Dunstan

Dunstan, St., was born at Glastonbury, about 924, of a family reputed to share royal blood. A Bishop of Winchester was his uncle. He displayed in his youth great abilities, and was taken into the household of Athelstan, where his clerkly skill, musical accomplishments, and popularity with the ladies raised up many enemies. Driven from court on suspicion of sorcery, he resolved to take the tonsure, and, being restored to the favour of Edmund, was made, at the age of 22, Abbot of Glastonbury and treasurer to the king. The weakness of Edred strengthened Dunstan's position, so that on Edwy's accession in 955 he attempted to control him as he had his predecessor. The story of the young king's love for Elgiva, daughter of Ethelgiva, and of Dunstan's interference, belongs to the romance of history, nor.is it possible to appreciate fairly the points at issue. Ethelgiva ultimately succeeded in driving, Dunstan to seek refuge at Ghent, but he soon returned to assist Edgar in wresting the kingdom from his brother and in effecting the pacification of Northumbria, for which he was rewarded with, the Archbishopric of Canterbury. He placed the crown, on Edward's head, though it is alleged that he got rid of the opposition in the Witan by a mechanical miracle, which caused half of the floor of their meeting place at Calne to collapse during the debate. His influence appears to have diminished under Ethelred the Unready, and he is reported to have withdrawn from public business to spend his last years in prayer, music, and the making of bells and other tuneful instruments. He died in 988 It is not easy to separate the false from the true in the legendary accounts that have come down to us. His personal conflicts with the Devil, whose nose he pulled with red-hot pincers, are recorded with as much gravity as his more statesmanlike exploits. He appears to have been a broad-minded ecclesiastic, whose influence on his age was decidedly beneficial, and whose death was certainly followed by national disaster. It is extremely doubtful whether any of the works assigned to him are authentic.