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Life of St Wilfrid
Eddius Stephanus, tr. Colgrave, 1927
41. How He Converted to God the Pagans in Selsey
Why should I linger in telling my story? On his release from prison he was driven from his own province in such a way that no rest was allowed him even in the land of strangers on either side of the sea, wherever the power of Ecgfrith prevailed. For he never ceased to stir up perpetual persecution, which he brought to bear upon him in whatever land he was disposed to remain. There was, however, a certain province of our race which had remained persistently heathen up to this time, and on account of its rocky coast and thick forests could not be conquered by the other kingdoms. And to these pagans, the people of Sussex, our holy bishop fled, for God directed his way when human aid had ceased.
When he had found their king, whose name was Aethilwalh, he told him the whole story of his sufferings and exile. Forthwith the king made a treaty of peace with him and promised such friendship that none of his enemies should strike terror into him by the threatening sword of any warlike foe, or make void the treaty thus inaugurated between them by the offer of rewards and gifts, however great.
Then the holy man of God rejoiced at these words of consolation, and, giving thanks to God, he began, first of all, to proclaim the word of God to the king and queen and to describe the blessedness and greatness of His Kingdom, gently persuading them, giving them, as it were, milk without guile. Then, with our king’s consent and by divine permission, at the exhortation of our holy bishop, the people who had never been evangelized before, nor had heard the word of God, were gathered together. Then our holy Bishop Wilfrid stood in the midst of the heathen, after the example of our Lord Jesus Christ and of His forerunner, and said, “Repent ye, for the Kingdom of God is at hand, and let each one of you be baptized in the name of God the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, etc.” All these matters the evangelist preached in order with sweet and marvellous eloquence for many months. He elaborately described with great fulness of words the works of Almighty God to confound idolatry, from the beginning of the world down to the day of judgment, when eternal punishment will be prepared for sinners and everlasting life for the elect of God. Then our holy bishop, who had been sent by God, found favour in the eyes of the king, and in the words of the Apostle, a great door of faith was opened to him; and many thousands of pagans of both sexes were baptized in one day, as once they were by the blessed Apostle Peter. They deserted idolatry and made confession of faith in Almighty God, some of them willingly and some being compelled by the king’s command. The king, who had been made gentle and pious by God, gave his own estate, in which he lived, to be an episcopal see, adding to it afterwards 87 hides in Selsey. This he granted to the new and holy evangelist and baptist who had opened for him and for all his people the way to everlasting life, and there the bishop gathered his brethren and founded a cloister and retreat, which his followers possess up to this day.