Crispin: The Cross of Lead

The cross of lead is an item of personal and religious significance that once belonged to Asta, which Crispin receives from Father Quinel. As Crispin leaves town, he decides to keep the cross “as the solitary connection to my past” (52). After leaving Stromford, Crispin proceeds to use the cross during his prayers, though Bear insists that the cross is a mere trinket, one of many made to comfort those afflicted by the plague. At first, Crispin resists Bear’s suggestions, and he continues to pray using the cross even after arriving in Great Wexly.

The cross gains additional significance when Crispin learns that it is the only marker of his identity as a son of Lord Furnival, placing it at the center of Avi’s exploration of The Instability of English Feudalism. When Crispin confronts Aycliffe in Furnival’s palace, the cross plays a crucial role in the bargaining between Crispin and Aycliffe. After Aycliffe’s death, Crispin fulfills his promise by leaving the cross on Aycliffe’s chest, formalizing his decision to abandon his Furnival heritage once and for all. Avi’s choice to reference the cross in the novel’s title indicates the centrality of this object as well as Crispin’s choice to leave it behind.