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Life of St Wilfrid

Eddius Stephanus, tr. Colgrave, 1927

How Pope John Said that the Writings of His Predecessors Were to Be Re-examined

After the matter of our petition had been read and carefully listened to by this most glorious company, we were given leave to return to our dwellings; and the men who had been sent to the Apostolic See by the Archbishop St Berhtwald were also brought into their honourable presence with their writings; they listened to their manifold and great accusations against Bishop Wilfrid the man of God, and promised at some future time to conduct a thorough examination of each count in order in the presence of both, that is both accusers and defendants; thereupon they bade them go home.

Then the most blessed John, Pope of the Apostolic See, said to his fellow-bishops who were sitting in the place of synod: “O Holy Synod, first of all it is our duty to go through the canons of our most holy predecessors and to examine the writings which were on former occasions sent to this Apostolic See by both parties concerning this same hostility and wrong, and to consider diligently and bear in mind what the thrice-blessed Agatho decided in these matters, and after him the elect Benedict, and my most holy predecessor Sergius; they decided from the Apostolic See what should be done in this same matter by the kings and the holy archbishop. Then, with the help of God and of St Peter the chief of the Apostles, we shall the more easily be able, after we have quenched and put out the fires of falsehood, to perceive the light of truth, when representatives of both sides are contending one against the other in the presence of our brethren, and we shall decide in accordance with the canons and the rule of our most holy predecessors.” This plan pleased all the synod of the most blessed John; and they acted accordingly.