knowledge, leaving, therefore, men of distinguished learning and of
great wisdom to conduct the education, and form the minds and morals of
this youthful community; and being himself engaged in the cares of
government, and in repelling the attacks of the Danes, the king limited
his further attention to occasional inquiries after the health and
improvement of his brother and the rest of the royal wards.

He had, indeed, taken the pains to draw up the rules which he deemed
proper to be observed in this juvenile society. One of the most
important of these, namely, that a system of perfect equality should be
observed toward all the individuals of whom it was composed, was,
however, soon violated in favor of Prince Edwin, who, because he was
the Atheling, as the heir apparent to the throne was called in those
days, was honored with peculiar marks of distinction. Every person in
the college, from the masters to the humblest servitor, appeared
desirous of winning the favor of the future sovereign, and of this
Edwin too soon became aware.

Prince Edwin was the leader of the sports, and no amusement was adopted
unless his approbation had previously been asked and obtained. All
disputed matters were referred to his decision, and no appeal from his
judgment was permitted.

It would have afforded subject of serious reflection, perhaps of
jealous alarm, to the king had he been aware of the injudicious courses
which were pursued by those around Prince Edwin; but Athelstane was
engaged in bloody wars with the Danes and the insurgent Welsh princes,
which kept him far remote from Oxford. His brother, meanwhile,
continued to receive the most pernicious flattery from every creature
around him, except Wilfrid, the son of Cendric, who, by order of King