Bruce ... with the picture of Our Lady on the one side of our Saviour,
and St. John's on the other side, very richly wrought in silver, all
three having crownes of pure beaten gold of goldsmith's work, with a
device or rest to take them off or on."

The writer then describes the "fine wainscote work" to which this costly
"rood and pictures" were fastened on a pillar at the east end of the
southern aisle of the quire. And in a subsequent chapter (p. 21. of Surtees
Soc. volume) we have an account of the cross miraculously received by David
I. (whom the writer confounds with the King David Bruce captured at the
battle of Durham, notwithstanding that his _Auntient Memorial_ professes to
be "collected forthe of the best antiquaries"), and in honour of which he
founded Holy Rood Abbey in 1128 from which account it clearly appears that
this cross was distinct from the Black Rood of Scotland. For the writer,
after stating that this miraculous cross had been brought from Holy Rood
House by the king, as a "most fortunate relique," says:

"He lost _the said crosse_, which was taiken upon him, and many other
most wourthie and excellent jewells ... which all weare offred up at
the shryne of Saint Cuthbert, _together with the Blacke Rude of
Scotland_ (so termed), with Mary and John, maid of silver, being, as yt
were, smoked all over, which was placed and sett up most exactlie in
the pillar next St. Cuthbert's shrine," &c.

In the description written in 1593, as printed, the size of the Black Rood
is not mentioned; but in Sanderson's _Antiquities of Durham_, in which he
follows that description, but with many variations and omissions, he says
(p. 22.), in mentioning the Black Rood of Scotland, with the images, as
above described,--

"Which rood and pictures were all three very richly wrought in silver,
and were all smoked blacke over, {410} being large pictures of a yard
or five quarters long, and on every one of their leads a crown of pure
beaten gold," &c.

I have one more (too brief) notice of this famous rood. It occurs in the
list of reliques preserved in the Feretory of St. Cuthhert, under the care
of the shrine-keeper, which was drawn up in 1383 by Richard de Sedbrok, and
is as follows:

"A black crosse, called the _Black Rode of Scotland_."--MS. Dunelm., B.
ii. 35.

Strange to say, Mr. Raine, in his _St. Cuthbert_, p. 108., appears to
confound the cross b