an esteemed historian, was an Englishman; but his parents, and the particular time and place of his nativity, are not known. He received a learned education, and very early discovered a taste for history, by recording every remarkable event that came to his knowledge. Being a monk in the cathedral of Canterbury, he had the happiness to become the bosom friend and inseparable companion of two archbishops of that see, St Anselm and his successor Ralph. To the former of these he was appointed spiritual director by the pope; and that prelate would do nothing without his permission. In the year 1120, he was sent for by King Alexander I. of Scotland, to be raised to the primacy of that kingdom; and having obtained leave of King Henry and the archbishop of Canterbury, he departed for Scotland, where he was kindly received by the king; and on the third day after his arrival, he was elected bishop of St Andrew's with much unanimity. But on the day after his election, an unfortunate dispute arose between the king and him, in a private conference about his consecration. Eadmerus having been a constant companion of the late and of the present archbishop of Canterbury, was a violent stickler for the prerogatives of that see. He therefore told the king, that he was determined to be consecrated by none but the archbishop of Canterbury, who he believed to be the primate of all Britain. Alexander, who was a fierce prince, and supported the independency of his crown and kingdom with great spirit, was so much offended, that he broke off the conference in a violent passion, declaring, that the see of Canterbury had no pre-eminency over that of St Andrew's. This breach between the king and the bishop-elect became daily wider, till at length Eadmerus, despairing of recovering the royal favour, sent his pastoral ring to the king, and laid his pastoral staff on the high altar, from whence he had taken it, and abandoning his bishopric returned to England. He was kindly received by the archbishop and clergy of Canterbury, though they disapproved of his stiffness, and thought him too hasty in forsaking the honourable station to which he had been called. Nor was it long before Eadmerus became sensible of his error, and desirous of correcting it. With this view he wrote a long submissive letter to the king of Scotland, entreating his leave to return to his bishopric, promising compliance with his royal pleasure in every thing respecting his consecration, which was accompanied by an epistle to the same purpose from the archbishop. These letters, however, which were written A.D. 1122, did not produce the desired effect. But Eadmerus is most worthy of the grateful remembrance of posterity for his historical works, particularly for his excellent history of the affairs of England in his own time, from A.D. 1066 to A.D. 1122; in which he hath inserted many original papers, and preserved many important facts, that are nowhere else to be found. This work hath been highly commended, both by ancient and modern writers, for its authenticity, as well as for regularity of composition and purity of style. It is indeed more free from legendary tales than any other work of this period; and it is impossible to peruse it with attention, without conceiving a favourable opinion of Eadmerus, the learning, good sense, sincerity, and candour of its author.