It must be natural to inquire into the uses of the institution, and for what purpose it has been patronized by so many great and illustrious personages. The profound secrecy, however, in which every thing relating to masonry is involved, prevents us from being very particular on this head. The masons themselves say in general, that it promotes philanthropy, friendship, and morality; that in proportion as masonry has been cultivated, countries have become civilized, &c. How far this can be depended upon, the fraternity best know. Another advantage, however, seems less equivocal, viz. that its signs serve as a kind of universal language; so that by means of them, people of the most distant nations may become acquainted, and enter into friendship with one another. This certainly must be accounted a very important circumstance; and considering the great numbers that have been, and daily are, admitted to the society, and their inviolable attachment to the art, we must certainly conclude, that if it contains nothing of great importance to mankind at large, it must at least be extremely agreeable, and even fascinating, to those who are once initiated.
CHAP. LXXVIII.
CURIOSITIES IN HISTORY, ETC.—(Continued.)
Peeping Tom of Coventry—Long absent Husband returned—Curious Historical Fact—The most Extraordinary Fact on Record.
Peeping Tom of Coventry.—The following are the particulars of the event which, it is said, gave birth to the above appellation.
The wife of Leofric, earl of Mercia, with her husband, founded a monastery, for an abbot and twenty-four Benedictine monks, at Coventry, in 1043; which was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, St. Peter, and St. Osburg. Leofric and his Lady, who both died about the latter end of the reign of Edward the Confessor, were buried in the church of the abbey which they had founded. The former seems to have been the first lord of Coventry, and the latter its greatest benefactress, as will appear from the following extraordinary and indeed romantic tradition, which is not only firmly believed at Coventry, but is recorded by many of our own historians:—
The earl had granted the convent and city many valuable privileges; but the inhabitants having offended him, he imposed on them very heavy taxes; for the great lords to whom the town belonged, under the Anglo-Saxons, had those privileges, which cannot be exercised at present by any but the house of commons. The people complained grievously of the severity of the taxes, and applied to Godeva, the earl’s lady, a woman of great piety and virtue, to intercede in their favour. She willingly complied with the request; but the earl remained inexorable! he told his lady, that were she to ride naked through the streets of the city, he would remit the tax; meaning, that no persuasion whatever should prevail with him, and thinking to silence her by the strange proposal: but she, sensibly touched by the distress of the city, generously accepted the terms. She therefore sent notice to the magistrates of the town, with the strictest orders that all doors and windows should be shut, and that no person should attempt to look out on pain of death. These precautions being taken, the lady rode through the city, covered only with her fine flowing locks. While riding in this manner through the streets, no one dared to look at her, except a poor tailor, who, as a punishment, it is said, for his violating the injunctions of the noble lady, which had been published with so pious and benevolent a design, was struck blind. This tailor has been ever since remembered by the name of Peeping Tom; and in memory of the event, his figure is still kept up in the window of the house, from whence, it is said, he gratified his curiosity. The lady having thus discharged her engagements, the earl performed his promise, and granted the city a charter, by which the inhabitants were exempted from all taxes. As a proof of this circumstance, in a window of Trinity church are the figures of the Earl and his Lady, and beneath the following inscription:—
“I, Luriche, for the love of thee,
Doe set Coventre toll free.”
To this day, the love of Godeva is annually commemorated on Friday in Trinity week, when a valiant fair one rides, not literally like the good countess, but in silk, closely fitted to her limbs, and of colour emulating her complexion. The figure of Peeping Tom, in the great street, is also new dressed on the occasion. Mr. O’Keefe has produced a musical entertainment on this subject, written with all the delicacy the subject would admit.