A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Godiva
GODIVA, Wife of Leofric, Earl of Mercia, temp. Edward the Confessor,
Famed as the deliverer of Coventry from many oppressive laws. The story, as taken from a M.S. in Bib. Bod and Math. Paris, is as follows:
"This Leofric married Godiva, a most beautiful and devout lady, sister of one Thorold, sheriff of Lincolnshire in those days, and founder of Spalding Abbey: which countess bearing an extraordinary affection to Coventry, often and earnestly besought her husband that, for the love of God and the blessed Virgin, he would free it from that grievous servitude to which it was subject. But he, rebuking her for importuning him in a matter so inconsistent with his profit, commanded that she should thenceforth forbear to move therein. Yet she, out of her womanish pertinacity, continued to solicit him, insomuch that he told her, if she would ride on horseback naked, from one end of the town to the other, he would grant her request. Whereunto she returned;—But will you give me leave to do so? And he replying, Yes; the noble lady, upon an appointed day, got on horseback, with her hair loose, so that it entirely covered her; and thus performing the journey, returned with joy to her husband, who thereupon granted to the inhabitants a charter of freedom."
Again,—"And now, before I proceed," says he, "I have a word more to say of the noble countess Godiva, which is, that besides her devout advancement of that pious work of his, i.e. her husband Leofric, in this magnificent monastery, of Monks at Coventry, she gave her whole treasure there; and sent for skilful goldsmiths, who, with all the gold and silver she had, made crosses, images of saints, and other curious ornaments." Which, perhaps, may serve as a specimen of the devotion and patriotism of the times.