  Grand Reviews in 1660-1661-1668, 1682-1695-1699—Camps in 1715-1716-1722—Poem on the latter—Reviews in 1755-1759-1760. A few weeks before the restoration of Charles II. Hyde Park was the scene of a very grand review, which is thus described in The Parliamentary Intelligencer, April 23-30, 1660. “On Tuesday, April 24, the Militia forces of the City Trained Bands and Auxiliaries, according to an Order of the council, marched into Hide-Park, the Maior in his Collar of S’s, with the Mace, Sword, Cap of Maintenance, the Aldermen in Scarlet, and the Commissioners of the Militia in handsome equipage going before them to a place erected for their entertainment. Each Colonel had his Tent and their Regiments very full, several of the Nobility and Gentry of great quality going as Volunteers. In Alderman Robinson’s Regiment were 250, the rest very many. The Regiments were all so numerous and so gallantly accoutred, as did sufficiently speak the strength and riches of the City, there being very little visible difference betwixt the Trained Bands and Auxiliaries, but only in their age.” Strype, in his Continuation of Stow’s Survey, tells us that at this review there were six Regiments of Trained Bands, six of Auxiliaries, and one Regiment On March 21, 1661, there was a parade in Hyde Park of 400 archers, and, on Sept. 27, 1662, Charles II. here reviewed his Life Guards. The 4th July, 1663, saw another muster of the King’s Guards, which Pepys, who was present, thus records:—“Thence with Creed to hire a coach to carry us to Hyde Parke to-day, there being a general muster of the King’s Guards, horse and foot; but they demand so high, that I, spying Mr. Cutler, the merchant, did take notice of him, and he, going into his coach, and telling me that he was going to the muster, I asked, and went along with him; where a goodly sight to see so many fine horses and officers, and the King, Duke and others came a-horse-back, and the two Queens in the Queene-Mother’s coach, My Lady Castlemaine not being there. After a long time being there, I light, and walk to the place where the King, Duke, etc. did stand to see the horse and foot march by, and discharge their guns, to show a French Marquisse (for whom this muster was caused,) the goodness of our firemen, which, indeed, was very good, though not without a slip now and then; and one broadside close to our coach we had going out of the Park, even to the nearnesse as to be ready to burn our hairs. Yet, methought, all these gay men are not the Soldiers that must do the King’s business, it being such as these that lost the old King all he had, and were beat by the most ordinary fellows that could be. We have seen how, in the year of the Great Plague, the Guards were encamped in Hyde Park, and how miserably some of them died there: and it does not seem to have been again used for military display till Sept. 16, 1668, which Pepys saw. “When I come to St. James’s I find the Duke of York gone with the King to see the muster of the Guards in Hyde Park; and their Colonel, the Duke of Monmouth to take his command this day, of the King’s Life Guard, by surrender of my Lord Gerard. So I took a hackney coach, and saw it all; and, indeed, it was mighty noble, and their firing mighty fine, and the Duke of Monmouth in mighty rich clothes; but the well ordering of the men I understand not.” Evelyn, also, speaks of these reviews. On Jan. 28, 1682, the Guards were again reviewed in Hyde Park, this time for the gratification, and in honour of the Ambassadors of the Sultan of Morocco, whose followers afterwards performed a fantasia, after the manner of their country. Queen Mary reviewed troops in the Park on the 9th and 10th of May, 1692, and there was a very grand parade of troops previous to their departure for Flanders on Dec. 23, 1695. The London Post, Nov. 8-10, 1699, says that on Nov. 9 “The King reviewed the 3 Troops of Guards in Hide-Park. They appeared all in their new Cloaths, and fine accoutrements, with Feathers in their Hats, and made an extraordinary show. His Majesty rid through every Rank, and was very well pleased to see them in so good an Appearance; after which, he placed himself on the left of the Front, till the whole marched by him in File; then they took their ground again, and afterwards were ordered to pass In 1715, King George I. being newly set upon the throne, there were Jacobite riots in many parts of England, and, in July of that year, a camp was formed in Hyde Park, for the protection of London, of a very strong body of troops, together with twelve pieces of artillery. The camp occupied the site of the Exhibition of 1851, and, according to the St. James’s Evening Post, July 23-26, 1715, “The three Battalions of Foot Guards on 23rd July marched to their Encampment in Hyde Park, and the Horse and Grenadier Guards took their Post there next day, and the Regiment of the Duke of Argyle is expected there this day.” The same paper says that “This Day His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales went to view the Camp in Hyde Park.” In the copy for July 30-Aug. 2 we read that on the anniversary of the King’s accession, Aug. 1, “There were likewise Rejoycings in the Camp at Hyde Park, where the King’s and other loyal healths were drank by the Officer and Soldiers, and a Discharge was made of their Artillery and Small-Arms. The first Regiment of Guards received their new cloathing, and made a very fine appearance.” The King, on Aug. 8th, “went to Kensington, view’d the Camp on his way, and return’d at Night to St. James’s.” The Flying Post, or The Postmaster, Nov. 1-3, 1715, gives an account of the celebration of the birthday of the Prince of Wales (Oct. 30) in the Another newspaper, the St. James’s Evening Post, Nov. 1-3, 1715, supplements this account thus: “After the triple Salvo of the Artillery and Small Arms that was made in the Evening, Col. Oughton, one of the Grooms of His Royal Highness’s Bed Chamber, and Major of the first Regiment of Guards, invited all the Foot Officers to an Entertainment in his Tent; and, that the Soldiers might Share in the Universal Joy on this Occasion, distributed a Guinea per Company among the private Men, to drink the Prince’s Health, etc., which they did with repeated Huzzahs and Acclamations of Joy, under great illuminated Circles erected for that purpose at the head of every Company.” The same paper, of Dec. 10-13, tells us that on Dec. 10, “the There was another camp in the Park next year, when the Prince of Wales reviewed the troops, and yet another in 1722, of which The Daily Post of May 9 records: “Yesterday, all the Foot Guards that were not upon duty, march’d to the Camp mark’d out in Hide Park; his Majesty and Royal Highness view’d them from the Terrass Walk in the Privy Garden at St. James’s as they passed by.” Every newspaper of the day had an account of the Royal Review of the troops in camp on June 11, 1722, but the best was in The Flying Post, June 12-14. “The Forces which were review’d by the King last Monday in Hyde Park, were only the three Regiments of Foot Guards, the Horse being to be review’d another time. His Majesty having rode round the three Regiments, the first of which was on the Right, the Second on the Left (the Posts of Honour), and the Scots Regiment in the center; his Majesty made a stand, afterwards, near the Ring, the Prince at some small distance from him, where all the Regiments passed by in review, Earl Cadogan standing on his Right, and General Withers on his Left, with each his half-pike. “His Majesty and his Royal Highness, after having dined in one of the Earl of Cadogan’s tents, went into another, which Prince Eugene took from the Prime Vizier of the Turks, who presented it to the Duke of Marlborough, who afterwards made a present of it to my Lord Cadogan. There was an appearance of about sixty Dukes and other Peers, besides abundance of other persons of distinction, particularly the Bishop of Durham, who was finely This camp was so famous, that there was a long poem published about it, “Before the Camp, the Cannon find a Place, (Ready to stare the Enemy in the Face,) Mounted, Charg’d, Prim’d, and all things Toujours PrÊt, To give the daring Rebels an ArrÊt. Where watchfull Centinells stand (full of Ire,) With Match or Halberts, ready to give Fire. The Warning-Piece, too, stands not far before, Whose harsh Report is watch’d by many a Score, Not only of Drums and Trumpets, for Tattou, But of the Mobb, who come to see this Show: And gaping, stand in Crowds on either side, And, in the Firing it, take a mighty Pride. Behind, are plac’d the Powder-Carriages, The Cannon’s necessary Equipages; T’ th’ Right is Pitch’d the Master-Gunner’s Tent, Set out with Match, for Use, or Ornament. Facing the Front, are set the Quarter Guard, To give th’ Alarm, in case they shou’d be scar’d. Whose constant Watch, for some strange Enterprize} Does (tho’ the Rest are all at play) suffice,} And takes away all fear of a Surprise.} The Right and the Left wings, are form’d by th’ Horse, And in the centre, stand the Foot, of course. The Field-Colours, each Squadron’s Ground mark out, The Gay Bell-tents are plac’d before the Foot; To keep their Arms from Rust, by Dew or Rain. At either regiments Head of Horse are rear’d, Their several Standards, with their careful Guard: Betwixt the Horse, are stretched the Picket Ropes, Where the Horses stand, to fill their Hungry Chops; Some of which sure, find Provender but scanty, They look so near akin to Rosinante. I’ th’ Rear, (and that, indeed’s, the fittest for ’em,) Are plac’d the Officers, in nice Decorum. . . . . . . . . . . Their airy Tents are sprucely Neat and Clean, And all is there disposed with a Bonne Mine, Each strives to shew his Genius to be Brilliant, In the Composure of his gay Pavillion. The spacious Avenue that leads to th’ Door, Is with red Gravel (rolled) all cover’d o’er; A Grassy Turf each Walk emborders round, And greatly beautifies the golden Ground; In various Forms their Fancies are exprest, One Walk, on either side, with Flowers is drest: Another entrench’d, some strew’d with Cockle-Shells, (And each think, doubtless, that his own excels.) While others, who’re, perhaps, more negligent, Have nought but rugged Earth before their Tent. The noble H——’s Pavilion’s in the Centre, A Guard is at the Door, that none should enter But whom he bids, and lest it be expos’d, With platted Boughs ’tis all round enclosed: So thick they stand, so loftily they rise, Secure he’s kept from view of Vulgar Eyes. “The Tops o’ th’ Tents and Borders differ too, Some are adorn’d with Red, and some with Blue; This, has its flaming Swords, and that, its Arms, And each the Eye with various Figures charms. But leave we this, my Muse, and let’s begin, To shew what Furniture’s contain’d within. (Lest they take Cold) Some boarded are all o’er, } Others have only Two, that lead to th’ Door, } But most have painted Cloths Facing the Entrance is set up the Bed, Of what’s lik’d best, of Green, or Blue, or Red: Some, too, are lac’d, some wrought, others are plain, And, from the Bed, there is a kind of Train, Of the same sort, stretch’d out on either side, } Which Masters’ and the Valets’ Rooms divide, } And does the necessary Lumber hide. } . . . . . . . . . . Near the Bed, hangs (in a convenient Place,) } That necessary Utensil, the Looking Glass, } Where Mr. Smart may see his Monkey Face. } But, hold, let not the Tea-Table be forgot, O’er which they hold many a luscious Chat, With Generous She’s; and make a Prose Lampoon, (By way of Dialogue) upon half the Town. An useful Copper Kitchin stands just by, } From whence whene’er the Tea-pot’s almost dry, } Of Boiling Water they’ve a fresh Supply.” } In 1755, the King several times reviewed his Light Horse Cavalry in Hyde Park. Read’s Weekly Journal tells us how on 17th July, 1759, “the regiment of Norfolk Militia march’d to Kensington, where His Majesty stood under the Piazza in front of the Palace, and saw them file off in ranks of eight deep; the Earl of Orford, Colonel, march’d at the head of the first battalion, with drums beating and fifes playing; the second battalion had Sir Armine Woodhouse, Bart., Lieut.-Col., at their head, and were look’d on as a fine corps. His Majesty seem’d greatly pleas’d with their appearance. Their uniform is scarlet turn’d up with black. They march’d on Kingston, and other towns contiguous, on their way to Portsmouth.” Walpole, in his letters (19th July, 1759), says, “The crowds in Hyde Park, when the King reviewed them, were unimaginable.” On 20th November, 1760, George II. held his last review in Hyde Park, for he died suddenly on the 26th. The following account of it is given in Read’s Weekly Journal, of 25th November. “Exactly at a quarter before ten, at the review of Colonel Burgoyne’s regiment of Light Horse, in Hyde Park, his Majesty entered the grand pavillion |
|
