FORESTRY 



received and welcomed by the lord mayor and aldermen on horse- 

 back." In December of the following year, Lord Essex and Colonel 

 Lambert encamped with their forces in this park ; and it was here also 

 that Cromwell, on 9 May, 1649, reviewed his regiment of Ironsides, 

 together with Fairfax's regiment of horse, and made his memorable appeal 

 to the Levellers.' 3 



A great milit? y pageant was held in the park on 31 May, 1650, 

 to celebrate the return of Oliver Cromwell from the terrible wars in 

 Ireland. The Protector was met on Hounslow Heath by members of 

 Parliament and officers of the army, and as he passed through Hyde 

 Park on his way to Whitehall, the great guns fired salutes, and Colonel 

 Backstead's regiment fired a volley." 



Soon after the execution of Charles I, Hyde Park was seized by 

 the state as part of the crown lands. A survey was taken in 1652, 

 when the park's area was declared to be 620 acres of the annual 

 value of 894 13.;. 8</., and the timber was valued at the great sum of 

 4,779 igj. 6d., and the deer at 3- The park was divided into 

 lots and sold to various purchasers, producing the sum of 17,068 6s. 8</., 

 including the deer and the timber ; 65 and to this sum the wood and 

 underwood" contributed 5,099 igs. 6d. 



But although much of the park was now in private hands, it con- 

 tinued to be frequented. In the year following the sale, Evelyn wrote 

 in his diary, under 1 1 April : ' I went to take the air in Hyde Park, 

 where every coach was made to pay a shilling, and horse sixpence, by 

 the sordid fellow who had purchased it of the State, as they were 

 called.' n 



The park was by no means all gloom under the Commonwealth. 

 A letter-writer of the time states that on May-day, 1654 : 



Great resorts came to Hyde Park, many hundreds of coaches and gallants in 

 attire, but most shameful powder'd hair men, and painted and spotted women. Some 

 men played with a silver ball and some took other recreation. But his Highness the 

 Lord Protector was not hither, nor any of the Lords of the Council, but were busy 

 about the great affairs of the Commonwealth. 68 



The Protector, however, was present on that May-day, and appeared 

 keenly to enjoy the sports, as we learn from another source. In 

 company with many of his Privy Council he watched a great hurling 

 match by fifty Cornish gentlemen against fifty others. ' The ball they 

 played withal was silver, and designed for that party which did win the 

 goal.' n 



Later in the same year, namely on 29 September, Cromwell went 

 into Hyde Park to enjoy a small picnic dinner under the trees with 

 Secretary Thurloe, and attended by a few servants. Afterwards he 



" Rushworth, Hist. Coll. vii, 756. " Perfect Occurrences, 4-1 1 May, 1649. 



64 Larwood, Story of the Land. Parks, \, 34-5. ** Lysons, Environs ofLond. ii, 182. 



" Rutton, 'Making of Kensington Gardens' in Home Counties Mag. vi, 149. 



67 Evelyn, Diary, i, 284. M Gen. Proc. ofParl. 27 Apr.~4 May, 1654. 



" Moderate Iniell. 26 Apr.~4 May, 1654. 



235 



