condensed from this description.

[6] Canon Stewart, in _The Builder_, April 2nd, 1892.

[7] Introduction to Farren's "Cathedral Cities of Ely and
Norwich."

[8] For a full account and list of all the subjects as far as is
known, see Dean Stubbs' catalogue of them, abridged from Dr.
Montagu James' work on the iconography of the lady-chapel, given
in the "Handbook," 20th ed., pp. 127-132.

[9] In the inventory of plate, etc., "belonging to the late
priory at Ely," made 31 Hen. VIII., printed in Bentham's
"History" from the MS. in Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, the
only altars mentioned are the high altar, those in the
lady-chapel, in the chapels of Bishops Alcock and West, and in
"Byslope Redmannes Chaple."

[Illustration: THE CHOIR LOOKING EAST.]

[Illustration: THE CHAPTER SEAL. _From Bentham._]

CHAPTER IV.

HISTORY OF THE MONASTERY.

All that need be said of the original establishment at Ely has already
been told in the account of the foundress. There is no doubt that in the
monastery there were religious persons of both sexes. Dean Stubbs says
"the mixed community was the fashion of the time"[1] and he gives
Coldingham, Kildare, and three in Normandy--Chelles, Autun Brie, and
Fontevrault--as examples of similar foundations. In this instance the
abbess was the head of all; and this accounts for Bede's calling the
house a nunnery. What name was given to the superior of the men's part
does not appear.

Of all the abbesses who ruled over this "twin monastery" we know only
the names of the first four; and all these were in due time canonised.
These were S. Etheldreda (673-679), S. Sexburga (679-699), S. Ermenilda
(699-?), and S. Werburga (dates unknown). If we allow ten years for the
duration of the rule of the last two, we still have the names of the
abbesses for only thirty-six years out of the one hundred and
ninety-seven years that the institution lasted. It is said to have been
in a very flourishing condition when the Danes came to destroy it; and
there is no hint anywhere that there was not a continuous succession of
abbesses during the whole period.

S. Sexburga, the elder sister of the foundress, succeeded her as abbess.
She was the widowed queen of Ercombert, King of Kent, and had herself
founded the monastery of Sheppey, at the place now known as Minster, and
set over it her daughter Ermenilda, ano