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ARCHBISHOP THEODORE. 55
by one who maintained the Scotic rules. But he
offered no opposition. He retired to his monastery at
Ripon, discharging occasionally episcopal offices in
Mercia, and especially in Kent, whither he was invited
by Egbert. At Canterbury he made himself
master of the Benedictine rule, which he was afterwards
the first to introduce into the northern districts
of England. Here also he studied architecture and
all its kindred arts. Church music was likewise practised
and cultivated with sedulous care. Like all men
of great force of character, he attracted followers who
adhered to him with enthusiastic devotion ; such as
Eddi, subsequently the great teacher of church song
in Northumbria, and his loving and faithful biographer,
not to mention ^ona and many others.
Wilfrid's absence from Northumbria was not, however,
of very long duration. The year 669 witnessed
the arrival in England of one who did more to consolidate
and organise the Church of England than
any other prelate who has occupied the chair of St.
Augustine. This was Theodore, a Greek monk,
" born at Tarsus, a city of Cilicia," well skilled in
literature, both sacred and profane, familiar with
both the Greek and Latin tongues, of irreproachable
morals and venerable age, being threescore and six
years old. His name was suggested to Pope Vitalian
by Hadrian, the head of a monastery near Naples,
whom he had designed for the vacant see of Canterbury,
when Wighard's death occurred at Rome,
where he had been sent for consecration by Oswy as
Bretwalda, Egbert, and others, representing the
general will of the Church of the English race.