york00orns

74 YORK.
statements are correct, he further expressed a desire
that he might succeed to his own archiepiscopal chair.
At Wilfrid's request, Theodore wrote to Aldfrid, to
the abbess Elfleda, Hilda's successor at Whitby, and
to Ethelred, the Mercian king, entreating them to
receive him kindly, reminding them that he had long
been deprived of his possessions, and had laboured
long amongst the heathen. Theodore's wishes were
acceded to. Ethelred gave back to him the monasteries
and property which he had held in Mercia, and
Aldfrid received him at his court.
[a.d. 686.] To Northumbria Wilfrid once more
returned, in the autumn, probably, of 686, but not, as
before, to be the ruler of a diocese commensurate
with the kingdom. Cuthbert was bishop of Lindisfarne,
which was a direct contravention of the decree
made by Pope Agatho and his synod. Hexham was
vacant by the death of Eata, Bosa was at York, and
Eadhed at Ripon. Aldfrid at once; as it seems, put
\Vilfrid in possession of the monastery of Hexham.
After the lapse of a little time Bosa retired from York
and Eadhed from Ripon, when Wilfrid again became
bishop of his former diocese with the exception of
the see of Lindisfarne. He does not seem to have
wished to disturb this arrangement, nor yet that by
which Hexham was recognised as a separate see. In
687, on the 25th August, a holy man, known and
revered centuries afterwards as St. John of Beverley,
was consecrated bishop of that see. After the death
of Cuthbert, on the 20th March, 687, the see of Lindisfarne
was administered by Wilfrid himself for a
twelvemonth. At the expiration of that time Eadbert