A HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX 



Charles I took special care of the Hyde Park deer ; he revoked the 

 various warrants of his father granting water from the springs to par- 

 ticular inhabitants and for the general use of the city of Westminster, by 

 writ of King's Bench, on complaint of the keepers that the ponds were 

 so drained that there was not water enough for the deer, notwithstanding 

 that the inhabitants stated by petition that they knew the ponds to 

 be full." 



At the beginning of the Civil War, when fortune appeared to be 

 favouring the Royalists, London was alarmed, and in March, 1643, 

 Parliament ordered that the City and its immediate suburbs should be 

 surrounded by a great earthen rampart, with bastions and redoubts. 

 The work was begun with much energy in the following May, and 

 included a large square fort, with four bastions, on the site of the present 

 Hamilton Place, Piccadilly, which was at that date within the extreme 

 limits of the park on that side. 68 The fort at Hyde Park Corner stood 

 for four years ; it was demolished in 1 647, by order of Parliament, as 

 there was no further dread of attack. A guard was also established in 

 1643 at tne north-east corner of the park, to keep a close watch on all 

 those taking the Oxford Road, and several important arrests were made 

 within its precincts. 



The park suffered much from the excitement of the times. The 

 House of Commons ordered in 1 643 



that the officers and soldiers at the courts of guard be required not to permit any to 

 cut down trees or wood in Hyde Park, and not to suffer any such persons as go out 

 to the works to cut wood in the park, or to bring any from thence but by warrant 

 from the committee appointed for that ordinance. 69 



The committee referred to in this order was one recently 

 appointed 



in regard of the extraordinary want of fuel, to see to the cutting down of the under- 

 wood within sixty miles of London in the king's and queen's parks, as well as in those 

 belonging to any bishops, prebendaries, deans or chapters, and to distribute the same 

 among the poor. 80 



In 1645, wnen Puritanism was at its height, orders were given 



that Hyde Park and Spring Gardens should be kept shut, and no person allowed to go 

 into any of those places on the Lord's day, fast and thanksgiving days, and hereof those 

 that have the keeping of the said places are to take notice and see this order obeyed, 

 as they will answer to the contrary at their uttermost peril. 61 



Several events of importance occurred within the precincts of Hyde 

 Park during the Commonwealth strife. On 6 August, 1647, l ^ e ^ ar ~ 

 liamentary forces under Fairfax, between whom and the Common 

 Council of London there had been serious ill feeling, which was now 

 allayed, marched three deep into Westminster on their way to the City 

 with laurel branches in their hats ; and in Hyde Park they were formally 



" Larwood, Tie Story of the London Parks, 1 8. 



M Perfect Diurnal, 24 Apr.-i May, 1643 ; Gardiner, Hut. of the Great Civil War, i, 52, 98. See 

 the plan of these fortifications in Maitland, Hist, of Land, i, 369. 



a Commons' Journ. iii, 267. * Weekly Acct. 4 Oct. 1643. * Lords' Jourti. vii. 



214 



