He imitated and perhaps trained under Samuel Cooper, and was extensively employed by royalty and the nobility as a miniaturist during the reign of Queen Anne.
He is said to have created an erroneous type of the features of Mary, Queen of Scots by renovating a portrait of her to appear more beautiful.
The mistake originated with Vertue, who read the entwined initials PC of the artist's signature as LC.
He is stated to have been commissioned to repair a small portrait of Mary, Queen of Scots in black velvet and ermine, in the possession of the Duke of Hamilton, with instructions to make it as beautiful as possible, and to have faithfully executed his commission, thus creating an entirely erroneous type of the features of that queen.
[4] Cross possessed a valuable collection of miniatures by the Isaac and Peter Oliver, Hoskins, Cooper, and others, which were sold at his residence, the "Blue Anchor" in Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, on 5 December 1722.