Eadmer, or Edmer, an English historian of the twelfth century. The place of his birth is unknown. His taste for history was developed at an early age; and when a monk in the cathedral of Canterbury he became the bosom friend of St Anselm and his successor Ralph. To the former of these he was appointed spiritual director by the pope. In 1120 he was sent for by Alexander I. of Scotland, to be raised to the primacy of that kingdom; and having obtained leave of 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. On the day after his election, however, a dispute arose in regard to the ceremony of consecration; Eadmer refusing to be consecrated by any but the Archbishop of Canterbury, whom he believed to be primate of all Britain; and Alexander with equal pertinacity maintaining 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 Eadmer, despairing of recovering the royal favour, sent his pastoral ring to the king, laid his pastoral staff upon the high altar, 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 being deprived of their sympathy, Eadmer soon repented of his impetuosity, and endeavoured to retrace his steps. With this view he wrote a long submissive letter to the king of Scotland in 1122, entreating his permission to return to the bishopric, and promising compliance with his royal pleasure in everything respecting his consecration. These overtures, however, did not produce the desired effect. The name of Eadmer accordingly rests solely on his historical works, particularly on his History of the Affairs of England in his own Time, from 1066 to 1122; a work in which he has inserted many original papers, and preserved many important facts which are nowhere else to be found. This production has been highly commended for its authenticity, as well as the regularity of its composition and purity of its 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. Eadmer wrote also the Lives of St Anselm, St Wilfrid, St Dunstan, and others. The best edition of his History is that by Selden in 1623.