352 Theory as to the Origin of the Crosses 



The pronunciation of Ruthwell at the present day is beyond all 

 doubt Rivvel.^ This is parallel to the modern pronunciation of 

 Rievaulx as Rivers, no doubt by analogy for Rivvel. The earliest 

 spelling of which we have knowledge is that of Bagimond's (properly 

 Benemund's) Roll (1275), as transcribed by Habakkuk Bisset about 

 the beginning of the 17th century. Though Bisset's copy was 

 ' inconceivably inaccurate,' and the original has therefore ' suffered 

 grievously in spelling ' ^ the form of our word in his transcription 

 seems at least to estabUsh the fact that the second syllable began with 

 V (not w). The entry is ^ : Rectoria de Rovell iiij lib (meaning that 

 the church at Ruthwell was taxed for £4, the same as Dumfries, 

 and one-half more than Peebles) . Here Chalmers "* (whatever his 

 authority) spells Rieval, which would point directly to one of the 

 earliest spelhngs of Rievaulx.^ Since little dependence can be placed 

 upon Bisset's spelling, and since the next occurrence of the word (1331) 

 is under the form Ryvel, it seems not improbable that the latter, 

 or Ryvale (1411), Rieval, may best represent the earliest form. 



The next occurrence of the word is in a list of churches assessed 

 for the expenses of deputies to the Council of Trent, 1546. Here 

 the V is again found, the word being spelled Ruvell,^ which is on the 

 way to the modern spelling, Ruthwell.'^ 



In 1690 we encounter the form Revel, from the pen of Bishop 

 Nicolson,^ who repeats it in 1697 and 1704. This resembles the 12th 

 and early 13th century spelling Revall for Rievaulx.^ However, 

 Nicolson has the alternative forms, Rothwald (1690) and St. Ruel's 

 (1697). The Ruel, if pronounced with a short u, seems like a variant 



^ Information from the present minister, Rev. J. L. Dinwiddie ; Encyc. 

 Brit. 11th ed., 8. 664. 



2 Innes, in Reg. Episc. Glasg. 1. Mx. 



3 Ibid. 1. Ixvi. 



* Caledonia, 1890, 5. 191. 



^ See p. 135, above. 



^ Reg. Episc. Olasg. 1. Ixxv. 



"^ Possibly the obscuration of the original ie-sound (no doubt hke ee in 

 modern Enghsh meet) may be illustrated by the obsolete and dialectic rother, 

 ruther (with short vowel) for Old Enghsh hrlder, which the ^Ye;;^ Eng. Diet. 

 explains (after the shortening of the vowel) as due to the influence of the 

 preceding r. The 16th or 17th century speUings, RoveU and Ruvell, in 

 contrast with the Ryvel of 1331, seem only expHcable on the theory of a 

 short or shortened vowel. 



8 Cf. Pub. Mod. Lang. Assoc, of America 17. 370, 371, 374. 



^ See above, p. 135. 

 (140) 



