The Life of Saint Anastasia

Here followeth the Life of Saint Anastasia.

Saint Anastasia was daughter to a gentleman of the Romans, but he was a paynim. Her mother, which was christian, was taught and informed in the faith by Saint Chrysogony. The foresaid Saint Anastasia was married unto a paynim named Publius, but she feigned her always to be sick, in such wise that she came not in his company. She went visiting the christian prisoners that were in diverse prisons, in poverty and foul clothing, and she administered to them such things as they needed, of her good. And therefore, her husband made her to be straitly kept, i again for Saint Anastasia, and did do burn her the year of the incarnation of our Lord two hundred and four score, and made the others to die by divers torments; among whom there was one from whom was taken much good, and alway she said: At the last ye may not take from me Jesu Christ. Apollonia, which was a christian woman, toke the body of Saint Anastasia, and buried it in her garden, and there did do make a fair church. Let us pray then unto Almighty God, that by the prayers and merits of Saint Anastasia we may come unto his everlasting bliss. Amen.