Baring-Gould’s sources: Gallican Martyrology, Usuardus. Authorities Two ancient lives. Three festivals are observed in his honour in the diocese of Coutances, May ist, July 7th, Oct. nth.] S. Marculf was born at Bayeux, and was of Frank parentage, as his name shows (Forest-wolf.) He preached in the diocese of Coutances, and obtained from king Child ebert a grant of land at Nanteuil, on the coast, for a monastery. He spent every Lent in an islet off the coast. Taking with him a companion, Romardus, he visited Jersey, where he found a hermit named Helier, occupying a cave in the rock, now crowned by Elizabeth Castle. Whilst he was in Jersey a pirate fleet of Saxons appeared off the island. The natives implored the prayers of S. Marculf. A storm rose, when a large body of the pirates was advancing over the sand flats, swept some of their ships upon the Violets, a reef of sunken rocks, carried others out to sea, and the rising tide rushing over the sands, assisted the islanders in disposing of their invaders. S. Marculf returned to Nanteuil, and made a second visit to the king. On this occasion he lay down to rest near Compiegne. A hare that was being pursued by hunters took refuge in his hood. Marculf awoke to find himself surrounded by yelping hounds. He protected the hare from them in spite of the threats of the hunters. The relics of the saint are preserved at Corbeny, in the diocese of Laon; and it was the custom of the French kings after their coronation at Rheims, to make a pilgrimage to Corbeny, and there after touching the relics of S. Marculf, heal those sick with king's evil. The relics were saved at the Revolution, and are now restored to their place in the church of Corbeny. When Charles X. [May i.

…was crowned, in 1825, the relics [the bodily remains of a saint, or objects they used, kept with honor] were brought to the hospital of S. Marcoul, at Rheims, and the king there touched several scrofulous persons.

S. Marculf is represented touching the chin of a sick person, to represent him as the patron invoked against king's evil.