york00orns

S. CUTHBERT CONSECRATED AT YORK. 7 I
successor. The choice of the assembly fell upon
Cuthbert, then living as a hermit on the island of
Fame. He refused to leave his cell, but yielded a
reluctant assent at last to the entreaties of Ecgfrid,
Trumwin, bishop of Abercorn, and others. On
Easter Day, 685, Cuthbert was consecrated bishop in
the Minster of York by Theodore and six other
bishops. It is clear that all this time Theodore was
exercising undisputed power as Primate of All England,
and neither Cuthbert nor any other bishop said
a word in favour of Wilfrid's claims.
Cuthbert was allowed to remain at Lindisfarne.
Eata went to Hexham, and Cuthbert remained as
bishop in the home he loved and the place where he
had long been prior. The king made him large
gifts ;
amongst others the village of Crayke, as a
halting-place on his journeys to and from York,
the city of Carlisle, and the territory of Cartmel in
Lancashire.
A great calamity for Northumbria was now impending.
Deaf to all remonstrances, Ecgfrid determined
upon undertaking a campaign against the
Picts. They owned his supremacy, but he was bent
upon bringing them into actual subjection.
It was a
fatal ambition. Ecgfrid and his army saw their wily
foes retreat before them, not daring, as it seemed, to
risk a conflict. It was to lure them to their destruction.
They were drawn into a mountain
gorge at Nechtansmere ; the Picts turned round
and faced them ;
Ecgfrid was slain with almost all
his host, scarcely one escaping to bring the news to
Carlisle, where Ermenburga, attended by Cuthbert,