When he went to be consecrated an incident
befell him which at once shows his zeal for learning, and casts
a welcome ray of light on the importation of books. While
at Canterbury he heard of the arrival of ships at Dover, and
thither he journeyed to see whether they had brought
anything in his way. He found on board plenty of books,
among them one containing the complete Testaments. He
offered to buy it, but his price was too low; although,
afterwards, when it was believed his prayers had delivered the
owner from a storm, he secured it on his own terms.[1]
[1] This copy was still at Malmesbury in the twelfth century.--W.
of Malmesbury, Ang. Sacr., ii. 21.
Aldhelm at length became abbot of Malmesbury
(c. 675), and under him it grew to much greater eminence,
and attracted a large number of students. Here, in the
solitude of the forest tract, he passed his time in singing
merry ballads to win the ear of the people for his more
serious words, playing the harp, in teaching, and in reading
the considerable library he had at hand. Bede describes
him as a man "of marvellous learning both in liberal and
ecclesiastical studies.
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