In the Park, and close by the path which leads from Grosvenor Gate to the Magazine, are some small barracks for the use of the guards of the Magazine--but Hyde Park has been for more than two centuries the _Campus Martius_ of London, and the first review recorded as having been held there was by Lord Hunsdon, the then Ranger, when as Stow says in his _Annales_, on the 28th of March, 1569, “The Pensioners well appointed in armour on horsebacke, mustered before the Queen’s Maiestie in Hide Park beside Westminster.”
In _The Bow-man’s Glory_, 1682, is “A Brief Relation of the several appearances of Archers, since His Majesties Restauration.--On March the 21st _Anno Domini_, 1661. Four hundred archers, with their bows and arrows, made a splendid and glorious show in _Hide Park_, with flying colours, and cross-bows to guard them. _Sir Gilbert Talbot_, Baronet, was their Colonel, Sir _Edward Hungerford_, Knight of the Bath, their Lieutenant-Colonel; Mr. _Donne_ was their Major. Great was the appearance both of the nobility, gentry and commonalty: several of the archers shot near twenty score yards within the compass of a hat with their cross-bows; and many of them, to the amazement of the spectators, hit the mark; there were, likewise, three showers of whistling arrows. So great was the delight, and so pleasing the exercise, that three Regiments of Foot laid down their arms to come and see it.”
In the early days of the Commonwealth, London was fortified by the Parliament, and so urgent were they on this matter that we read in _A Perfect Diurnall of the Passages in Parliament_, April 24th to May 1st, 1643, “An order was made by the common Councell of London, that the Ministers in the severall Parishes of the Citie should stir up the Parishioners in their severall churches the next day to send such of their servants and children as are fit to labour, with spades, shovells and other necessary tooles to helpe and assist the raising of the out-workes for the defence of the Citie, which is very needeful to be finished with all expedition, in regard two great Armies are now on foote near the Citie, and that they would begin the work by Wednesday next.”
Nay, the very women helped in this work, as Butler tells us in _Hudibras_ (part ii. cant. 2.):--