(St.), bishop of Shireburn in the time of the Saxon Heptarchy. He is said to have been the son of Kenred, brother to Ina, king of the West-Saxons; but, in the opinion of William of Malmesbury, his father was no more than a distant relation to the king. He was born and educated at Malmesbury in Wiltshire; where he built a monastery, of which he himself was the first abbot. He was afterwards, in 705, by king Ina, promoted to the see of Shireburn, and consecrated at Rome by Pope Sergius I., whom he is said to have reproved for his incontinency. He was the first Englishman who wrote in Latin, and the first who introduced Latin poetry into this island. Bale gives him also the character of a skilful musician. According to the monkish writers, he wrought many miracles. He died May 25th, 709. Malmesbury says, that he might be judly deemed ex acumen Graecum, ex nitore Romanum, et ex pampa Angliam. And an ancient chronicler says, that he was an excellent harper, a most eloquent Saxon and Latin poet, a most expert chanter or singer, doctor egregius, and admirably well versed in the scriptures and the liberal sciences. Bede says of Aldhelm, that "he was a man of universal erudition, having an elegant style, and being wonderful-ly well acquainted with books." In fact, considering the cloud of ignorance by which he was surrounded, and the great difficulty of acquiring knowledge without proper instruction, Aldhelm was a very extraordinary man. From one of his letters to Heda, bishop of Winchester, concerning the nature of his studies whilst at Canterbury, he appears to have been indefatigably determined to acquire every species of learning in his power. For a copy of this curious epistle, see Henry's History, vol. i. p. 318.—He wrote,

1. De otto vitis principalibus. This treatise is extant in Bibliotheca Patrum of Canisius. 2. Enigmaticum versus milles. This, with several other of his poems, was published by Martin Delrio at Mentz, 8vo. 1601. 3. A book addressed to a certain king of Northumberland, named Alfred, on various subjects. 4. De vita monachorum. 5. De laude sanctorum. 6. De arithmetica. 7. De astrologia. 8. A book against the miracles of the Britons concerning the celebration of Easter; printed by Sonius, 1576. 9. De laude virginitatis. Manuscript, in Bennet college, Cambridge. Published among Bede's Opuscula. Besides many sonnets, epistles, and homilies in the Saxon language.

ALPORT, an ancient name for Manchester.