Lady Godiva was the wife of Leofric, Earl of Mercia. Sometime around 1050 AD she is reputed to have ridden naked through the streets of Coventry to persuade her husband to remove an oppressive tax. The legend has it that the townspeople were forewarned and were asked to stay indoors to preserve her modesty. All complied save one, a tailor named Tom whose punishment for looking at her was to be struck blind. This gave rise to the expression "Peeping Tom" to describe one who looks where one shouldn't!
