314 ROGER OF AVENDO VER. [A.D. 1057. Walter Avho continued to the time of king William. In the same year Egelric bishop of Durham voluntarily left his bishopric, and took the monastic habit at Peterborough, where he lived an exemplary life tvvelve years. King Eadward recalls his nephew, A.D. 1057. Eadward king of England, being advanced in years, sent Aldred bishop of Worcester into Hungary, and recalled thence Eadward, son of king Eadmund his brother, Avith the intention of making him his successor. Eadward came accordingly, with his son Eadgar and his daughters Margaret and Christina, but died not long after his arrival in the city of London, leaving the king the charge of his son Eadgar and his daughters before mentioned. On the thirtyfirst of August in the same year died Leofric earl of Chester, a man of praise-worthy life : he was buried in the monastery which he had founded at Coventry. Having founded this monastery by the advice of his Avife the noble countess Godiva, he, at the prayer of a religious woman, placed monks therein, and so enriched them with lands, vvoods, and ornaments, that there was not found in all England a monastery Avith such an abundance of gold and silver, gems and costly garments. The countess Godiva, who was a great lover of God's mother, longing to free the town of Coventry from the oppression of a heavy toll, often with urgent prayers besought her husband, that from regard to Jesus Christ and his mother, he would free the town from that service, and from all other heavy burdens ; and when the earl sharply rebuked her for foolishly asking what was so much to his damage, and always forbade her ever more to speak to him on the subject ; and while she, on the other hand, Avith a woman's pertinacity, never ceased to exasperate her husband on that matter, he at last made her this ansAver, " Mount your horse, and ride naked, before all the people, through the market of the town, from one end to the other, and on your return you shall have your request." On which Godiva replied, " But will you give me permission, if I am willing to do it?" "I will," said he. Whereupon the countess, beloved of God, loosed her hair and let doAvn her tresses, which covered the whole of her body like a veil, and then mounting her horse and attended by two knights, she rode through the market-place, without being seen,