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p of Ely. He set himself energetically to the task of settling the government of his See, and of apportioning the lands and revenues of the monastery between the monks and himself, with a keen eye to his own interests and those of his successors. At the time of the conversion of the abbacy into a bishopric, when the Conventual Church became a Cathedral, the number of monks was about fifty, though the usual number was seventy; of these the chief in subordination to the Bishop, was the Prior, (sometimes styled the Lord Prior) who had the superintendence over all the inferior members; and next, the Sub-Prior, or Prior's deputy, to assist him when present and act for him in his absence. The other officers were, the Sacrist, who had the care of the books, vestments, plate, and ornaments belonging to the church, as well as the superintendence of the buildings; the Cellarer, who procured all the necessaries for the living of the community; the Chamberlain, who provided their clothes, beds, and bedding; the Almoner, who distributed the charities of the monastery; the Precentor, who regulated the singing and the choristers; the Hosteller, who entertained strangers; the Infirmarer, who had the charge of the sick; and the Treasurer, who received the rents and other means of revenue, and made the disbursements. We have endeavoured briefly to bring down our history from the period of the introduction of Christianity into East Anglia, and the foundation of the monastery, to the time when the present Cathedral was commenced and some way advanced; we will follow it up with a brief account of the periods of erection of this noble edifice, reserving the more particular description of the several parts for our survey of the building. There is no Cathedral in England which possesses finer examples of the various successive styles of ecclesiastical architecture than that of Ely; affording excellent opportunities of judging of the comparative merits of each. The Norman portion of the building--the Nave and Transept--is lighter in character than earlier examples of the same style; indeed, in many places it bears marks of transition from the round to the pointed style. Of each of the several periods of what is usually termed Pointed, or Gothic, Ely Cathedral possesses pure and perfect specimens: the Galilee, or western porch, and the Presbytery were built when the Early English style was perfected: the Octagon, the three bays of the stal
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