XXVIII. How, when Tuda was dead, Wilfried was ordained [664 A.D.]
CHAP. XXVIII. How, when Tuda was dead, Wilfrid was ordained, in Gaul, and
Ceadda, among the West Saxons, to be bishops for the province of the
Northumbrians. [664 A.D.]
IN the meantime, King Alchfrid sent the priest, Wilfrid, to the king of Gaul, in
order that he should cause him to be consecrated bishop for himself and his
people. That prince sent him to be ordained by Agilbert,of whom we have before
spoken, and who, having left Britain, was made bishop of the city of Paris;and
by him Wilfrid was honourably consecrated, several bishops meeting together for
that purpose in a village belonging to the king, called In Compendio.He stayed
some time in the parts beyond the sea for his ordination, and King Oswy,
following the example of his son’s zeal, sent into Kent a holy man, of modest
character, well read in the Scripture, and diligently practising those things
which he had learned therein, to be ordained bishop of the church of York. This
was a priest called Ceadda, brother to the most reverend prelate Cedd, of whom
mention has been often made, and abbot of the monastery of Laestingaeu. With him
the king also sent his priest Eadhaed,who was afterwards, in the reign of
Egfrid,made bishop of the church of Ripon. Now when they arrived in Kent, they
found that Archbishop Deusdedit had departed this life, and no other bishop was
as yet appointed in his place; whereupon they betook themselves to the province
of the West Saxons, where Wini was bishop, and by him Ceadda was consecrated;
two bishops of the British nation, who kept Easter Sunday, as has been often
said, contrary to the canonical manner, from the fourteenth to the twentieth
moon, being called in to assist at the ordination; for at that time there was no
other bishop in all Britain canonically ordained, except Wini.
So Ceadda, being consecrated bishop, began immediately to labour for
ecclesiastical truth and purity of doctrine; to apply himself to humility,
self-denial, and study; to travel about, not on horseback, but after the manner
of the Apostles, on foot, to preach the Gospel in towns, the open country,
cottages, villages, and castles; for he was one of the disciples of Aidan, and
endeavoured to instruct his people by the same manner of life and character,
after his and his own brother Cedd’s example. Wilfrid also having been now made
a bishop, came into Britain, and in like manner by his teaching brought into the
English Church many rules of Catholic observance. Whence it followed, that the
Catholic principles daily gained strength, and all the Scots that dwelt in
England either conformed to these, or returned into their own country.
