Leofric died in 1057, and was buried in one of the porches of the church of the monastery which he had founded, which ultimately became the Cathedral of the diocese, a proud position it held until the bishopric was removed to Lichfield. His Countess survived him many years, but the date of her death is not recorded, although it is known that she was buried in the same church. It was Leofric’s Countess Godiva or Godeva around whom the well–known legend centres. Although there seems little doubt that it had less foundation in fact than the romantic desire, it was certainly an accepted legend and believed by many as embodying an historical fact in the early part of the reign of Edward the Confessor. The first description of this somewhat apocryphal ride is to be found in the writings of Roger of Wendover, a chronicler of the beginning of the twelfth century; that is to say of a date about one hundred years after the time when the event is said to have taken place. The account given by this writer, whose work generally we are bound to state is open to considerable question on the score of accuracy, runs as follows:— 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, and even with urgent prayers besought her husband, with every 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 he always forbade her for evermore to speak to him on the subject; and while she, on the other hand, with a woman’s pertinacity, never ceased to exasperate her husband with that matter, he at last made her this answer— “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.” To 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 down 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, except her fair legs; and having completed the journey, she returned with gladness to her astonished husband, and obtained of him what she had asked, for Earl Leofric freed the town of Coventry and its inhabitants from the aforesaid service, and confirmed what he had done by a charter.