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Life of St Wilfrid
Eddius Stephanus, tr. Colgrave, 1927
How He Received from Bishop Dalfinus the Apostle Peter’s Form of Tonsure, and How the…
So Wilfrid, the servant of God, finding the Archbishop Dalfinus safe and sound, went to offer his greetings as a son would do to a father and recounted to him in detail how his journey had been crowned with blessing. The bishop gave thanks to God because the Lord had preserved his son unharmed both as he set forth and as he returned again. Now for three years he remained with him, learning many things from the most learned teachers, and the love between them grew greater and greater. Wilfrid, the servant of God, in accordance with his own desire, gladly received from the holy Archbishop Dalfinus the form of tonsure of the Apostle Peter in the shape of the crown of thorns which encircled the head of Christ. As he placed his holy hands upon Wilfrid’s head he purposed in his heart to make the young man his heir if God so willed. But God had something better in view for our race. For at that time there was an evil-hearted queen named Baldhild who persecuted the church of God. Even as of old the wicked Queen Jezebel slew the prophets of God, so she, though sparing the priests and deacons, gave command to slay nine bishops, one of whom was this Bishop Dalfinus, whom the dukes with evil intent summoned to their presence. But he made his way with undaunted heart to the place of trial, knowing what lay before him. St Wilfrid the servant of God went with him, and though the bishop wished to prevent him, joyfully replied, “Nothing could be better for us than that father and son should die together and be with Christ.” So the holy bishop won a martyr’s crown; but when St Wilfrid, despoiled and ready for the prize of martyrdom, was standing by fearlessly, the dukes asked, “Who is that handsome young man who is preparing for death?” “A foreigner of the English race from Britain” they were told. Thereupon they said, “Spare him and do not touch him.” So now our St Wilfrid has become a confessor like John the Apostle and Evangelist, who sat uninjured in a cauldron of boiling oil and drank deadly poison unharmed; it was of St John and his brother the Apostle James, that Jesus asked the question, “Can you drink the cup that I am about to drink?” and so forth.