A REGISTER OF THE ABBEY OF MILTON. 205 



height. But, however this may be, one thing at least is clear, as 

 is read in the muniments of that church that King Athelstan 

 made the church of Muchelney higher than St. Peter's, endowing 

 the inmates with many rents of townships and gifts of relics. 



But the place is difficult of access, and is generally reached in 

 summer on foot or on horseback, and in winter not at all. 



And it is not to the discredit of Athelstan that he took a 

 savage revenge upon the informer against his brother, if we are 

 to believe the story. Now this man was the cup-bearer of the 

 king, and by reason of this was conveniently placed for suggest- 

 ing anything he may have thought. And it happened that on 

 a solemn feast day he was pouring out wine in the middle of the 

 banquet, when he slipped on one foot and recovered himself 

 with the other. Then, seizing the opportunity, he uttered a 

 remark which was fatal to him "Thus brother helps brother! " 

 And when the king heard this he ordered the treacherous man to 

 be beheaded, for the king was constantly longing for the help of 

 his brother, if only he were alive, and lamenting his death. 



Now as for this story of the slaughter of his brother, although 

 it seems probable, I do not vouch for it, and all the less because 

 he showed an admirable indulgence of affection towards the rest 

 of his brothers. For his father had left these as very little boys ; 

 but he treated them with great kindness in their youth, and, when 

 they grew up, he associated them with himself in the kingdom ; 

 and, out of regard for them, would never concern himself with 

 marrying. And as for his five sisters, whom his father had left 

 undowered and unwedded, the book of the Acts of the English 

 shows quite clearly with what honour he advanced them. 



Then King Athelstan after he had, as before stated, raised to 

 a lofty height the church of Muchelney, which had been built in 

 a modest style, was induced by the same motive (that is to say, 

 for the soul of his brother Edwin, about whom enough is 

 recounted above), to found in the tenth year of his reign the 

 church of Milton in a country district of Dorset, so that the 

 monks might more fully attend to heavenly mysteries as they 

 were less troubled by assemblies of men, and he contributed to 



