Ely, which was styled "_The Royal Franchise or Liberty of the Bishops
of Ely_."

On the conversion of the abbacy into a bishopric A.D. 1109, a division
of the property and revenues took place, and the bishop took care to
protect his own interests and those of his successors, but the charge
and repairs of the church and monastery fell to the share of the prior
and monks, the bishop retaining a certain jurisdiction over them. The
County of Cambridge, with the exception of a few parishes, was
transferred from the See of Lincoln to the new See of Ely, and the
Manor of Spaldwick, in the County of Huntingdon, was given to the
Bishop of Lincoln in compensation. The See now comprises the Counties
of Cambridge, Huntingdon, and Bedford, and the western division of the
County of Suffolk, comprised in the Archdeaconry of Sudbury. It is
divided into four Archdeaconries, which are subdivided into
thirty-three Rural Deaneries, except the Isle of Ely, which is under
the peculiar Archidiaconal jurisdiction of the Bishop, and is divided
into two Rural Deaneries. There are five hundred and fifty-four
benefices in the diocese. The population of the whole is about
500,000; and the area in acres is 1,357,756.

The Bishop has patronage to a considerable extent; he appoints to the
Chancellorship, to the Registrarship, to the four Archdeaconries, the
Rural Deaneries, to four Canonries in the Cathedral, and several
Honorary Canonries; to the Mastership and one Fellowship of Jesus
College, to one Fellowship at St. John's College, to the Mastership of
St. Peter's College, and is Visitor of four Colleges, in Cambridge,
and of several schools; and has about fifty livings in his gift.

* * * * *

_Arms of the See_--Gu. three ducal coronets or. These are derived from
the arms of the East Anglian kings.

* * * * *

The following list of the Bishops, to which is prefixed the succession
of Abbesses and Abbots, is derived chiefly from Mr. Bentham's _History
and Antiquities of Ely Cathedral_.

ABBESSES.

A.D.

673. St. Etheldreda. Foundress, and first Abbess.
679. St. Sexburga.
699. St. Erminilda.
? St. Werburga.

ABBOTS.

A.D.

970. Brithnoth. First Abbot.

981. Elsin.

1016. Leofwin, or Oschitel.

1022. Leofric.

1029. Leofsin.

1045. Wilfric.

1066. Thurstan. Last Saxon Abbot.

1072. Theodwin. A monk of Jumieges.

1075. [Godfrey, Adminis