The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-04-28

Osburga was formerly Abbess, existed
there Il was burned down when Eadrick
rayaged the country.
Earl Leofric, and he chose the site Of the
ruined convent, at the earnest solicitation
OF Godiva for the buildingo magnificent
abbey. The determination once formed,
the munifcent founders lost no time in
putting their design into execu-
ton; for Oderic Vitalis records that
Lady Godiva gave to the good work
all her treasures, and sending for gold
smiths she devoutly distributed all the
gold and silver that she possessed, to make
the sacred books, and texts, and crosses,
and images Of saints, and other marvellous
church furniture. She also endowed the
convent with much land and possessions,
both in that and other parts OF the coun-
try. In word, she literally denuded or
stripped herself OF all her possessions to
build this convent. This was in l043 OF
1914.
The people at this period, and for some
hundreds OF years after, were Ignorant;
few, II any, could read, and the teaching
was confined to the monks. The princi.
pal lessons they taught were those OF re-
ligion and reverence for the church. This
teaching was both by word OF mouth and
by means OF pictures, all in allegory, which
conveyed moral. OF course, the monks
felt grateful to Godiva for her bounty, and
no doubt used TO praise her daily to the
people in their sermons. The Roman
Catholic Church was unfortunately very
grasping at that time, and was quite as
earnest in teaching such PARALLELS as the
widows mite, and in expounding the
teaching OF Christ when He says; "Giye
all thou hast to the poor and follow me. "
In course Of time, when the city grew and
became populous and rich, what would be
more natural than for the priests TO use the
Lady Godiva's muniiicence as q shining
example, and to take it us subject Tor an
allegorical lesson, about as follows:
The peolW were heavily taxed with sin,
and felt the weight thereof; they cried out
for relief which could only be had by
religious teaching. Churches were neces-
sary for this religious teaching, and Lady
Godiva, from the goodness OF her heart,
and in loving sympathy for these people
appealed TO her husband, Earl Leofric, fol
relief for them, by erecting church. The
earl responded that II she had such sym
patty and could prove IL by stripping
herself OF all her luxuries and earthly
possessions, and so 90 through life, hi
would build the convent with them, and
thus relieve the people. The result wa:
one OF the Tandcst churches OF tina
time.
To make the people appreciate this gren
cry for relief from sin. the priests repre-
sented them as heavily taxed by thei
lord, and crying for relief. Then, to Civ,
some adequate idea OF the great persona
self-sacrilicc and humility OF Godiva Il
stripping herself OF all her earthly posses
sions, she being one OF the mobiles dame
OF her times, they illustrated it by pict
ure representing woman riding nakeC
through the streets. This idea caugh
their Imagination, and though the priest
originally said something quite sensible
in time the meaning OF the pictures wa
lost sight OF, and new and absurd on
followed. When pageants were introduces
in place OF pictures, the allegorical ride Q
Godiva was actually enacted, and wa
kept up annually for many years. Roge
OF Wendover having seen or heard OF on
OF these pageants and inquired the mean
ing OF IL, Il was explained 10 him accordin
10 the then accepted belief, and was &C
cordingly Incorporated into his history.
Coventry, as city or town, was not i
existence al the building Of the convent
but gradually n settlement arose aroun
the abbey, and II had no streets. and con
sequently no tolls, until Godiva had beef
dead nearly century; hence she coul,
not have taken the ride 10 relieve the PEG
pie from what did not exist
The town did not even exist at the tim
OF the Norman invasion, and Is only nc
ticed in "Doomsday Book" as one Of III
possessions Of the Countess Godiva.
= At the period at which the Lady Godiy
lived one OF the beauties Of knighthoo
was the reverence for woman, and II wa
one OF the great lessons taught; therefore
may safely hold the opinion that no knigh
would have made any such condition; an
had no done 10 there were many VIII
would have promptly resented and pre-
vented is taking plare. Besides, no hu'
band. either ancient or modern, could b
so lost to all sense OF shame rs TO perm
his wife to subject herself 10 a most hu
initiating aud unwomanly ordeal.