Preface: In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ begins the humble apology of Stephen the priest, writing about the life of Saint Wilfrid, a bishop worthy of God. #

¹ By the greatness of your commands, O venerable lords, Acca the bishop and Tatberht the abbot, and by the weight of the whole community, I am overcome—would that I were as able to obey in deed as in intention. For this work is arduous, and the capacity of my understanding and eloquence is slight; yet even if it does not fully accomplish the ministry enjoined, it at least discharges the duty of obedience. For the greatest proof of my reverence towards you is that I have wished to devote more effort to your commands than I am able. But if I accomplish anything worthy of your choice, it will indeed be a gift of God, since there is no doubt that it must be brought to completion through the faith of those by whose exhortation it has been undertaken. For who does not understand that what you believe is to be fulfilled through me has been presumed upon your prayers? Indeed, it is a great gain and benefit to me even to recall this very thing—the bishop Wilfrid of blessed memory. For it is a perfect path to virtue to know what manner of man he was. Therefore, to speak briefly, believe everything that the speech of those reporting about him has proclaimed, and consider that you have heard but little of very great things; for I do not doubt that even they could not know all. I beseech, therefore, those who are to read this, that they give credence to what is said, setting aside the thousand stings of envy of the ancient enemy, and remembering what eloquence has thundered:

² “For valour always has rivals in plain sight, and lightning strikes the lofty mountain peaks.”

³ Nor should they think that I have written anything with rash boldness, except what has been discovered and proven by the faithful; otherwise I would have preferred to be silent rather than to speak falsely. Let us proceed on the journey we have begun with your prayers.

Here ends the preface of Stephen the priest #

Chapter 1: Here begins the account of the birth of Saint Wilfrid and of a portent #

¹ Thus, with God’s help and by his holy merits, the life of the blessed bishop Wilfrid I shall begin to write of him whom the Lord, according to the saying of the excellent teacher, foreknew and predestined and called, justified and glorified. For from the womb of his most devout mother God showed by a sign that he had been greatly sanctified, just as Jeremiah heard the Lord saying: “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; and before you came forth from the womb, I sanctified you, and I appointed you a prophet among the nations”. For when his mother, worn out by the pains of childbirth, lay in her house and women were gathered about her, the men standing outside suddenly saw that house as if it were on fire, and a flame rising up to heaven. All hurried from every side in alarm, wishing to quench the flame with water and to rescue people from the blaze. But the women came out to meet them from the house, saying: “Wait, stand firm and expect; look, just now a child has been born into this world for her.” They, being astonished and seeing the mighty works of God, recognised it—just as Moses saw the flame in the bush burning yet consuming nothing. And we, brothers, often read that the Holy Spirit has appeared in fire, because God is a fire, consuming sinners and enlightening the righteous. This light the Lord commanded not to be placed under a basket, but upon a lampstand; and through the blessed bishop Wilfrid it shone openly to nearly all the churches of Britain, as foretellings of things to come declared beforehand and the outcome of events afterwards proved.

Chapter 2: Concerning how in childhood he chose God #

¹ When, therefore, he was of a boy’s age, obedient to his parents, dear to all, fair in appearance, of good disposition, gentle, modest, steadfast, desiring nothing vain in the manner of boys, but, according to the Apostle James, quick to hear, slow to speak, he humbly and skilfully ministered to all who came into his father’s house, whether noble companions or their servants, so that, according to the prophet, all might be taught by God. At length, however, in his fourteenth year he began in his heart to consider leaving his father’s lands and seeking heavenly gifts. For his stepmother, after the death of his own mother, was troublesome and harsh towards him; yet he obtained arms and horses and clothing for himself and her sons, in which he might suitably appear before royal courts. And when his father had blessed him, as Isaac blessed Jacob and Jacob his sons, that they might increase into many thousands of peoples, setting out on his journey, he went on until he found the queen of King Oswiu, named Eanfled, and, through noble men by whom he had formerly served in his father’s house, he was commended and presented to the queen. At once, with God’s help, he found favour in her sight; for he was of comely appearance and of very keen understanding, and she granted him what he had asked: that under her counsel and protection he might serve God. At that time a certain nobleman, one of the king’s companions, greatly beloved and faithful to him, named Cudda, resolving to despise worldly desires on account of an infirmity, namely paralysis, chose rather to embrace the monastic life under regular discipline on the island of Lindisfarne. The aforesaid queen carefully commended to him the boy who had newly come to her, that he might minister to him and serve God. For already, according to the queen’s command, having undertaken diligent service, he immediately became dear to his lord and to all the elders in the monastery as a son, and to his fellows as a brother, because he strove to fulfil the whole rule of life with inward love of heart, in humility and obedience; and he learned by heart the whole series of psalms and also some books. For though still a layman in outward condition, yet in heart circumcised from vices, he served God and deserved to receive a share of the blessing together with Samuel, ministering to Eli the priest.

Chapter 3: Concerning how he loved to see the threshold of Saint Peter, prince of the apostles. #

¹ Then, after the passing of some years, at the prompting of the Holy Spirit, the desire to seek out and behold the see of the Apostle Peter, the prince of the apostles, and to attempt a path as yet untrodden by our people, arose in the heart of the aforesaid youth, believing that thereby every bond of stain might be loosed for him and that he might receive the blessedness of a blessing. This purpose he made known to his lord; who at once, being wise, recognised that it had been suggested by God, and gave his consent that his most beloved son should receive the source of all good. Then, with the counsel of his father and of Queen Eanfled, he was carefully commended by messengers to his own kinsman, King Erconberht of the people of Kent, and was honourably sent, that he might remain with him until he should find faithful companions of the journey making their way to the apostolic see. But the king, seeing the servant of God who had come to him, wonderfully loved him, since, according to his custom, he was ever occupied in prayers and fastings, in reading and in vigils. For the psalms, which he had previously read according to the revision of Jerome, he also committed to memory in the Roman manner according to the fifth edition. When the year had also turned, the king, in accordance with the queen’s request, for one wearied with the tedium of delay, found a certain noble leader of admirable ability, named Biscop Baducing, hastening to the apostolic see, and secured that he might be in his company. Accordingly, the servant of God, setting out with the blessing of his parents on his pilgrimage, like Jacob, and receiving in the end a blessing upon his journey, went his way. Amiable to all, keen in mind, vigorous in body, swift of foot, ready for every good work, he never drew his face into sadness, but cheerful and rejoicing, with a favourable voyage he came to the city of Lyons in Gaul. There he remained for some time with his companions, when the stern-minded leader departed from him, as Barnabas withdrew from Paul on account of John, who was surnamed Mark.

Chapter 4: Concerning how Bishop Dalfinus kindly received Saint Wilfrid #

¹ Blessed be God, who defends and protects His servants and aids them through the help of the good! For in the aforesaid city there was Dalfinus, archbishop of holy memory, who set his eyes kindly upon the most gentle servant of God, Wilfrid, and graciously received him with his companions in hospitality, perceiving in his serene countenance what he bore in his blessed mind. And so he caused all things necessary for them to abound, as though they were his own, and wished to choose him as an adopted son for himself, saying to him: “If you remain with me in confidence, I will give you a good portion of Gaul to govern for life, and a maiden daughter of my brother as a wife, and I will have you as my adopted son, and you shall have me as a father, faithfully assisting in all things.” And Saint Wilfrid, the servant of God, answering wisely as he had been instructed, said: “I have vows to the Lord which I will fulfil, leaving, like Abraham, my kindred and my father’s house, that I may visit the apostolic see and learn the rules of ecclesiastical discipline for the increase of our people in serving God, desiring to receive from God what He has promised to those who love Him, saying: ‘Whoever shall leave father or mother and the rest shall receive a hundredfold and shall possess eternal life’. For now, if life accompanies me, with God’s help, if I live, returning again I shall see your face.” Hearing these things and others, the holy bishop understood truly that he was a servant of God and imbued with the Holy Spirit; and, having prepared what was necessary for him, he sent him forth in the peace of Christ, according to his will, with guides and resources to the apostolic see.

Chapter 5: Concerning how he came in blessed manner to Saint Peter the apostle #

¹ The servant of God Wilfrid, therefore, came prosperously, rejoicing and giving thanks with his companions, to the long-desired see of the Apostle Peter, the prince of the apostles. As the most excellent teacher of the Gentiles, going up to Jerusalem to the disciples of the Lord, lest he should run or had run in vain, so also this most humble spark of our people, stirred by God, came from the ends of the earth to Rome to hear the wisdom of the rulers of the world. In the oratory dedicated to Saint Andrew the apostle, before the altar upon whose summit the four Gospels were placed, humbly bending the knee, he adjured in the name of the Lord God the apostle for whom he suffered, that through his intercession the Lord might grant him understanding in reading and eloquence in teaching the Gospels among the nations; and so it came to pass, as is attested by the testimony of many. For over many months, going about daily to the places of the saints for prayer, he found a teacher friendly to him, made faithful through God and the apostle, named Boniface, an archdeacon, one of the most wise counsellors. From him he learned perfectly the four Gospels of Christ and the reckoning of Easter, which the schismatics of Britain and Ireland had not known, and many other rules of ecclesiastical discipline; and Boniface the archdeacon diligently imparted these to him as to his own son. At length he presented him to the pope of blessed memory and marvellously set forth the whole cause of the journey of the youthful servant of God; who, placing his blessed hand upon his head, blessed him with prayer. Then the servant of God, setting out in the peace of Christ with the aid of the holy relics which he had found there, came again in due course to his father, the archbishop of the city of Lyons in Gaul.

Chapter 6: Concerning how he received from Bishop Dalfinus the form of the tonsure of the Apostle Peter, and concerning the martyrdom of the same Dalfinus #

¹ Therefore, having found Archbishop Dalfinus safe and sound, the rejoicing son entered in to his father, and in order the servant of God Wilfrid related to him all the blessedness of his journey. The bishop gave thanks to God that the Lord had preserved his son both in going out and in returning. For he remained with him for three years and learned many things from very learned teachers; and the love between them grew more and more. And indeed the servant of God Wilfrid, desiring with longing to receive the form of the tonsure of the Apostle Peter, in the likeness of the crown of thorns which encircled the head of Christ, gladly received it from the holy Archbishop Dalfinus. Placing his holy hands upon his head, he considered in his heart that he might have him as his heir after him, if God should so will, something better being thereby provided for our people by God. For at that time a malevolent queen named Baldhild persecuted the Church of the Lord; and just as the most impious Queen Jezebel slew the prophets of God, so this woman, excepting priests and deacons, ordered nine bishops to be killed, of whom one was this Bishop Dalfinus, whom the leaders most wickedly commanded to come to them. But he, with an undaunted mind, knowing what was to befall him, came to the place of contest, and together with him the holy Wilfrid, the servant of God, though the bishop forbade it. And he, rejoicing, said: “Nothing is better for us than that father and son should die together and be with Christ”; and now the holy bishop was crowned with martyrdom. But when Saint Wilfrid, stripped and prepared for the palm of martyrdom, stood undaunted, the leaders asked, saying: “Who is this fair youth who prepares himself for death?” And it was said to them: “He is from beyond the sea, of the English people, from Britain.’ And they said again: “Spare him and do not touch him!” Behold, now our Saint Wilfrid was made a confessor, like John the apostle and evangelist, who sat unharmed in a vessel of boiling oil and drank deadly poison, and it did him no harm; concerning whom also, and James the apostle his brother, Jesus said: “You shall indeed drink the cup that I am to drink.”

Chapter 7: Concerning how he was invited by Alchfrith #

¹ Then at that time Saint Wilfrid the confessor, after his father the bishop had been honourably buried, with manifold blessing and the aid of holy relics, boarding a ship, with the wind blowing according to the desire of the sailors, came prosperously to his own region into the harbour of salvation. But Alchfrith, who was reigning together with his father Oswiu, hearing that such a servant of God had come with his companions from the apostolic see, preaching the true Easter and having learned in full the discipline of the Church of Saint Peter the apostle, which the king greatly loved, at the urging of his faithful friend Cenwalh, king of the West Saxons, ordered that he should come to him. Therefore Saint Wilfrid, coming to the king who invited him, greeted him in peace, saying: “Jesus Christ, the Son of God, commanded His disciples and Peter the apostle, their chief: ‘Into whatever house you enter, say: Peace be to this house’. The foundations of this peace we ought first to establish within ourselves between body and soul, as the teacher of the Gentiles preached, saying: ‘Let the peace of Christ rejoice in your hearts’; then Jesus Christ commanded that we have peace between ourselves and our neighbours, saying: ‘Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another’.” And after he had finished the words of his preaching, the king, humbly prostrating himself at his feet, received the words of the chosen servant of God and asked his blessing; for it seemed to him as though an angel of God were speaking. Then he blessed him, and they began to converse together, the king questioning him wisely, as he was wise, concerning the various observances of the constitution of the Roman Church. And he, as one instructed, answered clearly and knowledgeably in all things. Afterwards the king adjured him by the Lord and by Saint Peter the apostle that he should remain with him, to preach the word of God to himself and to all his people, like a spiritual instrument sounding within him. And he, perceiving the king’s love towards him, consented to remain with him. For then their souls were wonderfully joined to one another, just as we read that the soul of David was knit to the soul of Jonathan.

Chapter 8: Concerning how Alchfrith gave him a monastery at Ripon #

¹ Then, after the affection between them increased from day to day, Alchfrid first gave to Saint Wilfrid the confessor land of ten tributary holdings at Stanford, and a little later granted to him the monastery at Ripon, with land of thirty households, for the remedy of his soul; and he was appointed abbot. For just as the broad door of this world was being opened to him by the Lord and through Saint Peter the Apostle, so too there grew widely for him an open gate for almsgiving for the Lord to the poor, to orphans and widows, and to all those afflicted by the weakness of sickness, showing clearly what disposition he had borne in poverty. Behold now, brothers, see and marvel what a great good God grants to the king, who found a good pearl and immediately, without delay, bought it. And not only did King Alchfrid love Saint Wilfrid the abbot, but the whole people, noble and humble alike, regarded him as a prophet of God, as indeed he was.

Chapter 9: Concerning the fact that he was ordained priest by Bishop Aegilberht #

¹ In those days, however, Bishop Aegilberht, having come from overseas, came to King Oswiu and to Alchfrith, his son, visited them, and Alchfrith the king informed him concerning the holy Abbot Wilfrid, who was coming from the Apostolic See, as had been reported to him by those who knew him well, saying, that he was a man humble and quiet, occupied in fastings and prayers, kindly, sober, modest, merciful, full of authority and the grace of God, chaste, prudent, not given to wine, teachable and teaching well, with speech pure and open. “Therefore I ask you, that you lay upon him the rank of the priesthood, and that he may be my inseparable companion.” But the bishop answered him in a prophetic spirit: “Such a one ought indeed to be made a bishop,” and in accordance with the command of the king he ordained him priest at Ripon. For just as David, a boy, was chosen by the Lord and, anointed by Samuel, received the gift of prophecy after many trials, so too the holy Wilfrid, as a priest, and after many blessings of the saints of God, received-God granting and preserving him in his difficulties-uncountably numeorous and varied gifts before God and men.

Chapter 10: Concerning the conflict of the priest Wilfrid against Bishop Colman about the calculation of Easter #

¹ At a certain time, in the days of Colman, bishop of the metropolitan city of York, while Oswiu and Alchfrith his son were reigning, the abbots and priests and all ranks of ecclesiastical discipline, having assembled together in one place in the monastery which is called Streaneshalch, in the presence of the most devout abbess, the holy mother Hild, with the kings also present, and the two bishops Colman and Aegilberht, were inquiring concerning the observance of Easter, what was most correct: whether, according to the custom of the Britons and the Scots and of all the northern region, Easter should be observed from the fourteenth moon, when it falls on the Lord’s day, until the twenty-second, or whether it is better, according to the rule of the Apostolic See, that the Paschal Sunday be celebrated from the fifteenth moon until the twenty-first. Time was given to Bishop Colman first, as was fitting, to render an account before all who were listening. But he, answering with fearless mind, said: “Our fathers and their predecessors, clearly inspired by the Holy Spirit, as was Columba, ordained that Easter should be celebrated on the fourteenth moon when it falls on the Lord’s day, following the example of John the apostle and evangelist, who reclined upon the Lord’s breast at the supper and was called the beloved of the Lord. He celebrated Easter on the fourteenth moon, and we, like his disciples Polycarp and others, celebrate it with that same confidence, nor do we dare nor wish to change this on account of our fathers. I have set forth the judgement of our side; declare yours.” Then it was commanded by Bishop Aegilberht from overseas and by the priest Agatho that the priest and abbot Wilfrid should give, with eloquent speech in his own tongue, the reasoning of the Roman Church and of the Apostolic See. He, however, humbly, as was his manner, replying said: “This question was formerly most wonderfully examined and settled by our most holy and most wise fathers, three hundred and eighteen gathered together in one at Nicaea in Bithynia, who established among other judgements the nineteen-year cycle of the moon returning upon itself, which never shows that Easter should be celebrated on the fourteenth moon. This is the rule of the discipline of the Apostolic See and of almost the whole world, and thus our fathers said after many judgements: ‘A man who shall condemn one of these things, let him be anathema’.” Then King Oswiu, while the holy priest Wilfrid was silent, smiling, asked all, saying: “Tell me, which is greater in the kingdom of heaven, Columba or the Apostle Peter?” The whole synod with one voice and agreement replied: “This the Lord has judged, who said: ‘You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. And I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you will bind on earth shall be bound also in heaven, and whatever you wiil loose on earth shall be loosed also in heaven’.” Again the king wisely said: “He is the doorkeeper and the bearer of the keys, against whom I make no struggle of dispute and judgement in my life, nor do I consent to those who do so.” But Bishop Colman, hearing what ought to be done, since he despised the tonsure and the calculation of Easter on account of fear for his homeland, resolved to withdraw and to leave his see to be occupied by another more suitable, and so he did.

Chapter 11: Concerning the election of Wilfrid to the episcopate #

¹ Then the kings, after some time, took counsel with the wise men of their people as to whom they should choose for the vacant see, someone who would be willing to follow the discipline of the Apostolic See himself and teach it to others, and who would be worthy in character, acceptable to God and pleasing to men. All replied with one agreement: “We have no one better or more worthy among our people than the priest and abbot Wilfrid, whom we have found wise in all things and to be such as the Apostle Paul, writing to Titus, taught: ‘A bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God: not arrogant, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not quarrelsome, not pursuing shameful gain, but hospitable, kind, self-controlled, upright, holy, disciplined, holding firmly to the faithful word according to the teaching, so that he may be able both to encourage with sound doctrine and to refute those who oppose it’. All these things, according to the judgement of the apostle, he possesses, and therefore we choose him in full maturity to teach the law of God.” For that man who was chosen was thirty years of age, like John the forerunner of the Lord and the prophet Ezekiel. Then the kings and all the people also agreed to this choice, and the whole assembly commanded that the priest Wilfrid should receive the rank of bishop in the name of the Lord. But he at first refused, excusing himself that he was not worthy; in the end, however, he became obedient and did not wish to avoid the blessing of God. As they understood him to be then, so we still know him while he lives. For his speech was pure and clear, full of seriousness and integrity, full of gentleness and grace, dealing with the mystery of the law, the teaching of the faith, the virtue of self-control, and the discipline of righteousness, advising each person with different encouragement according to their character, so that he understood what to say, to whom, when, and how. Above all, his special duty was to devote himself to fasting, prayer, and vigils, reading the Scriptures; for he had a remarkable memory in books, studying the canons, imitating the examples of the saints, fostering peace among the brothers, maintaining humility and that love which surpasses all gifts, without which every virtue is nothing, caring for the poor, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, welcoming strangers, redeeming captives, protecting widows and orphans, so that he might deserve to receive the reward of eternal life among the choirs of angels with our Lord Jesus Christ.

Chapter 12: Concerning the fact that he was ordained in Gaul #

¹ The chosen Wilfrid spoke, saying: “O my lords, venerable kings, it is necessary in every way for us to consider carefully how, with your election and without objection from catholic men, I may, with God’s help, be able to come to the rank of bishop. For there are here in Britain many bishops, none of whom I accuse, although I truly know that some are Quartodecimans, as are the Britons and the Scots, or have been ordained by those whom the Apostolic See does not receive into communion, nor those who agree with schismatics. And therefore, in my humility, I ask you to send me with your support across the sea to the region of Gaul, where many catholic bishops are found, so that, without dispute from the Apostolic See, I, though unworthy, may be granted to receive the rank of bishop.” This plan pleased the kings greatly, and they prepared for him a ship and support of men and a large amount of money, so that he might arrive very honourably in the region of Gaul. And there at once a great assembly was held of no fewer than twelve catholic bishops, among whom was Bishop Aegilberht. All of them, because of his well-known faith, gladly and honourably ordained him publicly before all the people, and, seated on a golden chair according to their custom, they lifted him up, with only bishops carrying him with their hands into the oratory, no one else touching him, and singing hymns and canticles in choir. After some time, they sent him to the episcopal see of the city of York and instructed him, in the name of the Lord, to remain in the catholic faith, just as the Apostle Paul instructed Timothy his son to keep his calling, which he received through the laying on of hands.

Chapter 13: How the Lord delivered our bishop from the sea and from the hand of the pagans with his companions. #

¹ While they were sailing from Gaul across the British sea with Bishop Wilfrid of blessed memory, and the clerics were singing and chanting the praise of God in choir for the voyage, a very strong storm arose in the middle of the sea, and contrary winds were against them, as with the disciples of Jesus on the Sea of Galilee. For when the south-east wind was blowing fiercely, the whitening crests of the waves drove them into the region of the South Saxons, which they did not know. The sea, leaving the ship and the men behind, withdrew from the land, uncovering the shore and retreating into the depths. But the pagans, coming with a great army, immediately set out to seize the ship, divide the money among themselves as plunder, carry off the captives into subjection, and kill those who resisted with the sword. To them our holy bishop, promising a large sum of money and wishing to ransom lives, spoke gently and peacefully. But they, fierce and hard-hearted like Pharaoh, unwilling to let the people of God go and arrogantly claiming that everything which the sea had cast upon the land was their own, while the chief priest of idolatry stood before the pagans on a high mound like Balaam, attempting to curse the people of God and to bind their hands with his magical arts. Then one of our bishop’s companions, hurling a stone from a sling in the manner of David, sent it into the forehead of the blaspheming magician, piercing it to the brain; and as he fell backwards, his lifeless body struck down, like Goliath in the sandy places, an uncertain death overtook him. Therefore the pagans prepared for battle and drew up their line against the people of God in vain. For the Lord fought for the few; just as Gideon, by the command of the Lord, with three hundred fighting men struck down one hundred and twenty thousand of the Midianites in a single attack, so also these companions of our holy bishop, well armed, brave in spirit though few in number—for there were one hundred and twenty men, the age of Moses—having made a plan and agreement that none should turn his back in flight from another, but that they should deserve either death with honour or life with victory, both of which are easy for God. Therefore Bishop Wilfrid, with his clergy, bending the knees of his legs and raising his hands again to heaven, sought the Lord’s help. For just as Moses, with Hur and Aaron supporting his hands, while Joshua fought against Amalek with the people of God, frequently calling upon the Lord’s protection, prevailed, so also here these few Christians put to flight the fierce and untamed pagans three times and struck them down with no small slaughter, with only five men, which is remarkable to say, killed on their side, while the great priest prayed to the Lord his God, who immediately commanded the sea to come before the full hour, earlier than it was accustomed. And when the pagans, with their king arriving, were preparing with all their strength for a fourth battle, then the sea, swelling with waves, filled all the shores, and the boat, lifted up, moved out into the deep; and, gloriously honoured by God, giving thanks to him, with the wind blowing from the south-west, they arrived safely at the harbour of Sandvich.

Chapter 14: Concerning the fact that Ceadda was meanwhile ordained to his see #

¹ At that time, while the holy Bishop Wilfrid had not yet returned from overseas, King Oswiu, misled by envy through the prompting of the ancient enemy, was persuaded to allow another to take his see improperly, agreeing with those who had chosen the Quartodeciman party against the rule of the Apostolic See; and they appointed the servant of God, a most devout man and admirable teacher, coming from the island of Ireland, named Ceadda, while he himself was still unaware, and improperly set him in the episcopal see of the city of York against the canons. But when the holy Bishop Wilfrid arrived, the matter, as it had been wrongly done, did not remain hidden. For, returning to the monastic seat of his abbacy, he stayed humbly at Ripon for three years, except that he was frequently invited by King Wulfhere of Mercia to carry out various episcopal duties in his region with genuine goodwill. For the Lord raised up for him this most gentle king, who among other good deeds granted many stretches of land in different places to our bishop for the salvation of his soul, in which he soon established monasteries for the servants of God. King Ecgberht of Kent also summoned our bishop to himself, and there he ordained many priests, among whom was one Putta, who later received the episcopate, and not a few deacons. For Bishop Deusdedit died after Archbishop Honorius. Therefore, living honourably and dear to all, carrying out episcopal duties over many regions, returning to his own land with the singers Ædde and Æonan and craftsmen and instructors of almost every kind of skill, he greatly improved the organisation of the churches of God according to the Rule of Benedict. Thus in those regions, with God’s help, a great door against the enemies of the faith was opened to the holy bishop, just as it was to the Apostle Paul.

Chapter 15: Concerning the fact that he was restored again to his own see #

¹ After three years had passed, Archbishop Theodore, coming from the region of Canterbury to the king of the Deirans and Bernicians, bringing with him the established judgements of the Apostolic See from where he had been sent, and at his first arrival in that region hearing from reliable witnesses of the matter wrongly carried out against the canons—that one bishop had dared, in the manner of a usurper, to seize the see of another bishop—took offence and ordered that Bishop Ceadda be removed from the see that was not his own. But that true and most gentle servant of God, then fully understanding the fault of having been ordained by the Quartodecimans into another man’s see, corrected it with humble repentance, confessing according to the judgement of the bishops, and with his agreement they established the holy Bishop Wilfrid in his proper see of the city of York. Then our holy bishop, according to the command of the Lord, did not repay evil for evil but good, as David did to Saul, who said: “I will not lay my hand upon the Lord’s anointed.” He knew that under King Wulfhere of Mercia, his most faithful friend, a place had been granted to him at Lichfield, ready for an episcopal see either for himself or to give to another whomever he wished. And so, after making a peaceful agreement with the true servant of God Ceadda, being obedient to the bishops in all matters, they duly ordained him through all the ecclesiastical ranks to the aforesaid see and, the king receiving him with honour, placed him in that location. There, living a blessed life and accomplishing many good works, in due time he departed on the path of his fathers, awaiting the day of the Lord at the coming judgement, which, as we believe, will be most gentle to him, as is fitting.

Chapter 16: Concerning the restoration of the basilica in the city of York #

¹ Therefore, while the above-mentioned king was reigning, and Wilfrid of blessed memory had been established as metropolitan bishop of the city of York, the structures of the church of God in that city, first founded and dedicated to God by the holy Bishop Paulinus in the days of King Edwin, once most Christian, stood half-ruined in stone. For the aged roof, with its leaking covering, and the open windows, with birds nesting and flying in and out, and the walls, neglected and made dreadful by all the filth of rain and birds, remained. Seeing all these things, our holy bishop, like the prophet Daniel, was troubled in spirit within him, because he recognised that the house of God and of prayer had been made like a den of robbers, and he immediately planned to put it right according to the will of God. First, repairing the damaged roof, he skilfully covered it with pure lead, and by glazing the windows he prevented the entry of birds and rain, while through them the light still shone within. He also washed the walls and, according to the prophet, made them white as snow. He not only adorned the house of God and the altar within with various furnishings and vessels, but also, having acquired many lands for God, enriched it abundantly with worldly resources, removing poverty. Then the saying of God about Samuel and all the saints was fulfilled in him: “Those who honour me I will honour.” For he was dear and honourable to God and to all the people.

Chapter 17: Concerning the building of the basilica at Ripon and its dedication #

¹ Therefore, as worldly resources increased, by God’s granting, so too did our bishop’s most ardent love for the virgin bride—the bishop being the friend of the eternal bridegroom, and the bride betrothed to one husband and born from the love of the mother of all good things. He adorned her, pure and chaste, self-controlled and modest, clothing her in varied virtues like flowers and ordering her beautifully, according to the prophet: “All the glory of the king’s daughter is within.” For just as Moses built the earthly tabernacle made by hand, according to the pattern shown to him by God on the mountain, to stir up the faith of the people of Israel in the worship of God, distinguished with various colours, so the most blessed Bishop Wilfrid wonderfully adorned the chamber of the true bridegroom and bride before the people, in the hearts of those who believe and confess the faith, with gold and silver and varied purple. For at Ripon he raised and completed a basilica built of dressed stone from the foundations in the ground up to the highest point, supported by various columns and porticoes.

² Afterwards, when the building had been completed, for the day of its dedication, the most Christian and devout kings Ecgfrith and Ælfwine, two brothers, were invited, and with abbots, officials, and sub-kings, and persons of every rank, they assembled together in one place; and consecrating the house, according to the most wise Solomon, dedicated to the Lord in honour of Saint Peter, the prince of the apostles, and offering the prayers of the people in it, they also dedicated the altar with its bases to the Lord, clothing it with purple woven with gold, and sharing in communion with the people, they completed everything according to the canons.

³ And so the holy Bishop Wilfrid, standing before the altar and turning to the people, in the presence of the kings, clearly declared the regions which the former kings, for the sake of their souls, and on that day with the consent and subscription of the bishops and all the princes, had given to him; and likewise those holy places in different regions which the clergy of the Britons, fleeing the sword of the hostile army of our people, had abandoned. For it was a gift pleasing to God that the devout kings had granted so many lands to God for service to our bishop, and these are the names of the regions: near Ripon, and in Gaedyn, and in the region of the Dunutingas, and in Caetlevum, and in other places. Then, when the speech had been completed, the kings, rejoicing with all the people, held a great feast for three days and nights, noble in spirit against their enemies, humble with the servants of God. Our holy bishop also added, among other good things, for the adornment of the house of God, a certain work unheard of in our times. For he ordered the four Gospels to be written in pure gold on purple-dyed parchment for the good of his soul, and also commanded that a library for these books should be made entirely of pure gold and most precious gems, with craftsmen instructed to set the gems; all these things, and some others, are kept to this day in our church as a witness to his blessed memory, where his relics rest, and where his name is remembered without ceasing each day in prayers.

Chapter 18: Concerning the fact that he raised a child #

¹ Wonderful is God in his saints and glorified in their works! Long ago in the Old Law we read that the servants of God performed various miracles through God; just as Elijah and Elisha, servants of God, raised the dead, so also the apostles of Christ, following the example of their master, according to his promise drove away all kinds of sickness in his name, and now in the same way by their successors, among whom is our holy bishop, those laid low by illness are healed to the glory of God. For on a certain day, when the holy Bishop Wilfrid was riding and travelling to carry out various duties of his episcopate, namely to baptise and to confirm people by the laying on of hands, among them a certain woman was found in a village which is called Tiddanufri, murmuring in bitter distress, worn down by grief and burden. For she had her firstborn child dead beneath her breast, wrapped in cloths and concealed, whose dead body she uncovered before the bishop among others to be confirmed, hoping in this way that he might be brought back to life. But our holy bishop, as soon as he understood that he was truly dead, paused for a little while, considering what should be done. Then the mother fell to the ground before him, weeping bitterly; she boldly implored him that in the name of his Lord God, with his holiness, he should raise her son and baptise him, and rescue him from the mouth of the lion. With these and other words she did not cease to urge him more and more by every appeal to his holiness, bending her knee and embracing his feet, kissing them and wetting them with most bitter tears, saying: “Most holy one, do not extinguish the faith of a bereaved woman, but help my belief; raise him and baptise him. For to you and to God he lives: do not doubt in the power of Christ!” Then that holy man, trusting without doubt in the power of Christ and hearing her faith like that of the Syrophoenician woman, after making a prayer and placing his hand upon the body of the dead child, at once he breathed again and received the spirit of life. And so, having been raised and baptised, he returned the child to his mother, and instructed her in the name of the Lord that she should give her son back to God for service at the age of seven years. But the ill-advised woman, persuaded by her husband and seeing the boy handsome, disregarded this and fled from her land. The bishop’s official, named Hocca, found him while he was hiding among the Britons and forcibly took him away and brought him to the bishop. The boy was called Eodwald, with the additional name ‘the bishop’s son’, and he lived in the service of God at Ripon until, during a great mortality, he died. O what great and wonderful mercy of God, who through his servant of venerable memory brought back to this life a little child who had died and was not baptised, so that, having been baptised, he might live in eternal life in the future blessedness.

Chapter 19: Concerning the victory of the king over the fierce Picts #

¹ In those days King Ecgfrith, a devout man, together with the most blessed Queen Æthelthryth—whose body, having remained undefiled in life, is still shown to be incorrupt after death—being obedient in all things to Bishop Wilfrid, peace and joy followed among the people, and fruitful years and victories over enemies, with God’s help. For just as the young King Joash of Judah, while the high priest Jehoiada was still alive, pleased God and triumphed over his enemies, but after the priest’s death displeased God and his kingdom declined, so while King Ecgfrith lived in harmony with our bishop, according to the testimony of many, the kingdom was increased on every side through victorious triumphs; but when concord between them was broken and the above-mentioned queen separated from him and was dedicated to God, victory in the king’s days came to an end. For in the early years of his reign, while the kingdom was still young, the savage peoples of the Picts, with fierce spirit, despised the subjection to the Saxons and threatened to cast off the yoke of servitude; gathering from all sides countless tribes from the northern regions, like swarms of ants in summer rushing from their mounds, they built up an assault against the weakening kingdom. When this was heard, King Ecgfrith, humble among his people and bold against his enemies, at once prepared his cavalry army, knowing nothing of delay, and, like Judas Maccabeus trusting in God, with a small force of God’s people attacked a vast and almost invisible enemy together with the bold sub-king Beornhæth, and brought about a great slaughter of the people, filling two rivers with the bodies of the dead, so that, as it is said, men walked over them with dry feet and pursued the fleeing crowd, cutting them down; and, reduced to servitude, the peoples lay under the yoke of captivity until the day of the king’s death.

Chapter 20: Concerning the victory against the king of the Mercians #

¹ Then after this victory King Ecgfrith, ruling justly and devoutly together with the aforesaid servant of God, strong like David in crushing his enemies, yet humble in the sight of God, and made by God more bold in breaking the pride of swelling peoples and fierce kings, always gave thanks to God in all things. For Wulfhere, king of the Mercians, with a proud spirit and insatiable heart, stirring up all the southern peoples against our king, intended not so much to wage war as to bring them under tribute in a spirit of servitude, without God’s guidance. But King Ecgfrith of the Deirans and Bernicians, firm in resolve, faithful in mind, taking counsel with his elders to defend his country and protect the churches of God, trusting in God under the guidance of his bishop, like Barak and Deborah, attacked the proud enemy with an equal force and, with God’s help, overthrew him with a small army; after killing countless men, he put the king to flight and divided his kingdom under tribute, and when he later died for whatever reason, he ruled for a further period in peace.

Chapter 21: Concerning the goodness of our bishop #

¹ Therefore, just as under the devout King Ecgfrith the kingdom was extended to the north and south through victories, so under Wilfrid of blessed memory the kingdom of the churches was increased to the south over the Saxons and to the north over the Britons, Scots, and Picts, and he diligently carried out ecclesiastical duties, being dear and pleasing to all peoples. In all places he ordained many priests and deacons to assist him, and amid the changing tides of the world he steered the ship of the Church with moderation. For just as the wave of feasting did not overwhelm him, so abstinence did not cast him into pride, because at feasts he lived so temperately that he never drank alone, even the smallest cup, whether because of thirst in the heat of summer or weariness in the cold of winter, as is confirmed by the testimony of many. In vigils and prayers, in reading and fasting, who could be found equal to him? He also kept his body pure from his mother’s womb, as he testified before the faithful, without defilement, and he regularly washed it in blessed and consecrated water at night, both in summer and winter, until Pope John of blessed memory of the Apostolic See ordered that, on account of his age, he should be relieved of this practice. For this reason nearly all abbots and abbesses of monasteries either entrusted their possessions to him during their lifetime or wished to have him as their heir after their death; and secular leaders, noble men, entrusted their sons to him for instruction, so that they might either serve God, if they chose, or, when grown, be commended armed to the king if they preferred. All these things, however, stirred up a flame of envy and hatred in the hearts of many, with the devil at work. Yet our holy bishop, according to the teaching of the great apostle, bore the weapons of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, in prosperity and adversity alike, with equal patience, always giving gifts and offerings both to spiritual and to secular people so generously that no one equal to him could be found.

Chapter 22: Concerning the building of the house of God at Hexham #

¹ Therefore, as the psalmist says, he clung continually to the Lord, placing his hope in him and offering his sweetest vows to the Lord, who granted him all things. For at Hexham, having obtained the land and received it in exchange from the holy Queen Æthelthryth, dedicated to God, he founded a house for the Lord, skilfully built in honour of the blessed Apostle Andrew; the depth of which, founded in the ground with wonderfully dressed stones and underground chambers, and above ground a many-sided structure supported by various columns and numerous porticoes, adorned with the imposing length and height of its walls and with winding passages of corridors, sometimes rising upwards, sometimes descending downwards in spiral turns, is beyond my small ability to describe in words, which the holy bishop himself, taught by the Spirit of God, devised to be made by his work; nor have we heard of any other house built like it on this side of the Alps. Moreover, while still living, Acca, bishop of blessed memory, by the grace of God—who could be sufficient to explain what great ornaments of this great house he made of gold and silver and precious stones, and how he adorned the altars clothed in purple and silk? But let us return to our subject.

Chapter 23: Of the boy healed when half-dead. #

¹ While the masons were building the heights of the walls of this house, a certain young man from among the servants of God, having slipped from a projecting pinnacle of great height, fell downwards onto the stone pavement and was dashed to the ground; his legs and arms were broken, and with all his limbs shattered, he lay drawing his last breaths. The masons, according to the instruction of the holy bishop, quickly carried him out on a bier, weeping in prayer, thinking him dead; and immediately, the sign having been made, the whole household gathering together as one, and the man of God standing in the midst of the brethren, said: “Let us all with one accord ask God with full faith that He may send back the soul of this boy into his body, and that he may live, as was granted to the Apostle Paul”. Therefore, praying to God that the enemy of all good might not have the joy of triumph in this building, and bending their knees according to Elijah and Elisha, when prayer had been made by our holy bishop and the blessing given, he received the spirit of life, and the physicians binding the broken bones with cloths, he improved day by day, and is still alive, and his name is Bodhelm, giving thanks to God.

Chapter 24: Of the envy stirred up against our bishop and of his expulsion from his see #

¹ The plotter, like a roaring lion according to the Apostle Peter, went about the fold of God, seeking an entrance day and night, ever watchful, desiring first to overcome the bravest soldier, so that the timid might more easily be defeated; taking up his accustomed weapons, he sought out frail vessels of women, through whom he has often defiled the whole world. For the queen of King Ecgfrith, named Iurminburg, at that time was tormented by envy at the prompting of the devil. For she had been changed from a she-wolf, after the killing of the king, into a lamb of God and a perfect abbess and most excellent mother of a household. Now from her quiver she sent forth poisoned arrows, a venomous woman, into the heart of the king, like the most impious Jezebel, slaying the prophets of God and persecuting Elijah, by the hearing of words, setting forth to him eloquently all the worldly glory of the holy bishop Wilfrid and his riches, as well as the multitude of monasteries and the greatness of the buildings and the innumerable company of companions adorned with royal garments and arms. With such darts the king’s heart having been wounded, both cunningly sought to despise the holy head of the churches unto his destruction and boldly to deprive him of the gifts of kings given for God; and for the aid of their madness they invited Archbishop Theodore with gifts, which blind even the eyes of the wise, like Balak inviting Balaam against the will of God. When the archbishop came to them, making plain what they were plotting in contempt of him, he consented—without any guilt of wrongdoing—to condemn him unjustly, which God forbid. For he alone ordained, in the absence of our bishop, three bishops found from elsewhere and not from those subject to that parish, newly and disorderly in his own places of episcopacy. When this was heard, our holy bishop approached the king and the archbishop, asking what the cause was that, without any fault of sin, he was being despoiled, in the manner of robbers, of his possessions given by kings for God. They replied with a notorious saying to our bishop before all the people, saying: “We ascribe to you no fault of any crime for harming you, yet we do not alter the judgements established concerning you”. But our bishop, not content with such a deceitful judgement, with the counsel of his fellow bishops chose rather the judgement of the Apostolic See, just as the Apostle Paul, condemned without cause by the Jews, appealed to Caesar. Then the holy bishop, turning from the royal tribunal, said to the flatterers rejoicing with laughter: “On this anniversary day, you who now laugh at my condemnation through envy will then weep bitterly in your confusion”. And so it happened according to the prophecy of the saint. For on that anniversary day the body of Aelfwine, the slain king, was brought to York; all the people, weeping bitterly, tore their garments and the hair of their heads, and his surviving brother reigned without victory until his death.

Chapter 25: How Winfrid was despoiled #

¹ The bishop Wilfrid of blessed memory, preparing with his companions and clergy to board ships, leaving many thousands of his monks under the authority of bishops newly ordained, all of them serving and weeping and unceasingly beseeching the Lord that He might direct his journey according to His will. But the enemies of our bishop, mindful of their evils, thinking that he was sailing south to Quentavic, proceeding by that most direct route to the Apostolic See, sent ahead their messengers with gifts to King Theoderic of the Franks and to the impious duke Ebroin, that they might either condemn him to harsher exile or, his companions having been slain, strip him of all his possessions. But the Lord delivered him from the hand of his enemies, as from the hand of Herod. For at that time the holy bishop Winfrid, driven out from Lichfield, travelling by that same route, came into the hands of the aforesaid enemies, as into the jaws of a lion; he was immediately seized and stripped of all his money, and many of his companions having been killed, they wretchedly left the holy bishop at last naked. For they thought, as it was not so, that he was the holy bishop Wilfrid, having been led astray by the mistake of a single syllable.

Chapter 26: How he came by ship into Frisia #

¹ For on the other hand our holy bishop, according to his desire, with a gentle breeze blowing from the west, turning the prows of the ships towards the east, until he arrived prosperously in Frisia with all his company, and there, finding the forces of the pagans, he was honourably received by their king Aldgisl. Then at once our holy bishop, with the king’s permission, preached the word of God daily to the pagans, declaring to them the true God, the almighty Father, and Jesus Christ His only Son, and the Holy Spirit co-eternal with Him, and he plainly taught one baptism for the remission of sins and eternal life after death in the resurrection. And his teaching was well received among the pagans; for at his coming there was at that time a more abundant yield than usual in fishing and in all produce, which they reckoned to the glory of the Lord whom the holy man of God preached. Then in that year, the preaching having been received, he baptised all the chiefs, except a few, and many thousands of the common people in the name of the Lord, and first there, according to the Apostle, he laid the foundation of the faith, which his son, brought up at Ripon, Wilbrord the bishop, now builds upon, labouring with much toil, whose reward remains for ever.

Chapter 27: Of the matter in which the king refused the price offered #

¹ At the same time Ebroin, duke of Theoderic, king of the Franks, sent his messengers with letters to Aldgisl, king of the Frisians, greeting him with peaceful words and promising him on oath to give a bushel full of gold solidi, a wicked price indeed, if he should deliver to him Wilfrid the bishop either alive or the head of him when slain. And immediately the king, with us present and the messengers feasting before his people in the palace and all hearing, ordered the letters to be read; and after the document had been read, taking it into his hands, he tore it to pieces before all and threw it into the fire burning before him, saying to the bearers: “Declare to your lord that I speak thus: So may the Creator of all things, rending, overthrowing, and consuming into ashes, destroy the kingdom and life of one who perjures himself before his God and does not keep the covenant he has made!” Then the messengers, in confusion, the king not consenting to the crime, returned to their lord from whence they had come.

Chapter 28: How the two kings Daegberht and Berhther received him #

¹ After our God-beloved bishop had wintered in Frisia and gained much people for the Lord, when spring came he pursued the journey he had begun, God assisting, towards the Apostolic See with his companions, coming to the king of the Franks named Daegberht, who received him with honour and with the greatest gentleness, according to his former merits towards him. For the aforesaid king in his youth, driven by hostile rulers into an exile of ruin, sailing to the island of Ireland, with God’s help arrived there. After a cycle of years, his friends and kinsmen, hearing from sailors that he was alive and flourishing in full manhood, sent their messengers to the blessed bishop Wilfrid, asking that he should invite him from Scotia and Ireland and send him to them as king. And thus our holy bishop accomplished it, receiving him as he came from Ireland and, enriched in every way and strengthened by the forces of his companions, sent him magnificently to his own land. And now the king, mindful of his benefits, earnestly requested that he should accept the greatest bishopric in his kingdom, pertaining to the city of Strasbourg; and when he was unwilling to accept it, he sent him with gifts and great presents and with his bishop Deodatus as guide to the Apostolic See. Proceeding therefore, the holy bishops, the Lord directing their way, came to Berhther, king of Campania, a humble and quiet man and one who trembled at the words of God; who, receiving strangers kindly according to the Lord’s command, declared to our holy bishop, saying: “Enemies of yours from Britain, sending messengers to me, greeted me with their words and promised me very great gifts, if I should seize you, as they said, fleeing as a bishop, and detain you as you were making for the Apostolic See. Refusing so wicked a thing, I said: ‘I was once in the days of my youth an exile driven from my country, living under a certain pagan king of the Huns, who entered into a pact with me by his god, an idol, that he would never betray me or hand me over to my enemies. And after some time messengers came to the pagan king at the word of my enemies, promising to give him on oath a bushel full of gold solidi, if he would hand me over to them for destruction; to whom, not consenting, he said: “Without doubt may the gods cut off my life if I commit this crime, breaking the pact of my gods”. How much more then I, who know the true God, will not give my soul to destruction for the gain of the whole world’”. Then therefore he sent our holy bishop and his companions with honour and escorts, as the Lord protecting him everywhere in his journey magnified him, to the long-desired Apostolic See with thanksgiving.

Chapter 29: How the most blessed Agatho, pope of the Apostolic See, together with the holy synod, received the writings of our bishop #

¹ Therefore, when the God-beloved bishop Wilfrid had arrived prosperously with all his company at the aforesaid See, he made known the cause of his coming in the aforesaid city, because at that time Coenwald, a devout monk, sent by the holy Archbishop Theodore with his letters, had come to Rome, and the most blessed Agatho, pope of the Apostolic See, was not unaware of the dispute. Then, when the most holy bishops and presbyters, more than fifty, had assembled in the basilica of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, which is called Constantiniana, the most holy Agatho, thrice-blessed bishop of the holy catholic and apostolic Church of the city of Rome, said as they sat together:

² “I do not think it has escaped your holy brotherhood for what reason I have summoned you to this venerable assembly. For I desire that your reverence should know and should deliberate with me what kind of dissension has recently arisen in the churches of the island of Britain, where by the grace of God a multitude of the faithful has grown, which has been brought to us both by the report of those coming thence and by a series of writings.”

³ Andrew, the most reverend bishop of Ostia, and John, bishop of Porto, said: “Indeed the ordering of all the churches depends upon the judgement of your apostolic authority, you who bear the office of the blessed Peter, prince of the apostles, to whom Christ the Lord, the creator and redeemer of all, entrusted the keys of binding and loosing. But with regard to that which has been enjoined upon us by your apostolic decree, in these past days, as we sat together with our fellow bishops and fellow servants, we have read through in detail all the writings which those sent from the island of Britain have brought to your apostolic pontificate, both those which were sent in the person of the most reverend Archbishop Theodore, formerly sent there from the Apostolic See, and also the reports together with the same writings brought by others against a certain bishop who, as they assert, is in flight, whom they supposed to have come here, as well as those which were presented by Wilfrid, the God-beloved bishop of the holy church of York, who, having been cast out from his see by the aforesaid most holy man, appealing to the Apostolic See has come thus far. In these, although they introduced many questions, we have found that he has not been convicted, according to the strictness of the holy canons, of any crimes and therefore not canonically deposed, nor have his accusers been able to prove by their own statements that he committed any offences for which he ought to have been degraded. Rather, we have perceived that he has maintained modesty, in that he did not involve himself in certain seditious disputes; but after he was driven from his see, making known the merits of the case to his fellow bishops, the aforesaid God-beloved bishop Wilfrid hastened from there to this Apostolic See, in which the Prince of the highest priesthood established his primacy, who by his blood redeemed the holy Church, our Lord Christ Almighty, and confirmed it by the authority of the prince of the apostles. Finally, it has been granted to the authority of your apostolate to determine what you command to be ordained in this matter.”

⁴ Agatho, the most holy and thrice-blessed bishop of the holy catholic and apostolic Church of the city of Rome, said: “Wilfrid, the God-beloved bishop of the holy church of York, who is said to be before the doors of our secretarium, let him be admitted to our secretarium according to his request, with the petition which he is said to bring with him”.

⁵ Wilfrid, the God-beloved bishop, when he had entered the venerable secretarium, said: “I beg your pontifical blessedness that you may receive the petition of my humility and command that it be read aloud before you”.

⁶ Agatho, the most holy bishop, said: “Let the petition of Wilfrid, the God-beloved bishop, having been received, be read aloud before all”. And John the notary, taking it, read before the holy and apostolic council: “I have resolved that, since I know that from this place the standards of the sacred canons, diffused through all the churches of Christ throughout the whole world, have proceeded, handed down by apostolic preaching and received with full faith, from this source I confidently await that the judgement of justice for my humility may be preserved. For I do not doubt that your pontifical eminence has come to know, both from the representation of my lowliness and from what I have declared in person and have set forth in writing by way of a petition of satisfaction, presented to your apostolic sight at the very beginning of my arrival, that, finding in me, your suppliant, no canonical fault, certain invaders of my bishopric, by unlawful presumption, contrary to the standards and decrees of the sacred canons, in the assembly of Theodore, the most holy archbishop of the church of the Cantuarians, and of other bishops who then met with him, have attempted, in the manner of robbers, to invade and seize the see which for ten years and more I administered with the mercy of God, and have sat in that same see. And not only one, but three have advanced themselves as bishops in my church, although their promotion is not canonical. But what happened, that Theodore, the most holy archbishop, while I was still alive, in the see which, though unworthy, I administered, without the consent of any bishop, ordained three bishops by his own authority, my humility not consenting, it is more fitting to pass over than to demand, out of reverence for that same man; whom indeed, because he was sent from this seat of apostolic authority, I do not dare to accuse. But if it is clear that, contrary to the law of the regular sanctions, from the governance of the church over which, though unworthy, I presided, I have been driven out by hostile forces without the conviction of any crime and without fault of wrongdoing, without any guilt of offence which canonical severity punishes, and that, when driven from my former see, I did not appear turbulent to anyone nor inflamed with the question of sedition nor resist with ambitious disputes, but at once appealed to the aid of this most sacred see, having only protested to my fellow servants and fellow priests, the bishops of the same provinces, I departed. If indeed your apostolic eminence, together with the most holy bishops sitting with you, has foreseen that I am deprived, though convicted of no fault, I embrace with humble devotion what is decreed; but if I may also receive again my former bishopric, I follow and with all my strength revere the sentence pronounced by the Apostolic See, only that the invaders be driven from the former parishes of the church over which I, your unworthy servant, presided, by your synodal decree. And if it should again be foreseen to appoint bishops in the same diocese over which I presided, let it at least be commanded that such men be promoted with whom I may be able, peace and tranquil concord prevailing among us, to serve God in unity, so that each of us may know the rights of the church granted to him and may bestow vigilance upon those committed to him; so that, if it should so please the archbishop and my fellow bishops that the number of bishops be increased, they may choose such men from the very clergy of the church as may please the bishops assembled in synod, lest the church be harmed by outsiders and strangers. For whatever is confused and without order increases inextricable and endless dissensions, nor can that which is disputed ever be administered peacefully by anyone. For I trust that I shall render every service of devoted obedience to the apostolic decrees, to whose equity, casting aside all things, I have hastened with the full confidence of my mind.”

Chapter 31: Of the reply of Pope Agatho #

¹ Agatho, the most holy and thrice-blessed bishop of the holy catholic and apostolic Church of the city of Rome, said: “The course of the petition which Wilfrid, the God-beloved bishop, has presented gives no small satisfaction to those who hear it, in that, although he acknowledges that he has been unjustly cast out from his episcopal see, he did not stubbornly resist those who were striving against him, nor did he prefer to repel force in a worldly manner, but, thinking humbly, sought the canonical assistance of our author, the blessed Peter, prince of the apostles; with supplication he promises that he will readily accept what is to be determined concerning him, nor does he doubt the pronouncement of the sentence, but embraces what is decided, declaring that he will receive it with whole faith, whatever our author the blessed Apostle Peter, whose ministry we discharge, shall have judged to be established by our mouth.”

Chapter 32: Of the reply of the synod #

¹ The whole synod, which assembled together with the most holy and thrice-blessed Agatho, apostolic pope, determining among other things according to rule, said: “We establish and decree that Wilfrid, the God-beloved bishop, shall receive the bishopric which he lately held, the determination set forth above being preserved; and those whom he shall choose, with the consent of the council to be gathered there, as assistant bishops with whom he ought to live in peace, shall, according to the rule established above, be ordained bishops by the most holy archbishop, the others without doubt being expelled, who in his absence were irregularly appointed to the episcopate. If therefore anyone shall attempt with rash boldness to oppose these decrees of the synod, or shall not obediently receive them, or at any time whatsoever, whoever they may be or may have been, shall attempt to break them either wholly or in part, we judge that he is to be struck by this sanction by the authority of the blessed Peter, prince of the apostles: that, if he is indeed a bishop who shall attempt to violate this pious ordinance, he shall be deprived of the episcopal order and be liable to eternal anathema; likewise, if he be a presbyter or deacon or of a lower rank of the church; but if he be a cleric, monk, or layman of whatever condition, or a king, let him be made a stranger to the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, nor let him be found worthy to behold His dreadful coming. But if anyone shall receive with sincere devotion and full satisfaction these things which have been established and determined by us, shall hold them, carry them out, and lend assistance for their fulfilment, let him see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living and be a partaker of the right hand, possess eternal blessedness, and merit to hear that blessed voice with all the saints who have pleased the divine presence and have obtained eternal glory, hearing also for the obedience which God loves above all sacrifices, from the Judge of all, our Lord Jesus Christ: ‘Come, you blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world’”.

Chapter 33: Of the return of our bishop #

¹ After many days had been spent there, they ordered the God-beloved bishop Wilfrid, in accordance with the command of the Apostolic See and by the instruction of the whole holy synod, to return to his country, to carry with him the written judgements of the Apostolic See, and to show them to the holy Archbishop Theodore and to King Ecgfrith. But our holy bishop, with unwavering faith, humbly obeying in all things the commands of the Apostolic See, as he had promised, went around the holy places for prayer over many days, and obtained from chosen men a great number of holy relics for the comfort of the churches of Britain, writing down the names of each, indicating to which saint each relic belonged, and acquiring many other good things, which it would now be too long to enumerate, for the adornment of the house of God according to his custom, and with the blessing of the Apostolic See and of the whole holy synod, joyful and rejoicing with all, he began, with God’s help, to return to his region and to come to his homeland.

² Therefore, as our holy bishop went on from the Apostolic See with the judgement of triumph, passing through Campania and crossing the mountains, he came into the region of the Franks, and there he found that his former faithful friend King Daegberht had recently been treacherously killed by the deceit of dukes and with the consent of bishops—God forbid. One of these, with a great army, came to meet him, wickedly planning in his heart, unless God had opposed him, either to strip all his companions of their goods or to reduce them to servitude or sell them into slavery or kill them if they resisted, and to keep our holy shepherd in distress in custody until the judgement of Duke Ebroin. And the bishop questioned him, saying with what confidence he had so rashly travelled through the region of the Franks: “You who are worthy of death, because you sent away our king into exile by your support, a destroyer of cities, despising the counsel of elders, oppressing peoples with tribute like Rehoboam the son of Solomon, scorning the churches of God together with their bishops; for these evils he paid the penalty, being slain, and his body lies buried”. But our holy bishop humbly replied to the bishop: “I speak the truth in Christ Jesus, and through the holy Apostle Peter I do not lie, that I helped, sustained, and raised up such a man, living in exile and dwelling in a foreign land, according to the command of God to the people of Israel, who were strangers in a foreign land, for your good and not for your harm, so that he might be a builder of cities, a comforter of citizens, a counsellor of elders, a defender of the churches of God in the name of the Lord according to His promise. O most upright bishop, what else ought you to have done, if an exile of our race and of royal stock had come to your holiness, than what I did in the Lord?” The bishop replied: “May the Lord guard your coming in and the rest, and: ‘Woe is me, a sinner, grant pardon, because, like the patriarch Judah, I see that you are far more righteous than I am. May the Lord be with you, and the holy Apostle Peter for your help’.”

Chapter 34: Of the matter in which the king despised the judgements of the Apostolic See #

¹ Then, travelling over long stretches of land, and by God’s help crossing the vastness of the sea in a ship, he came safely with all his company to his own region, bringing the greatest joy, with life as his companion, to his subjects who were weary and crying out to God with tears, bearing the banner of victory, that is, carrying with him the judgement of the Apostolic See. He approached the king in peace, and humbly presenting to the king the written judgements of the Apostolic See with the consent and subscription of the whole synod, sealed with bulls and seals, he delivered them. Then, with all the princes dwelling there and also the servants of God summoned to the place of assembly to hear the saving counsels sent from the Apostolic See for the sake of the peace of the churches, after they had heard certain things read which were difficult for them and contrary to their will, some of them stubbornly rejected them, and moreover—what is more detestable—they slandered them to the destruction of their souls, saying that the writings sent from the Apostolic See for the salvation of those who obey had been obtained for a price. Then, by order of the king and his counsellors, with the consent of the bishops who held his bishopric, they decided that he should be taken into custody and kept for nine months without any honour. And now the king, as we have said, when the writings of the Apostolic See had been opened and read, did what is dreadful to say: becoming angry with his flatterers, he despised the judgements of the Apostle Peter, the prince of the apostles, who has from God the power of binding and loosing, and ordered that the holy servant of God, stripped of his goods, be kept apart in custody in his own single garment, and that all his followers be scattered through the crossroads of the roads, and he strictly commanded, swearing by his own safety, that none of his friends should approach him. But his queen, as mentioned above, took the chrismary of the man of God, filled with holy relics—which it horrifies me to recount—having removed it from him, and whether remaining in her chamber or travelling in her carriage, kept it hanging beside her; which turned out wholly for evil for the queen, just as for the Philistines, when they had put the people of Israel to flight and captured the ark of God, carrying the Holy of Holies through their cities.

Chapter 35: On the exhortation of his companions #

¹ And the God-beloved bishop Wilfrid spoke to his companions, saying: “Keep in mind, and tell my brethren, the days of old: how we read in the Old Law that three patriarchs beloved of God, and Israel His firstborn, for four hundred years and more, from nation to nation and from one kingdom to another people, awaiting the promise and not despairing, passed through; and likewise Moses and Aaron and all the prophets of God endured various persecutions from men, hoping in the Lord. We read also in the New Testament that the great shepherd of the sheep and the head of the whole Church, Jesus Christ, was crucified by the Jews, and that His disciples were scattered, and afterwards throughout the whole world, together with their followers, were crowned amid various temptations, not forgetting the consolation which speaks to us as to sons, saying: ‘My son, do not neglect the discipline of the Lord, nor grow weary when you are reproved by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and He scourges every son whom He receives’. Therefore, brethren and my helpers in Christ, according to the excellent teacher, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses set over us, let us run with patience the contest set before us.”

Chapter 36: On the house illumined by God #

¹ When, therefore, the discourse of consolation had been finished, the king’s officers, seizing the just teacher of God’s discipline and leading him like a sheep to the slaughter—he who did not open his mouth—set him before the prefect named Osfrid, who was in charge in the king’s town of Broninis, commanding him by the king’s word to keep our bishop in hidden places, darkened with dreadful gloom, carefully guarded, with none of his friends knowing—him who at that time, on account of the great merits of his faith, could be called the light of Britain. But the aforesaid earl, faithful to the king, pressed by his command, kept him under guard with watchmen in secret places, where the sun rarely shone by day, and no lamp was lit at night for honour. The guards, however, continually hearing the psalmody of the holy man of God and seeing, in the dark night, the house shining within as though it were day, struck with amazement instilled fear in all, telling of his holiness. O eternal light, Christ, who never forsakes those who confess you, but who are believed to be the true light, enlightening every man who comes into this world! You who, at the very beginning of the birth of your future servant, marked the hour at which he came forth from his mother’s womb with a fiery brightness, now in a cave of exceeding darkness, as he prayed, deigned to grant the light of angelic visitation, just as to your apostle Peter, when he had been bound in prison by the impious king Herod, the angel of the Lord stood by and a light shone in the dwelling; to you be glory and thanksgiving! Therefore, in that same period of time in which the king held him detained in custody without any honour, he promised him in no small measure part of the bishopric which he had previously held, and other gifts, if he would be willing to submit to his commands and decrees and choose to deny that the canonical statutes sent from the Apostolic See were true. To these things he replied humbly, yet with the confidence of apostolic authority, that he would sooner have his head cut off than ever wish to confess such a thing. Behold, a good will, which knows God, cannot be changed!

Chapter 37: On the woman who was healed #

¹ Therefore, while our holy bishop remained patiently in the custody of the prison, he was made manifest by the powers of God, just as John the apostle and evangelist, when he had been confined by the emperor on the island of Patmos, beheld the mighty works of God. For at that time, as we have said, while our holy bishop was in distress, the wife of the prefect of this town was suddenly seized by illness, her whole body failing—stiff, cold in body, her eyes closed, and with foaming mouth she was senselessly drawing the last breaths of life from her chest. But her husband, seeing his wife immediately at the point of death, hastened and ran to our holy bishop, as the centurion to the Lord; bending the knee and lamenting his sins and confessing those committed against him by the king, he adjured him in the name of the Lord to come to the aid of one unworthy and of his dying wife. But our holy bishop, unmindful of wrongs, like Joseph brought out of prison, went to the one who begged for mercy. Standing over her, he sprinkled her face with blessed water, and, a prayer having been made, imploring the help of God, he moistened her mouth drop by drop with blessed water. Then, as she began to breathe again and drew long breaths, her eyes were opened and she received the sense of life and understanding; and after a little while, as her limbs grew warm, raising her head and moving her tongue, she spoke, giving thanks to the Lord. Thus, like Peter’s mother-in-law, healed, she ministered honourably to our holy bishop; and she, still living at that time, now a holy nun and mother of a household, named Æbbe, is accustomed to recount this with tears.

Chapter 38: On the fact that his chains fell from him #

¹ For the aforesaid prefect did not dare to keep our holy bishop in his charge for long out of regard for the king, and, fearing the wrath of God because of his holiness, he preferred not to subject him to any insult. Sending messengers to the king, he said: “I adjure you by my life and your safety, do not compel me any longer to punish this holy and innocent bishop to my own ruin, for I would rather die than scourge him when he is guiltless.” When this was heard, the king, angered, ordered him to be led to his city of Dynbaerd, to a prefect named Tydlin, as being more severe, and commanded him to keep such a man and so great a bishop bound in fetters and handcuffs, separated apart from men. But he, compelled by the king’s command, ordered smiths to make iron chains, who, carefully measuring without cause upon the limbs of our holy confessor, began to fashion them—yet God resisted. For the chains were always either so tight and constricting that they could not be fitted around his limbs, or so wide and loose that they fell off from the feet of one preaching the Gospel and from the hands of one baptising. Therefore, becoming afraid, they kept the man of God without chains, though unwillingly, as he continually sang psalms and gave thanks to God—according to the Apostle to the Hebrews, saying that he endured a great contest of sufferings, being made a spectacle by reproaches and accepting the plundering of all his goods—and, with these things inflicted upon him by his own countrymen, they kept him apart until the time appointed by God.

Chapter 39: On the queen who was afflicted and healed #

¹ Meanwhile the king, with his queen, travelling daily through cities and strongholds and villages, rejoicing and feasting, and moving about in worldly display, at a certain time came to a monastery called Coldaesburg, over which presided a most holy mother of a household named Æbbe, the most wise sister of King Oswiu. There the queen, on that very night, was seized by a demon, and, like the wife of Pilate, was tormented with many scourges, scarcely expecting to live until the next day. But when morning dawned, the most wise mother of the household came to the queen, and, seeing her limbs drawn together and tightly bound as one, and without doubt dying, went to the king and declared to him in a tearful voice how, according to her understanding, this miserable evil had come upon her, speaking boldly: “I know, and truly I know, that you have cast out Wilfrid, the bishop beloved of God, from his episcopal seat without any guilt of wrongdoing, and, driven into exile, he went to the Apostolic See, and, when he was to return from there with the writings of the Apostolic See—which has, with Saint Peter the apostle, the power of binding and loosing—you, in your folly, despising this, have despoiled him. Adding evil to evil, you have shut the holy man in prison. And now, my son, act according to your mother’s counsel: break his bonds, and the holy relics which the queen took from the neck of the despoiled man and has carried about through the cities to her own destruction, like the ark of God, send back to him by a faithful messenger. If you do not wish for what is best—for him to have the bishopric—then set him free, and let him depart from your kingdom with his companions wherever he wishes. Then, according to my faith, you shall live, and the queen will not die. But if you refuse this, with God as witness you shall not go unpunished.” Therefore the king, now obedient to his most chaste mother, allowed our most holy priest to be released with the holy relics and, with his companions gathered together, to depart freely from him, and the queen was healed.

Chapter 40: On how Berhtwald received him #

¹ Therefore, when Wilfrid, the bishop beloved of God, set out with his companions, leaving the fields of his homeland and seeking the southern kingdoms in exile, the Lord, who is present with His saints in their trials, sent to meet him a man of noble birth and character, Berhtwald by name, son of the brother of Æthelred, king of the Mercians, gentle in disposition; and as soon as he saw such honourable men and heard, from our holy teacher revealing it, the reasons for their journey, he adjured him in the name of the Lord to remain with him, and earnestly requested that a portion of his land be granted for the servants of God to dwell in. But our holy leader, giving thanks to God that He had granted some comfort of rest, immediately founded in that territory, given for God’s sake, a small monastery, which his monks possess even to this day. Then, with the envy of the ancient enemy stirring, King Æthelred and his queen, the sister of King Ecgfrith, hearing that the man of God, driven from his homeland, was staying there and resting a little, forbade the noble man Berhtwald, on pain of his safety, to allow him to remain under him even for the space of a single day, on account of the incitement of King Ecgfrith. Then our bishop, driven out in hatred, though his monks remained there, went to the king of the West Saxons named Centwine, and stayed there for a short time because of the persecution that followed. For there the queen, sister of Queen Iurminburg, hated him with hostility, so that, on account of the friendship of the three aforesaid kings, he was again driven away and departed.

Chapter 41: How in Selsey he converted the pagans to God #

¹ Why, then, should I delay further in words? When his custody had been relaxed, he had been driven from his own province, so that he was not permitted to have rest even in a foreign land, either beyond or on this side of the sea, wherever the power of Ecgfrith prevailed; but without ceasing he did not cease to stir up the persecution which he exercised against him in every region in which he intended to remain. But at that time a certain province of our people, still persisting in paganism, had continued until then, which, because of the multitude of its rocks and the density of its forests, had remained unconquered by other provinces; and to those pagans in the land of the South Saxons, with God directing his way and human help failing, our holy bishop fled. And when he had found their king, whose name was Æthelwalh, he set forth in order all the hardship of his exile. Immediately the king, under a bond of peace, promised him such friendship that none of his enemies, nor the threatening sword of a hostile warrior, should strike terror into him, nor should the greatness of gifts and presents annul the covenant of agreement made with him. But the holy man of God, rejoicing in words of consolation and giving thanks to God, first began gently to preach to the king and queen the word of God and the blessedness and greatness of His kingdom, as though giving milk without deceit. Then afterwards, with the king’s consent, God granting it, and at the exhortation of our holy bishop, the peoples to whom it had not previously been preached, and who had never heard the word of God, were gathered together. Therefore our holy bishop Wilfrid, standing in the midst of the pagans, according to the example of our Lord Jesus Christ and His forerunner, said: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”, and: “Let each of you be baptised in the name of God the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,” and so forth. For many months, with a wide-ranging discourse, elegantly setting forth from the beginning of the world the creation of almighty God, to the contempt of idolatry, and continuing up to the day of judgement, where eternal punishment is prepared for sinners and everlasting life for the elect of God, the preacher of the Gospel proclaimed all things in order with persuasive eloquence. Then indeed our holy bishop, sent by God, found favour in the sight of the king, and, according to the Apostle, a great door of faith was opened to him; and of the pagans of both sexes, some willingly, others compelled by the king’s command, forsaking idolatry and confessing almighty God, as through the blessed apostle Peter, many thousands were baptised in one day. For the king, made gentle and devout through the Lord, granted his own estate, in which he dwelt, as an episcopal seat, together with territories afterwards added of eighty-seven holdings in Selsey, to the holy new evangelist and baptiser, who had opened for him and all his people the way of eternal life; and there, his brethren having been gathered together, he founded a monastery for rest, which his dependants possess to this day.

Chapter 42: On Cædwalla when he became king #

¹ In those days also, through our bishop, the people of the Church of God increased abundantly from day to day, and the glory of his name shone forth magnificently. There came a certain exile of noble birth from the deserts of Chiltern and Andred, named Cædwalla. He earnestly sought the friendship of our holy father, that he might be to him a faithful father in teaching and assistance, and that he himself might be an obedient son to him, promising this by a vow; and, this agreement having been made, with God as witness, they truly fulfilled it. For the holy bishop of Christ often aided and strengthened the distressed exile with various helps and supports, until, having grown strong and despising his enemies, he obtained the kingdom. And indeed, when Cædwalla was reigning, his enemies having been slain and overcome, and he held the whole sovereignty of the region of the West Saxons, he immediately humbly summoned to himself our bishop Wilfrid (who was rightly converting the pagan people in the land of the South Saxons to God and magnificently glorifying the name of the Lord) as his venerable father and most beloved above all. And when now our holy and venerable father had come, King Cædwalla at once appointed him as a chief counsellor in all his kingdom, just as Pharaoh king of Egypt appointed Joseph, brought out of prison, according to the prophet, saying: “He made him lord of his house, to teach his princes wisdom”. Then King Cædwalla, triumphant, with our holy bishop exalted through God, and having magnificently honoured his father with innumerable lands and gifts granted for God according to the desire of his soul, protected his kingdom unharmed with bold spirit, whether as victor by the sword or as a merciful giver of peace by treaty.

Chapter 43: On the reconciliation of our bishop and Archbishop Theodore #

¹ At that same time also Theodore, archbishop by the grace of God, honouring, under the compulsion of fear, the authority of the Apostolic See from which he had been sent, did not delay long in entering into true friendship with our bishop Wilfrid, long exiled and despoiled. For when Archbishop Theodore, in his old age, was troubled by frequent illness, he invited Wilfrid and Eorcenwald, holy bishops, to himself in the city of London. When they had come, the archbishop wisely set forth the whole course of his life with confession before the Lord, saying: “And this especially presses upon me as a scruple, that I have committed wrong against you, most holy bishop, consenting to kings who, without cause of sin, stripped you of your own possessions and drove you into long exile—alas, for sorrow—though your subjects deserved otherwise; and now I confess to the Lord and to Saint Peter the apostle. And you, my fellow bishops, be witnesses for me, that I will by every means draw and compel all my royal friends and their princes everywhere, willing or unwilling, into friendship with you for the remission of my sin. For I know, according to the Lord’s revelation, that the end of my life is approaching after this coming year; and therefore I adjure you by God and Saint Peter to consent to me, that while I yet live I may appoint you as my successor and heir in my archiepiscopal see, because I have truly recognised you, among your own people, as most learned in all wisdom and in the judgements of the Romans.” Then Saint Wilfrid the bishop said: “May the Lord and Saint Peter the apostle grant you remission for all the dispute committed against me, and for your confession I will be your friend in prayer for ever. And now first send messengers with letters everywhere to your friends, that they may acknowledge our reconciliation in the Lord and that I was formerly despoiled though innocent, and that, through your adjuration in the Lord and according to the command of the Apostolic See, they may restore to me some part of my possession. Afterwards, God willing, we shall take counsel in a greater council, with your agreement, as to who is worthy to receive the episcopal see after you.”

² Then, after the archbishop had entered into an agreement of true peace, he sent letters to King Aldfrith of the Northumbrians, by which he adjured him, for the fear of the Lord and in accordance with the commands of the bishops of the Apostolic See, and for the redemption of the soul of King Ecgfrith, who had previously driven our bishop, innocent and stripped of all his possessions, from his homeland, that he should deign to be reconciled with him under a bond of peace for the salvation of many. Nor did the archbishop stir up only this king to concord, but he took care diligently to make friends for him everywhere, as though from former enemies. For he sent his letters to Ælfflæd, the holy virgin and abbess, in which, commending according to the authority of the Apostolic See, he urged that she should without doubt enter into peace with Saint Wilfrid the bishop. Likewise, adjuring Æthelred, king of the Mercians, in his own love and that of Christ, he instructed him to receive him, as he had previously intended in his mind, with the following words:

³ “To the most glorious and most excellent Æthelred, king of the Mercians, Theodore, archbishop by the grace of God, eternal greeting in the Lord. Therefore let your most admirable holiness know, my most beloved son, that I have peace in Christ with the venerable bishop Wilfrid. And for this reason, dearest one, I admonish you with fatherly affection and command you in the love of Christ that you grant to his holy devotion, as far as your strength allows God granting it, your protection, as you have always done and as long as you live, because for a long time, deprived of his own possessions, he has laboured greatly in the Lord among the pagans. And therefore I, Theodore, a humble bishop in my old age, lay this before your blessedness, because the authority of the Apostolic See commends this, as you know; and that most holy man named above, in his patience, as Scripture says, has possessed his soul, and, humble and meek, following his Lord and Saviour, has awaited a remedy for the injuries unjustly inflicted upon him. And if I have found favour in your sight, although it may seem hard to you on account of the length of the journey, may my eyes see your pleasant face, and may my soul bless you before I die. Therefore act, my son, concerning that most holy man as I have entreated you, because if you obey your father, who is not far from departing from this world, it will greatly profit you for salvation. Farewell in peace, live in Christ, abide in the Lord, the Lord be with you.”

⁴ Why should I say more? After King Æthelred, on account of the authority of the most blessed pontiffs—namely Agatho and Benedict and Sergius—holding the dignity of the Apostolic See, had willingly received our bishop in accordance with the canons, restoring to him many monasteries and territories of his own right, and holding him in the highest honour of dignity, he remained without ceasing a faithful friend to the end of his life.

Chapter 44: How King Aldfrith received our bishop #

¹ It came to pass, therefore, after the course of many years had declined, while our holy leader was at times living honourably in exile, and while his monks had then been driven out into various places throughout the whole of Britain and, serving under foreign masters, were awaiting and expecting redemption from the Lord, that at last they heard of the downfall of a most wretched disaster: that Ecgfrith, king of the Northumbrians, had been slain and, with all the finest host of his army, overwhelmed by the nation of the Picts. After him reigned Aldfrith, a most wise king, who, in the second year of his reign, reverently invited our holy bishop Wilfrid back from exile to himself, according to the command of the archbishop; and first he granted him the monastery with its adjoining possessions at Hexham, and after an interval of time, according to the decree of the most blessed Agatho, bishop of the Apostolic See, and of the holy synod, he restored to him his own episcopal seat in the city of York and the monastery at Ripon with its revenues, the foreign bishops having been expelled from it. This he held securely for five years, in the joy of his subjects, having returned from exile like John the apostle and evangelist returning to Ephesus.

Chapter 45: On the stirring up of enmity between them #

¹ For the instigators of ancient enmity, as though roused from the sleep of slumber, set in motion the sea of this world—calm in joy—towards a sorrowful shipwreck, with the storm of a whirlwind blowing from the bellows of envy, and rekindled the torch of discord that had been extinguished. For at one time peace and security and almost every joy of good things abounded between the most wise king and the aforesaid holy man; but at another time, when the cauldron of wickedness was boiling, it corrupted many, and thus again into concord and again into discord, living alternately in such change for many years, they remained, until at last, when the greatest flame of enmity had blazed forth, the holy man of God withdrew, driven out by King Aldfrith from the region of the Northumbrians. For the first cause of their disagreement, descending from an ancient origin, was that the church dedicated to Saint Peter the apostle was unjustly deprived of its lands and possessions. The second was that the aforesaid monastery, which had been granted to us as a privilege, was turned into an episcopal seat and forced to abandon the liberty which Saint Agatho and five kings had decreed that it should firmly and steadfastly possess. The third, moreover, was that he was compelled to obey the commands and decrees of Archbishop Theodore, sent from the Apostolic See—not meaning those canonical statutes which, at the beginning of his episcopate while he was living among us, or in the final period of his life, he had established, when he called all our churches together into canonical peace and unity, but rather those decrees which he had set in the middle period, when discord had arisen among us in Britain. Therefore our holy bishop, refusing these things, went to his faithful friend Æthelred, king of the Mercians, and he received him with great honour out of reverence for the Apostolic See; and he remained, living under the protection of God and of that king, in great honour in his bishopric, which the most reverend Bishop Sexwulf had formerly governed before his death.

Chapter 46: On the council at Aet-Swinapaeth #

¹ Therefore King Aldfrith, together with the holy Archbishop Berhtwald and almost all the bishops of Britain, having assembled a synod in the field which is called Austraefelda, then sent envoys to the presence of Saint Wilfrid the bishop, humbly asking that he would deign to present himself before them, promising through their messengers that they would give an account of canonical statutes concerning the ancient dispute, if he would not refuse to come to their assembly. Why should I say more? But when he had come to the place where the synodal discussion ought to have been held, it did not turn out as had been promised to him; rather many and great disputes and controversies arose from them, especially from those bishops of the churches—though it is not doubted that this was done with the will of King Aldfrith and the agreement of certain abbots—who, urged on by greed, in no way desired to have peace in the churches, and, bringing forward many false accusations which they could prove by no truth, moreover affirmed that our holy bishop ought to be judged according to the statutes and commands of Archbishop Theodore. But he, understanding what they were arguing, replied humbly, saying that he agreed to their commands and judged that he was willing in all things gladly to obey their decrees according to the rule of the canons. Then, with many and stern words, he rebuked the stubbornness of their obstinacy, which for twenty-two years they had not feared to exercise in contentious resistance against apostolic authority, and he asked them with what face they dared to prefer or choose the decrees of Archbishop Theodore over the apostolic statutes, sent to Britain for the salvation of souls by the most holy popes Agatho and Benedict and the blessed Sergius, when those decrees had been established, as we have said, in a time of discord.

Chapter 47: How the plot against him was revealed #

¹ Meanwhile, since no proper manner of speaking had been suitably arranged by them, one of the king’s attendants, very devoted to our bishop—whom he himself had nurtured from the cradle from earliest infancy—slipped out secretly from the king’s tent, disguising himself with the appearance of another, mingling among the surrounding crowds as though unknown, until he reached our bishop; and, laying open to him the nature of their judgement, he revealed it, saying: “By this deceit they are altogether attempting to ensnare you: that first you should confirm by a written declaration in your own hand that you will submit to whatever judgement they may determine and decree; so that, once you have been bound by this bond of obligation, you may in no way be able thereafter to change it. For this will indeed be the outcome of their judgement: that whatever you have ever been seen to possess in the land of the Northumbrians—whether in bishopric or in monasteries or in any matter—you must relinquish all; and whatever you had obtained in the kingdom of the Mercians under King Æthelred, you must surrender everything and, being compelled, leave it to the archbishop, for him to give to whom he wishes; and finally, condemning yourself, you are to depose yourself from your dignity of holiness by your own subscription.” Having said this, he immediately slipped away and departed.

² Then the holy man, of the highest virtue and constancy, hearing these things and understanding the scheme of deception, became more cautious about the repeatedly demanded subscription. They pressed him urgently to give an answer, and at times, threatening him, argued that if he would not promptly confess himself willing to submit to their judgement, he should know that he would quickly incur a sentence of condemnation. Answering them, he said: “First, hearing the judgement of the archbishop, if it accords with the statutes and rules of the holy fathers, I embrace with all the effort of my mind to submit to it.” But at last, since they could no longer conceal the matter for long, with many perceiving it, they first declared that they wished to strip the holy servant of God of all his possessions in such a way that he should have not even the smallest portion of a single dwelling, either in the kingdom of the Northumbrians or in that of the Mercians. At the harshness of this judgement, determined by the archbishop and the king, even those who were already his enemies were struck with horror, saying that it was impious to deprive so renowned a man, without any capital crime, of all his goods before the surrounding nations. At length, considering something more humane, they decided that only the monastery which he had built at Ripon, and had long ago given and entrusted to Saint Peter with all that belonged to it, and for which he had received a privilege from Pope Agatho for the abbot and the community dwelling there, should be restored to him—yet with this condition added: that he should firmly attest by a written declaration of his own hand that he would remain quietly there, that he would not pass beyond the bounds of the monastery without the king’s permission, nor undertake any priestly office, but should cast aside from himself his rank of honour—which is dreadful to say—pressing and compelling him strongly to this under witness of confirmation.

³ When he heard this, our holy bishop Wilfrid, steadfast and fearless, spoke with raised voice, saying: “For what reason do you compel me to turn against myself the sword of such grievous calamity and miserable ruin—that is, the subscription of my own condemnation? Shall I not, without any charge of guilt, give offence to all who hear the report of my name, by which I have been called, though unworthy, with the title of bishop for nearly forty years? And was it not I who, after the death of the first leaders sent by Saint Gregory, rooted out the poisonous growths of the Scottish planting, and converted the whole people of the Northumbrians to the true Easter and to the tonsure in the form of a crown—whereas before they had shaved the back part of the head from the top—according to the rule of the Apostolic See? Or how did I, according to the custom of the primitive Church, instruct them in the modulation of chanting, with two choirs standing together, to sing with responsive antiphons? Or how did I establish the life of monks according to the Rule of our father Benedict, which no one had introduced there before? And now, how shall I myself pronounce against myself a sudden sentence of condemnation, apart from the consciousness of any wrongdoing? But concerning this newly arisen dispute, by which you have attempted to violate my state of sanctity, I confidently appeal to the Apostolic See; and whichever of you presumes to deprive me of my rank of dignity, let him, invited by me today, go with me there to judgement. For the wise men of Rome ought diligently to know for what fault you desire to degrade me, before I consent to these things for you alone.” Hearing this, the archbishop and the king said: “Now indeed, being made guilty, let him be condemned by us, because he has chosen their judgement rather than ours.” And the king, making this promise, added to the archbishop: “For I will do it, if you command, without delay or hesitation, that, compelled by the force of my army pressing upon him, he shall on this occasion confess himself ready to submit to our judgement.” But the other bishops of the council said: “It ought to be remembered that he has come here thus far on the faith of our promise, not daring otherwise; let us depart together and return to our homes in peace with a favourable journey.”

Chapter 48: Concerning his return to King Aethelred. #

¹ After these discussions, therefore, the useless council was dissolved on both sides, and each, returning home, withdrew; and thus, with God protecting him, His servant, freed from the hands of his enemies, returned unharmed to the most faithful King Aethelred. Our holy bishop, however, proceeding onward, came to King Edilred, declaring to him the whole disturbance of harsh speech which had been brought by the bishops against his command. Then also questioning the king as to how or in what manner he had decided concerning the possession of the lands and his own resources which had been granted by him to the other; the king indeed replied: “I do not increase the disturbance by destroying the life of the monks, which has been dedicated to the church of the blessed Apostle Peter; but, it remaining in the same condition, I shall preserve, life accompanying it, what by the Lord’s favour has been maintained by me, until I shall first have sent my own messengers or written documents of property to Rome to enquire about these pressing matters, in what way, desiring what is right, I may be found safe.” Upon receiving this reply, rejoicing together, they parted, and each returned to his own affairs.

Chapter 49: Concerning our excommunication #

¹ But the enemies, who were seizing for themselves the inheritance of our holy bishop, proclaiming that we were separated from the company of the faithful and those who took part with us, so utterly detested our communion that, if any of our abbots or priests, having been asked by a member of the faithful from the people, blessed his food set before him with the sign of the cross of God, they judged it to be cast out and poured away as though it were an idol-offering, and they ordered that the vessels from which our men ate should first be washed, as if defiled by filth, before they were touched by others.

Chapter 50: Concerning his voyage and his journey to Rome #

¹ When this wretched and lamentable calamity came upon us and was made known, we cried out unceasingly to the Lord day and night, offering prayers with fasting and weeping together with all our subject congregations, until, being prepared, they boarded a ship with our holy bishop and, carried by the vessel, with the Lord going before them, they reached the southern shores. Then indeed, proceeding on foot across the land together, with the holy apostles assisting, having completed the long journey in safety, they came to the Apostolic See, where they stood presented, kneeling with bent knees, earnestly entreating and requesting that this account of their mission, although composed more with rusticity than adorned with eloquence, might, according to his customary mercy of piety, be received without disdain. “For we wish your dignity to know this,” they said, “that we have come to accuse no one out of envy; but only that, if anyone coming from elsewhere in your most blessed council should dare to bring forward any charge against us, we are ready, so far as we are able with your mercy assisting, either to refute it, if it be false, or to confess it, if it be true. Therefore, protected by the mercy of our Creator and of the prince of the blessed apostles, we have fled to this most glorious see as to a mother’s bosom, prepared to endure whatever your most blessed authority shall command.”

² Then, therefore, by the most blessed apostolic pope Pope John VI, our holy bishop Wilfrid, together with the most reverend priests and all the venerable clergy, was received with kindly favour; and, awaiting the responses of the glorious see, they remained for some days at rest in a lodging that had been voluntarily prepared. Meanwhile also, envoys sent by the holy archbishop Berhtwald, with their written accusations directed to the Apostolic See, arrived at the same time, humbly requesting that an audience for their mission, which they were discharging, might be granted to them by that most glorious see. Then indeed the most blessed apostolic pope Pope John VI, having assembled his fellow bishops from all sides and all the venerable clergy, came to the place of the synod; and, when the God-beloved Bishop Wilfrid had been presented with his venerable brethren, the document of his petition was first read aloud before the whole assembly, containing as follows:

Chapter 51: Concerning the document of his petition #

¹ To the lord apostolic and thrice most blessed universal pope John, Wilfrid, a suppliant and humble servant of the servants of God, bishop. Let your holiness know that these are the causes for which I have now come for the third time from the farthest part of the earth to be assisted by this apostolic see and your most blessed presence: first, because the unity of apostolic men is always wont to be indivisible, so that those things which were decreed by your predecessor the most blessed Pope Agatho with most just and merciful judgements, your pious authority may confirm and strengthen, since it is not doubted by many that they profit unto salvation; and that your piety may deign to understand that in all the commands of your blessedness we are ready, humble and suppliant, to submit. For, disturbances having lately arisen in Britain on the part of those who, against the decrees of the aforesaid most blessed Pope Agatho and of his successors, the venerable fathers, were seizing for themselves the bishopric and monasteries and lands with all my possessions, I was compelled to appeal to this most holy apostolic see, calling them to account by almighty God and the blessed Peter, prince of the apostles, that, if anyone had any accusation against me, he should come together with me to your presence to be judged, as the writings of your blessed predecessor Pope Sergius decreed. Therefore I have taken care to offer the page of my humble petitions to your most glorious presence on account of the pressing necessity now known to you, and with these I presume to knock upon the ears of your customary clemency and kindness, containing this: that all the things of justice and piety which were unanimously decreed towards my humility by your most blessed predecessors, the apostolic lords, Saint Agatho and the elect Benedict and the blessed Sergius, you may deign, with bountiful goodwill of piety, to confirm. And with the deepest intention of the heart, not only I but also all the brethren who have come with me, beseeching your unbending authority, humbly request that, if any accusers against us should come from elsewhere, they may be brought forth by your command into the midst and set out the causes of their accusation; and if they are able to confirm even the smallest point, we are ready willingly to endure the fairness of your judgement. But if they have dared to bring only falsehoods to your most blessed authority, commended by false documents, let permission be given to us, as it shall please your holiness, to clear away those accusations. Likewise I, a suppliant and humble servant, beseech your holiness that by that same authority you may deign to command Ethelred, king of the Mercians, concerning the support of our life, which your most blessed predecessors, the apostolic lords Saint Agatho, Benedict, and Sergius, enjoined: that is, that those monasteries with the lands belonging to them, which were granted to me by the same King Ethelred and his brother Wulfhere or by others for the redemption of their souls, no one may presume, out of envy or wicked greed, to take away or seize contrary to your decrees and the will of the aforesaid king. And further I humbly and earnestly beg your kindness with insistent prayers, that all the things which your predecessor, often mentioned, the most blessed Agatho, had decreed in this apostolic see with the whole synod, you may entreat King Aldfrith of the Northumbrians to fulfil by most peaceful admonitions. But if perhaps this should seem hard to him on my account, let the bishopric of the city of York with many other monasteries depend upon your judgement, to whom you shall consider it most right to entrust their governance. Only let those two monasteries, the first which is called Ripon, and the other which is called Hexham, which were assigned under one privilege of this apostolic see by Saint Agatho, through the help of your petition be restored to us with all the lands and possessions belonging to them. And after these petitions I shall add this, that according to the statutes of the canons I shall always duly show veneration with brotherly charity to Archbishop Berhtwald, and I willingly promise that I shall do so, provided only that he himself fulfils the well-founded decrees of your predecessors, the most blessed Agatho and his successors, towards my humility.

Chapter 52: Concerning the fact that Pope John said that the writings of the predecessors should be reviewed #

¹ After the account of our petition had been read and carefully heard by the most glorious men, they gave permission for us to return to our lodgings, and those men sent by the holy Archbishop Berhtwald with their writings to the apostolic see were also brought into their honourable presence. Hearing their many and great accusations against the man of God, Bishop Wilfrid, they promised that in due course they would steadfastly hear the examination of each charge in order, with both parties present, that is, the accusers and those making defence, and they then ordered them likewise to return home. Then the most blessed John, pope of the apostolic see, sitting with his fellow bishops in the place of the synod, said:

² “O holy synod, it is for us first to go through the canons of our most holy predecessors and to examine the writings formerly sent to this apostolic see from both sides concerning this same hostile deceit, and diligently to consider what the thrice most blessed Agatho determined in these matters, and after him what the elect Benedict and also my most holy predecessor Sergius resolved and caused to be remembered, as to what ought to be done by the apostolic see concerning this same matter for the kings and the holy archbishop. Then more easily, with both sides contending against one another in the presence of our brotherhood, with God’s help and that of Saint Peter, prince of the apostles, we may be able to recognise the light of truth, once falsehood, being blinded, has been extinguished, and to judge canonically according to the rule of the most holy earliest predecessors.” And this counsel of the most blessed John pleased the whole synod, and so they did.

Chapter 53: #

¹ Therefore on a certain day the most blessed John, bishop of the apostolic see, and his most reverend fellow bishops, having been gathered into the holy council, ordered that chosen men of both parties, the accusers and the defenders, should be presented to the holy assembly, and at once it was so done. For the holy Bishop Wilfrid and his venerable priests and deacons were presented, humbly and suppliantly greeting the honourable faces, promising that with the deepest affection of the heart they would receive and fulfil the decrees of that apostolic see; and likewise the envoys of the holy Archbishop, coming according to the command of the most holy men, stood present. To them time was given for speaking, so that they might choose whichever single article of accusation they wished, first to speak against us, and afterwards to proceed in order to the others in the dispute. They replied, saying: “This is the first article of our accusation, that this present Bishop Wilfrid, stubbornly refusing, has despised the judgements of the holy Archbishop Berhtwald of the church of the Cantuarians and of all Britain, issued from this apostolic see, and the statutes set forth before the synod. We have delivered the statement of our side; you speak your defence.”

² Therefore our holy Bishop Wilfrid, standing, advanced in honourable old age, with his venerable brethren in the sight of the whole assembly, said: “Humbly and as a suppliant I beseech your most excellent holiness that you may deign to hear from me the truth of this matter as it was done. For I was sitting in council with my abbots and priests and also deacons; they sent to me one from the number of the bishops gathered there, questioning me with the words of the king and likewise of the archbishop, whether I would be willing to agree to the judgement of the archbishop alone, and whether I would be prepared to fulfil in every respect whatever he should decree in judgement or not. To him thus enquiring I replied: ‘It is necessary first to know what the decision of that judgement is, before we declare whether we are able to carry it out in practice or otherwise.’ But he affirmed that he did not know, and said that the archbishop was not willing in any way to reveal or make known to any of our party the outcome of the judgement, before we should confirm by the subscription of our own hand before the present council, confessing that we would choose to hold to his single judgement in all things and not turn aside from it either to the right or to the left. ‘Such a narrow constraint of restriction,’ I said, ‘I have never before heard to have been imposed by any man, that one should be bound by the bond of an oath to declare that he will carry out decrees, even if impossible, before he knows the force of the decision.’ Nevertheless there before the assembly I promised that in all the judgements of the archbishop, in those matters in which it is found to agree with the statutes of the holy fathers, the rules and canonical definitions, and is not at all at variance in any respect with the synod of Saint Agatho and of the other orthodox successors, we shall be found ready to submit with the whole effort of our mind.”

³ This defence our holy bishop gave and fell silent. Then the holy synod replied: “Wilfrid, the God-beloved bishop, has set forth the protection of his defence in a canonical manner.” Then, speaking among themselves in Greek and smiling, while we remained silent, they began to say many things, and at last, speaking to the accusers, said: “You are not unaware, dearest brethren, that we have from the command of our canons this rule: whenever many charges are brought against clerics by accusers, and one of them, concerning which the case has first been argued, cannot be proved, they are no longer to be admitted to the others. But nevertheless, on account of the honour of the holy archbishop, sent forth from the authority of this apostolic see, and for the reverence of this most blessed Bishop Wilfrid, long despoiled by deceit, as they assert, with God and Saint Peter, prince of the apostles, revealing and making clear, we shall not neglect, without weariness, to examine fully all the articles over many days or months, desiring to bring the matter to an end.”

⁴ After these words, when triumphal joy had arisen for our bishop with his brethren, permission having been given by the holy synod, they returned to their lodgings, preparing for the contest of the following days. But the others, on the contrary, confounded at the very beginning of the dispute, withdrew to their home; and the mists of falsehood, scattered by the blowing wind of wisdom, and the sun of truth shining forth through God’s help and Saint Peter, over the course of many days and months, he was declared free from every sinful offence and crime, purely and completely acquitted, and our holy bishop appeared approved. For through four months and seventy sessions of the most holy see, being tested as from a furnace of fire, with apostolic authority thus assisting, he escaped purified, to speak briefly: because at the holy Easter, on the third day, the synod of the thrice most blessed Agatho, established against the perversities of heretics with one hundred and twenty-five orthodox bishops, in which each one, for his own province and city, confessed the true faith and confirmed it with his subscription. This was read aloud before all the people in the Roman manner, in which writing it was found among other things: Wilfrid, the God-beloved bishop of the city of York, appealing to the apostolic see concerning his case and absolved by this authority in matters certain and uncertain, and placed with one hundred and twenty-five other fellow bishops in the synod in the seat of judgement, for all the northern part of Britain and the islands of Ireland, which were inhabited by the peoples of the Angles and Britons and also the Scots and Picts, confessed the true and catholic faith and confirmed it with his subscription. Therefore, when this was heard, all the wise citizens of Rome were astonished.

⁵ Then Boniface and Sisentius and certain others, who had known him and seen him in the days of blessed memory Agatho, said that this present man was that God-beloved Bishop Wilfrid, whom the most blessed Agatho, having purified him from accusations and absolved him by apostolic authority, had formerly sent back to his own place, and whom now again—alas!—the snares of his persecutors had driven out from his own see. “He who for forty years and more has discharged the duties of the episcopate, and such an honourable old man, together with his venerable brethren, false-speaking accusers and men of feigned gravity, with audacious rashness—and, so to speak, one deacon and all the rest without any rank of ecclesiastical dignity—have dared to accuse before the assembly of the apostolic see so exalted a person. And therefore they are worthy to pay the penalty, to be worn down in the lowest confinement of a prison until the end of death.” And then the Roman men affirmed that they had spoken the truth.

⁶ But the most blessed John, pope of the apostolic see, said: “The blessed Wilfrid, the God-beloved bishop, in whom we have found no imputation of crime after examining him so carefully through so many of our sessions, is to be known, by the authority of the blessed Apostle Peter, the prince of the apostles, who has the power of loosing and binding even from hidden sins, to be absolved; and what the blessed Agatho and the elect Benedict and the holy Sergius, bishops of the apostolic see, determined concerning him, the humility of our own insignificance also, with the consent of the whole synod, has decreed to confirm by written judgements sent to the kings and to the archbishop by the hand of the blessed Bishop Wilfrid, speaking in this manner:

Chapter 54: #

¹ “To the most eminent lords, King Æthelred of the Mercians and King Aldfrith of the Deirans and Bernicians, Pope John. Concerning the growth of your distinguished religion, we rejoice, with the grace of God cooperating, perceiving in you a zeal for God, which, through the preaching of the prince of the apostles, with God enlightening your minds, you have received and effectively maintain; so that greater progress may increase our joy. But that which affects our minds and has grieved our fellow bishops and the whole Church is the report of an inextricable disagreement of certain persons, which, with the Lord’s favour, ought to be brought to correction, so that we may be proved before God, the judge of all, not as despisers of pontifical decrees but as sons of obedience who keep them. For formerly, under Agatho, our predecessor of apostolic memory, when Bishop Wilfrid, coming to this apostolic see, had appealed, in the presence of his opponents, who had earlier come here to accuse him, sent by Theodore of venerable memory, archbishop of the holy church of the Cantuarians, by command of this apostolic see, and by Hild, abbess of religious memory, bishops from various provinces, assembled here with the aforesaid holy pontiff, inquired regularly into what was said by the parties and determined it by sentence; and the successors of that holy pontiff, our predecessors, followed the same judgement. Nor is it recognised that Theodore, the bishop of venerable memory, who was sent from this apostolic see, opposed this, nor did he afterwards refer any accusation to this apostolic see; rather, as appears from his statements, he also obeyed the pontifical decrees. Therefore, with God’s help, provision must be made, and the disagreement must not continue in one place while unity remains among the other fellow bishops and peoples. And we have spoken of these past matters. We have also foreseen that it should be made known to your illustrious Christian dignity concerning present matters, that those who came here from the same island of Britain and brought accusations against Bishop Wilfrid, when he himself arrived with his brethren, turned back upon the accusers what they had accused. Their dispute we have caused to be conducted for some days before the assembly of the most reverend bishops and priests who are here present; among whom all things which the parties brought forward, whether in earlier or more recent writings, or which could be found here, or which were spoken verbally by the parties, having been carefully investigated, were brought to our knowledge, while the principal persons themselves, from whom the whole dispute arose, were not present, though it is necessary, if the dispute is to receive an end, that they should come and sit together. And therefore we admonish Berhtwald, bishop of the holy church of the Cantuarians, our most reverend brother, whom we have confirmed there as archbishop by the authority of the prince of the apostles, that he should convene a synod together with Bishop Wilfrid, and, the council being duly held, should cause Bishops Bosa and John to come to the synod, and should hear the statements of the parties and consider what each side is able to prove against the other. And if indeed, with God favouring, he is able to determine this regularly in the synod, it is pleasing to us and expedient for the parties; but if it should turn out otherwise, let him admonish them in synod, and by his admonitions let them come together to this apostolic see, each side considering what may benefit its own case, so that in a fuller council that may be examined and decided which until now has not been able to be settled, and that, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, those who came with discord may return in peace. But let whoever of them delays to come, or, which is to be abhorred, despises to come, know that he submits himself to deposition, and is to be cast out from here and not to be received there by any bishops or by the faithful. For he who is disobedient to his authority cannot be reckoned among his ministers and disciples. Therefore let your Christian and royal highness, for the fear of God and the reverence of the Christian faith and the peace which the Lord Jesus Christ gave to his disciples, give support and concurrence, so that these things which, by God inspiring, we have discerned may come to fulfilment, so that for such a religious endeavour a reward may be assigned to you in heaven, whereby both in this world, Christ protecting you, you may reign in safety and may have the blessed fellowship of his eternal kingdom. Therefore remember, dearest sons, what the most blessed Agatho and the other bishops of the Roman Church after him have decreed with one voice with us by apostolic authority concerning this same matter. For whoever, with bold rashness, despises this in respect of any person will not be unpunished by God, nor will he escape without harm from the bond laid upon him from heaven. May heavenly grace preserve your eminence in safety.”

Chapter 55: How, when he was ordered to return to his homeland, he carried holy relics with him #

¹ Therefore, after many months had been spent there, having been carefully examined almost daily in the dispute, at last he appeared entirely acquitted in victory. Now when our holy bishop wished to remain at the apostolic see and, in his old age, to crucify the world to himself and end his life there, the apostolic pontiff and the whole holy synod, strictly enjoining him, as one who had long ago promised obedience, commanded him in particular, by apostolic authority, as one fully absolved from certain and uncertain charges after long affliction, to return to his homeland and to carry written judgements to the kings and the archbishop, and to soothe the sorrow of his followers and renew the joy of his friends in the name of the Lord. But our holy bishop, knowing how to obey, together with his companions, went about the places of the saints, and, according to his custom, gathering holy relics by name from chosen men, and also obtaining other garments, purple and silken, for the adornment of churches, returned to his homeland with the blessing of the saints, travelling over plains and rough places, through fields and mountains on a long journey, until he reached the region of Gaul.

Chapter 56: On the protectors in our sickness and the coming of Michael #

¹ Then therefore, as they were making their journey, our holy bishop, having been seized by a very great weakness of illness, was at first carried on horseback; but at last, borne in a litter in the hands of those who served him and wept and cried out to God, he was brought scarcely alive to the city of Meaux, with none doubting his death. For he had tasted no food or drink for four days and four nights, but lying in a trance, only his breath and warm limbs showed that he was alive. At length on the fifth day, at daybreak, behold, an angel of the Lord in a white garment appeared to our holy bishop, saying: “I am Michael, messenger of the Most High God, who has sent me to you to declare that years of life are added to you through the intercession of holy Mary, the Mother of God and ever-virgin, and through the tears of your subjects, which have reached the ears of the Lord. This shall be a sign to you, that from this day you shall be restored day by day and will be healed and will reach your homeland, and to you shall be restored the dearest of your possessions, and you shall finish your life in peace. Be ready also, for after the space of four years I will visit you again. Now indeed remember that you have built houses in honour of the holy apostles Peter and Andrew, but for holy Mary, the ever-virgin who intercedes for you, you have made none. You have this to amend, and you shall dedicate a house in her honour.” And after these words the angel of the Lord was taken up and departed from his sight. Therefore our holy bishop, rising as if awakened from sleep, sat up among the choirs of those singing and weeping, saying: “Where is our priest Acca?” Who, immediately called with joy, came, giving thanks to the Lord with all, because they had seen him sitting and speaking. Then, the brothers having been sent out of the house, with only his most faithful priest Acca—who now by the grace of God is a bishop of blessed memory—he revealed in order the whole vision, as we have said above. Straightway, the aforesaid holy priest, a man of keen understanding, perceived it, giving thanks to the Lord, that in this manner years of life had been added to our bishop through the intercession of holy Mary, the Mother of the Lord, and through the prayers of his subjects, just as fifteen years were added to Hezekiah, king of Judah, of which five were for the sake of David his father’s choosing, another five for the intercession of Isaiah the prophet in the temple of God, and another five for the goodness of the king himself and his weeping as he turned to the wall.

Chapter 57: How, on his return, he crossed the sea #

¹ Then therefore our holy bishop, his hands and face having been washed, while all our people rejoiced with marvellous gladness and gave thanks, confessing with joy the life granted to him by the Lord, having taken a little food, was refreshed, his eyes enlightened according to Jonathan. And after a few days, as the same illness abated, they set out on their journey and came as far as the sea, the greatness of which they crossed by ship, and, with God’s help, found a safe harbour in the region of Canterbury. There, having found Archbishop Berchtwald, the messengers of our holy bishop spoke with him. And he promised to soften the harsh judgements formerly established in the synod, because, compelled by apostolic authority and alarmed and made fearful by letters sent through his messengers, he was reconciled sincerely and without pretence to our holy bishop, as the outcome of the matter proved. Then, with a great company of his abbots and with gifts, they were joyfully met near the city of London from the east. At last, however, our holy bishop came to King Ethelred, who had formerly ruled over the people of the Mercians, ever his most faithful friend, who indeed, for excessive joy, was weeping; and he greeted him most gently. Kissing and embracing one another, he was honourably received by his friend according to his custom. And he humbly presented to him the words of greeting sent from the apostolic see and the judgements decreed concerning him, sealed with bulls and seals. But he, when the letters of the apostolic see had at once been opened and read, prostrating himself upon the ground, obediently made his promise, saying: “Of the writings of this apostolic authority I will never in my life condemn even the smallest stroke of a single letter, nor will I consent to those who do so, but I will help, according to my strength, that they may be fulfilled.” And just as he had promised, so without doubt he accomplished it. For now, by God’s gift, an eternal reward shall be rendered to him for good. For immediately he invited Coenred, whom he had appointed king after him, to himself, and adjured him in the name of the Lord and in his own affection to obey the commands of the apostolic see. And he willingly promised to do so.

Chapter 58: How King Aldfrith perished on account of his contempt #

¹ At length, after no long space of time, our holy bishop, having instructed his friend Æthelred, sent chosen messengers—Baldwin the priest and abbot, and the master Alfrith—to Aldfrith, king of the Northumbrians, who was known to him, saying to him: “Our holy bishop greets you with words of peace and asks of you that you grant him leave to come into your presence with letters of greeting from the apostolic see and with judgements concerning his case established by apostolic authority.” To these things the king at first replied nothing harsh or severe; but, having made an arrangement and appointed a day for returning to him again, he promised that he would then give an answer. But the brothers, according to the king’s command, returning to him a second time on the appointed day and asking what he would say in reply, the king answered them, as his counsellors persuaded him: “O brothers, both of you venerable to me, ask of me what is necessary for yourselves, and I will grant it to you out of respect for you. But concerning the matter of Wilfrid your lord, do not press me any longer from this day forward, because what my predecessors the kings and the archbishop with their counsellors determined, and what afterwards we with the archbishop sent from the apostolic see, together with almost all the bishops of our British nation, have judged—this, I say, so long as I live, on account of the writings of the apostolic see, as you say, I will never wish to change.” And afterwards he completely changed this judgement, and truly repented of it.

Chapter 59: #

¹ Then indeed the messengers, bearing the sad news, departed from him, no longer seeing his face, and came to their lord. For divine vengeance did not delay, but, according to the prophecy of the bishop of the apostolic see, it strictly afflicted the king, bound in the chains of illness. And he at once, since he was most wise, recognising that he had been struck by apostolic authority, being led to repentance, confessed his sin committed against Bishop Wilfrid contrary to the judgements of the apostolic see, declaring and saying: “If by any means he could come to me alive at my invitation, I would at once amend my offence.” And yet he made a vow to God and to Saint Peter, that if he should rise healed from that illness, he would set all things right according to the desire of Saint Wilfrid the bishop and the judgement of the apostolic see. “But if, by God’s will, I shall have died, I command in the name of the Lord to my heir, whoever shall succeed me in the kingdom, that he make peace and concord with Bishop Wilfrid for the remedy of my soul and his own.” These words faithful witnesses heard and reported to us, among whom are Ælfflæd the abbess, a most wise virgin, who is truly the king’s daughter, and also Æthelburh the abbess, and many others have affirmed these things. But illness weighed upon the king, speech deserted him for many days, and at last he died; and after him Eadwulf reigned for a short time. To him our holy bishop, coming from exile with his own son, sent messengers from Ripon as to a friend; to whom he replied harshly and sternly, persuaded by his counsellors, saying: “By my salvation I swear, unless he departs from my kingdom within the space of six days, whichever of his companions I shall find shall perish by death.” And after these harsh words, a conspiracy having been made against him, he was driven from the kingdom, which he had held for two months; and in his place there reigned the royal boy named Osred, son of King Aldfrith, and he was made the adopted son of our holy bishop.

Chapter 60: #

¹ In the first year of King Osred, Berhtwald, archbishop of the church of Canterbury and of almost all Britain, coming from the south, having by command of the apostolic see diligently invited the king of the Northumbrians with all his bishops and abbots and the princes of his whole kingdom to a synodal place concerning the case of blessed Bishop Wilfrid, and so it was done. For they were gathered together in one place near the river Nidd from the east: the king with his princes, and his three bishops with the abbots, and also the blessed abbess Ælfflæd, ever the best comforter of the whole province and an excellent counsellor; likewise Archbishop Berhtwald and Bishop Wilfrid came together on one and the same day. Then, when the king and the bishops with their princes were seated in the synodal place, the archbishop began to speak in this manner: “Let us pray to our Lord that He may grant the harmony of peace in our hearts through the Holy Spirit. For both I and the blessed Bishop Wilfrid have writings of the apostolic see, sent to my humility through messengers and likewise brought by himself; and we humbly beseech that they may be read in the presence of your reverence.” And the venerable lords gave permission, and before the synod, with all listening, both books were read from beginning to end.

² But after the reading, when all were silent, Berectfrid, second among the king’s princes, said to the archbishop: “We, since we are in need of interpretation, desire to hear what the apostolic authority says.” And the archbishop answered him, saying: “The judgements of the apostolic see, though expressed at length and with many turns of phrase, nevertheless show one single meaning concerning the same matter in both books; the sense of which I will set forth briefly. For the apostolic authority, which was first given to Peter the apostle and prince of the apostles, with the power of binding and loosing, has by its authority decreed concerning the blessed Bishop Wilfrid that, in my presence, though unworthy, and in that of all the assembled bishops of the churches of this province, laying aside ancient enmity for the salvation of souls, they should be reconciled in goodwill to the blessed Bishop Wilfrid. For to these my fellow bishops there is given a choice from the two judgements of the apostolic see, whichever they may wish to choose: either that they enter fully and completely into peace with Bishop Wilfrid and restore the portions of the churches which he formerly governed, as they shall have judged wisely together with me; or, if they should not wish this better course, that they all go together to the apostolic see and there be judged in a greater council. But if anyone, which God forbid, despising this, should be unwilling to fulfil either of these two, let him know that, if he be a king or a layman, he is excommunicated from the body and blood of Christ; but if he be a bishop or a priest, which is more detestable and dreadful to speak, he is to be deprived of every rank of ecclesiastical dignity.” These are the judgements of the apostolic see set forth briefly.” But the bishops, resisting, said: “What our predecessors once determined—Theodore the archbishop, sent from the apostolic see, and King Ecgfrith—and what afterwards in the field called Easterfield, together with us and almost all the bishops of our British nation, and in your most excellent presence, archbishop, with King Aldfrith, we judged—how is anyone able to change it?”

³ Meanwhile the most blessed Abbess Ælfflæd spoke with her blessed mouth and said: “Truly in Christ I declare the testament of King Aldfrith in that illness by which he ended his life; who made a vow to God and to Saint Peter, saying: ‘If I live, I will fulfil all the judgements of the apostolic see, which before I refused to hear, concerning the blessed Bishop Wilfrid. But if I die, then say to my heir, my son, in the name of the Lord, that for the remedy of my soul he is to fulfil the apostolic judgement concerning Bishop Wilfrid.’” As she spoke these things, Berechtfrid, the aforesaid prince of the king, replying said: “This is the will of the king and of his princes, that we obey in all things the commands of the apostolic see and the injunctions of King Aldfrith. For when in the city which is called Bamburgh we were besieged and on every side surrounded by a hostile force and remained in the narrow confines of a rocky crag, having taken counsel among ourselves, if God should grant to our royal boy the kingdom of his father, we promised to God that we would fulfil what the apostolic authority commanded concerning the holy Bishop Wilfrid; and immediately after the vows, the minds of our enemies having been changed, all swiftly with an oath turned into friendship with us; the gates having been opened, we were freed from confinement, our enemies put to flight, and we received the kingdom.”

⁴ After these words had been finished, the bishops, withdrawing apart from the others, began to take counsel among themselves, sometimes with the archbishop among them, and at other times the most wise virgin Ælfflæd; and the outcome of this holy council was such that all the bishops and the king with his nobles entered into a pure harmony of peace with Bishop Wilfrid, which they maintained among themselves until the end of his life, restoring to him two excellent monasteries, which are at Ripon and at Hexham, with all their revenues. And on that day all the bishops, kissing and embracing one another and breaking bread, received communion; and all the holy ones, giving thanks to God for this blessedness, returned in the peace of Christ to their own places.

⁵ Wonderful is God in his saints, who for the love of the whole Church has crowned the souls of the bishops with saving peace. And this is the greatest blessedness on both sides, both of those who for long spans of years had held their possessions and willingly, for the sake of amendment, restored them in the peace of Christ to our bishop before their death, and of us, who, scattered through various exiles, were sorrowful, serving under foreign masters, and now, with all everywhere reconciled in peace with our lord, our most dear head, bearing the hope of life with the Lord, rejoicing and exulting, live in blessing.

Chapter 61: The joy of this world is mingled with sorrow, and all things look to their end #

¹ For when the time which Michael the archangel had foretold drew near, our holy bishop, setting out from Hexham, was suddenly seized by such an illness that, as once in the city of Meaux, he was worn down, so that he endured an even more severe sickness. Then all the household, with deep sorrow of heart, taking up the accustomed weapons of prayer, sang and prayed unceasingly day and night, beseeching the Lord to grant him a respite of life, at least to speak and to set his house in order and divide his possessions, and not to leave us as orphans without abbots. The report of this mournful calamity spread far and wide, and all his abbots from their places and the hermits, hastening with swift course by day and night, doubting nothing according to human custom about his death, gathered from every side and, without hope whether present or absent, nevertheless came to him as though living. Entering the house, bending the knee and all with one mind in grief, they prayed the Lord to fulfil in them His promise, saying: “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them, says the Lord”, and that He would grant some space of life to our bishop. And, God granting it, so it came to pass that he both ordered all our life in various places according to his desire under superiors chosen by himself, and distributed his substance, within and without, to God and to men according to his judgement, which before he had not accomplished. For from that day, as if awakened from sleep, recovering understanding and memory and the power of speech, he was restored to full health. We, giving thanks to God and gladdened with marvellous joy, each went his own way.

Chapter 62: #

¹ Therefore our holy bishop, living in the joy of his people and in perfect peace, in the space of a year and a half after his illness fully and completely amended all those things which previously seemed to be lacking to him among men. For not long before his death of blessed memory, at Ripon, having invited to himself two abbots and very faithful brothers, eight in number altogether, he ordered the treasurer to open the treasury and to set out all the gold and silver with precious stones in their presence, and he commanded that it be divided into four parts according to his judgement; and he, without delay, obeying the command of the holy father, completed everything accordingly. But our holy bishop said to the faithful witnesses: “Know, my most beloved brothers, my intention, which long ago I had in mind—that I might again appeal to and visit the see of the Apostle Saint Peter, from which I was often delivered, and, God willing, that I might end my life there, and take with me one of the best of these four portions to offer gifts through the churches of the saints, and to carry offerings to the church dedicated to Saint Mary, the Mother of the Lord, and to offer gifts to Saint Paul the Apostle for my soul. But if God shall provide otherwise, as often happens to the aged, and the day of my death overtakes me, I command you, my faithful ones, in the name of Jesus Christ, that you send my gifts by messengers to the aforesaid churches. Of the other three portions, divide one among the poor of my people for the redemption of my soul; let the second portion be divided among the heads of the two aforesaid monasteries, so that with the gifts of kings and bishops they may be able to secure friendship. But the third portion distribute among those who have endured long exiles with me and to whom I have not given lands of estates, according to the measure of each, so that they may have the means to support themselves after me.” Again, on another occasion after some time, he said to faithful witnesses: “Brothers, remember that I appoint this Tatberht, a priest, my kinsman, who until now has been my inseparable companion, as head at Ripon, that he may share the governance with me as long as I live and possess it without dispute after my death. For this reason I declare these arrangements, that if Michael the archangel visits me, he may find me prepared; for many signs of my death are increasing.”

Chapter 63: #

¹ After these discussions, according to the command of our holy bishop, when the signal had been given, the whole household of Hrypum was gathered together in one place. Upon entering, our holy bishop took his seat and began to speak, saying: “Our most reverend brother Caelinus, who for some time has been placed over you in due observance, has laboured greatly in the Lord and now desires to return to his former way of life and to the desert places, and to practise the contemplative life as before and to serve God alone; and I am unwilling to refuse him this any longer. Yet I admonish you to preserve faithfully the order of your rule of life until, God willing, I come to you again. For these two abbots of ours, Tibba and Eabba, now present, sent by King Ceolred of the Mercians, have urged me to consent to meet with him, and this on account of the condition of our monasteries which are in his kingdom; for he promises to order the whole of his life according to my judgement. And when I return to you again, God willing, if life accompanies me, I shall bring with me one whom I have found to be a man worthy to take the chief place of your community. But if, through my frequent illnesses, something else should happen by God’s providence, then whoever these witnesses who now sit beside me—Tibba and Eabba, abbots, Tatberht and Hadufrith, priests, and the master Aluhfrith—shall tell you upon their coming, receive him and appoint him as abbot, and render to him the obedience which you have promised to God and to me and have hitherto fulfilled, according to my command.” Kneeling and weeping, with their heads bowed to the ground, they promised to carry out all his commands; and as they lay prostrate in prayer, our holy bishop blessed them and commended them to the Lord, and from that day they did not see his face again.

Chapter 64: #

¹ Therefore our holy bishop, proceeding with the peace and blessing of all, both the rulers and the subjects of the Northumbrians, made his way to the southern kingdoms, and there he found all his abbots rejoicing at his arrival. There he related in order to certain of them the aforesaid instructions, and to each of them, according to his measure, he either increased the livelihood of their monks with lands or gladdened their hearts with money, as though, by the spirit of prophecy, he were distributing his inheritance among his heirs before his death. At last they came to his monastery, which is situated at Undolum, in which he had formerly dedicated a church to the Apostle Andrew; and there he was immediately seized by the distress of illness, so that he understood that the end of this life was near to him, and in a few words he exhorted them to be mindful of all the good things which he had previously spoken. For he had already recounted the whole course of his life in remembrance to the priest Tatberht, namely his kinsman, on a certain day when they were riding along the road, as though foreknowing his death; and likewise he called to mind all the lands in various places which he had previously given to abbots or then ordered to be given, such as the monastery at Hagustaldesea, which he commanded to be given into the possession of the priest Acca, who after him, by the grace of God, became a bishop of blessed memory. After he had spoken a few things, he blessed them, as Jacob blessed his sons, and in peace, not with groaning or murmuring, he inclined his head upon the pillow of the bed and rested. But they in the choir, singing psalms day and night without ceasing and mingling them with weeping, continued until in Psalm 103 they came to that verse in which it says, “Send forth your spirit, and they shall be created, and you will renew the face of the earth”. Then our holy bishop gave up his spirit, and all were astonished, hearing at that hour a sound as if of birds arriving. With a cloud of witnesses confirming it, they received the appointed abbot, who for love of his father, our holy bishop, was accustomed to do many good works. For every day he arranged that a special Mass should be celebrated for him, and every week he ordained that the fifth day, on which he died, should be honoured with feasting like the Lord’s Day, and on the yearly day of his death he appointed, for all the days of his life, that all the tithes from the herds and flocks of his people should be distributed to the poor for the glory of God, besides those alms which every day he always gave by name, both for himself and for the soul of his bishop, to the needy and to God.

Chapter 65: #

¹ Thus our Lord revealed our holy bishop, a great man and a faithful servant, as we believe, among His saints by the power of miracles to men. For on a certain day, when abbots coming from all sides were conveying the holy body of the bishop in a cart, and requested of them permission to wash the holy body and to clothe it carefully and honourably, as was fitting, they obtained leave to do so. Then a certain abbot, named Bacula, spread his shroud upon the face of the ground, and upon it the brethren placed the holy body, washing it with their own hands and clothing it in a churchly manner, and they carried it with hymns and songs, with the fear of God, to the appointed place; and above the house they again heard a sound as of birds settling, and immediately again flying off into heaven with the sweet movement of their wings. But those who were wise and were present there said that they were certain that the choirs of angels had come with Michael and were leading the soul of the holy bishop into paradise. Then, a tent having been set up outside, they washed the holy body and poured the water upon the ground there, and the dwellers of the cell afterwards raised a wooden cross on that spot, and there the Lord was accustomed to perform many miracles. But our brethren, clothing the holy body in linen garments and placing it in the cart, and singing psalms, set out on their journey and came as far as the monastery of Hrypum. Immediately the whole community came out to meet them with the holy relics. Almost no one refrained from tears and weeping. Raising their voices with hymns and songs, they brought him in among them, and in the basilica which our holy bishop had formerly built and dedicated in honour of Saint Peter the Apostle, they honourably laid to rest the body of the most holy man in the seventy-sixth year of his age. How many bishops and priests and deacons he ordained during the forty-six years of his episcopate, and how many churches he dedicated—who can reckon? His praise endures for ever. And the abbots, gathered together according to the command of our holy bishop, led forth Tatberht the priest as a worthy heir.

² Again therefore the aforesaid abbot gave his shroud, somewhat soiled by the feet of those ministering, wrapped up, to his servant boy, commanding him to take it to the abbess of our holy bishop, named Cynethryth, and to keep it for her in such a state until, God willing, he should return to her again. She, at first obeying the commands of the abbot, afterwards nevertheless ordered it to be washed. And when a certain weak and poor nun heard this, who for many years, like the man in the Gospel, had a withered and useless hand, she came to the abbess, and, bending her knee with tears, implored her, saying: “In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and for the soul of your holy bishop, grant me to wash my feeble limbs in this washing. For I believe with unshaken faith that my bent hand and arm, long withered, may God willing, by the mingling of the holy sweat, be healed in that washing.” But the devout abbess, fearing to refuse, granted permission according to her faith. She therefore immediately plunged her senseless hand into the warmed lye of the water, touched the shroud, and rubbing the trunk of her withered hand with the cloth, washed it. Then (why should I delay in words?) her fingers were straightened, her hand restored to life, her arm strengthened. By the touch of the shroud she was healed through faith, just as the woman in the Gospel named Moerisa was healed of a flow of blood when she touched the hem of Jesus’ garment both giving thanks to the Lord, they praised Him for His wonders.

Chapter 66: #

¹ At another time also the Lord showed our holy bishop, His saint, wondrously praiseworthy, to men according to His custom. For when certain noble exiles, with an army, plundering on account of their grievance, had burned the aforesaid monastery at Undolum, where our bishop had entered upon the way of the fathers, except for one house in which our holy father died, they strove with careful effort to set it alight with firebrands and lamps, but in vain. For, contrary to nature, their fires were extinguished upon the thatched roof as though the torches had been soaked. At last, however, one of them, entering boldly, thinking to set fire more easily to the dry hay within, saw a young man standing there in white, holding in his hand a golden cross. And he, as soon as he saw him, struck with astonishment and beside himself, went out and said: “Let us depart from here: behold! the angel of the Lord defends this house.” And they withdrew from it.

² Then also, as is confirmed by the testimony of many, there was a great thorn hedge which surrounded the whole monastery, and when the flame, devouring it from one side, was blazing up, it burned on as far as the place where we said that a wooden cross had been set up at the spot of the bath. There, at the raising of the cross, that devouring fire immediately vanished. But from the other side of the monastery the burning fire, swiftly running along the dry thorn hedge, went around as far as the corner at some distance from the aforesaid house, and there, its light diminished, it was extinguished, that part of the hedge alone remaining untouched.

³ The aforesaid evil men also perished, God taking vengeance. For some of the most noble among them, after an interval of time, while with their armies in broad daylight, were struck blind; seeing nothing, they were unwittingly surrounded on all sides by their enemies and were soon overthrown and slain, and only a few of their companions escaped, protected by the sign of the cross. By such a marvel, therefore, the holy man of God, Wilfrid, by his prayers avenged his wrongs.

Chapter 67: Concerning the sign of the circle #

¹ Therefore, after our holy bishop had departed to the Lord, his abbots everywhere, with those subject to them, fearing the snares of their former enemies, said: “So long as the best head of our life lived, we often endured various trials from the kings and princes of Britain, all of which, through the holiness of the bishop and the wisdom of many, and with the help of his friends, he was accustomed always to bring to a fitting end; but now it is for us fully and perfectly to believe that our intercessor, by the sign of the holy cross, is made equal to the apostles of God, Peter and Andrew, whom he especially loved and to whom he dedicated his substance together with his dependants, and that he stands in the sight of God without ceasing as the protector of our defence.” And immediately a sign of this belief appeared in heaven. For on the anniversary day of our holy bishop, when bishops from all sides and abbots from the east and west, from the north and the south, had gathered together for the solemn day and assembled in one place, and were keeping vigils in the evening in the church where the body of our holy bishop rests, while certain brethren of duller understanding were at that hour standing outside, a sign appeared in the sky, the vision of which they kept silent about in turn until morning. On the next day, when they heard the report, they were greatly troubled, murmuring that it had not been revealed to them because of their sins. But relief and consolation for this concern soon followed. For when, the feast and supper of the solemnity having been completed, at the evening twilight the abbots with all the household went out for the prayer of Compline, immediately they saw in the sky a marvellous sign, that is, a white circle, surrounding the whole monastery, like a rainbow in daylight but without its varied colours. For the beginning of this white circle, starting from the corners of our basilica dedicated to Saint Peter, opposite the place where the body of our bishop rests, stretching towards the south and broadly encompassing the right side of the monastery, reached as far as the north. Then, with the circle completed, it rose upwards towards the south-east of the eastern sky and fixed its end. But we, adoring, will praise the Lord, who is wonderful in His saints, clearly understanding the wall of divine help around the vineyard of the household of the Lord, as the outcome of the matter plainly proved concerning us who feared. For since in all the kingdoms on this side and beyond the Humber our life was carried on under chosen abbots, as the brethren saw, there rushed together, as it were, certain bowmen drawing their bows and shooting arrows and turning them back upon themselves. But we will magnify in the name of the Lord.