CHAPTER 59: [Death of AIdfrith – 704/5]
CHAPTER 59
[Death of AIdfrith – 704/5]
THEY had no further interview, but left at once to bring Wilfrid the sad news. And now, just as the pope had promised, divine vengeance did not tarry. Aldfrith soon had to grapple with a severe illness. He at once came to his senses, realized that he had been stricken down by the power of the apostles for his defiance of Rome, and repented.
‘If only Wilfrid could be persuaded to come to me now,’ he lamented, ‘I would quickly make amends.’
There and then he vowed to God and St Peter that if he were spared to rise from his bed he would carry out the pope’s commands, let Wilfrid have his way and put everything in order.
‘But if by God’s will I should die, I bid my successor, who-ever he may be, to come to terms with Wilfrid for the good of his soul and my own.’
This verbatim account was given us by trustworthy witnesses, among whom were Abbess Aelffled, herself a king’s daughter, and Abbess Aethilberg. Many others have confirmed it. But the king’s illness gained the upper hand; he lay speechless for five days, then died. Eadwulf succeeded him for a short while. Our holy bishop, who was at Ripon with Eadwulf’s son, sent messengers to him as a friend – only to be answered with extreme harshness, for the deep-rooted malice of Eadwulf’s counsellors had turned him against Wilfrid. This was the reply:
‘I swear on my life that if you are not out of my kingdom within six days, you and any of your companions I can find shall perish.’
Shortly afterwards a conspiracy was hatched against the king and he was driven out after a mere two months’ reign. The boy Osred, Aldfrith’s son, took his place and became our bishop’s adopted son.