Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 4.djvu/336

 312 AN ACCOUNT OF SOME MONUMENTAL fend them from other invading foes. This circumstance calls our attention to a well attested fact of our Church history, as to its connnunion with the eastern branch of the Church Catholic. Tor though Christianity was introduced hither, as we have seen, by the instrumentality of the Romans, it is equally true that at the time of St. Augustine's arrival into England, the British Church was strictly observing the customs and ceremonies of the eastern conmmnion, professedly re- ceived through Irenaeus, bishop of Lyons, who was the dis- ciple of Polycarp, the disciple of St. John. The form of our ancient crosses illustrates and confirms this portion of om' history, and it would appear, moreover, that this was the pri- mitive form of the cross, and that which was most generally employed before the disagreement between the rival branches of the Church at Constantinople and Rome, Avhich led to their assuming distinct forms as their respective badges. In the war of extermination waged by the Saxons, after their conversion, at the instigation of St. Augustine, against the small remnant of the eastern communion in Wales and Cornwall, the Latin cross was the standard of the invaders. The only cause of offence on the part of the Welsh and Cornish, seems to have been their firm determination to retain freedom in the exercise of their own ceremonies. The war thus be2;un was un- equally maintained for seve- ral centuries, till generation after generation inherited bitter hatred of the Saxon name. At length, over- coming by numbers, Athel- stan forced his conquest even to the Land's End, near which place, on a mound or barrow, situate beside the ancient British road, there, is this Latin cross. It stands near the place to which tradition points as the battle held where many Cornish men ianasE„d. were slaughtered Avhilc defending their ancient rights and