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We may take it that the early Christian church had entirely died out in Northumbria, and that prior to the mission sent by Gregory there had been no effort in the southern part of the kingdom, at least, to reclaim the inhabitants from heathendom. York was chosen as the seat of the metropolitan bishop in the north, entirely because of its importance as a city.
As yet the see of Canterbury was the sole archbishopric, and in 678 Archbishop Theodore already known as an organizer of the episcopate was invited to the court of Northumbria. Wise though this action was, it was naturally resented by Wilfrid, who appealed to the Pope the first appeal of the kind ever made by an Englishman and set out himself for Rome.
It was Lyfing who persuaded the Earl of Mercia to side with Wessex rather than with Northumbria, but since Lyfing, what great Englishman have we had in the church? Every bishopric was granted by Edward to Norman priests, until Godwin and his sons got the upper hand after their exile. Since then most of them have been given to Germans.
'William the Conqueror, whose cause was favored by the pope, was soon submitted to by the English, who wanted leaders, and had been of late much accustomed to usurpation and conquest. Edwin and Morcar, the earls of Mercia and Northumbria " "Ugh!" said the Lory, with a shiver. "I beg your pardon!" said the Mouse, frowning, but very politely. "Did you speak?" "Not I!" said the Lory, hastily.
The sons of Ida fought against the celebrated Urien, a Keltic chief, who almost succeeded in dispossessing them of their kingdom of Bernicia. Hussa, one of Ida's sons, ultimately vanquished Urien's son Owen, "chief of the glittering West"; and after Hussa's death Ethelric of Bernicia, as we have seen, overcame the neighbouring chieftain of Deira, thus forming the kingdom of Northumbria.
In spite however of this rapid recovery of its strength by Mercia, Northumbria remained the dominant state in Britain: and Ecgfrith, who succeeded Oswiu in 670, so utterly defeated Wulfhere when war broke out between them that he was glad to purchase peace by the surrender of Lincolnshire.
Penda was finally slain by Oswald's successor Oswy in a great battle which is supposed to have taken place on the banks of the Tweed. Many years afterwards, Sitric, grandson of that Prince Guthred who was once a slave at Whittingham, married a sister of King Athelstan, grandson of Alfred the Great. When Sitric died, Athelstan came northward to claim Northumbria for himself.
But now he, with the remains of his army, is shut up in an inland fort with no ships on the Avon, the nearest river, even if they could cut their way out and reach it, and no hopes of reinforcements overland. Halfdene is the nearest viking who might be called to the rescue, and he, in Northumbria, is far too distant.
"Or thou wilt go, whither Edwin is gone, to betrayal and ruin." "Why so? He has been kind enough to Waltheof and Gospatrick, why not to Edwin?" "Because," laughed Hereward, "he wanted Waltheof, and he does not want you and Edwin. He can keep Mercia quiet without your help. Northumbria and the Fens he cannot without Waltheof's.
At last he found his way to King Harold Hardrada of Norway; and this warlike king gave him a fleet and an army and came himself to strike a blow against England. The Norwegians landed on the shores of Northumbria, and began to ravage the country and burn the dwellings of the people. Messengers were sent on swift horses to Harold.
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