THE RUTHWELL CROSS 261 



the leafless ash-trees close at hand. Ruthwell (you 

 must pronounce it Rivvel if you would have people 

 understand you) is associated for ever with the 

 comical, as well as with the romantic side of archae- 

 ology. The name reminds us how far incautious 

 disciples of Monkbarns may go astray, but also how 

 surely scientific system will prevail in the end. 



In spite of the deplorable zeal with which Scottish 

 reformers of the sixteenth century had carried out 

 the defacement or demolition of memorials of the 

 old religion, there remained until 1642, within the 

 parish kirk of Euthwell, a lofty cross of stone, 

 slender, richly carved in every part, and bearing 

 inscriptions in Runic and Roman characters. In 

 that year the General Assembly suddenly awoke to 

 the scandal of permitting this monument of idolatry 

 to exist, and decreed its immediate destruction. 

 But the Westlan' Whigs had bowels, even in matters 

 of religion ; the cross was cast down indeed, and its 

 shapely shaft and nimbed head were broken into 

 several pieces ; but it was suffered to remain in the 

 church, where Pennant viewed it one hundred and 

 thirty years later, in 1772. Subsequently, even that 

 remnant of reverence was withdrawn, and the broken 

 cross was thrown out into the kirkyard, where wind, 



