3

When her time was come the woman bore a son, and at his baptism his father gave him the name of Willibrord. As soon as [5] the child had reached the age of reason¹ his father gave him to the church at Ripon to be instructed by the brethten there in religious pursuits and sacred leatning, so that living in a place where he could see nothing but what was vittuous and hear nothing but what was holy his tender age should be strengthened by sound ttaining and discipline. From his earliest years divine grace enabled him to grow in intelligence and in sttength of chatacter, at least as far as was possible at such an age, so that it seemed as if in our day there had been born another Samuel, of whom it was said: " The boy grew up and advanced in favour both with God and with men."

Hence, in the monastery of Ripon, the youth who was to prove a blessing to many received the clerical tonsute ²  and made his profession as a monk, and, attained along with the other youths of that holy and sacred monastery, he was inferior to none in fervour, humility and zeal for study. In fact this highly gifted boy made such progress as the days went by that the development of his intelligence and character so outstripped his tender years that his small and delicate frame harboured the wisdom of ripe old age.