It will be convenient to weave the history of the foundation of Wells with that of the bishops. So here, at the outset, the reader must bear in mind that from the beginning the cathedral church was served by "secular" clergy, by priests, that is, who were bound by no vows other than those of their ordination, who did not live a community life, but had each his own house, and generally at this time his own wife and family. Wells Cathedral was not "built by the monks," and its chapter was never composed of monks; though some of the bishops belonged to religious orders, it kept up a pretty constant rivalry with the "regular" clergy of Glastonbury and Bath. It belongs in fact, to the cathedrals of the old foundation, whose constitutions were not changed at the Reformation; and its chapter has continued in unbroken succession, from the days when Aethelhelm first presided over his little body of clergy in the church of St. Andrew, down to our own time. But at first that chapter was informal enough, nor was it finally incorporated and officered till the time of Bishop Robert in the twelfth century. The number of canons does not seem to have been fixed, though in the next century we hear of there being only four or five. [Illustration: Specimens Of Capitals.] The next five bishops are all little more than names to us. WULFHELM succeeded Aethelhelm in 914: also translated to Canterbury; AELFHEAH (923), WULFHELM (938), BRITHHELM (956-973), and CYNEWARD (973-975). SIGEGAR (975-977), a pupil of St. Dunstan, and abbot of Glastonbury, was succeeded, or perhaps supplanted, by AELFWINE, in 997-999. AETHELSTAN, or LYFING; translated to Canterbury 1013. AETHELWINE and BRIHTWINE shared the episcopate, either as rivals or coadjutors. Brihtwine was last in possession. MEREWIT, also called Brihtwine, succeeded in 1026. DUDUC (1033-1060), a German Saxon. Cnut had given him the estates of Congresbury and Banwell, which he left to the church of Wells; but Harold took possession of them. GISA (1060-1088), a Belgian from Lorraine, found his see in a sad condition: the church was mean, its revenues small, and its four or five canons were forced, he says, to beg their bread. He at once set to work to increase the revenues; and from Edward the Confessor, from his queen, Edith, then from Harold, and afterwards from William the Conqueror, he obtained various estates for the support of his canons. He also changed the way of living of the canons, and built a cloister, dormitory, and refectory, thereby forcing them to live a common life, much as if they were monks--an unpopular innovation which was supported by the appointment in the foreign fashion of a provost to be chief officer, the canons choosing for this post one Isaac of Wells.