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100 ST. DUNSTAN T
monastic habit at Glastonbury, where, says William
of Malmeshury, " he applied his hand to work, his
lips to prayer, his soul to heaven ". 1
Athelstan died at Gloucester in 940, and was succeeded
by his brother, Edmund I. How long a time
elapsed before Dunstaii was again called to court
does not transpire; but now he had the additional
strength and maturity which_ are gained from a
religious training. Some difference is noticeable
between the harp-playing youth, whose music had
found the way to Atheist an's heart, and the professed
monk, whose motto at Edmund's court seems
to have been : " Bender to Caesar those things which
are Caesar's, and to God those things which are 4
God's ". The king's special choice of Dunstan was,
it must be remembered, the sole ground for the in-
fluence which he exercised over the affairs of the
nation. Lovers of justice are seldom allowed peace
and quiet. Moreover, Dunstan wras young and very
gifted. He was just the man to arouse susceptibilities,
and jealousy soon made his position very
difficult. King Edmund forgot his own gracious invitation.,
and hastily ordered Dunstan to quit the
court. Shortly afterwards there was a royal hunt at
Cheddar. In the heat of the sport the king pursued
the deer over hill and dale, till at length he was
led to the brink of a steep declivity, and could no
longer rein in his horse. On the point of certain
1 Memorials of St. Dunstan, edited from various MSS., by Professor
Stubbs, p. 262.