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going on, and (luickly appeared before the King and
the Archbishop to demand their reasons for taking
such a step without his privity and concurrence.
Their answer was abrupt enough. " We allege
nought against thee," said they, " but our act is irrevocable."
Wilfrid at once announced his determination
of submitting the matter to the judgment of the
Apostolic see. It was an announcement which was
received with shouts of contemptuous derision on the
part of the courtiers and followers of Ecgfrid and
Theodore.
But Wilfrid was not one to be turned from his purpose
by either opposition or ridicule, and he was
determined to make his appeal in person. He set
forth to Rome. It was thought that he would go
through France, and a scheme was devised by his
enemies for entrapping him as he passed through the
dominions of the Frankish king of Neustria. But it
foiled. Wilfrid had sailed to Friesland, where he was
honourably received by Adalgis, the Frisian king, and
remained long enough to sow the first seeds of Christianity
in the country which was afterwards the scene
of the labours of the saintly Boniface.
About the middle of 679 he arrived in Rome.
Agatho was now pope. He had already received
Theodore's version of the story. Wilfrid placed his
written statement in the pope's own hands. A
council was held, before which were laid the memorial
and counter-memorial. The decision of the
council was that Wilfrid should be reinstated in his
original diocese, and the newly-promoted bishops
expelled. He was then to summon a council at