ST. EANFLEDA 247 eight years* reign did so much for the advance of Christianity in his own and the neighbouring kingdoms, that he has been numbered among the English saints, notwithstanding some inexcusable ac- tions, chief among which was the assas- sination of his rival and cousin, Oswin, king of Deira. At the instigation of Eanfleda, and in expiation of the murder of Oswin, Oswy built a monastery at Gilling, the scene of the tragedy, that holy men might make constant iatercession for the souls of the murdered and the murderer. During the reign of Oswy and Ean- fleda, the dreaded Penda, pagan king of Morcia, several times invaded Northum- bria. After the invasion of 651, peace was concluded between him and Oswy, and farther cemented by a double mar- riage between the families ; Oswy's son and daughter, Alchfrid and Alchfleda, married St. Etnebuuga (1) and Peada, children of Penda. A direct consequence of these allianoes was the spread of the Christian religion in the kingdom of Mercia, Peada and all his followers having been baptised by St. Finan, a Celtic bishop, before leaving Oswy's Court in 653. The rugged old heathen, Penda, re- mained true to his gods and his Valhalla. In his eightieth year (655) he turned his arms against Northumbria for the third time, undeterred by the cdliance of four years before. This time he refused to come to terms with Oswy, and prepared for battle. Oswy prayed to Qod to defend him and his cause, and vowed, in the event of victory, to give his infant daughter St. Elfleda (1), to be conse- crated to God. A great battle was fought at Winwidfield, near Leeds. Oswy was victorious, and among other princes and commanders, Penda himself was slain. After the victory, Oswy gave thanks to God, and redeemed his vow by giving his daughter to be brought up in His service by his kinswoman, the abbess Hilda. He did not give his daughter to God empty-handed; her dowry was twelve estates, where holy men and women should carry on spiritual warfare and pray for the peace of the nation. Eanfleda was the friend and patron of St. WUfrid of York (633-709), a man very famous in the annals of the early Anglo-Saxon Church, and the friend of many of the English sainted queens, St. Etheldbeda, St. Sexburoa, St. Ebmen- iLDA, and others. It was through Ean- fleda's influence that Wilfrid was enabled to become a monk at the age of thirteen, and five years afterwards she assisted him to make his first journey to Rome, a pilgrimage which became the rage among the English of the next genera- tion. The controversy which divided the English Church in the 7th century, rela- tive to the keeping of Easter according to the Eoman or the Celtic Calendar, was productive of so many disputes that it became necessary to have some rule to which all should conform. To further this end, a conference was held, in 664, at St. Hilda's monastery at Streaneshalch (Whitby), and was largely attended by all, whether clergy or laity, who had a right to vote in national affairs. St. Eanfleda was on the side of St. WiKrid, the champion of the Roman cause. The result of the conference was a decree, by King Oswy, that Easter should be every- where observed according to the Roman Calendar. But it was not until 679 that this command was obeyed throughout the country. The year 664 is memorable for two other evento besides the Con- ference of Whitby : the dedication of the great Abbey of Medehamstede, now Peterborough (see St. Ebmenilda), of which King Oswy was one of the founders, and a dreadful visitation called the Yellow Plague. (^See St. Sbxbubga.) Eanfleda's piety and good works were well known to the Pope. In appreciation of her virtues, he sent her a cross, made out of the chains of St. Peter and St. Paul, with a gold key to it. Oswy was going to Rome to repent and be absolved of the murder of Oswin, but died Feb. 15, 670, aged fifty-eight. He was buried at Whitby, where, after his death, Eanfleda spent the rest of her life as a nun, under her daughter, St. Elfleda. She was buried in the monas- tery beside her husband, and there also were laid the bones of her father. King Edwin.
