peesident's addeess. 175 



into England. This cross links us directly to those far away 

 times where history melts into mystery. With it we are in the 

 company of two royal houses, those of Northumbria and Mercia ; 

 of good King Oswy's sons, Alcfrid, Ecfrid and Elfwine ; of fierce 

 Penda's daughters, Cyneburga and Kineswitha, and their brother 

 Wulfhere ; of saintly Etheldreda and imperious, wilful "Wilfred ; 

 of sweet-voiced Caedmon, and the Yenerable Bede, fathers re- 

 spectively of English poetry and English history. Oh ! we were 

 in goodly company, 167 years before England became united 

 under one king, and in the very year when Theodore began his 

 work of forming an united Church in our land. 



But for a cutting east wind we should have lingered longer 

 to let this goodly cross endow those old histories with life. 

 Though the actors have long crumbled to dust, the witness, 

 battered, still stands erect. But the year before, Wilfrid had 

 astonished prince and peasant with his glass windows at Eipon, 

 and this same year Ctedmon was singing his sweet songs to 

 Hilda at Whitby, whilst two years after Queen Etheldreda 

 exchanged crown for veil, and the very next year Bede was born 

 by Sunderland. Still a few years, and Ecfrid's Northumbrians 

 rush through South Scotland and Ruthwell gets its beautiful 

 English cross, which the Angles leave, happily in Christian 

 hands, when they in turn are driven back by British arms, 

 losing their brave and good King Ecfrid in battle. 



The runes on the cross probably tell us, on the west and south 

 sides, besides the words " Jesus Christ" over a figure in high 

 relief: — "This slender beacon Hwaetred, Wothgar and 01 wf- 

 wolthu set up in memory of Alcfrith, a king and son of Oswy, 

 in the first year of Ecfrith, king of this realm." On the north 

 side we read " Wulfhere, king of the Mercians, Cyneburga (wife 

 of Alcfrid) and Kineswitha (both sisters of Wulfhere)." 



After entering the plain and forlorn church, a reluctant last 

 glance at the cross was given and a botanical hunt was made. 

 Then driving back to Gilsland, of necessity by the same route, 

 we all dined together, then elected three new members, when 

 most returned to Newcastle, but a few still lingered at attrac- 

 tive Grilsland. Besides the plants already referred to, may be 



