Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

: ' ST. WILFRIDS SUFFERINGS
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line of conduct carried out in spite of all obstacles,
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1 whether offered by men or things, has an appearance
of harshness. However that may have been, Theodore
was bent on dividing existing dioceses and on
forming new sees. Consequently he put three
bishops into Wilfrid's place : Bosa for York and the
Kingdom of Deira, Eata for Hexhain and for Bernicia,
and
V
Eadhead for the province of the Lindissi (Lin-
colnshire) newly conquered by Egfrid. The injustice
inflicted by Theodore's anointed hand was the bitterest
of all. In vain did Wilfrid protest against an
act which ejected him from his own bishopric. His
remonstrances were laughed to scorn. Then he
appealed above his metropolitan to the tribunal of
St. Peter.
The snares laid by Wilfrid's enemies on his Rome-
ward journey nearly proved fatal to Wynfrid of
Mercia, who, also deposed by Theodore, was likewise
appealing to the Holy See. Err ore bono uni-u*
syllabw seducti, says Wilfrid's friend and biographer
of his enemies,1 they seized Bishop Wynfrid at
Estaples, despoiled him of all he possessed, whilst
the real .Wilfrid found his way to Rome and laid his
cause before Pope Agatho.
The Pope charged fifty bishops and priests sitting
at the Lateraii, to hear it. The words of Wilfrid's
petition are memorable. "I, Wilfrid, humble and
unworthy bishop of the Saxons, have sought refuge
here as in an impregnable fortress. With God's
1 Les Moines d''Occident, iv. 263.