A.D . 692. ] •WILFRID VISITS ROME. 117 honour of St. Martin, in the town of Dover, on a site pointed out to them by the aforesaid saint, wherein they placed monks under regular discipline, and enriched them with lands and other possessions ; they reigned thirty-four years and a half. The same year, Wilfrid of York was accused to king Alfrid, and was by that king and a number of bishops expelled his bishopric. That he might have an opportunity of defending himself, he came to Rome with his accusers, and, in a numerous conclave of bishops, it was proved in the judgment of all, before the lord pope, that his enemies had fabricated many groundless calumnies against him, and letters were written to Alfrid, king of the Northumbrians, that he should cause him to be restored to his bishopric, inasmuch as he had been unjustly condemned. On arriving in the parts of Gaul as he was returning to Britain, he was taken with a sudden illness, insomuch that he could not ride on horseback, but was borne on a litter by the hands of his attendants, and in this manner he was brought to Meaux, a town of France, where he lay four days and nights like a dead person. After remaining four days in this distressing condition, without eating or drinking, speaking or hearing, on the dawn of the fifth day he arose as from a deep sleep, and sat up, and then, after a gentle sigh, inquired for Acca the presbyter, who, coming in immediately that he was called, the former thus addressed him :— " I have just had an awful vision, which I wish you to hear and not divulge, until I know what is the will of God respecting me. There stood by me a certain person in white apparel and of noble aspect, who said that he was Michael the archangel, and added, ' I have been sent to recall thee from death to life ; for through the intercession and tears of thy disciples, and at the entreaty of his mother, God hath granted thee to live ; but hold thyself in readiness, for, at the end of four years, I shall return and visit thee; but now thou shalt return to thy country and recover the greater part of thy possessions, of which thou wast stripped, and shalt end thy days in peace.' " The bishop recovered accordingly, to the joy of all, and setting out on his journey, arrived in Britain. After reading the letters he had brought from the apostolical pope, Brithwold, archbishop of Canterbury, and Ethelred, who was formerly king, but