is tenure of his new office lasted for five years only, for in 686
Aldfrith, the successor of Ecgfrith, restored Wilfrid--not indeed to his
original bishopric of Northumbria, but to a see which combined the
lately-formed dioceses of Ripon and York[6]. Eadhead accordingly
retired, and there were no more Bishops of Ripon for twelve centuries.

To Wilfrid was restored not only his bishopric, but also his monastery
of Ripon, which he retained in peace for the next five years. At the end
of that time a long dispute arose with Aldfrith, who was veering back to
the diocesan partition of Theodore, and Wilfrid, deprived of his see for
the third time, crossed over into Mercia. In 703 a synod was held at
Austerfield, the King and Berhtwald, Archbishop of Canterbury, being
present, when Wilfrid was actually asked to promise that he would cease
to act as bishop, that he would accept the partition of Theodore, and
that he would retire to Ripon and not leave the monastery without the
king's permission.

Though he was now a man of seventy, he set out once more for Rome, and
this time as before the Pope decided in his favour. Returning to Ripon
in 705, he attempted to conciliate Aldfrith's successor Eadwulf, but in
vain. In the same year, however, Eadwulf was succeeded by Osred, and
presently another synod was held, this time at Nidd, seven miles south
of Ripon, when it was decided, in the presence of Osred and the now
relenting Berhtwald, that Wilfrid should have the monastery and see of
Hexham (resigning York) and the monastery of Ripon, thus restored to him
for the second time.

In 709 he received a call to Mercia, which had already twice received
him in his adversity, and in which he had accepted the bishopric of
Leicester. Immediately before his departure he was at Ripon, where he
kept his treasure, and having a presentiment that he would never return,
he bequeathed a portion of his wealth to the monastery, appointed
Tatberht to succeed him as Abbot, and took an affecting farewell of the
whole community. Arriving at his monastery of Oundle, in
Northamptonshire, he was seized with illness, and died there on October
12 in the seventy-sixth year of his age. The body was placed on a car
and carried in solemn procession to Ripon, where it was buried on the
south side of the high altar in his own minster.

In 710 the anniversary of his death was kept at Ripon with great
solemnity, and out of such commemorations, probably, arose the fe