ADMER, or EDGIER, the friend and historian of Archbishop Anselm, lived in the 12th century, but we have no information respecting his parents, or the particular time and place of his nativity. He received a learned education, was a monk of Canterbury, and became 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. In 1120, by the desire of Alexander I. of Scotland, he was elected Bishop of St. Andrews ; but on the day of his election a dispute arose between the king and Eadmer respecting his consecration. Eadmer wished to be consecrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury, who, he contended, was the primate of all Britain; while Alexander contended that the see of Canterbury had no pre-eminence over that of St. Andrews. Eadmer finally abandoned his bishopric and returned to England, where he was kindly received by the archbishop and clergy of Canterbury, who yet thought him too precipitate in leaving his bishopric. Eadmer at last wrote a long and submissive letter to the king of Scotland, but without producing the desired effect. Wharton fixes his death in
1124, the very year in which the bishopric of St. Andrews was filled up. Eadmer is now best known for his history of the affairs of England in his own time, from 1066 to 1122, in which he has inserted many original papers, and preserved many facts which are nowhere else to be found. His style is regular and good, and his work more free from legendary tales than is usual with the works of his time. The best edition is that by Selden, entitled Eadmcri Monachi Cantuariensie Met-orbs Novorum, sive sui Libri Sex,' folio, London, 1623. His life of St. Anselm was first printed in 12mo, at Antwerp, in 1551, under the title of Fratris Edmeri Angli de Vita D. Anselmi Archie piscopi Cantuariensis, Libri duo.' Several others of his works, with the Historia. Novorum,' were edited by the congregation of St. Maur at the end of Father Gerberon's editions of the works of St. Anselm, fol., Par., 1675 and 1721. His lives of St. Wilfrid, St. Oswald, St. Dunstan, &c., with that of St. Anselm, were inserted by Wharton in his 'Anglia Sacra.'