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70 YORK.
His character ever shone brightest in adversity, and
as in Friesland, so now in Sussex, he applied all the
energy of his nature to civilise, humanise, and finally
to evangelise this rude and barbarous people. He
taught them the art of fishing in the sea, of which
they were utterly ignorant. He showed them, when
worn out and perishing by a famine, how food could
thus be procured for their support. The service
which he thus rendered won their gratitude and
secured their love, and they then listened to the instruction
v/hich he sought to impart in higher
things. The seed fell at last upon soil which bore
fruit, and .Sussex became evangelised by his patient
and pious labour. Ethelwalch gave him land at
Selsey. Two hundred and fifty serfs were attached
to this grant, adscript! gleluc, and passed as chattels
into Wilfrid's hands. He recognised the great Christian
principle that slavery is inconsistent with the
spirit of Christ's gospel. He gave them all their
freedom, and he gave them a yet higher gift,—he instructed
them in the faith of Christ, and brought
them to Holy Baptism. A minster arose on the land
thus granted him, and Wilfrid became the first bishop
of the South Saxons. For five years, says Bede, he
discharged every function of his episcopal office
amongst them, deservedly venerated and honoured
by all.
In 684, we find a marked instance of the persistent
manner in which Wilfrid's claims were ignored in
Northumbria. Tunbert, the bishop of Hexham, was
deposed by Theodore, and a synod, partly ecclesiastic
and partly lay, was convened by the latter to elect a