146 FISHES AND FISHING. 



{i.e., in the Isle of Ely), as they (the monks) held it 

 before it came to the bishopric : he also gave them 

 thirty-thousand herrings of Dunwich. 



Abbess Etheldreda, in 673, founded the church and 

 monastery of Ely, and was the first abbess. She was 

 the daughter of Anna, King of the East Angles ; she 

 was first married to Tondberct, Prince of the South 

 Girvii, and afterwards to Egfrid, King of the Nor- 

 thumbrians. The second abbess, in 679, was Sex- 

 burga, her sister, married to Erconberct, King of 

 Kent. The third abbess, in 699, was Eormenilda, 

 their daughter, married to Wulphere, the first Chris- 

 tian King of Mercia. These are mentioned to show 

 that celibacy was not necessary for an abbess of that 

 time. The monastery consisted of religious persons 

 of both sexes, and continued in a flourishing state 

 under several abbesses till 870, when it was destroyed 

 by the Danes, and lay in ruins; but was in 970 

 restored and filled with Benedictine monks under 

 Brithnoth, the first abbot. Thurstan, the seventh 

 abbot, was appointed by King Harold, and held tbe 

 Isle of Ely seven years against William the Norman, 

 commonly called the Conqueror. 



In the Avon, near Bristol, I went with a friend to 

 see a most curious sight — the appearance of myriads of 

 elvers, at a flood-gate or lock ; they were so numerous 

 that the river appeared solid with them for a consider- 



