Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-10-18
A PEEP COVENTRY.
historical Tradition of Lady
GodiVa and Peeping Tom.
The ANCIENT FREE CITY.
sceae OF The Fsgeants of Kings and
notwithstanding Structures of
Former AEe-SpIendid
Antique.
SPECIAL Correspondence Of the Gazette.

Special correspondence o. the GaZetJe-
COVENTRY, ENGLAND, Oct. 5.-The per-
tuacry with which a single fact, belief or
-Eeud from bygOne times finds Judgment
II 'Gr minds of men, and eventually be
comes "a bul@ark of local pride 3nd power
l- Ns. as a subject of universal interest, is
nowhere in Britain more Strikingly Illus
tr4-c than 'u This ancient city of Coventry.
Ivory well known Old World place has its
r.1.a.py or lesser shining beacon of splendid
tHc' ur myth to which the tourist, like
mariner, directs his often tempcStuous way.
h.arnry has its stone" Belfast its spin
Ing mills and historic places of riot. Old
:. Ives and Banbury are dear in nursery
81 .mc memory York aud Canterbury are
E.l IN CathedralS and lore of pilgrims.
~. .>JIry was the Old sSarum of Britain.
l"leio. had its ChatJertOn. GraSmere and
lydia Mount knew Wordsworth, keswick
"4, the home Of Southey and Coleridge.
W. ben GaG'S Hill IS mentioned, we see Dick
aud al. his wondrous brood of tender
creation. Yarmouth IS simply where the
'.'.r-ottyS" dwelt Newstcad only recalls
e. rHH. Abbottsford. Melrose and Dry
Ourga tel more than all else of Sir Walter
Scot NaSeby ana Cullodcn mean the de-
'"raaemant OF one king ana the utter OBJ
e.ar 900 Of a heroic prince ana his glorious
H.>.- Gloucester recalls the origin of the
N- Eeehool. kenilwortn reveals the
..s-.rrs uI Elizabeth. Rugby suggests
-.y hing wholesome and good III school
by life. One sees in the mere
Words of Dumfries or Ayr the
r-a.aa face of Bobby Burns. The
n.r Aughrim discloses the entire tragedy
O the Irish nations overthrow. STRAIT
lord 10 The mind is but another word for
- se~rsaEc- Aud Coventry has for 500
j .-'~ meant. and will forever solely sug-
-.s'- LADY Godiva and Peeping Tom.
Npr does il matter whether these per-
b -aEos and the curious drama i'll which
E are placed by popular and historic
3. of as actors We're fact or faction. The
.'-' and wool OF il are set so firmly in the
GESTURE of romance, ballad and song, that
Eu p Cromwell Of literature would meet
--, lEuumiUy and defeat in attempts TO
rae these splendid cloisters of tradition
81 drive from them their loved recluseS OF
leader couceit. Matthew of Westminster,
DC tourished about l300-l0, first
SET DOWN THE EPISODE
IS sober history. but failed 10 make place
Tor Popping Tom" He says:
I'm, countess (Godiva), devoutedly anX-
.-.S lo free the city of Coventry from a
sr.AroaS and and base thralldom, often be-
So-gAi the count. her husband, that he
would. Tor the love OF the holy Trinity and
rae sacred mother of God, HberaJe it from
s.ra srrvltude. But he rebuked her for
ya.u.y demanding thing so injurious to
himself and forbade her 10 move further
therein. Yet she. out of her womanly
per'!lacity, continued to press the
matter, iLsomuch that she obtained this
answer from him: Ascend ne said,
,Ay horse naked, and pass thus through
lie city, from one end of it TO the other,
N sight OF the people, and on thy return,
,hol shalt obtain thy request Upon
"aich she returned: And should be
wiling 10 do this. wilt thou give me
.e4ye' / WILL he responded. Then
ne Countess Godiva, beloved of God, as
Sended her horse naked, loosing her long
hI!r, which clothed her entire body except
!e" snow-white legs. and having performed
s-e Journey, seen by none, returned with
Joy TO her husband, who, regarding it as
'tt-rac.e, thereupon granted Coventry
SEA-. %
livery one has fingered with infinite
S-srm lyon the continued tale Of how