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WILFRID ABBOT OF RIPON. 47
onwards to Rome. At Lyons Wilfrid received the
most tempting offers from the Archbishop of that see,
who had conceived a great affection for him, to induce
him to remain. But his purpose was fixed and his
face set towards Rome. Here he spent some time in
diligent study, devoting special attention to the calculations
as received there for the regulation of the
Easter Festival ; and here he received the Roman
tonsure, thus withdrawing his allegiance from the
Scotic discipline under which he was professed at
Lindisfarne. He studied under archdeacon Boniface
for several months, and by him was presented,
before taking his departure, to the pope, Eugenius I.
He dismissed him with a solemn blessing and an
earnest prayer. Wilfrid took Lyons again on his homeward
journey, and remained there three years with the
Archbishop, narrowly escaping death when he accompanied
the latter to the place of execution, on his
being condemned to die on some charge of treason
or disaffection. This happened in 658, at the latter
end of which year he returned to Northumbria.
A close and intimate friendship now took place
between Wilfrid and Alchfrid, the son of Oswy, under
whom he was ruler of Deira. Alchfrid, as Bede tells
us, "had learned both to love and follow the catholic
church rules." ^ Their views on all matters of ecclesiastical
discipline were therefore in full accord, and
no long time elapsed before Wilfrid received from
Alchfrid lands at Stamford, on the river Derwent, in
the East Riding of Yorkshire, and soon afterwards
the monastery of Ripon was also bestowed upon him.
' " Ecclesiastical History," iii. p. 25.