Stubbs, William, ed., Memorials of Saint Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury. (London: Longman & Co. (Rolls Series, No. 63),1874). Read this source online
Memorials of St. Dunstan
472
- Adelard of Bath
- Aelfric
- Capgrave, John
- Eadmer of Canterbury
- Osbernus
- William of Malmesbury
924 - 988
S. Gall MS.; Ashmolean MSS.; BL Cottonian MSS. Tiberius A. 15, Vespasian A. 14, Cleopatra A. 13, Nero E. 1; Lambeth MSS.; Paris MSS.; Corpus Christi MSS.
- Latin
- Original language included
- England
- Hagiography
- Letter
- Clergy - Monks, Nuns, Friars
- Clergy - Priests, Bishops, Canons
- Diplomacy
- Early Germanic Peoples: Goths, Franks, etc.
- Economy - Crafts and Industry
- Education / Universities
- Government
- Literature - Devotional
- Material Culture: Food, Clothing, Household
- Monasticism
- Nobility / Gentry
- Papacy
- Piety
- Poverty / Charity
- Religion - Institutional Church
- Royalty / Monarchs
- Saints
- Saints - Cults / Relics
- Travel / Pilgrimage
- Women / Gender
- Index
- Glossary
- Introduction
In his introduction Stubbs assesses the historical value of Saints’ Lives and of Dunstan’s Lives in particular. He then discusses the authorities used in this volume and the literary history of the cycle before giving a chronology of Dunstan’s life.
SES
This volume contains six different versions of the Life of St. Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury. Saints lives were written for the purpose of arousing pious affection and for praising holy men and women, not for recounting events accurately. Although they are not a good source to construct a historical narrative, they do reflect phases of religious thought, provide details about local traditions, and illustrate the education people received. The memorials of Dunstan, therefore, can play an important role in filling in our knowledge of the later half of the tenth century. Dunstan was an important man. He was the King Edgar’s (959-975) chief minister and was so popular that he was canonized soon after his death. Two of the lives in this volume were written within 25 years of his death in 988. They were written by individuals who knew Dunstan and are an accurate reflection of the early myths surrounding the saint. The remaining texts (including one by William of Malmesbury and one by Capgrave) illuminate the evolution of his story over time. The letters preserved by these chroniclers and other sources relating to Dunstan are also included in this volume.