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According to this, the oldest Life, Marcouf was born in the stronghold of the town of Bayeux to a noble family "who deserved the distinction brought by a faithful disciple of Christ." The most reasonable interpretation of this phrase is to see Marcouf as the son of a military man of "barbarian" origin - a Frankish or Suevian pagan, or, at the least, only a recently converted Christian - as can be supposed by a name which is completely non-Latin. After a model youth of complete devotion to the service of the poor and of pilgrims, he decides "to put on one side the ways of life" of his home town (an expression borrowed here from Caesar, "De Bello Gallico"), and begins to think about travelling. It would be difficult not to link the words here to texts concerning Colombanus and the Irish, were it not for the fact this it is found word for word in the Life of Martin of Tours by Sulpicius Severus; indeed, that book will serve as a guide for our writer from beginning to end.
Marcouf's travels do not lead him very far, for we next find him at Coutances. At that time, a very pious man, St Possessor, was in charge of the church of the town. He received Marcouf joyfully and conferred on him the ecclesiastical orders and status needed for preaching the faith in the incarnation of the Lord. The difficulty here is that we know neither the exact title and powers of Possessor, nor what orders he conferred. The text goes on to tell us "some time afterwards, the goodness of God brought Marcouf the favour of being revered by all as a Father. The whole people rejoiced then for such a favour of God, which marked in a most extraordinary way this man who most deserved it."
If we refer back to the traditions of the Church in 4th and 5th centuries, we can say that the bishop alone had authority to preach. He could, if the need arose, appoint a priest to replace him, but it was he who ought to lead the faithful in the teaching of the Church, combat heresies and convert pagans, both within the town and in the surrounding country. The words in the text here suggest that priesthood was conferred on Marcouf by Possessor, with a specific preaching mission. Possessor would then have to be considered as bishop of Coutances. But in the narrative which follows the "giving of authority", and which talks of marvel and miracle, we find a contradiction with this first interpretation: it was not a normal sequence of events which caused Marcouf to be recognised by all as a "Father", but these miracles, and this text also seems to make him a bishop "ad praedicandum".
Perhaps here we should consider Germain de la Mer, who was only a simply priest on his first journey and went to find St Severus so that he could be ordained bishop. Also consider Samson, apostle of Dol, who (if one believes his Life on this point) was miraculously ordained bishop before he landed on the shore of Armorica. There is also St Amant, who converted the North (of France) and was consecrated regional bishop to enable him to preach.
However, apart from a single manuscript (in Rouen) which gives Marcouf the title of bishop, all the others make him a preacher or an abbot.