Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/William of St. Albans

by Mary Bateson

WILLIAM of St. Albans (fl. 1178), hagiologist, was a monk of St. Albans. Probably on the translation of the relics of St. Amphibalus in 1178, William, at the request of Abbot Simon (1166–1183), wrote the lives of Amphibalus and Alban, printed in the ‘Acta SS.,’ June, iv. 149. William professes to translate from a Saxon author. At his request his prose was versified by Ralph of St. Albans [q. v.] Usher (Brit. Eccles. Antiq. p. 80) conjectures that William may be identified with William Martell the sacrist, who vainly tried to succeed to the abbacy on Simon's death (Gesta S. Albani, pp. 195, 199).

[Hardy's Descriptive Cat. i. 5.]

M. B.