Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

CONFESSOBSHIP. 51 ; [
King Oswy died in 670 and was succeeded by his '
son Egfrid, whose queen was St. Ethelreda. In
obedience to a powerful inspiration of divine grace,
she had always been faithful to her vow of virginity,
and Wilfrid, her confessor, not only encouraged her
to persevere in spite of the king's remonstrances, but
sanctioned her flight from the court when she at
length succeeded in getting some kind of consent
from Egfrid. The queen's final retreat was Ely,
where she founded a double religious house, and continued
to be fortified by the advice and support of
Wilfrid. The king never forgave Wilfrid for upholding
Ethelreda in her love of chastity. It was however
more than a mere attraction. Wilfrid believed that
Ethelreda had never given her consent to marriage,
and on this ground alone he stood by her to the
utmost of his power. For years Egfrid nourished
his grievances, and when at last he married Princess
Ermenburga of the West Saxons, he provided himself
with an instrument of revenge. Ermenburga
called the king's attention to Wilfrid's splendid
position, to his riches, and to the influence which he
exercised. Her words enkindled the smouldering O
flame. The king and queen resolved to break the
bishop's great power by calling in Archbishop Theodore,
Wilfrid's official superior. Theodore came
again to Northumbria in 678, during a temporary
absence of Wilfrid. It is probable that he was
thinking chiefly of his own policy and that he was
not influenced by personal animosity. A particular
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