, abbot of Peterborough in the twelfth century, was educated at Oxford,
, abbot of Peterborough in the twelfth
century, was educated at Oxford, became a monk in the
monastery of Christ’s church, Canterbury, and some time
after was chosen prior by the members of that society.
Though he had been a great admirer of archbishop Becket,
and wrote a life of that prelate, he was so much esteemed
by Henry II. that by the influence of that prince he was
elected abbot of Peterborough, in 1177. He assisted at
the coronation of Richard I. 1189, and was advanced to
be keeper of the great seal in 1191, but he did not long
enjoy this high dignity, as he died on Michaelmas day,
1193. He composed a history of Henry II. and Richard I.
from 1170 to 1192, which has been esteemed by many of
our antiquaries, as containing one of the best accounts of
the transactions of those times. A beautiful edition of this
work was published at Oxford by Hearne, 1735, 2 vols. 8vo.
With respect to his life of Becket, Bale and Pits speak of
two pieces, which probably are but one the first entitled
“Vita Thomae Cantuariensis
” the other, “Miracula
Thomae Marty ris.
” Leland, who mentions only “the
Life of Becket
” as written by our author, gives it the character of an elegant performance. But Bale treats it as a
mere heap of lies and forgeries, in order to palm Becket
on the multitude for a first-rate saint, and intercessor with
God. Nor is this author’s zeal confined to Benedict, but
extends itself to the monks of those times in general, whom
he represents as a set of debauchees and impostors, concealing their vices under a mask of piety, and cheating
the people with the most diabolical illusions. Dr. Cave
tells us, that the author of the “Quadrilogus
” transcribed
a great part of Benedict’s Life of Becket into the third and
fourth books of his work. This “Quadrilogus, or De Vita
et Processu S. Thomse Cantuariensis et Martyris super
Libertate ecelesiastica
” (Nicolson tells us), is collected out
of four historians, who were contemporary and conversant
with Becket, in his height of glory, and lowest depression; namely, Herbert de Hoscham, Johannes Carnotensis, William of Canterbury, and Alan of Teuksbury;
who are brought in us so many several relaters of matters
of fact, interchangeably. Here is no mention of our Benedict in this list; so that either the doctor is mistaken in
his assertion, or the bishop is not exact in his account of the
authors from whence the Quadrilogus was compiled.