National Republican., 1883-08-06
THE LADY GoDIvA.
Thc People OF Coventry Have Renewed
the Custom OF Honoring Her Memory
by n Celebration.

The ancient town oil coventry, IN England,
has decided to have, on Monday next, another
pageant and procession in memory of Lady
Godiva, who
Took tho tax away
And built herself an everlasting name.
Lady Godiva was the wife of Leoiric, Earl
of Mercia and Master of Coventry About
the year 1040 he imposed upon the worthy
burghers of Coventry a grievous burden, in
the form of a heavy tax. Lady Godiva, his
estimable Spouse implored her lord to remit
the odious impost To this, after much en-
treaty on her part, he consented upon one
condition, that she should ride naked through
the streets of Coventry at MONDAY. Tenny-
son thus describes their compact in his poem
of Godiva:
He laughed and swore by Peter and by Paul:
Then flliped at the diamond in her car
He answered Ride you naked thro' the town
And repeal IT," and nodding, as In scorn,
He parted, with great strides among his dogs.
With romantic devotion to her townsmen
she accepted the offer.
Thed she fed to her nmost bower
And shower'd the ripping ringlets to her kee;
Unclad herself in haste; adown the stair
stole on and like creeping sunbeam, slid
From pillar unto pillar, until she reached
The gateway there she found her paltrey trapt
In purple blazon'd with armoral gold.
Mounting her paltrey she rode through tho
streets clothed on with chastity" veiled only
by her long and flowing hair, having pre-
viously 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 by one man, tailor, or
rs sometimes stated, u baker, who stole sly
glance at her and was Immediately struck
blind by an avenging deity.
And one low Churl, compact of thankless earth,
The fatal byword of all years to come,
Boring u little nugur hole in fear,
peepd--but his eyes before they had their will,
Were shriveed into darkness in his head.
This ''Peeping Tom" of Coventry, as he
was afterward called and immortalized in
song and story fell victim to the wrath of
the naughty earl who forthwith hanged him.
Lady Godiva thus forced her husband to keep
his oath, and thereby earned the undying
gratitude of the burdened tax payers of
Coventry. An effgy called "Peeping Tom"
is still pointed out at the corner of Smithford
street, and is popularity supposed to represent
that inquisitive individual.
Dating from the reign of Charles II an an
nual procession was instituted in commemora-
tion of this episode. A young woman very
scantily clad, in imitation of Lady Godiva,
headed the procession. This pageant led to
many abuses and much scandal, and fell
somewhat into disrepute. From an annual
occurrence the celebration dwinded into an
occasional observance only. The last pageant
occurred on June A, 1877. Previous to that
date other professions took place June 20,
1oiOi june ., lOOO june loOZ, ana III tnO
summer of 1851. Various explanations have
been offered for the phrase /" to send to Coven-
try" None of them are particularly salts
factory The most common suppositiOn is
that the phrase originated among military
men, who considered it great tribulaton to
be sent to Coventry, because the inhabitants
of that town held aloof from them and re-
fused them n social footing among them.
Coventry derives its name (Coventre, or con-
vent town. from Benedictne priory founded
in 1913 by Earl Leolric and Lady Godiva, who
were afterward buried within the priory
chapel. The history of Coventry is replete
with interest.
1t is municipal and parliamentary borough
of England, in the county Of Warwick. Itis
situated on slightly rolling ground, and in its
limits the waters of the Sherbourne 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 tho
reign of Charles ii, in 1862. Twelve parlia-
ments have been held there; one held in the
reign of Henry ~, 1404, was styled the un-
learned parliament, because lawyers weree X
cluded. The most remarkable buildings of
the town are the churches in which are seen
the finest specimens of ecclesiastical architect
ure. In the fifteenth century certain miracle
plays, called the Coventry Mysteries" were
acted at Coventry. They were published in
1S4l for the Shakespeare society, under the
care of j. o. Halliwcl. About 300 years ago
the town was noted for its wooens, and ac-
quired such reputation for dyeing that the
expression las true as Coventry blue" be-
came proverbial The borough now returns
two members to parliament. In 1872 the
population was 1850
Telegram reporter, speaking of Coventry
to a native of that city who is staying at tho
Fifth Avenue hotel, the latter said
Mondays pageant will be IA great holiday.
tC tt,Np, nt
traction. Then there are so many circun-
stances that help to make it popular. The
modern Coventry is not prosperous, as you
count prosperity in America. 1t is situated
in the midst of Shakspeare's Forests OF
Arden. and tho sleepy ruralness OF its sur
roundings still is over IT,. There are great
deal too many lounging Jacques around, even
now. Coventry for centuries has been ia =
nous for its ribbons and its watches. For q
long time all the world bought them at Cow
entity. If ribbons went out of fashion Cow
entry was in distress. The people would
starve and wait till ribbons came in again.
Then came the competition of other countries,
and they found that the secret of their weav-
ing and the dyeing of their color was no
longer exclusively with them. IL was during
one of these pei ods of great trade depression
that this Godiva pageant was revived 1t was
thought that it would bring strangers and
money to the town.
"The ribbon manufacture trade, however,
despite of royal patronage has nearly gone
The people lost heart and let their trade slip
away. The watch trade has been very much
interfered with by your American manufact,
ures. Trade is better now, mainly because
there is less dependence upon these staple
products-ribbons and watches-other and
kindred manufactures have been introduced,
and, as labor is cheap, the working class is
pretty regularly employed. There is, how
ever, no such progress as that which shows
itself in this country. The relation of agri.
culture to Coventry has also its depressing
= effect upon tho town. 1t is situated in the
Midst of the estates of number of the titled
it,1.@cracy. Lord Leigh has fifty square
miles, the Earls of Clarendon and Warwick
about the same, These noblemen let their
farms out to hire, but the agricultural popu.
lation that worked upon them are gradually
leaving their villages The last census showed
that the cities are growing and the hamlets
are dying away. The rate Of reduction varies
from 10 to 30 per cent. When farmers were
prosperous they drove into Coventry once or
twice week and were the best customers the
shopkeepers had. That is all changed they
only occasionally come, and when they do
come spend but little, The laborers and farm
servants get employment as SON as they can
in the towns, or como to America and set up
farn,nrs for Go th,t ,,,,, ,,',