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. s.e.xburga.
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. [G.o.dfrey, Administrator _ad interim_.]
1081. Simeon. Founder of the Norman Church.
_Interval of seven years._
1100. Richard. Completed the Norman Choir. Translated into it the remains of the sainted Abbesses. Commenced negociations for the conversion of the abbacy into a bishop.r.i.c.k. Died 1107.
BISHOPS.
1109. Herve, or Hervey, first Bishop. The abbey estates divided, and the See firmly established. Died 1131.
1133. Nigellus, a Prebendary of St. Paul"s, London. Treasurer to the King, Henry I. A Baron of the Exchequer. Died 1169.
1174. Geoffry Ridel, Archdeacon of Canterbury. Chaplain to King Henry II. Baron of the Exchequer. Opponent of Becket. He built the lower part of the great western tower of the church.
1189. William Longchamp, Chancellor of England. Papal Legate. Died at Poictiers, 1197.
1198. Eustachius, Archdeacon of Richmond, Treasurer of York, and Dean of Salisbury. Chancellor of England. Founder of the Galilee or western porch. (See Stewart"s Arch. Hist. of Ely Cathedral, p. 50.) Died 1215.
1215. [Robert of York, chosen by the monks, but never consecrated, held possession of the temporalities of the See for five years.]
1220. John de Fontibus, Abbot of Fountains in Yorkshire.
1225. Geoffery de Burgh, Archdeacon of Norwich.
1229. Hugh de Northwold, Abbot of St. Edmundsbury. This distinguished prelate built the magnificent Presbytery, or eastern portion of the choir. On the occasion of the dedication of the whole church, he entertained sumptuously the King, Henry III., Prince Edward his son, and many n.o.bles and bishops.
1254. William de Kilkenny, Archdeacon of Coventry, and Chancellor.
1257. Hugh de Balsham, Sub-prior of the abbey. Founder of St. Peter"s, the first endowed College at Cambridge.
1286. John de Kirkeby. Treasurer of King Edward I. Canon of Wells and York. Archdeacon of Coventry.
1290. William de Luda, (or Louth), Archdeacon of Durham. Prebendary of St. Paul"s, of York, and of Lincoln. Sometime Chancellor. Died 1298.
1299. Ralph de Walpole, Bishop of Norwich.
1302. Robert de Orford, Prior of the convent.
1310. John de Ketene, almoner of the church.
1316. John Hotham, Chancellor of the king"s (Edward II.) exchequer; Prebendary of York; Rector of Cottingham, in Yorkshire. Bishop Hotham was a munificent promoter of the great architectural works carried on under the rule of Prior Crauden, and from the designs of Alan de Walsingham, then Sacrist. In his time the Lady Chapel was begun; the Octagon completed; and the exquisite bays of the western Choir designed.
1337. Simon de Montacute, Bishop of Worcester.
The Monks had chosen Prior Crauden.
1345. Thomas L"Isle, Prior of Dominicans at Winchester.
The choice of the Monks, which had fallen upon Alan of Walsingham the ill.u.s.trious architect, then their Prior, was again set aside by the Pope, 1361.
1362. Simon Langham, Abbot of Westminster, and Treasurer of England.
Afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury, and Chancellor. In 1368 created Cardinal.
1366. John Barnet. Treasurer of England. Had been Bishop of Worcester; afterwards of Bath, thence translated to Ely.
1374. Thomas de Arundel, Archdeacon of Taunton. Appointed Chancellor of England in 1386; Archbishop of York in 1388, of Canterbury, 1396.
1388. John Fordham, Dean of Wells; Keeper of the Privy Seal.
1426. Philip Morgan, Bishop of Worcester. Died 1435.