THE LADY GODIVA PROCESSION AT COVENTRY.

Western Star, Issue 787, 27 October 1883, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE LADY GODIVA PROCESSION AT COVENTRY.

After an interval of six years the Lady Godiva pageant was revived at Coventry on Monday, and, as was expected, drew many thousands of visitors to the city. The weather was fine, and the entire line of route along which the procession had to pass was literally besieged with spectators, the number who witnessed the cavalcade being considerably oyer a hundred thousand. The keenest interest was manifested in the event throughout an extensive area, and many special trains were throughout the morning filled to overflowing. The procession which had been fixed to start at eleven o’clock, did not get fairly on its way until half-past twelve, when ’‘Lady Godiva” emerged from St. Mary’s Hall, amid the ringing of church bells and the applause of the assembled multitude. Lady Godiva was personated by Miss Maude Forrester, the equestrienne, of Loudon, and was mounted on a magnificent grey charger splendidly attired and especially lent for the occasion. Miss Forrester, who is a handsome woman, with long flowing hair, was attired in a satin tunic with white tulle veil and satin boots. The journey was a somewhat tedious one, being six or seven miles in length, but although it occupied between four and five hours the lady performed her task admirably, and with a modest grace which won for her frequent applause. She was escorted by a number of mounted firemen, and the other personages of importance represented in the procession were the Earl of Mercia, Edward the Black Prince, Richard 11., Henry IV., Henry VL, Queen Margaret, Henry VIII., Queen Elizabeth, Mary Queen of Scots, Sir Thomas White, Sir William Dugdale, and Shakespeare. The music was supplied by seven bands, representatives of the various trade and friendly and benevolent societies of the city, who took part in the procession, and there were also men clad in ancient armour, while an interesting feature in the cavalcade was a large number of little boys and girls gaily attired in silk, satin, and velvet, mounted on horseback, and who, as they rode along, saluted the assembled onlookers. In addition to flags and banners there were decorated cars, one of which was emblematical of the different seasons of the year, while others represented colliers of the past and the present times, a number of the lastnamed being assembled around large lumps of coal, each of which weighed over a ton. There were also a shepherd and shepherdess in a sylvan bower, with dogs, Jambs, &c. The procession was marshalled by Captain Fitzgerald, late of the 16th Lancers, Royal Military Riding School, Hyde Park, London.

A correspondent who signs himself “ A Lineal Descendant of Leofric and Godiva,” writes to the Times : The fable of Lady Godiva’s ride is too well known to be repeated here; it has furnished a subject for several artists of fame, both English and foreigners; but Mr Freeman very properly describes it as simply a disgrace to English history. Now, if Lady Godivia had ever riden through Coventry as she is said to have done, mention of so remarkable an event would certainly have been made by some of the many early writers; but theo are silent on the subject. The Saxon chronicler Ingulpb of Oroyland, who knew Lady Godiva personally, Orderic Yitalis, almost a contemporary, Simeon of Durham, the Chronicle of Mailros, Florence of Worcester, and William of Malmesbury, say nothing of it; while the latter, when describing the abbey of Coventry, would certainly not have omitted to record the ride if it had taken place. «The fable is first mentioned by Roger of Wendover, who flourished in the°the first half of the 13th century. According to him, the people of Coventry were to be assembled in the marketplace to behold Lady Godiva ride through the midst of them in a state of nudity, attended hy two soldiers. She had luxuriant tresses of hair which she unloosened, and thus formed a mantle which completely covered her body. Roger of Wendover adds that she was seen by no one. Matthew of Westminster, who wrote his history about 50 years later, mentions the fable. His work is a copy, with additions, or Roger Hoveden, who wrote about a.d. 1:204, and says nothing of the ride; consequently Matthew of Westminister must have taken it from Roger of Wendover. In his version, which differs very little from that of Roger of Wendover, he seems to hint that Lady Godiva was supernaturaily shrouded from mortal eyes, for he says that she, having ridden through the assembled multitude a nomine nisa ad virum gaudens hoc pro miraculo habentem reversa est. Thus, by recording that Lady Godiva rode through the assembled multitude, Matthew of Westminister and Roger of Wendover very satisfactorily disp .se ot “ Peeping Tom,” Ralph Higden, the monk of Chester, who died a.d. 1353, Henry de Knyghton, and John of Biompton, who were later writers, mention the fable, on the authority, no doubt, of Roger of Wendover and Matthew of Westminister. But the most conclusive evidence against Laly Godiva’s ride is the simple fact that at the time when it is said to have taken place the town or borough of Coventry did not exist.

“ Coventry owes its existence to the celebrated Benedictine Abbey which the Earl Leofric built for an abbot and monks, at the Lady do-

diva, according to Ingulph. Leofric endowed it with 24 manors, situated in seven different counties, and with half that of Coventry. The buildings were completed in a.d. 1043, and probably were commenced 20 years previously. The church was the most splendid one ever raised in England; it contained every ornament and decoration wrought by the art of man that boundless wealth, spent with lavish and pious hands could supply. It was so enriched with gold and silver that the very walls seemed too confined to contain the treasures, Orderic Vitalis adds that Lady Godiva gave towards the abbey church all her treasures, and, sending for goldsmiths, devoutly distributed all the gold and silver that she possessed to make the sacred books and gospels, and crosses and images of the saints, and other marvellous church ornaments. In a word, for the love of God and the service of the Church she literally denuded herself of all her personal property. “ This is the true story of the noble and peerless Godiva, sister of Thoroid, the shire-reeve of Lincoln, and wife of that faithful lover of his country, wise statesman, loyal subject, and devoted husband, Leofric, Earl of the Mercians, Ingulph describes her as the most beautiful lady then living. Lovely as she was, the beauties/ff her soul and her virtues far eclipsed her personal charms. The old historians vie with each other in her praises. Yet the fame of her good works has perished. The abbey church in which she and Leofric were buried is destroyed; the foundations were dug up in 1670, and the site turned into a bowling-alley • the memory of Lady Godiva is kept alive by a fable—a disgrace to English history—and by a woman on horseback in a costume which would not be tolerated on the English stage.”