[II] "In the night before the battle of Durham was strucken and begun,
the 17th day of October, _anno_ 1346, there did appear to John Fosser,
then Prior of the abbey of Durham, a Vision, commanding him to take the
holy Corporax-cloth, wherewith St. Cuthbert did cover the chalice when
he used to say mass, and to put the same holy relique like to a
banner-cloth upon the point of a spear, and the next morning to go and
repair to a place on the west side of the city of Durham, called the Red
Hills, where the Maid's Bower wont to be, and there to remain and abide
till the end of the battle. To which vision, the Prior obeying, and
taking the same for a revelation of God's grace and mercy by the
mediation of holy St. Cuthbert, did accordingly the next morning, with
the monks of the said abbey, repair to the said Red Hills, and there
most devoutly humbling and prostrating themselves in prayer for the
victory in the said battle: (a great multitude of the Scots running and
pressing by them, with intention to have spoiled them, yet had no power
to commit any violence under such holy persons, so occupied in prayer,
being protected and defended by the mighty Providence of Almighty God,
and by the mediation of Holy St. Cuthbert, and the presence of the holy
relique). And, after many conflicts and warlike exploits there had and
done between the English men and the King of Scots and his company, the
said battle ended, and the victory was obtained, to the great overthrow
and confusion of the Scots, their enemies: And then the said Prior and
monks, accompanied with Ralph Lord Nevil, and John Nevil his son, and
the Lord Percy, and many other nobles of England, returned home and went
to the abbey church, there joining in hearty prayer and thanksgiving to
God and holy St. Cuthbert for the victory atchieved that day."

This battle was afterwards called the Battle of Neville's Cross from the
following circumstance:--

"On the west side of the city of Durham, where two roads pass each
other, a most notable, famous, and goodly cross of stone-work was
erected, and set up to the honour of God for the victory there obtained
in the field of battle, and known by the name of Nevil's Cross, and
built at the sole cost of the Lord Ralph Nevil, one of the most
excellent and chief persons in the said battle." The Relique of St.
Cuthbert afterwards became of great importance in military events. For
soon after this battle, says the same author, "The pri