In 1665, at the time of the great Plague, Hyde Park was put to a sad use, as is well described in a contemporary poem entitled “Hide Park Camp Limned out to the Life, etc.” “In _July_, Sixteen hundred sixty and five, (O happy is the Man that’s now alive) When God’s destroying Angel sore did smite us, ’Cause he from sin could by no means invite us: When Lovely _London_ was in Mourning Clad, And not a countenance appear’d but sad; When the Contagion all about was spread; And People in the Streets did fall down dead. When Money’d fugitives away did flee, And took their Heels, in hopes to scape scot-free. Just then we March’t away, the more’s the pitty, And took our farewell of the Doleful City. With heavy Hearts unto _Hide Park_ we came, To chuse a place whereas we might remain: Our Ground we view’d, then streight to work we fall, And build up Houses without any Wall. We pitched our Tents on Ridges, and in Furrows, And there encamp’t, fearing th’ _Almighty’s Arrows_. But O alass! What did all this avail: Our men (ere long) began to droop and quail. Our Lodgings cold, and some not us’d thereto, Fell sick, and dy’d, and made us more adoe. At length the Plague amongst us ’gan to spread, When ev’ry morning some were found stark dead. Down to another Field the sick were t’ane; But few went down, that e’er came up again. For want of comfort, many, I observ’d, Perish’d and dy’d, which might have been preserv’d. But that which most of all did grieve my Soul, To see poor Christians drag’d into a Hole: Tye Match about them, as they had been Logs, And draw them into Holes, far worse than Dogs. When each Man did expect his turn was next, O then our Hearts with sorrow was perplext. Our Officers amazed stood, for dread, To see their men no sooner sick but dead. But that which most of all did grieve them, Why? To help the same there was no remedy. A Pest-house was prepar’d, and means was us’d, That none should be excluded, or refus’d: Yet all would not avail, they dy’d apace, As one dy’d out, another took his place. A sad and dismal time, as ere was known, When Corps, in the wide fields about was strown.