuine
consolations
,
Zozimas
(
a
blessed
Monk
)
coming
into
that
part
of
the
desart
,
found
her
out
;
and
ministred
vnto
her
the
B.
Sacrament
on
the
Euening
of
Maundy
Thursday
,
and
after
spiritual
conference
with
her
departed
the
yeare
following
vpon
her
appointment
,
returning
he
found
her
deceased
in
a
caue
:
whither
a
lyon
then
approaching
digged
vp
a
graue
,
in
which
with
teares
&
prayers
she
was
interred
by
Zozimas
.
The
Romane
Martyrologe
and
recount
her
day
the
2.
of
Aprill
.
The
Grecians
in
their
Menaloge
obserue
it
the
day
before
.
Nicephorus
lib.
7.
cap.
5.
affirmeth
her
life
to
haue
been
written
by
Sophronius
Bishop
of
Hierusalem
.
The
same
is
cited
in
the
2.
Councell
of
Nice
.
And
by
St.
Iohn
Damascen
.
orat
.
3.
de
Imag:
and
translated
into
Latine
by
Paul
Diacon
.
Neopoleas
,
is
extant
in
vitis
Patrum
:
it
was
also
composed
in
verse
by
Hyldebrand
Episc.
Senon
:
and
by
Bonad
.
Santon
lib.
3.
Monad
:
29.
and
others
.
She
liued
about
the
yeare
of
Christ
.
520.
in
the
time
of
Iustine
the
elder
.