Eadmer, or Edmen, an esteemed historian, was an Englishman by birth, but his parents, and the particular time and place of his nativity, are not known. He received a learned education, and early discovered a taste for history, by recording every remarkable event which 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 arch- bishops 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 did nothing without his approbation. 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 elected bishop of St Andrews; but on the day after his election a dispute unfortunately arose between the king and him, in a private conference about his consecration. Eadmerus having been a constant companion of two archbishops of Canterbury, was a violent stickler for the prerogatives of that see; and therefore told the king that he was determined to be consecrated by none but the Archbishop of Canterbury, whom he believed to be the primate of all Britain. Alexander, who was naturally a fierce prince, and supported the independence 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 Andrews. This breach between the king and the bishop-elect became daily wider, until at length Eadmerus, despairing of recovering the royal favour, sent his pastoral ring to the king; laid his pastoral staff upon the high altar, 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 the bishopric, and promising compliance with his royal pleasure in everything respecting his consecration; which letter was accompanied by an epistle to the same purpose from the archbishop. These overtures, however, which were made in the year 1129, did not produce the desired effect. But Eadmerus is most worthy of the grateful remembrance of posterity for his historical works, particularly for his history of the affairs of England in his own time, from the year 1066 to the year 1128; a work in which he has inserted many original papers, and preserved many important facts which are nowhere else to be found. This work has been highly commended 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 the learning, good sense, sincerity, and candour of its author.