56 ANTIQUITIES NEAR LISKEARD. 



" When these memorials were erected by persons 

 in their life time, there was generally inscribed 

 Posuit, or Poni curavit ; but most commonly they 

 were erected either by the command, or at the desire, 

 of the person departed. When by the command or 

 order of the deceased, the word Jussit was made use 

 of ; when at the desire, Rogavit, 



" That the ancients erected crosses in the middle 

 ages of Christianity, we have an instance in the 

 inscription near Neath in Glamorganshire , in the 

 church-yard of Lan Iltud vawr, where there are two 

 stones as here, one inscribed, and one not. That 

 not inscribed, is about the height of our Other-half 

 stone ; the other stone was part of a cross, very 

 likely the pedestal, and one of its sides has this 

 inscription Samson posuit hanc crucem pro anima 

 ejus. Now the meaning of this inscription is (as is 

 observed in Camden), that one Samson erected this 

 cross for his soul, that is, that prayers might be said 

 at this cross for the good of his soul. 



" That people desired the erection of such monu- 

 ments for their souls, and that Rogavit was the 

 word used upon such occasions ; we find an instance 

 in Godwyn's catalogue of the Bishops of Landaff, 

 where, speaking of Theodoric King of Glamorgan- 

 shire's last battle against the Saxons, in which he 

 was mortally wounded he has these words, * Having 

 received a wound in the head which he knew to be 

 mortal, he hastened back into his own country, that 

 he might expire among his friends and relations, 

 first desiring his son (Rogato priusjilio) to build a 

 church on that spot where he should breathe his 

 last (in case he should die on the road), and bury 

 him also there.' Here we see the dying Theodoric 

 only desired the monumental church, and therefore 

 it was not Jusso, but Rogato Jitio ; and, in the case 

 before us, I conjecture, that Doniert requested, and 

 did not command ; that this cross should be erected, 

 and prayers said there for the good of his soul, and 

 therefore it is Rogavit y and not Jussit.^' 



