122 
DUN 
refs in deputation, that lie acquired the title of the mojl 
fubtle doEtor. At fir ft- Duns Scotus was a follower of 
Thomas Aquinas ; but differing from his matter on the 
fubjedl of divine grace, he formed a difiindl feel, which 
foon became numerous, particularly among the members 
of the order to which he belonged. By this fepafation, 
the catholic fchoolmen became clafled under the denomi¬ 
nations of Thomifts and Scotids, who maintained the opi¬ 
nions of their refpe ctive heads with wonderful ardour and 
virulence of controverfy. One of the ditlinguithing tenets 
of which Duns Scotus was a drenuous advocate, if not 
the firft pro; ounder, was that of the immaculate concep¬ 
tion of the Virgin Mary ; which the Dominicans, and the 
other adherents to the fchool of Aquinas, confeded with 
as much heat and bitternefs as they ever difplayed againd 
the mod obnoxious and heretical dogma. The Fran- 
eifeans, on the contrary, and the other Scotids, fupported 
that dodtrine with equal warmth and unchriftian animo- 
lity towards their opponents. In 1308, Duns Scotus was 
lent by the head of his order to teach theology at Co¬ 
logne-; at which city he was received with the mod fo- 
lemn pomp and high-raifed expectations. He did not, 
however, live to gratify thefe expectations, being cut off, 
moft probably by a (broke of apoplexy, according to fome 
writers in the forty-third, but according to others in the 
thirty-fourth, year of his age. Paul Jovius, and fome 
other writers, relate a (hocking talc concerning him : that 
he was buried while in a fwoon, and died miferably, after 
having recovered (trength fufficient to turn himfelf in his 
grave. But the bed hidorians confider this account to 
be fabulous. He left behind him numerous wmrks, fome 
of which were printed feparately, at different periods; 
but the mod complete collection of the whole, together 
with the life of the author, was publiflied by Lucas Wad- 
dingus, at Lyons, in 1639, in 12 vols. folio. 
DUNSE, a town of Scotland, in the county of Berwick, 
containing 2324 inhabitants. About a mile from the town 
is a medicinal fpring, called Dunje Spaw, fird difeovered 
in 1747, and lately repaired at the expence of a gentle¬ 
man who was cured of a complaint in his domach : ten 
miles wed of Berwick, and twenty-nine fouth-ead of 
Edinburgh. 
DUN'SETS, /. in old records, a people that dwell on 
hilly places. 
DUN'SICAL, adj. Dull; dupid ; incapable of learn¬ 
ing. Scott. 
DUN'SICALLY, adv. In the manner of a dunce. Scott. 
DUNS'KERRY, a fmall ifland near the north coad of 
Scotland : four miles ead-fouth-ead of Farout Head. 
DUN'STABLE, a pleafant town of Bedforddiire, thir¬ 
ty-three miles from London, the fame from Northamp¬ 
ton, eighteen from Newport Pagnel, and nine from Wo¬ 
burn. It dands on a chalky hill, at the entrance of the 
Chiltern, where the old Roman Watling-dreet is eroded 
by the Ickneld-dreet. Not far from it alfo, on the de- 
feent of the Chiltern-hills, is an area of nine acres, with 
a deep ditch and rampart round it, faid to be a Danilh 
work, called Maiden-bower. This towm, having been 
•ruined by the Danes, was rebuilt by Henry I. who made 
it a royal borough ; but it never fent members to parlia¬ 
ment, though once fummoned. Edward I. erebted a crofs 
here, in memory of his queen Eleanor. Several of the 
Lollards were martyred here in the reigns of Henry V. 
and VII. The church is part of a priory, built in 1132 ; 
and archbidiop Cranmer was the lad prior, who here pro¬ 
nounced the fentence of divorce againd queen Catherine. 
Here is a good charity.fchool. The town is populous, 
abounding with excellent accommodations, it being a great 
thoroughfare to the counties in the north and north-w’ed, 
and confequently to Scotland and Ireland. This place 
was once famous for brewing; and, at this time, the wo¬ 
men carry on a great manufadlure of hats, and utendls 
made of draw, in which, it is faid, they excel all the 
world. This part of the country was formerly very woody, 
and, with the fadnefles in the Chilteru-hills, was a har- 
D [J N 
bour for great gangs of highw’aymen ; to curb whom, 
Henry I. built Kingfbury, promifing great privileges to 
fuch of his fubjedts as were willing to come and fettle 
here. In the reign of Henry VII. William Tillfworth 
was burnt here.for denying the pope’s fupremacy ; with 
this remarkable cirCumda ce of cruelty, that his only 
daughter was compelled to fet fire to the faggots. The 
market is on Wednefdays, for corn, draw, plat, arid hats. 
There are four fairs, viz. Afb-Wednefday, 2zd of May, 
12th of Augud, and 12th of November ; for horfes, and 
all forts of cattle. 
DUN'STABLE, a townfhip of. the American States, 
in Hillfbofough county, New Hampfhire, on the wed fide, 
of Merrimack river, below the town of Merrimack, and 
feparated by the date line from Pepperel and Dunltable 
in Middlefex county, Maflachufetts. It was incorporated 
in 1746, contains 632 inhabitants, and lies about forty 
miles north-wed of Boflon. 
DUN'STABLE, a townfhip of the American States, in 
Maflachufetts, in the northern part of Middlefex county, 
and on the fouthern bank of Merrimack river : thirty- 
feven miles north-wederly of Bodon. 
DUN'STAN, [of bun, a hill, and p’tan, a done, Sax.] 
A proper name. 
DUN'STAN, a faint in the Romifh calendar, arch¬ 
bidiop of Canterbury in the tenth century, born at G)af. 
tonbury in tSomerfetdiire, in 925. He was the nephew 
of Athelm archbilhop of Canterbury, who took care to 
have him educated in the bed literature of his time; 
and, when he had finifiied his ftudies, recommended him 
to the patronage of king Atheldan, by whom he was 
fent for to court. He obtained fuch favour with the 
king, that he prefented him with fome lands near Glaf- 
tonbury ; and, in the reign of Edmund, the fuccefior of 
Atheldan, was made abbot of that monadery. In the 
reign of Edred, the fuccefior of Edmund, Dundan’s fil¬ 
tered at court confiderably increafed, until.he became 
prime minider, favourite, and confeflor to the king, who, 
to gratify him, undertook the rebuilding of Gladonbury 
church and monadery, in a very fumptuous and magni¬ 
ficent dyle. In the mean while Dundan, who was a true 
monk in fpirit as well as intrigue, left no meafures un¬ 
tried to promote the' intereds of his fraternity ; and, by 
his credit with the king, procured the appointment of 
feveral of that order to ecclefiadical benefices, to the 
prejudice of the fecular clergy. This conduct expofed 
him to the refentment of that body, in which they w r ere 
joined by many of the courtiers, who were provoked by 
the haughty and overbearing demeanour which he af- 
fumed. The king’s countenance, however, fupported 
his favourite againd the effects of their enmity ; and the 
idle tales of the monks obtained for him, among the cre¬ 
dulous populace, the reputation of a great faint, who 
was frequently favoured with divine revelations. In thefe 
circumdances, when the ecclefiadical patronage in the 
kingdom was wholly in his power, the king fu’ddenly 
died, and Dundan’s ambition met with a levere difap- 
pointment. On the accefiion of Edwy, his council deter¬ 
mined to reverfe what had been done in favour of the 
monks, who filled the country with the bittered invec¬ 
tives, and excited in the populace an apprehenfion that 
religion was in danger. Whether Dundan was the prime 
mover of thefe complaints is not now apparent; but they 
were made the fubjedl of a charge againd him, and he 
was banfihed the kingdom. He retired to a monadery in 
Flanders, where he availed himfelf of the influence of 
the monks over the minds' of the Englifh populace, and 
the general opinion of his great fandlity, to excite infur- 
rebtions againd the government of Edwy. Indigated by 
their intrigues, and the reprefentations which they pro¬ 
pagated againd the moral and religious charadter of the 
king, great numbers of malcontents colledted together, 
of whom Edgar, the king’s brother, who maintained a 
clofe connedlion with Dundan, was declared the head and 
protedtor. By their means Edgar was foon enabled to 
conquer 
