VIA ST. ALBANS 173 



In the sixties I recollect striving to produce some 

 imitation of both events. A gay cavalcade crossing 

 Hadley Green preceded festivities in honour of the 

 marriage of the Prince and Princess of Wales, and 

 later on, a sham fight on the adjoining common 

 became the Battle of Hadley. Every thoughtful 

 arrangement that could be desired by the foe had 

 been made by us. ' Gentlemen of the Old Guard fire 

 first,' was the chivalric order of the day when the 

 extreme right had been crumpled up and the centre 

 duly broken by the advent of the Ale. The Old 

 Guard were nothing loath, either to shoot us down 

 or drink our health. Even artillery had been in 

 contemplation to enhance the welcome, and cavalry 

 to the extent of four Herts Yeomen were held in 

 reserve for the purpose of cutting up stragglers. No 

 detail was neglected which tended to the personal 

 comfort of those who were opposed to us. Neither 

 Edward nor Warwick could have been more con- 

 siderate. 



Passing Hadley Highstone no longer, the Holyhead, 

 Liverpool, Manchester, Carlisle, and other coaches 

 branched off along Telford's new road, and drove to 

 St. Albans direct. Some London mail-coaches — 

 whether on this road or others — made very long runs 

 without change of vehicle. For example, the same 

 mail-coach went through to Holyhead. The Carlisle 

 coach was changed only at Manchester, the Edin- 

 burgh at York, the Glasgow at Carlisle, and the 

 Falmouth at Exeter; while the coaches for Liverpool, 



