The bishop's men having gathered eel-nets
everywhere, cast them into the sea, and by the blessing of God took
three hundred fishes of several sorts, which, being divided into three
parts, they gave a hundred to the poor, a hundred to those of whom they
had the nets, and kept a hundred for their own use. By this benefit the
bishop gained the affections of them all, and they began more readily
to hear his preaching and to hope for heavenly good, seeing that by his
help they had received that good which is temporal. Now at this time
King Ethelwalch gave to the most reverend prelate Wilfrid, land of
eighty-seven families, which place is called Selsey, that is, the
Island of the Sea-Calf. That place is encompassed by the sea on all
sides, except the west, where is an entrance about the cast of a sling
in width; which sort of place by the Latins is called a peninsula, by
the Greeks a chersonesus. Bishop Wilfrid, having this place given him,
founded therein a monastery, which his successors possess to this day,
and established a regular course of life, chiefly of the brethren he
had brought with him; for he, both in word and actions, performed the
duties of a bishop in those parts during the space of five years, until
the death of King Egfrid.
Pages:
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311