Original Story of Lady Godiva

"The story of Godiva's ride has been recorded by several Latin chroniclers, the earliest of them Roger of Wendover in the twelfth century and Matthew Paris in the early thirteenth."

- from H.R. Ellis Davidson,. The Legend of Lady Godiva. 2nd ed. Vol. 80. N.p.: Taylor & Francis., 1969. Folklore. Jstor. Web. 13 Sept. 2013.

Figure 2. Lady Godiva by John Collier (1850-1934)

Miss Lancaster judges Roger's version most reliable, and her translation runs as follows:

The saintly countess...desiring to free the town of Coventry from its burdensome and shameful servitude, often besought the earl, her husband, with earnest prayers, to free the town, by the guidance of the Holy Trinity and of the Holy Mother of God, from this slavery. The earl upbraided her for vainly seeking something so injurious to him and repeatedly forbade her to approach him again on the subject. 

Nevertheless in her feminine pertinacity she exasperated her husband with her unceasing request and extorted from him the following reply: 'Mount your horse naked' he said 'and ride through the market place of the town from one side right to the other while the people are congregated, and when you return you shall claim what you desire.' And the countess answered: 'And if I wish to do this, will you give me your permission?' And the earl said: 'I will.' Then the Countess Godiva, beloved of God, on a certain day, as it is said, mounting her horse naked, loose her hair from its bands and her whole body was veiled except her fair white legs. 

Her journey done, unseen by a soul, she returned rejoicing to her husband, who counted it a miracle. Then Earl Leofric granted a charter freeing the city of Coventry from its servitude and confirmed it with his seal.

- from H.R. Ellis Davidson,. The Legend of Lady Godiva. 2nd ed. Vol. 80. N.p.: Taylor & Francis., 1969. Folklore. Jstor. Web. 13 Sept. 2013.