New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-08-20
Any G0DIVA'S RIDE.
!, Co1entry Masque Degraded
Into a Peep Shoe.

fsNso7r7 Of liberty through a supreme act of
as..sace there was no witness Of Lady
So ride As Roger de wendover told the
r' n wears after the event, Il was solitary
81 .tror,gt an empty market place. when
~ ,,1s not have been more than $50 viii
u in Coventry With one consent they re-
81 irdoors and the sacrifice Of modesty by
.4-,ir5ea woman OF peerless beauty and
jig ,sssad without observation. The tailor
i "a 80 nutrient invention of a licentious age.
30 - for the eight days fair was granted
> a. she reign Of Henry III. but IT was not
n .bA time Of Charles II that a comrnemora-
.-1' accession WAS ordered: and then Peeping
- ,.y,a in. an interloper unknown in the
-,;.,es Of King John. Satirized as he was
= o,,e low clluri his offence was easily con-
- and he became a popular parsonage. 1t
-o- he true that cathedral statue of St
-. Uas converted into the leering face of
- s.o,isrive tailor now seen in the centre of
= sew. HIT certainly Lady Godiva professions
= baan MANNED decade after decade for the
...,--sb1e excitement Of the masses. who have
.,s5as 10 his stolen privilege at the keyhole
..,s +be shutter. When to-day's pageant
- - move through the narrow streets Of
- rto-;ed town there were 10000 Peeping
Nv :. stare ar q music hall artist on a white
80 and 10 find out for themselves how much
: tow little Of the pink heshings was uncon-
..,ls5 nv wig and chiffon.
| -ta degradation Of the beautiful medieval
--+b has not been accomplished without pro-
- n,guitaries Of The Church and sedate ma
| ..,.s hsve. demonstrated against the revival of
a.. they considered an unseenly town show
-. ,-u-icipal council has been divided on the
---sssucy OF sancticning a form of music hall
..s,-.ance which has been prohibited in Lon
- e,s other cities The agitation against liv-
a.. sstusry has been vehement that the
-.,--r Of the council who sustained the
wsv0- in accepting La Milo's offer TO imper-
rsdv Godiva. have been forced to super
rss and regulate the artists costume She was
- allowed 10 face the horde Of Peeping Toms
-4.bout a private view by dignitaries Of the
.,u- Moral experts were called upon to certify
ss.t # IVES a reputable and chaste exhibition.
Ers1 tie dressers had finished their work and
sss had mounted her horse in the courtyard Of
.ss ancient guild hall the Mayor, Deputy Mayor.
,.,sf constable and two other officials were
summoned and there was q unanimous declara-
i'm that the proprieties We're not violated. The
rsksu doors were then opened, and as she
emerged from the courtyard with her maids Of
,uuor the throngs Of sightseers clinging to the
walls Of St NichaeTs Church pronounced her
ss good an example of living statuary was
sTs- seen in q music hall. For four or five hours
Sic rode through the town in a procession that
rss constantly blocked, and she was cheered
nile after mile until the gates Of the guild hall
were closed behind her and the last battalion Of
Pssping Toms massed against a timber barrier
hsd shared her radiant smile with the saints
s1i zbbots IN the stained glass windows OF St
NichseTs. Certainly there had been no need for
e. appeal from this Lady Godiva TO the people
o. Coventry 70 stay at home behind closed win
6gTs and 70 allow her 90 take her way in soil
-ary state. Arms and hands alone were bare;
masses q coarse blond hair covered her Shout
ds-s and hack and We're fastened around her
chest; draperies OF flesh pink chiffon trailed
ron the waist, and the legs were encased in
.sziinss from the knees. Her white horse.
which NJ. Tree and other actors had mounted
before her, was Respondent in trappings Of blue
velvet and gtlded bosses and hoops. and behind
Twas canopy Of blue and white silk, borne by
carriers in dark blue livery. Four maids Of
honor in white samite with gold embroideries
we're in close attendance; but who had a glance
% spare for them when Lady Godiva was pass
Ing n szucy triumph and smiling in the most
cpsa-faced music hall manner?
mas been a proper show. Nobody can re-
p-1ach the Mavor and members Of the council
for dancing with the wanton satyrs. The pro-
Iristies and conventions have been scrupulously
respected; but II has not been artistic
pageant. So much time has been occupied with
DISCUSSION OF Lady Godiva's fleshings and cos
tune that there has been little leisure for the
arosrlng Of the general procession The trades
ection with its brass bands. fire brigade, deco
rated motor cars, milling machines. bakers in
pen On wheels, Odd Fellows with banners. cycling
caos and phianthropic institutions. a dull
osplay. deficient in color and originality. Many
o. The cars were advertising devices, and there
vas little taste displayed in decorating them.
ne best groups were the Foresters with Robin
hood. Friar Tuck and their Merrie Men, and
ne white bearded Druids with representation
q stonehenge; and the most interesting float
hTroduced John Barleycorn. with his long pipe
sho nut brown ale. The historical section was
q !urnble Of IL fitting costumes rather than a
spirited display OF characters conspicuous in the
soIals q the town. St George. helmeted and
n 1ul arTnor, was q formidable warrior, but
Sand OF ancient Britons, clad in wolf skins
hhging psans Of victory, was comic or
Assefe, and the dragon was as mild and meek
monster as ever graced a kindergarten panto-
.Dle- Sir John Falstaff. Pistol. Bardolph and
-sn neither knew how to wear their clothes
~ % assume 4 staggering air William the
00l9aeror, In chain armor. looked like a black
1A'n out Of a job and the first Bishop Of Cow
~lfF and his retinue OF Benedictine monks, in
p''e OF their robes. might have been mistaken
~ reformed bartenders. a johlot of sovSreigns
&c queens succeeded one another more rapidly
al 'hey could be identified Edward the Con-
.sSsof with jewelled crown, held his sceptre as
so-sh i were a whipstalk and the Black
-ce had The rneditative pose Of under
~hsL Mary Queen Of Scots. in stately black
-seI was less amateurish than her awkward
p''ls. The Earls Of Shrewsbury and Hunting
-'n, and Queen Elizabeth in crimson plush and
aANne' with splendors of jewels and coIlarette