204 
St. DUNSTASr. 
noble family in Wessex, and educated in the abbey of Glastonbury. 
Here he studied so hard, that it threw him into a violent fever, which 
brought him to the very point of death. When the whole family 
were standing about his bed, dissolved in tears, and expecting every 
moment to see him expire, an angel came from heaven in a very, 
dreadful storm, and gave him a medicine, which restored him to per« 
feet health in a moment. Dunstan immediately started from his bed, 
and ran with all his speed towards the church, to return thanks for 
his recovery; but the devil met him by the way, surrounded him by a 
great multitude of black dogs, and endeavoured to obstruct his passage. 
This would have frightened some boys ; but it had no such effect 
upon Dunstan ; who, pronouncing a sacred name, and brandishing 
his stick, put the devil and all his dogs to flight. The church-doors 
being shut, an angel took him in his arms, conveyed him through an 
opening in the roof, and set him softly down on the floor, where he 
performed his devotions. After his recovery he pursued his studies 
w ith the greatest ardour, and soon became a perfect master in philoso- 
phy, divinity, music, painting, writing, sculpture, w'orking in gold, 
silver, brass, and iron, &c. When he was still very young, he entered 
into holy orders, and was introduced by his uncle Athelm, archbishop 
of Canterbury, to king Athelstan, who, charmed with his person and 
accomplishments, retained him in his court, and employed him in 
many great affairs. At leisure hours he used to entertain the king 
and his courtiers with playing on his harp, or some other musical 
instrument; and how and then he WTOught a miracle, which gained 
him great admiration. 
His old enemy the devil was much offended at this, and prompted 
some envious courtiers to persuade the king that his favourite was a 
magician, which that prince too readily believed. Dunstan discover-* 
ing by the king’s countenance that he had lost his favqur, and 
resolving to resign rather than be turned out, retired from court to 
another uncle, who was bishop of Winchester. This good prelate 
prevailed upon his nephew to forsake the world, and become a monk ; 
after which he retired to a little cell built against the cliiirch-wall of 
Glastonbury. Here|he slept, studied, prayed, meditated, and sometimes 
amused himself with forging several useful things in brass and iron. 
One evening, as he was working very busily at his forge, the devil, 
putting on the appearance of a man, thrust his head in at the window 
of his cell, and asked him to make something for him. Dunstan was 
so intent upon his work, that be made no answer ; on which the 
devil began to swear and talk obscenely, which betrayed the lurking 
fiend. The holy blacksmith, putting up a secret ejaclilation, pulled 
his tongs, which were red-hot, out of the fire, seized the devil with 
them by the nose, and squeezed him with all his strength, which made 
his infernal majesty roar and scold at such a rate, that he awakened 
and terrified all the people for many miles around ! Thus far the legend. 
Ridiculous as were these fictions, they served, in those times of 
ignorance, to procure Dunstan a high degree of reputation. It appears 
that this extraordinary person was recalled to court by king Edvvard, 
A. p. 941, who bestowed upon him the rich abbey of Glastonbury, 
which for his sake he honoured with many peculiar privileges. He 
