The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-08-10
THE LADY cODIvA.
Tse People efCovsntry Have Renewed
tho Custom Of Honoring Her Mem.
cry BY Celebration.
New York Tc,cgrsm.l

another pageant and procession IN memory
Of Lady Godiva, who
Took The tax away
And built herself an everlasting name.
Lady Godiva was the wife Of Leoirr.
Earl OF Mercia and master OF Coventry.
About the wear 1910 he Imposed upon The
worthy burghers Of Coventry gricyous
burden, in the form OF heavy tax. Lady
Godiva. his cstimabie spouse. implored her
lord 10 remit the edious impost. TO TINS,
after much entreaty OH her part. ne con.
scented upon one condition-that she shouid
ride naked through the streets OF coventry
at MONDAY. Tcnnyson thus describes
their compact In his poem OF Godiva:
yse lausbed and swore by Peter and by Paul;
Tbcu siIirvd at tho diamond w her ear
And / rcpesl ~" and nodd.ng, as In scorn,
Hs psrteS. with great strides among his dogs.
with romantic devotion TO her towns
men she accepted the offer.
Then she fcd 10 her Utmost bower
And shower'd the ripping rtngleis to her knee;
Vuciad herself In haste. adown the stair
stole on: and like creeping sunbeam, slid
Prom pillar unto pillar. until she reached
The gateway; there she found her paltrey trapt
In purple bIazon'd with armoral gold
Mounting her paltrey she rode through
the streets "clothed on with chastity
having previously issued mandate to all
the citizens TO keep within doors, to close
their shutters and avert their eyes. This
was done by all, as the legend goes, save
bv one man, a tailor, or rs sometimes
stated. n baker, who stole sly glance at
her and was Immediately struck blind by
an a,enging deity.
And one low churl. compact OF thankless earth,
The fatal byword OF all years to come,
Boring little augur hole In fear, -,
Pecpd-but his eyes, before they had Their VIII,
Were shriyelled Into darkness In his head.
This "Peeping Tom" Of Coventry. as
he was afIerward called and immortalized
in song and story. fell victim 10 the wrath
OF the naughty Earl, who forthwith hanged
HIM. Lady Godva thus forced her bus
band TO keep his OATH and thereby earned
the undying gratitude Of the burdened
taxpayers OF Coventry. An efbgy called
"Peeping Tom" is still pointed out at the
corner OF Smithford street, and is popular
ly supposed to represent that inquisitive
individual.
Dating from the reign Of Charles ii. an
annual procession was instituted in CON-
remuneration OF this episode. a young
woman very scantily clad, in imitation OF
Lady Godiya, headed the procession. This
pageant led 10 many abuses and much scan
dal. and fell somewhat into disreputc.
From an annual occurrence the celebration
dwindled into al occasional observance
only. The last pageant occurred on June
4, 1877. Previous to that date other pro-
cessons took place June 30, 1870; June 4.
1866; June 90, 1862, and in the summer OF
1851. Various explanations have been Of
fered for the phrase " TO send to Coventry"
None OF them are particularly satisfac-
tory. The most common suppostion is
that the phrase originated among military
Men, who considered il a great tribulation
TO be sent TO Coventry. because the in
babitants of that town held aloof from
them and refused them a social footing
among them. Coventry derives its name
tConvcntre or convent town from Bene-
dictine priory founded in 1913 by Earl
Leoiric and Lady Godira, who were after
ward buried within the priOry chapel.
The history OF Coventry is replete with in
terest.
1t Is municipal and parliamentary
borough OF England In the county OF War
wick. 1t is situated on slightly rolling
ground, and in its limits the waters Of the
Sherbolrne and the Radford brook unite.
The town was formerly surrounded by
strong walls three miles in circumference.
and garnished with twenty.siX towers,
which were overthrown in the reign OF
Charles H., in 1862. Twelve pai lia-
ments have been held there. One
held in the reign OF Henry ~,
1904, was STYLED the unlearned Far
lament, because lawyers were eX-
cluded. The most remarkable buildings Of
the town are the churches, in which arc
seen the finest specimens of ecclesiastical
architecture. In the fifteenth century GER
tain miracle plays, called the Coventry
MYSTERIES" were acted at Coventry. They
were published in lS41 for the Shakespeare
Society, under the care OF j. o. Halliwell.
About 800 years ago the town was noted
for its woolens, and acquired such a repu-
tation for dyeing that the expression "as
true as Coventry blue" became proverbial.
The borough now returns two members TO
Parliament. In 1872 the population was
1850.
A Telegrdm reporter, speaking OF Gov
entry 10 native OF that city who Is staying
ut the Fifth-Avenue Hotel, the latter said
Mondays pageant will be n great holt
day. The Godiya procession is an immense
attraction. Then there are so many circum'
stances that help to make it popular. The
modern Coventry is not prosperous. n
you count prosperity in America. 1t is
situated in the midst OF Shakespeare:
Forests of Arden, and the sleepy
ruralress OF It's surroundings still il
over 1t. There are great deal toe
many lounging Jacques around, ever
now. Coventry for centuries has been IN
nous for its ribbons and its watches. Fol
a long time all the world bought them n
Coventry. III ribbons went out OF fashion
Coventry was I'm distress. The peopl
81 :.
again. Then came the competition O
other countries, and they found that til
secret OF their weaving and the dyeing O
their color was no longer exclusively wit
them. Ii was during one OF these period
az great trade depression that this Cody
paeeant was revived. 1t was thought tha
1t would bring strangers and money to th
town.
"The ribbon-manuiacture trade, how
ever, despite OF royal patronage, has neal
ly gone. The people lost heart and lie
their trade slip away. The watch trade Ina
been very much interfered with by YOU
American manufactures. Trade Is bette
now. mainly because there is less depend
ence upon these staple products ribbon
and watches-other and kindred manuiac
lures have been introduced, and as labo
Is cheap, the working class is prett
regularly employed. There is, however
no such progress as that which show
itself In this country. The relation OF ae
riculture to Coventry has also its depress
ing effect upon the town. II is situated |,
tue midst OF the estates Of number OF th
titled aristocracy. Lord Leigh has fit
square miles; the Earls OF Clarendon an;
warwick about the same. These noble
men let their farms out TO hire, but th
agricultural population that worked upor
them are gradually leaving their villages
The last census showed that the cite,
\ are growing and the hamlets are dyinc
away. The rate OF reduction varies from