Peeping Tom - The Coventry Pages

Peeping Tom. Did he exist?

An effigy of Peeping Tom in a Coventry Shopping centre

Peeping Tom - a phrase used today to signify a person, usually male, who illicitly snoops on other people at a time when they would expect privacy. It stems from the Godiva legend in which a townsperson supposedly opened the shutters to look at Godiva as she rode past.

• In his writings in his Flores Historiarum Roger of Wendover (died 1236) made no mention of Peeping Tom in his piece about Godiva. Here is an English translation of the original Latin.

  "Ascend," he said, "thy horse naked and pass thus through the city from one end to the other in sight of the people and on thy return thou shalt obtain thy request." Upon which she returned: "And should I be willing to do this, wilt thou give me leave?" "I will," he responded. Then the Countess Godiva, beloved of God, ascended her horse, naked, loosing her long hair which clothed her entire body except her snow white legs, and having performed the journey, seen by none, returned with joy to her husband who, regarding it as a miracle, thereupon granted Coventry a Charter, confirming it with his seal.
  

• Yet In the 17thC this was written - here we see the beginings of the Peeping Tom legend... 

  In the Forenoone all householders were Commanded to keep in their Families shutting their doores & Windows close whilest the Duchess performed this good deed, which done she rode naked through the midst of the Towne, without any other Coverture save only her hair. But about the midst of the Citty her horse neighed, whereat one desirous to see the strange Case lett downe a Window, & looked out, for which fact, or for that the horse did neigh, as the cause thereof. Though all the Towne were Franchised, yet horses were not toll-free to this day. 
  - from the account of Humphrey Wanley (1672-1726)  600 years after the event.
  

• And in the 18thC the name 'Peeping Tom' is first recorded in the Coventry city accounts. In 1773, there is an item recording a "new wig and paint for the effigy of Tom the Tailor".
  
• Grose's Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, 1796 first records the use of this phrase.

Godiva clock Coventry City Centre

If we assume the ride took place, and it was in some sort of town, was there one "Peeping Tom"? Again, as with all things connected to this story, there is no proof. Once more written evidence of an activity, in this case the appearance of "Peeping Tom", came many years after the supposed event. And as such it is more likely as not to be fanciful. Good moral story though this is there is no evidence.

The Choice is yours.

via thecoventrypages.net

Posted to What Gets Me Hot via Dogmeat