第一章
Chapter I traces the formation of William of Malmesbury as a historian, beginning with his birth and parentage and proceeding through his early training, the monastic culture of Malmesbury Abbey from its Irish foundation to the era of Norman reform, and his own intellectual deve…
Birth and parentage of William of Malmesbury
William of Malmesbury was born some three or four years before the death of William the Conqueror, in or near the little Wiltshire town from which he took his surname.…
Early literary training under his father
William’s father destined his son from an early age to a literary career, impressing upon him the duty of devoting himself to study if he would not waste his life and imperil his…
The Irish foundation of Malmesbury Abbey
Malmesbury Abbey owed its origin to Maidulf, an Irish recluse who in the seventh century sought retirement from the world in the forest then covering the northern part of Wiltshir…
Maidulf and the rise of the monastic school
Maidulf’s hermitage expanded through the attraction of scholars and disciples into a formal monastic school.…
Ealdhelm and the culture of Wessex
Ealdhelm, Maidulf’s successor as abbot, became one of the most brilliant figures in the history of early West-Saxon learning and culture.…
The Norman abbots Turold and Warin
Darker times came with the first Norman abbot, Turold, whose stern and warlike character so ill befitted a monk that the king transferred him to Peterborough to check the English…
Abbot Godfrey’s reform of the abbey
About the time of William’s birth Warin died, and his successor, the monk of Jumièges named Godfrey, undertook a vigorous reform of the abbey in material, moral, and intellectual…
The original text of this work is in the public domain. This page focuses on a guided summary article, reading notes, selected quotes, and visual learning materials for educational purposes.