Lady Godiva
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Peter Stewart, posting on Gen-Med [[Aug 24]], 2007 provides the text from _Liber Eliensis_ , book II, chapter 81:<blockquote>In diebus Leofrici abbatis, regnante Canuto, quedam femina, Godiva nomine, cuiusdam comitis derelicta fuit, que post ipsius obitum bona sua ecclesiis divisit, ut ad meritorum suorum participes forent apud Deum. Ad sponsam domini Iesu 起eldre餫m orationum excubias actitans, loci amenitate et fratrum devotione in maximum erga eos ascenditur amorem, unde de suo iure aliqua rura, sed precipua, beate virgini et Deo illic ministrantibus donavit et in testamento Anglice confirmavit, quorum hic nomina memorantur: 苨tre, Fanbrege, Terlinges" [edited by E.O. Blake (London, 1962) p. 150].</blockquote> | Peter Stewart, posting on Gen-Med [[Aug 24]], 2007 provides the text from _Liber Eliensis_ , book II, chapter 81:<blockquote>In diebus Leofrici abbatis, regnante Canuto, quedam femina, Godiva nomine, cuiusdam comitis derelicta fuit, que post ipsius obitum bona sua ecclesiis divisit, ut ad meritorum suorum participes forent apud Deum. Ad sponsam domini Iesu 起eldre餫m orationum excubias actitans, loci amenitate et fratrum devotione in maximum erga eos ascenditur amorem, unde de suo iure aliqua rura, sed precipua, beate virgini et Deo illic ministrantibus donavit et in testamento Anglice confirmavit, quorum hic nomina memorantur: 苨tre, Fanbrege, Terlinges" [edited by E.O. Blake (London, 1962) p. 150].</blockquote> | ||
| − | **(In the time of Abbot Leofric, in the reign of Canute, there was a certain woman named Godiva, widow of an earl, who after his death divided her possessions amongst churches so that they might partake in her merits before God. She often attended the prayer vigils for | + | **(In the time of Abbot Leofric, in the reign of Canute, there was a certain woman named Godiva, widow of an earl, who after his death divided her possessions amongst churches so that they might partake in her merits before God. She often attended the prayer vigils for Aethelthryth, bride of the lord Jesus, and from the amenity of the place and the devotion of the monks increased in her very great love for them, out of which she gave some lands that she held in her own right, special properties, to those serving the blessed Virgin and God in that house, and confirmed this in her testament, written in English; the names of these estates are recorded here: (High) Easter, (South) Fambridge, Terling [all in Essex].) |
**Blake noted that "If the references to Abbot Leofric and Cnut are correct the bequest must have been made between c.1022 and c.1029 and this cannot be the famous Godgifu, the wife of Earl Leofric of Mercia, as he did not die before 1057, nor the Godgifu, wife of Earl Siward". However, _Liber Eliensis_ was composed late in the 12th century, so that accuracy of chronological detail long before is hardly to be expected. | **Blake noted that "If the references to Abbot Leofric and Cnut are correct the bequest must have been made between c.1022 and c.1029 and this cannot be the famous Godgifu, the wife of Earl Leofric of Mercia, as he did not die before 1057, nor the Godgifu, wife of Earl Siward". However, _Liber Eliensis_ was composed late in the 12th century, so that accuracy of chronological detail long before is hardly to be expected. | ||
