Discovering William of Malmesbury: The Man and his Works

Abstract

Describing William of Malmesbury, scholars have often found it appropriate to draw upon superlatives: he was one of medieval England's finest men of letters, among the most learned historians of twelfth-century Europe, and, some would argue, the greatest historian of England since Bede. 1 In examining William's own words, however, it becomes clear that he was not a man of extremes; careful, measured, considered, and erudite, William's life was devoted to grappling with the complexities of history, and reconciling his own interests and personal relationships with his quest for truth and objectivity, both historical and religious. This present volume is a celebration of his achievements, and an attempt to become acquainted with the man and the works that allows us to enjoy a glimpse into the multifaceted world of twelfth-century England. It is, however, also a celebration of a more immediate achievement: it marks the release of Rodney Thomson and Michael Winterbottom's edition of The Miracles of the Virgin, the last of William's works to be edited and translated into modern English. William's humble biography belies his cultural importance and the scholarly ambitions that underpinned his career. What little precise information we have has been gleaned from his own writings. Born in Wiltshire in the last decade of the eleventh century, William was well educated and entered into the Benedictine abbey of Malmesbury as a youth. At the time, Malmesbury was under the abbacy of Godfrey of Jumièges, a man committed to the education of his monks, and who established Malmesbury as a centre of learning. 2 From around 1120, William was precentor, or cantor, of the abbey, a role which involved acting as librarian as well as the director of the liturgy; during this time, William undertook an expansion of Malmesbury's library, partially achieved through contributions of