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 Man by Man before his Majesty; and a detachment was made out of
all the 3 Troops, for His Majesty’s Guards, who attended His Majesty to
Kensington. There was an incredible Crowd in the Park to see the Show,
some computing that there could not be less than 10,000 People, and 600
Coaches.”
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 camp. It says: “It was solemnized with
extraordinary Demonstrations of Joy, the Army being wonderfully pleas’d
with his Royal Highness, because he inherits the Military, as well as
the other Virtues of his Royal Father and other Great Ancestors. His
Grace the Duke of Montague signaliz’d his Bounty on that Occasion, by
giving an Ox to his Troop, which was roasted whole at the head of the
Standard.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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