324 Theory as to the Origin of the Crosses 



At the same time there is no doubt that crosses, other than memorial, 

 were set up in very early Christian times in Britain. Some were erected 

 to mark holy sites, others at preaching stations, and in some cases as 

 limits to rights of sanctuary. ^ 



The more important crosses, such as those at Ruthwell and Bewcastle, 

 were evidently not sepulchral, but probably erected to commemorate 

 some illustrious personage, and to encourage a devotional frame of mind 

 by setting before the congregation scenes from the Gospels. ^ 



Venerabihs pater Kentegernus [518 ?-603] antistes habebat in con- 

 suetudine, ut in locis quibus prsedicando populum adquisitionis nomini 

 Christi subdiderat, et de fide crucis Christi illos imbuerat, aut ibi ali- 

 quantisper deguerat, triumphale vexillum sanctse crucis erigeret, qua- 

 tinus cunctis daretur intelhgi quod in cruce Domini nostri Jesu Christi, 

 quam in fronte portabat minime erubesceret. Sed ut mihi videtur, 

 sancti viri consuetudo sanctissima viva ratione multipHciter subnixa est. 

 Ideo namque Sanctus hoc vitale et sanctum et terribile signum erigere 

 consueverat, ut sicut fluit cera a facie ignis, sic inimici humani generis, 

 potestates tenebrarum harum, a conspectu signi hujus hquescentes 

 defluerent, territi atque fugati procul aufugerent.^ 



For some time he remained in a thickly wooded place, and he erected 

 a cross, from which the place took the Enghsh name of Crossfield— that 

 is, Crucis N ovale— where a new basilica was erected in Jocelyn's time 

 " and dedicated in the name of the blessed Kentigern.* 



A grievous bodily weakness attacked him, and his faiUng breath 

 gave warning of the end of his hfe being at hand. . . . And when his 

 parents, in great anxiety of mind, were held in suspense as to the death 

 of their son, they made an offering of him before the great Cross of our 

 Lord and Saviour. For it is the custom of the Saxon race that on many 

 of the estates of nobles and of good men they are wont to have, not a 

 church, but the standard of the holy Cross, dedicated to our Lord, 

 and reverenced with great honor, hfted up on high, so as to be con- 

 venient for the frequency of daily prayer. They laid him there before 

 the Cross, and earnestly, and with all their might, begged our Lord 

 God, the Maker of all things, to console them, and save their son's life.^ 



^ Greenwell, Catalogue, p. 44. 



2 Allen, Hon. Hist. Brit. Church, pp. 210-1 ; cf. p. 159. 



3 Jocelyn, Vita Kentegerni 41 (Pinkerton, Lives of the Scottish Saints, 

 Vol. 2). 



* Victoria Hist. Cumb. 2. 2. 



s St. Willibald, Hodoeporicon 2-3 (Palestine Pilgrims' Text Soc, Vol. 3). 



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