ORNAMENT ON THE EARLY CROSSES OF CORNWALL. 87 



many of the Celtic monuments have been ascertained by identi- 

 fying the names contained in the inscriptions upon them, which 

 correspond with those mentioned in the ancient chronicles of the 

 country. But in Cornwall, only one supplies us with any hint 

 suggestive of its date. This is the inscribed and ornamented 

 cross base at St. Cleer, standing by the side of " The Other Half 

 Stone." The inscription is, 



doni 



ertr° 



gavit 

 proan 



ima 

 " Doniert rogavit pro anima," i.e. " Doniert has requested 

 (prayers) for his soul." 



The same sentiment is frequently expressed on ancient tomb 

 stones in the words of S. Monica, " I care not where you lay my 

 body, but this only I ask, that you remember my soul." 



Camden says, "As for Doniert, I cannot but think he was 

 that Prince of Cornwall whom the chronicles named Dungerth, 

 and record that hee was drowned in the yeere of our Salvation 

 872." At all events, there is nothing improbable in accepting 

 this date, as the style of the ornament and character of the 

 lettering in the inscription, indicate that it is of about this period 

 as regards age. Under these circumstances, this information is 

 especially acceptable, since it gives us some sort of chrono- 

 logical guide in reference to other stones, with similar ornament 

 upon them, which, in consequence may be taken as belonging to 

 about the same period. 



The first clause in the will of Dr. Eeginald Mertherderwa, 

 Principal of Bull Hall, in Oxford, and Rector of Creed, dated 

 Feb. 11, 1447, sets forth that " New stone crosses (are) to be put 

 up, of the usual kind, in those parts of Cornwall from Kayar 

 Beslasek to Camborne Church, where dead bodies are rested on 

 their way to burial, that prayers may be made, and the 

 bearers take some rest." The above seems to give a very late 

 date to some of the crosses, at any rate it goes to prove that even 

 in mediaeval times these crosses were still erected, and remem- 

 bering how far Cornwall was even in those days from centres of 



